That gives them a unique sound profile, matched to a great style.
Battery life could be better, but the tradeoff is that glowing valve.
And that valve is lovely.
I am entrapped by my social media habits, Ill admit.
But one day, my attention was grabbed by an ad for some headphones.
These headphones to be exact the ecoute Vacuum Tube headphones.
ecoute Vacuum Tube: Where can I get a pair?
Lets start off with the normal review fare where to find them and how much they cost.
That price includes the very nice protective carrying case, and a charging cable.
If you want to step up your listening experience, you could grab one of the coiled cable options.
The oxygen-free copper cable costs $40, and for most wired listening its going to be fine.
For those looking for a more premium experience, theres the $130 single crystal cable and its lovely.
That makes them more expensive than most of the competition.
Are they worth it?
Oh, yes they are.
Getting started
My copy of the ecoute headphones arrived in a very well-packaged box.
From there, there was a cardboard sleeve around the olive-colored carrying case.
Immediately, I noticed the size of the case.
This is an attractive pair of headphones with a modern retro vibe.
But with that size comes a classy look and a rugged feel.
Theres space inside for all your spare cables, and a comfortable slot that the headphones fit in perfectly.
The ecoute headphones inside feel amazing in hand and on head.
you could see where that hefty price tag has come from.
The earcups are made of metal, only the outer panels consist of plastic.
The buttons are firm and clicky, but not obnoxious.
The Satin color in person is lovely too.
The olive fabric is pretty, and the metallic earcups contrast nicely.
This is an attractive pair of headphones with a modern retro vibe.
There are hints of seventies Hifi throughout, from the round buttons to the circular earcups.
Then theres the piece-de-resistance.
Turning the headphones over in my hands, I found the unique selling point of the ecoute headphones.
Only this one is really, really small.
I slipped them on my head, and got started.
First off, these are not a light pair of headphones.
They weigh 14 ounces, more than even the AirPods Max.
But thanks to their comfy padding, they dont feel too heavy while wearing them.
From there you’re able to select a turn from your favorite streaming service and get listening.
I started my musical ecoute journey with the Tammiest track that ever did Tammy.
Cattle Decapitation’sBring Back the Plaguegot me started, and I was initially taken aback.
My experience was different, however in the best way.
These are a warm headphone, but they dont rely on extra bass.
The top end is great, with plenty of detail for cymbals and rides.
Its the mids that take center stage though, lending great depth to guitar parts and vocals.
I finished my Cattle Decapitation session with a smile on my face cest bon.
How good is the noise cancelling?
My first journey out with the ecoute headphones was over a sunny day.
I was off to the zoo and to get there, I had to take the bus.
The perfect time to listen to my tunes on the ecoute headphones while out of the house.
It mostly succeeds in its task.
Getting onto the bus I also got to give the transparency mode a go.
Buying my ticket, I hit the ANC button so that I could what the driver was saying.
My bus journey was 1.5 hours long, and I would be wearing the headphones throughout my zoo trip.
I spent 6 hours at the zoo, and I barely spend a moment with my headphones off.
Thats around 9 hours of battery life, plus the juice when I used them in the evening.
Id say 23-22 hours of use isnt out of the question.
It certainly got me through a day of looking at Lions, Penguins, and exotic lizards.
I think its best to describe the ecoute as indulgent.
The first is that it doesn’t get hot.
), but it never gothot.
I span up Cult of LunasA Greater Callto get started.
The picked guitar lines dance between the moments of synthetic mirk, before giving way to the heavy riff.
Its thick, its heavy, and like every good glass of something naughty, theyre sugary and sticky.
If youre an instrument player youll really like the emphasis they put on the guitars and the vocals.
Drummers might not like theslightbackseat that kick drums take.
I wanted to see if that sweetness made its way over to other genres.
The acoustic guitar line sounded spectacular like the guitarist was sitting right next to me.
Daily useability
While testing, I used the ecoute headphones as you might use any others.
The microphone isfine,but its not quite up to scratch for more professional applications.
I enjoyed controlling the headphones though.
Where everything now has some form of touch control, the ecoute headphones have a series of buttons.
I like the control scheme, and everything you could ever need is right there.
I never found myself wanting for buttons.
Should I buy a pair?
Ill finish by asking you a question.
What do you want out of a pair of headphones?
They cost a lot, but they feel in hand worth every penny.