October 5, 2012 at 15:29Headphones Telefunken: a first look at a new product for an old brand
My grandparents had a Telefunken radio. Huge, made of expensive wood, with ivory keys, he settled with them immediately after the war, and was released at all in the late thirties. The quality of materials and workmanship was such that he waited for me, born in 1977, worked perfectly all my childhood and then, when there were more interesting entertainments, he just stood silently in the corner of the room. Honestly, I do not know where this Telefunken is now. But I’m almost sure that even if he is littered with things in some utility room, it is enough to shake off the dust from the receiver, plug it into the outlet, click on the keys - and he will speak again, as if nothing had happened.
Obviously, in the 21st century, companies that have survived to this day are very different from themselves at the beginning of the last century. And yet, until you stumble upon something very bad, the magic of the old brand lives on and makes you treat its products with respect and even awe.
The fact that Telefunken plans to start producing headphones, I found out in late summer. This news was extremely excited - is it a joke, such a legend comes out to the market where the brand plays a huge role! I was the first Russian journalist to watch live prototypes of the headphones during the IFA exhibition. They were not shown at the Telefunken booth, however, when I began to torture the girls in uniform, they first took me to the middle manager, he, in turn, took me to the chief of managers, and he took me to a secret room, where there were small windows Telefunken products not yet announced are exhibited. I can explain this ... credulity only with the surprise caused by my knowledge - because at that moment about ten people in the industry knew about the upcoming announcement. In any case, they showed me everything.
And only at the end of September the secret envoy of the Telefunken brand arrived in Moscow, called me to a safe place and laid a pile of headphones on the table and gave me an hour to listen. Today, the embargo on information has been lifted, and I can share my impressions.
Start over. A total of 7 models will go on sale in early November. Although, to be completely honest, there are four really different headphones, and three more are about the same, but with a remote control and a microphone.
The younger model is called the Telefunken TH-100. There are several colors and an option for apple growers called TH-100i. Inside there is a dynamic 8 mm driver, impedance 16 Ohms, sensitivity 93 dB.
Made very soundly - the body is metal, the cable is flat and not prone to tangling. In a set of 6 pairs of nozzles for different sized ear canals. But from the point of view of sound - nothing special at all. An option for those to whom the exterior is more important than acoustic refinements. The price tag, however, for such beauty is quite humane - in the region of 1600 rubles.
The following advised me to listen to the TH-130. It goes quite out of order from the point of view of the digital index in the name, but, as the Telefunken envoy explained to me, in terms of sound characteristics it is at the next stage compared to the TH-100.
Telefunken TH-130 is very small. So much so that it seems that they are unable to produce a decent sound in principle. First I picked up a white model and suggested that the body is made of ceramic. But no, it turned out to be metal, just covered with white enamel. He was not very upset about his mistake: taking any material for ceramics is now a common thing among the best domestic journalists. For those who don’t believe in the metal origin of the TH-130, there is an unpainted version that pleasantly chills the hand. The characteristics of this model are the same as that of the TH-100, but the driver is smaller, 6 mm.
So, the most funny thing is that the sound in the kids is noticeably better. Yes, there are no special basses, but you can seriously talk about the detailed transmission of medium and high frequencies and some, but panoramic sound. I have never seen anything like this among such small models. Perhaps the point is a well-designed form of the case or a special telefunkenovskoy magic. That's just the cable seems to be a little thin. Will it withstand the enthusiasm of the user long enough? Given the price tag (1800 rubles), this is important.
Getting started listening to the TH-120. Against the background of the previous model, they look like real giants, and indeed they are far from small. A brutal metal case with notches, the strongest cable with double insulation, 10 mm drivers, sensitivity of 102 dB ... And this model also has an almost finished package.
You put them in your ears, expecting to hear something absolutely amazing, and there ... No, you can’t say that the sound is bad. He is normal. But it does not meet the expectations from such a brutal design and the size of the sound chamber. Seeing my disappointment, the Telefunken messenger suggested that the whole thing was in the pre-sale sample, and in the final version everything would be hoo. Yeah, they all say that. It seems that the Germans were somewhat unwise in this case.
Given the price tag (about 2,600 rubles), I would recommend Telefunken TH-120 only to guys with a harsh appearance, who care less about sound as much as accessory design. Here with him everything is in perfect order. But only that.
I pick up the Telefunken TH-140. They still have the same durable cable, and the case is made of a certain resin of natural origin. Where does the resin come from - they don’t say. But in vain. Monster Cable would probably have come up with a legend, as Noel Lee, along with Lady Gaga and Xzibit, personally climbed one of the mountains of Tibet and found several tons of life-giving Tibetan Lam Resin, providing a warm LAMP sound. Well, Germans, what kind of imagination should be expected from them ... The driver inside is also 10-millimeter, and the sensitivity of this model is 100 dB. I don’t mention impedance, because it is the same for all models, 16 Ohms.
