JUVENILE

I’ve been asking Mr. Kumano, an engineer at PHONON and one of the leading mastering engineers in Japan, to master my albums for the past five years.
The first time I used the SMB-01L as headphones for checking in the studio, I was curious about them ever since, and I installed them in 2022. I thought the idea of using headphones to achieve studio large monitor sound was very typical of Mr. Kumano, who is both a craftsman and an artist.
When I let my friends try them out, they all said they couldn’t help but laugh.
I’ve been using them with the plates changed to open type, and I had a strange illusion that I had to take off my headphones to check if the sound was coming from the outside speakers at the same time, even though it was only coming from inside my ears.
This is a very enthusiastic piece of gear that gives you a euphoric feeling that cannot be explained in words, not only for music production but also for listening.

JUVENILE / Twitter

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Stephen Shirk （SHIRK Studios in Chicago）

The great sound engineer and music producer Stephen Shirk about the SMB-01L from his SHIRK Studios in Chicago:

“I do find that the 01L’s are a great way to listen back to finished mixes…  Kind of like putting the mix up on the control room mains.  It’s a more enjoyable experience. Smooth and extended on both sides of the spectrum. I keep the 02’s plugged into my Little Labs Monitor next to the console and my 01L’s at home for checking my mixes outside of the studio.”

Frank Wiedemann (Ame, Howling, Innervisions, Bigamo)

The multi-talented musician, composer and electronic music producer Frank Wiedemann (Ame, Howling, Innervisions, Bigamo, Berlin) in his studio with the SMB-01L:

“I am loving my SMB-01L as master headphones in the studio“

Damien Plisson (CEO – Audirvana)

Damien Plisson (CEO – Audirvana)

My requirements when choosing audio equipment are more demanding than words can describe. Every single detail is important. Everything has to be perfect, and I don’t like it unless it is. The few devices I use with Audirvana all share the same characteristic. It’s about absolute transparency. The only criterion is how minimal the degradation of sound quality is guaranteed to be.

I have very high standards when it comes to audio systems. That’s why I was so excited when I heard that Isao Kumano had personally created the new flagship SMB-01L with the audio professional in mind. Mr Kumano’s reputation as an engineer is so well known in the audio industry that it’s hard to imagine anyone not knowing him. If there is a man who is as demanding about audio quality as I am, it is definitely him.

I’ve tested Phonon headphones in the past and had an unforgettable experience with them in combination with Audirvana. This time, when I first listened to the SMB-01L, I was so amazed that I was convinced that the technical prowess that went into it was like a little jewel that would harmonise perfectly with Audirvana.

I was pleasantly surprised when I heard the stunning acoustic performance that the SMB-01L delivers. It’s a real high-end audio system. Everything sounds so clear. All the elements that make up the music were perfectly transparent. I think the most impressive thing was how lifelike the music performance felt. It was as if I was there myself. It was like I was in the studio. It was as though the space around my ears had become nothing but music. There was nothing fake, nothing forced, no colorization whatsoever, natural, good balance and faithful reproduction of the sound of the instruments. I thought that was an amazing ability. And having listened to it with a variety of sources, I have to say I’m in awe of the SMB-01L’s incredible acoustic balance, from its high-resolution, wide dynamic range reproduction to its ultra-low frequency range.

Also worthy of special mention are the soft, comfortable and enduring premium sheepskin earpads with excellent sound insulation. They fit snugly against the ear and the leather texture is just as remarkable as the audio quality of the system. I am not familiar with all the headphones developed by Phonon, but I am convinced that this must be one of the great achievements of Mr. Isao Kumano.