ENIGMAcoustics Dharma D1000
High-End electrostatic hybrid headphones
PHILOSOPHY:
EnigmAcoustics Dharma D1000 is a special hybrid headphone that combines the inimitable high-frequency characteristic of electrostatic headphones with the convincing bass transmission of dynamic headphones. The bass range is handled by a special dynamic loudspeaker with a diameter of 52mm, called "Washi-paper" diaphragm material. The unique Japanese technical solution allows for extremely realistic sound reproduction with minimal resistance. Its sound is characterized by exceptionally wide frequency span and balanced frequency thread, as well as amazing detailing ability.
TECHNOLOGY:
SBESL™ technology.
More than three-quarters of a century has passed since Bell Labs engineers Rice and Kellogg experimented with electrostatic speakers in 1923. However, in addition to the somewhat predictable improvement in performance and reliability by newly developed materials and modern electronics, little progress has been made in the overall architecture since then. This is usually the result of a technological rigid transmission of recent decades. In short, it has been so to this day.
In the electrostatic design, the prestressing voltage required to charge the element is high; therefore, this voltage must typically be derived from an external source, such as the AC network or the voltage switch. Then additional wires and connectors are available to the consumer, which, in addition to the speaker cables, he will have to deal with. This is where ENIGMAcoustics has made a significant contribution – it is significant and arguably groundbreaking. During an intensive period of development, the company designed and perfected a patented self-tensioning technology called SBESL™, in which the polarization voltage of electrostatic elements comes from the audio signal itself. This, of course, eliminates the need for an external source of preload voltage, as well as the cumbersome requirement for additional wires in the setting.
In this rather radical departure from the approaches of the past, SBESL™ technology is a clear example of how new thinking is applied to older concepts. The goal was to find a solution for permanently implanting the charges on a non-conductive film without the need for a conductive coating and a huge prestressing voltage. EnigmAcoustics engineers undertook to replace the electrostatic membrane with a permanently charged film – in this case based on a unique molecular structure – and turned it into reality. The result is the complete elimination of costly and energy-intensive active preloading circuits, as well as the need for extra system cabling; and as a result, SBESL™ technology was born.
The electrostatic driver responsible for playing the high-range uses the company's SBESL™ (Self-Biased Electrostatic) technology, which eliminates the need for the high-voltage preload common in static headphones and the special amplifiers that implement it! Thanks to this, the Dharma D1000 delivers outstanding detail, great transparency, and an excellent presence experience, even without an amplifier, when played from the phone. Of course, amplification can also enhance the sound quality here. Lotoo, a company that works closely with ENIGMAcoustics, is therefore the perfect match for its renowned PAW GOLD native DSD-compatible high-end audio player.
HANDMADE TRADITION
Washi is handmade Japanese paper.
Made of mulberry wood, using a centuries-old traditional handmade technique, it is a very strong, resistant paper. The long fibres left whole in the manufacturing process make it possible to produce very strong, tear-resistant paper.
SPECIFICATIONS
PRODUCT NAME | PARAMETERS |
---|
Driver | 52mm dynamic + SBESL™ electrostatic |
Frequency response | 5Hz - 40kHz |
Impedance | 26 Ohm |
THD | Less than 0.3% (1 kHz, 1mW) |
Sensitivity | 103 dB @ 1 Vrms |
Configuration | Over-ear, open-back |
Headphone connector | Normal 1/4" (6.3 mm) stereo |
Weight | 450 g without cable |
Cable length | 3 m (ODU Sennheiser connector) - 6.3mm Jack |