Striking first impression
When I first pulled the Definitive Technology Symphony 1 headphones from their leather carrying case, I noticed how solid and well-built they were. Yet with my ears sealed comfortably inside the plush leather cups, they felt surprisingly light. After adjusting the solid aluminum sliders, and wirelessly pairing up my Bluetooth-enabled phone, I fired up some tunes. The sound immediately drew me in.
While the active noise cancellation dissolved away office distractions, the big 50mm drivers produced a compelling soundstage that was practically three dimensional - not the "between the ears" sound I expected. I played a recent live recording of a Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave show here in Charlottesville, VA. I'd been bummed out about missing it, but the Symphony 1 sound teleported me to a live show setting, maybe 10 rows back. During riffs and jams, the brass, drums, and bass guitar played right in front of me - I could pick out each instrument. The horns sounded clear, and the detailed bassline had me groovin' through the workday.
Convenient wireless listening with Bluetooth
Along with sound that's wide open, the Symphony 1 headphones give you freedom to roam around while you listen. They connect to your Bluetooth-enabled smartphone or tablet wirelessly within a range of 30 feet. You get up to 15 hours of wireless playback with noise cancellation on a full charge.
Buttons on the right earcup activate Bluetooth and noise cancellation. Above that, three more buttons let you control music playback and volume, and also answer phone calls. The built-in microphones capture your voice for clear calls, and also help adjust the level of noise cancellation for the room.
Signature Definitive sound you can take anywhere
The Symphony 1 may be Def Tech's first ever headphone, but the company's high-performance speakers have been popular among audio aficionadosfor years. All that experience shows here, from the Symphony 1's no-nonsense industrial look to their clear, rich, well-balanced sound.
Included cables give you more ways to listen
If you run out of battery or you're in a situation where you don't need wireless, you still have listening options. A 3.5mm cable is included for listening both with or without noise-cancellation. You can also plug the included USB charging cable into your computer to receive a digital audio stream and take advantage of the built-in DAC.
active noise-canceling technology reduces distracting external sounds
active listening mode uses built-in headphone amplifier for more powerful and precise audio with portable sources
tri-mode operation allows passive listening (without batteries), active listening mode, and active listening mode with noise cancellation
in-line remote/microphone for hands-free use with iPod, iPhone, and iPad
in-line push-to-hear monitor control pauses the audio source and noise-canceling feature for brief conversations without removing headphones
convenient dual input connections let you plug the cable into the right or left earcup
large 40mm drivers for low distortion and extended range
