The world’s only headphones with a built-in vacuum tube preamp and dual-mono architecture—a complete hi-fi system built into a headset.
Check on Kickstarter
What if your headphones
didn’t sound like headphones?
Traditional headphones can’t recreate the experience of a full system—because they are not full systems. They skip critical components, share circuitry between channels, and collapse everything into a single chip to save space and expense. The result? Flattened sound, smeared imaging, and a lack of depth.
écoute doesn’t make those compromises. écoute is a full hi-fi system. It’s designed for those who understand what a true system sounds like, and want that experience wherever they listen. Nothing more, and certainly nothing less.
écoute headphones are different
They don’t just play music—they stage it.
Built with the same signal path architecture as a full reference-grade hi‑fi system, écoute audio headphones feature a built-in vacuum tube preamp and true dual‑mono amplification that render space, depth, and warmth in a way no other headset can—because no other headset is built like this.
It sounds like a full hi-fi system
because it’s built like one
What makes this headset remarkable is how it sounds—
and that comes from how it’s designed.
TH2 replicates the architecture of a high-end hi-fi system. Real vacuum tubes act as true analog preamps—not emulations or DSP filters. And because the left and right channels stay physically separated from DAC to driver, TH2 preserves precise stereo imaging and creates a wide, natural soundstage that feels more like in-room listening than any other headphones.
Auditioned live by thousands at hi-fi shows
Listeners’ words speak louder than ours
We can talk topology and harmonic content all day. But before diving deeper, take a moment to hear from those who’ve already listened. If you haven’t heard it for yourself, start here—their reactions are the real spec sheet.
The professional musician and audio engineer reacts:
The audio gear designer and innovator shares what he hears:
The music industry media veteran gives his take:
“These headphones don’t sound like headphones. They sound like a reference-grade two-channel system.”
Editor’s Choice Award – Magnetic Magazine
Customer reviews from ecouteaudio.com
“They sound better than they have any business sounding.”
★★★★★ – J.C. (Customer)
“I caught myself doing A/B tests with my home system. Then I gave up. Not because écoute lost—because it didn’t matter.”
★★★★★ – T.S. (Customer)
“The sound reproduction not only matches my home tube setup but, on certain tracks, actually surpasses it. The clarity, detail, and tonal balance are exceptional, making it a genuinely satisfying audiophile experience.”
★★★★★ – Henri Zalamea (Sound Engineer)
The TH1 rewrote the rules—
The TH2 perfects the form
Two years ago we introduced écoute audio TH1, the world’s first headphone with a built-in vacuum tube preamp and dual-mono amplification. The TH1 changed everything people thought they knew about portable hi-fi.
It proved that a true analog signal chain—a vacuum tube preamp, dual-mono amplification, and firmware-level tunability—could live inside a headset without compromise. Audiophiles took notice. Reviewers praised it. And for the first time, listeners could leave their listening rooms without leaving the sound they love behind.
What’s new in the TH2?
- Same architecture. Improved sound. Still the world’s only headset with a built-in vacuum tube preamp and dual-mono amplification—now with deeper bass, extended treble, and even more resolution across all frequencies.
- Improved Noise Control. Still signal-first, but with an even lower noise floor for the ANC and a more natural sounding transparency mode.
- Better passive isolation. Less noise bleed both in and out.
- More shielding. Improved RF and microphonic isolation around the tube stage.
- Custom tunable. Eight-band adjustment with ±12 dB per band to dial in your preferred sound.
- Modular construction. Interchangeable pads and headband wraps for customization and longevity.
- New design. Better comfort. Redesigned chassis with improved durability, fit, comfort, and weight distribution.
A tube preamp is not a gimmick—
It’s the missing stage other headphones leave out
At the heart of every unit sits real, glowing triodes. These aren’t emulations or effects, but actual vacuum tubes performing a critical role: voltage gain. In any high-fidelity system, the gain stage is where signal integrity is shaped. It’s the front end of the amplification chain—where microdynamics, harmonic structure, and spatial cues are either preserved or lost.
Wait, did you say built-in vacuum tubes?
Yes we did, and here’s why—because tubes sound better.
Vacuum tubes remain prized in high-end audio because they do something solid-state circuits don’t: they restore natural harmonics lost during the recording and digital conversion process. Specifically, triodes generate even-order harmonics—the same consonant structures found in real instruments and voices. These harmonics don’t distort the music; they reinforce it, adding warmth, body, and presence that makes music feel less like playback—and more like a performance.
That’s why tube preamps remain mainstays in studios and listening rooms: they preserve tonal nuance, add harmonic richness, and deliver a more emotionally engaging sound than solid-state designs.
écoute is the only headphone in the world to incorporate a true vacuum tube preamp inside the headset itself—no external gear required. Just the unmistakable musicality of vacuum tubes—anywhere you want to listen.
Why dual-mono architecture matters
Most headphones run both channels through a shared amplification circuit. It’s cost-effective and space-efficient, but it comes at the expense of separation. Left and right bleed into one another, compromising clarity, collapsing the soundstage, and blurring the stereo image.
TH2 uses true dual-mono architecture: two fully isolated analog amplification paths—one per channel—fed by a separate triode stage per side and powered by two discrete solid-state analog amps. This eliminates crosstalk at the structural level and preserves the spatial information embedded in the recording.
Dual-mono is extremely unheard of headphones. (We literally have never heard of another.) It’s actually rare of outside of proper two-channel rack systems because of the space, complexity, and cost involved. But it’s precisely this architecture that allows TH2 to recreate the kind of spaciousness and image stability you’d expect from loudspeakers in a treated room, not drivers inches from your ears.