Honestly, I inserted this model into my ears with skepticism - what kind of tar are ... But after the very first sounds of music, there was no trace of skepticism. Headphones are just great! Elastic bass, excellent mid and high, precise positioning of the instruments and the overall “sense of the scene" ... Well, the general feeling is the same, warm and tube. It seems to me, in terms of sound, it costs this money. But here is the design ... Personally, I (personally) would not decorate myself with such headphones - they are too obliging in terms of selecting glasses, a shirt, etc. But the girls will probably like it. Probably, they will be given to them as an expensive gift. As for the expensive, I'm not ironic - the recommended retail price is 3000 rubles. Apparently, the resin is really difficult.
And finally, the main hope of Telefunken is the TH-110T. This is a rather rare case when you buy one pair of headphones, but in fact - three, and completely different ones. This is achieved through interchangeable ... plugs? lids? I don’t know how to name them correctly. But the essence of the design is as follows. The body is made of hardened metal. The back of it is threaded, and there are three options for plugs (alright, okay?) - closed, half-open and open. The sound from each of them changes radically.
The closed version is not inspired at all. I know that many people love only this, but when the music sounds strangled and there is no bass, it’s not for me. When screwing on half-open covers, the situation improved dramatically - the clarity of sound increased, hints of bass and surroundness appeared. And I was completely delighted with the open version. The sound is extremely balanced, the bass is strong and resilient, the medium is luxurious, and the highs are just good. Perhaps the TH-110T is one of the most balanced headphone models I've heard. By the way, this is a vivid example when you do not need to pay attention to technical specifications. It would seem that a 9-millimeter driver, sensitivity of 98 dB - well, who will surprise you with this? But in fact, we have an excellent balanced solution, where you can literally adjust the sound for yourself, and the exterior is suitable. Retail will sell at 3,000 rubles. Given the sound sound and the original design - bearable. I myself will take these unambiguously - both as an interesting artifact, and just for the soul.
I will not waste readers' time on describing models with remote controls and microphones - they sound the same, they just cost more. And, despite the positioning for Apple gadgets, for some reason they work perfectly with my Google phones (Samsung Galaxy SIII, MegaFon Mint). Only they cost 200-300 rubles more expensive than analogs without a remote control.
What can be said in the end? The first pancake at Telefunken is far from lumpy. Along with the usual models, "like everyone else", they immediately have two pairs of headphones that can surprise. These are the “tar” TH-140 and collapsible TH-110T. It is believed that the press will be interested in them, because there is something to write about, unlike most headphones on the market. And this is already a lot for a good start.
Sales of the entire Telefunken headphone line should begin in November. So let's listen.
PS The Telefunken envoy requested clarification that the photographs are pre-samples and the final versions of the headphones will look a bit neater. So check it out. Also, according to secret data, closer to the end of the year, full-size models should appear.
Obviously, in the 21st century, companies that have survived to this day are very different from themselves at the beginning of the last century. And yet, until you stumble upon something very bad, the magic of the old brand lives on and makes you treat its products with respect and even awe.
The fact that Telefunken plans to start producing headphones, I found out in late summer. This news was extremely excited - is it a joke, such a legend comes out to the market where the brand plays a huge role! I was the first Russian journalist to watch live prototypes of the headphones during the IFA exhibition. They were not shown at the Telefunken booth, however, when I began to torture the girls in uniform, they first took me to the middle manager, he, in turn, took me to the chief of managers, and he took me to a secret room, where there were small windows Telefunken products not yet announced are exhibited. I can explain this ... credulity only with the surprise caused by my knowledge - because at that moment about ten people in the industry knew about the upcoming announcement. In any case, they showed me everything.
And only at the end of September the secret envoy of the Telefunken brand arrived in Moscow, called me to a safe place and laid a pile of headphones on the table and gave me an hour to listen. Today, the embargo on information has been lifted, and I can share my impressions.
Start over. A total of 7 models will go on sale in early November. Although, to be completely honest, there are four really different headphones, and three more are about the same, but with a remote control and a microphone.
The younger model is called the Telefunken TH-100. There are several colors and an option for apple growers called TH-100i. Inside there is a dynamic 8 mm driver, impedance 16 Ohms, sensitivity 93 dB.
Made very soundly - the body is metal, the cable is flat and not prone to tangling. In a set of 6 pairs of nozzles for different sized ear canals. But from the point of view of sound - nothing special at all. An option for those to whom the exterior is more important than acoustic refinements. The price tag, however, for such beauty is quite humane - in the region of 1600 rubles.
The following advised me to listen to the TH-130. It goes quite out of order from the point of view of the digital index in the name, but, as the Telefunken envoy explained to me, in terms of sound characteristics it is at the next stage compared to the TH-100.
