The new HEDD D1 headphones are the perfect intro to the audiophile world (if you can afford them)

The German audio brand HEDD just released the D1 HEDDphones for $799/£599 and, if you're a music fan, there are a few reasons you should be celebrating.

First, the D1s continue HEDD's tradition of innovation by using new materials for their diaphragms that no other headphone features. Second – and most importantly – after using a pair for the last three days solid, I think they may be the perfect audiophile headphone for the majority of people out there. In short, they are the most balanced pair of headphones I've ever used, and they're a blast the use.

• Buy the HEDD D1s from HEDD in the US
• Peter Tyson has D1 stock in the UK

For context, HEDD are established audio innovators. Founded by physicist Klaus Heinz in 2015, the German brand invented Air Motion Transformer technology. This swapped traditional cone or domes that push air to make sound with folded diaphragm drivers that squeeze the air. This meant more speed, detail, and clarity to the sound.

Although the HEDD D1s use dynamic drivers instead of AMT, they innovate in another area. They use thin-ply carbon (TPC) material for the headphone's diaphragm (the thing that creates the sound that you hear). It's the first time it's been used in a headphone, and the marketing material promises, 'tonal clarity and exceptional fidelity'.

For once, the marketing material is absolutely spot on.

Comfort & build

I've been using the D1s since I received them three days ago, and they are amongst the most comfortable and light-feeling headphones I've used. I say light-feeling because they weight 360g, which is 100g heavier than the Sennheiser HD600s (a famously light headphone). And yet, with the D1's more forgiving clamp force, I feel they're closer to the latter in real life.

Certainly the plastic and metal build feels both good quality in your hands, and light on your head. I don't really feel the velour-wrapped headpad, and the earpads are a suede-like material that are lovely and cushioned. They also have lots of little holes in them for breathability. However, after a while I did feel my ears getting warm, though I have to stress that I did use these headphones for long stretches of time!

And also because of the D1's sound profile: it has really engaging bass, nuanced mids, and detail that doesn't come with the downside of sibilant, fatiguing treble. In fact, the D1s are the opposite of fatiguing – they're a blast to use and listen to for hours on end.

Sound: A detailed dive

One of the D1s outstanding strengths (other than the overall balanced sound profile) is the excellent upper bass, which doesn't take the spotlight at the expense of the mids and highs. It feels fast with plenty of thwack, and totally in tune with the bigger picture, unlike something like the Sennheiser HD600s, which offers industry-leading mids and clear trebles, but less bass.

Out of all my headphones, the D1's bass is closer to (but not quite equal to) the closed back Denon AH-D5200s, which have amazing, punchy bass. This is really impressive when you think about it. The Denon's are closed back, and so can trap air and sound within the headphone cups to present big bass. The nature of open backs means air and sound passes through the ear cup, yet the D1's still manage to cling on to a solid bass profile. That's great news to anyone who wants the benefits of an open back headphone with a proper mature, fast bass response.

Comparing again to the HD600s – the monarch of the mids – and the D1's mids fair really well, sounding really balanced. On the track Casanova 70 by Air, which leads with a chugging bass line, adding mids with its brass, strings and synths, and then ending with a treble flourish of an organ riff, the D1s present it all beautifully complete.

What's most impressive is that the mids don't get lost in the mix. Yes, the bass and treble are a little bit more present, but this is no commercial-sounding V-shaped, mids-blood-bath. It’s more sophisticated than that. There’s the excitement of a bit more bass and treble, but the detailed mids are still represented. It's a sound that verges on warm (which I really like) but you can pick out what you want to focus on with the D1s. It's subtle and grown up, and for these reasons I can imagine this being a perfect first audiophile headphone for a lot of people.

And speaking of picking out elements...

Soundstage & imaging

I played Stereolab’s Metronomic Underground on the D1s and my Beydynamic 1990 Pro, focussing on imaging and soundstage. I chose the 1990 Pros as they are famously treble-forward, with an infamous 8khz peak that, some say, is akin to covering everything with a layer of audio bleach. Either way, the upshot is that you can pick out a lot of detail with the 1990s, plus they also have fantastic imaging, so they're a great headphone to compare and contrast with the D1s.

Metronomic Underground builds a repetitive groove over seven minutes which turns into a final minute-long euphony (a pleasant mixture of lots of sounds, unlike it's ugly brother cacophony). The song is a good test to see whether you can still pick out each instrument, or if your headphone falls apart into a mush of noise – and the D1s do a solid job.

The imaging is impressive, and I'm able to hang on to the super subtle left ear percussive wah-wah guitar and the right ear repetitive synth run, all while the building wall of sound falls in from all angles. It's really impressive.

As far as how those imaged instruments are presented to you, or the HEDD D1's soundstage: it's good. The music sounds a little in front of and above my eyes, with its strength being the width of presentation. Again, these compare well to the HD 600s, which are known for their more intimate soundstage. I don't own any open back headphones with a vast soundstage, such as the Sennheiser HD 800 S, so I don't have that to compare it to. But to my ears, the D1's intimate soundstage perfectly suits the richness of detail and welcoming sound.

HEDD D1: The new HD600?

The HEDD D1s are the second headphone to come from HEDD – the first being the $2,000 HEDDphone (which has two iterations). The fact that HEDD has released a pair of headphones over half the price of their flagship model, while also offering new technology with its TPCD, is impressive. The HEDD D1s are a stunning, all-day engaging pair of cans that offer excellent clarity and detail, and an addictively balanced sound.

But how do they compare to the industry-leading neutral HD 600s?I didn't plan to compare the D1s as much as I did with the HD600s, but I kept on coming back to them, as they really did compete well – with the added benefit of a stronger bass, and a smidge more treble. Ultimately, the D1's bring a similarly sophisticated mid frequency response to the HD600s, and seeing that the Sennheiser cans have been best sellers since 1997, this is really exciting news for headphone fans.

However, I think right now buying decisions will be heavily influenced by price. You can get the HD600s for $299 over at Amazon, whereas the D1s retail for $800. Whether the innovations and more balanced sound profile of the D1s are worth that cost is entirely up to the individual.