The result? Imaging that feels more like a performance unfolding in front of you than a playback inside your head. Instruments take their place in three-dimensional space. Vocals breathe. The illusion holds. You don’t just hear the music—you hear the room it was performed in.
The DAC is built in too (or is it two?)
The entire signal path in TH2 is fully dual-mono—from DAC to drivers. It starts with a high-resolution dual-core DAC capable of 32-bit / 384kHz—well beyond the 24-bit / 96kHz of most hi-res streams. We could have chosen a less capable DAC, but it’s this headroom that ensures clean decoding with no digital bottlenecks, even in complex recordings.
But what truly sets this DAC apart is how it’s implemented: inside the chipset are two fully independent DAC cores—one for each channel. Each side of the mix is converted in isolation, then routed into its own vacuum tube preamp and discrete analog amplifier. No shared processing. No crossover. Just uninterrupted channel separation, from source to soundstage.
Your headphones—Your sound
Most headphones ask you to adapt to their sound.
écoute lets you shape yours.
With the écoute Tuning App for iOS and Android, your headset becomes more than just a playback device—it becomes a tunable instrument.
But this isn’t EQ in the traditional sense. These adjustments happen at the firmware level, inside the DSP itself—not on top of the signal. That means no added distortion, no post-processing artifacts, and no loss of resolution. Just clean, high-fidelity tuning that honors both the source and your preferences.
With eight fully parametric bands and up to ±12 dB of control per band (for a total 24 dB swing), the app lets you dial in your ideal voicing—whether you prefer a studio-neutral curve or something more expressive.
Once set, your tuning is saved directly to the headset—applied across all inputs, wired or wireless, and persistent between sessions.
Neutral when it should be. Expressive when it matters. But always yours.
Bluetooth without compromise
Just because it’s audiophile-grade doesn’t mean it skips Bluetooth.
TH2 supports LDAC, Sony’s high-resolution codec capable of 990 kbps—over three times the bitrate of standard Bluetooth. Paired with 24-bit/96kHz support, it delivers wireless listening well within high-resolution territory—meeting or exceeding the quality of most streaming content, even on high-res platforms like Qobuz and Tidal.
If you missed that, here it is again—high-resolution audio over wireless!
Wired connections are lossless, but Bluetooth adds utility and freedom when it is needed—on crowded commutes, during travel, or at work, where a cable can get in the way or even be a liability. It’s wireless convenience without sacrificing what counts. And if you’re on Apple devices, AAC is supported too.
Not a compromise. Just wireless freedom when you need it.
Listen not just where you want—but how you want
Most headphones force you to choose between fidelity and convenience. écoute doesn’t. We give you three input paths—wireless, and wired digital or analog—so you can listen the way you want, without compromise.
- Wireless: LDAC or AAC over Bluetooth 5.3
- Lossless Digital: USB-C
- Analog (active or passive): 3.5mm
The specs that matter
- Tube Preamp: Nutube 6P1 dual triode
- Amp: Fully discrete Class A/B, dual-mono (1 per channel)
- DAC: High-resolution dual-core 32-bit / 384kHz (operates at 24-bit / 96kHz)
- Drivers: 40mm titanium-coated mylar
- Wireless: Bluetooth 5.3 (LDAC, AAC, SBC)
- Input Ports: USB-C, 3.5mm
- Tuning: 8-band EQ via app
- Noise Control Modes: Hybrid ANC + Transparency
- Battery: 1600 mAh, 20+ hours
- Weight: 424g
- Form: Over-ear
- Certifications: FCC, CE, RoHS
Premium materials
The TH2’s body and armature are cut from solid billets of aluminum—no plastic, no shortcuts. It’s built for durability, finished with intention, and designed to last. Oh, and it’s (insert your favorite expletive) beautiful!
We don’t believe in disposable design: what surrounds the sound should reflect the integrity of the signal itself. The result is a premium build that leaves an impression in every sense—visually, physically, and sonically.
Two colors to choose from
Choose from either Gunmetal and gray, or Nickel and brown after the campaign when we collect your shipping address—no need to decide now.
Timeline:
Prototypes complete: December 2025
Kickstarter campaign: February 11 – March 12, 2026
Funding completed: March 25
Final tuning: April 12
Tooling creation: March 24 – April 25
Injection molding and CNC: April 26 – May 23
Pre-production sample testing: May 24 – June 7
Mass production: June 8 – July 23
Quality Inspection: July 24 – 27
Logistics: July 28 – August 11
Shipping starts: September 2026
Contingency for timeline creep: 1 month
Stretch goals:
$250K — Premium lambskin pad upgrade — UNLOCKED!
We reached $250,000 in funding! This means we’ll have added an optional lambskin upgrade. For a $50 add-on, backers can receive a second set of ear pads, head pad, and headband wrap in genuine lambskin leather—a $100 value.
$500K — Additional color option: Charcoal
If/when we reach $500,000 funding we will add a third color option, a matte black on black we will call Charcoal.
Why back TH2?
- You loved TH1 and want the next generation.
- You missed the preorder discounts for TH1 and won’t make that mistake again.
- You know what tubes and proper architecture can do—and you want that everywhere you listen.
- Your life is bigger than your listening room—and you refuse to compromise your sound just because you’re not sitting in the listening chair.
Are you listening—or just hearing?
If you know the difference, you’ll recognize it in écoute.
écoute isn’t like other headsets. Where others attempt to simulate the sound of true hi-fi architecture, we built it in. Nothing compromised—just made portable.
Back the écoute audio TH2 today
Be among the first to experience the next chapter in portable vacuum tube audio.
