Nous avons eu l'occasion de le découvrir en avant-première, en privée, sur le High End 2024 de Munich. Les premières écoutes que nous en avons faites, dans un lieu assez bruyant, se sont révélées intéressantes et prometteuses. Le Palma DHS-1 est un casque Hifi haut de gamme, dont les oreillettes ont la particularité d'être équipée de plaques métalliques rotatives qui permettent de les fermer ou de les ouvrir. D'origine espagnole, ce casque est doté de transducteurs électrodynamiques de 50 mm et de coques partiellement en bois.
Le Palma DHS-1 sera commercialisé à partir du 18 septembre 2024 au prix de 2195 €.
Ci-dessous, l'annonce en anglais, les spécifications et images officielles :
The Palma DHS-1 is an absolutely revolutionary product, unique in its class, which allows the most demanding audiophiles to have two headphones—open- and closed-back —in one. This is thanks to a purely mechanical patent-protected system that guarantees its reliability throughout the life of the product. These over-ear headphones use state-of-the-art electrodynamic transducers mounted in natural wood earcups designed to constitute a perfectly optimised acoustic set. Developed and assembled individually by hand in Spain, they combine premium materials and a carefully studied design in order to ensure the maximum sound quality, free of listening fatigue in its two operating modes.
Palma de Mallorca, Spain, July 12, 2024 – It is a pleasure for us to announce the launch of the Palma DHS-1, a product destined to break the mould in the competitive high-end headphone market. This is thanks to its ability to offer the user the possibility of easily switching between the operating modes, that is, with open- or closed-back headphones, thus providing unprecedented versatility. Over-ear and equipped with electrodynamic transducers, these unique headphones (DHS is the acronym for “Dual Headphone System”) allow the listener to choose between two sound experiences, each with their own personality depending on the type of music and the environmental conditions. This is by means of a calculated, extremely precise and reliable system.
Two headphones in one, open- and closed-back.
The starting point of these unique headphones is located in their creators' decades-long shared passion for innovation and excellence, which led them to formulate the following reflection on very high quality musical listening in privacy: There are headphones on the market equipped with earcups that are open at the back or closed at the back—what are known as open-back and closed-back headphones respectively—but none that offer both modalities. This challenge was the embryo of an exciting project resulting in the Palma DHS-1, a product developed entirely in Spain that combines ingenuity in its conception, obsession with the use of carefully selected technologies and materials, minimalist and distinctive elegance in its finishes and a 100% handmade and individualised manufacturing that ensures maximum exclusivity.
A design perfectly comparable to that of a loudspeaker
The DHS-1 has two key elements: the unique functionality it offers and the meticulousness with which the acoustic configuration has been conceived to make it possible, offering exceptional sound in its two operating modes. Like a loudspeaker, the Palma's housings, that is, the left and right earcups, have been developed to constitute an integral part of the product and are not just a merely visually appealing element to house the respective transducers. They are made of Sapele, a type of wood that is highly reputed for its excellent acoustic qualities, used in the making of musical instruments. With its resistance to wear and tear and its ease of being subjected to precision machining, the DHS-1 headphones provide the transducer an optimal acoustic load so that the tonal curve is virtually flat in both open and closed modes, guaranteeing maximum musicality at all times regardless of the volume level. The transducer itself is electrodynamic with a 50 mm diaphragm made up of a mixture of pressed cellulose in its central area and an ultra-thin polyamide suspension ring.
To achieve this objective, the Palma combines rigorously calculated circular perforations—in a “golden ratio” arrangement—in the rear area of each earcup with a mobile external aluminium lid that acts as a shutter, thus obtaining the spaciousness of open operation and the punch and high level of isolation that characterise closed headphones. The user only has to rotate the external shutter covers by 14 degrees, like the visor of a motorcycle helmet—backwards to go from closed to open mode or vice versa to go from open to closed mode. The essential reliability of switching operating modes is guaranteed by a design protected by a patent.
Psychoacoustic smoothing response
Ideal for any listening environment
The Palma offers the unique possibility to be used in both open-back and closed-back modes, so that the user can carry them with them and enjoy listening to their favourite music in any environment.
Pads, cables, plugs… the details matter
The Palma DHS-1s are made with a passion for excellence in elements such as the earpads, which are also integrated into its acoustic design, and the headband, cables and plugs. And also, with a practical and elegant carrying case in which the owner will also find a sheet with the frequency response curves in the open and closed modes corresponding to the unit they have purchased.
Palma DHS-1, at a glance.
Convertible Over-Ear Headphones
The Palma DHS-1 will be available from September 18, 2024, with a recommended retail price of 2.195 euros from authorised dealers and at www.palma.audio.
- The option to operate in open- and closed-back mode via the Convertible Acoustic Chamber in each earcup — Two high-quality headphones in one.
- Easy and intuitive mode switching — 100% mechanical adjustment under registered patent.
- Exceptional quality in both operating modes — Earcups and transducers integrated into an optimised acoustic system.
- Very high-performance electrodynamic driver with 50 mm diaphragm and 26 mm voice coil — Very high sound pressure levels without distortion.
- Frequency response 2-35,000 Hz in open-back mode and 10-30,000 Hz in closed-back mode — Audiophile-level sound in both operating modes.
- High sensitivity (107 dB/1 mW in open mode and 109 dB/1 mW in closed mode) and low impedance (32 ohms) — Wide compatibility with all types of mobile devices.
- Headband and earcups support pressure system designed to maximise ergonomics — Long listening sessions without listening fatigue.
- Handcrafted with components and materials of the highest quality — Guaranteed performance and longevity.
- Carrying case with accessories, one cable with a 3,5 mm plug, one cable with a 6,3 mm plug and one balanced cable with a 4,4 mm connector, and also an individual frequency response curves sheet — Each Palma DHS-1 unit is unique.
Dernière édition:
) d'amplitude. J'en ai observé un sacré paquet, de graphs de réponse en fréquence, et je n'ai jamais, au grand jamais vu un truc pareil. Une échelle de 50dB est considérée comme idéale pour avoir une visibilité précise. 100dB, ça commence déjà à manquer de précision et 130-140dB sont considérés comme inutilisables pour pouvoir observer quoi que ce soit. Là, c'est deux-cent-soixante-dix. N'importe quel casque ou IEM laissera apparaitre cette même ligne droite légèrement ondulée avec un degré de précision aussi faible. À ce stade, je regrette, mais autant ne rien montrer.