Lumberton, Texas-based startup Ecoute Audio made a splash with its first-ever product back in 2023, when it unveiled its TH1 headphones aimed at hi-fi enthusiasts.
That model was unlike anything else on the market at the time, with separate amplifier circuits for cleaner separation in each channel, and a vacuum tube preamp stage for analog smoothness and warmth – sort of emulating an audiophile’s full system setup. From professional and customer reviews, the TH1s were well received and the brand’s bet on packing high-grade componentry into its headphones paid off.
Ecoute’s decided to take things up a notch with the TH2 over-ears. The new headphones borrow from the original recipe and improve upon it with a revamped design and upgraded audio. If these sound half as good as they look, the company might well have another winner on its hands.
écoute TH2 | The next generation of wearable hi-fi
Let’s take a look at the architecture to start. You’ve got a tried-and-true Korg Nutube 6P1 dual triode serving as the preamp and adding richness to your tunes. There are two fully discreet Class A/B dual-mono amps on board, one for each channel. A dual-core digital-to-analog converter (DAC) powers 40-mm titanium-coated mylar drivers.
Ecoute says it’s gone with a DAC that’s capable of 32-bit/384-kHz so you’ve got plenty of headroom for clean decoding. And since there are two independent DAC cores and one triode per channel, the TH2 promises you’ll get proper channel separation just like with a kitted-out hi-fi setup at home.
All this can be fine-tuned through a mobile companion app, where you can tweak the 8-band EQ. You can play music via a 3.5-mm cable, USB-C for lossless digital audio, or over Bluetooth 5.3 using high-resolution LDAC, or AAC and SBC codecs.
These elements come together in a sophisticated set of over-ears with distinctive design elements including vintage-style grills, and a window on the ear cup to showcase the tube preamp within.
Ecoute Audio
Ecoute says the updated design includes materials that appear premium, and allow for greater comfort, and improved weight distribution and durability. Having painfully let go of several functioning pairs of cans over the years because the materials fell apart over time, I appreciate that the TH2 lets you replace the ear pad as well as the headband wraps when they start to show wear and tear.
The brand says it’s improved audio output from the original TH1, so you can expect “deeper bass, extended treble, and even more resolution across all frequencies.” The active noise cancelation system should be more effective too, and that’s supported by better passive isolation thanks to the revamped build.
Ecoute Audio
The headphones include a 1,600-mAh battery, which should last over 20 hours on a full charge. At 424 g (15 oz), they’re a good bit heavier than the Apple’s AirPods Max; hopefully the design allows them to feel properly balanced on your noggin over long listening sessions.
Ecoute says the TH2 will retail at US$999, but they can be had for as little as $749 while they’re being crowdfunded on Kickstarter. The discounts reduce the later you get to backing this campaign.
Ecoute Audio
The TH2 can be had in gunmetal and gray, or nickel and brown. Orders include a travel case and charging cable. You can also snap up a second set of ear pads, head pad, and headband wrap in genuine lambskin leather for $50.
All crowdfunding campaigns carry an element of risk, so you’ll want to keep that in mind if you choose to back this campaign. For what it’s worth, Ecoute has previously launched and shipped the TH1 on Kickstarter, and received praise for that model. It’s also detailed the TH2’s development and timeline on its campaign page, and has racked up nearly $400,000 in funding from more than 500 backers for this one.
If all goes to plan, orders are slated to ship worldwide in September 2026, and delivery costs will be calculated once the campaign ends.
Source: Kickstarter
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