CES 2016

Most folks know that audio can only be as good as the weakest link in the supply chain; send good audio through a crappy headphone amp and it doesn’t matter how good the headphones are. It’s still going to sound like crap. Phāz Music is releasing new headphones that eliminate that problem.

Last year at CES, Phāz showed off their headphones with built-in chargers, so you could plug in your mobile device and the internal 1200mAH battery would charge the device while playing. Now, Phāz has taken it one step further. Phāz Music is showing off three new headphone offerings, but the most exciting element of all three are the connectors. Yup. Connections are cool.

The newest versions of Phāz headphones will be able to connect directly through a mobile device’s Lightning or micro-USB port for a digital audio connection with a built-in 24-bit DAC. The headphones will include an adapter so both data port styles are supported. This makes these headphones future-proof for when/if Apple or other manufacturers remove the headphone jacks on their phones to create ultra-slim phones. The headphones will also all have “charge while you listen” capabilities. Of course, you could get an external DAC, but this brings high-quality audio to consumers who wouldn’t normally bother with high-end components.

Phāz Music is including this feature even in headphones with Bluetooth capability. The new models with this are the P5 Digital Bluetooth Headphone with Bluetooth 4.0 with CSR-aptX which will retail for $450 in August, 2016, the Z1 Digital EarBuds (available in March, 2016 for $150), and the P3 Bluetooth Headphone.

The P5 will feature memory-foam ear cushions available in five different colors, sold separately so users can vary the cups to match their mood. They use 40mm drivers and have a 3.5mm output so users can share their music with friends, taking advantage of the superior 24-bit DAC.

A relative newcomer to the crowded headphone market, Phāz has enough unique and valuable features to make them a company to watch.