Telefunken TH-130 is very small. So much so that it seems that they are unable to produce a decent sound in principle. First I picked up a white model and suggested that the body is made of ceramic. But no, it turned out to be metal, just covered with white enamel. He was not very upset about his mistake: taking any material for ceramics is now a common thing among the best domestic journalists. For those who don’t believe in the metal origin of the TH-130, there is an unpainted version that pleasantly chills the hand. The characteristics of this model are the same as that of the TH-100, but the driver is smaller, 6 mm.
So, the most funny thing is that the sound in the kids is noticeably better. Yes, there are no special basses, but you can seriously talk about the detailed transmission of medium and high frequencies and some, but panoramic sound. I have never seen anything like this among such small models. Perhaps the point is a well-designed form of the case or a special telefunkenovskoy magic. That's just the cable seems to be a little thin. Will it withstand the enthusiasm of the user long enough? Given the price tag (1800 rubles), this is important.
Getting started listening to the TH-120. Against the background of the previous model, they look like real giants, and indeed they are far from small. A brutal metal case with notches, the strongest cable with double insulation, 10 mm drivers, sensitivity of 102 dB ... And this model also has an almost finished package.
You put them in your ears, expecting to hear something absolutely amazing, and there ... No, you can’t say that the sound is bad. He is normal. But it does not meet the expectations from such a brutal design and the size of the sound chamber. Seeing my disappointment, the Telefunken messenger suggested that the whole thing was in the pre-sale sample, and in the final version everything would be hoo. Yeah, they all say that. It seems that the Germans were somewhat unwise in this case.
Given the price tag (about 2,600 rubles), I would recommend Telefunken TH-120 only to guys with a harsh appearance, who care less about sound as much as accessory design. Here with him everything is in perfect order. But only that.
I pick up the Telefunken TH-140. They still have the same durable cable, and the case is made of a certain resin of natural origin. Where does the resin come from - they don’t say. But in vain. Monster Cable would probably have come up with a legend, as Noel Lee, along with Lady Gaga and Xzibit, personally climbed one of the mountains of Tibet and found several tons of life-giving Tibetan Lam Resin, providing a warm LAMP sound. Well, Germans, what kind of imagination should be expected from them ... The driver inside is also 10-millimeter, and the sensitivity of this model is 100 dB. I don’t mention impedance, because it is the same for all models, 16 Ohms.
Honestly, I inserted this model into my ears with skepticism - what kind of tar are ... But after the very first sounds of music, there was no trace of skepticism. Headphones are just great! Elastic bass, excellent mid and high, precise positioning of the instruments and the overall “sense of the scene" ... Well, the general feeling is the same, warm and tube. It seems to me, in terms of sound, it costs this money. But here is the design ... Personally, I (personally) would not decorate myself with such headphones - they are too obliging in terms of selecting glasses, a shirt, etc. But the girls will probably like it. Probably, they will be given to them as an expensive gift. As for the expensive, I'm not ironic - the recommended retail price is 3000 rubles. Apparently, the resin is really difficult.
And finally, the main hope of Telefunken is the TH-110T. This is a rather rare case when you buy one pair of headphones, but in fact - three, and completely different ones. This is achieved through interchangeable ... plugs? lids? I don’t know how to name them correctly. But the essence of the design is as follows. The body is made of hardened metal. The back of it is threaded, and there are three options for plugs (alright, okay?) - closed, half-open and open. The sound from each of them changes radically.
The closed version is not inspired at all. I know that many people love only this, but when the music sounds strangled and there is no bass, it’s not for me. When screwing on half-open covers, the situation improved dramatically - the clarity of sound increased, hints of bass and surroundness appeared. And I was completely delighted with the open version. The sound is extremely balanced, the bass is strong and resilient, the medium is luxurious, and the highs are just good. Perhaps the TH-110T is one of the most balanced headphone models I've heard. By the way, this is a vivid example when you do not need to pay attention to technical specifications. It would seem that a 9-millimeter driver, sensitivity of 98 dB - well, who will surprise you with this? But in fact, we have an excellent balanced solution, where you can literally adjust the sound for yourself, and the exterior is suitable. Retail will sell at 3,000 rubles. Given the sound sound and the original design - bearable. I myself will take these unambiguously - both as an interesting artifact, and just for the soul.
I will not waste readers' time on describing models with remote controls and microphones - they sound the same, they just cost more. And, despite the positioning for Apple gadgets, for some reason they work perfectly with my Google phones (Samsung Galaxy SIII, MegaFon Mint). Only they cost 200-300 rubles more expensive than analogs without a remote control.
What can be said in the end? The first pancake at Telefunken is far from lumpy. Along with the usual models, "like everyone else", they immediately have two pairs of headphones that can surprise. These are the “tar” TH-140 and collapsible TH-110T. It is believed that the press will be interested in them, because there is something to write about, unlike most headphones on the market. And this is already a lot for a good start.
Sales of the entire Telefunken headphone line should begin in November. So let's listen.
PS The Telefunken envoy requested clarification that the photographs are pre-samples and the final versions of the headphones will look a bit neater. So check it out. Also, according to secret data, closer to the end of the year, full-size models should appear.
