Verum Audio Verum 1 Review: The Planar That's Scared of Treble

A $350 open-back planar that goes the opposite direction from most of the market - smooth, refined highs, full warm mids, and ruler-flat bass to 20Hz.

Verdict: Recommended - 8.0/10. Price: $349.

What's good

Stunning wooden earcup design with metal cut-out grills

Real leather pads, magnetically attached for easy swap

Smart 90-degree cable that stays off your shoulders

Suspension-style leather headband adjusts beautifully

Smooth, non-fatiguing treble - almost impossible to make sibilant

Full, warm, inviting midrange with forward vocals

Ruler-flat bass extension down to 20Hz, fast yet with long decay

Can place sounds behind your head

Worth knowing

8Ω impedance demands real current from the amplifier

Needs ~2W/ch to truly open up - scales heavily with power

Treble may sound a touch veiled on first listen

Soundstage is fairly closed-in, not super wide

90-degree connectors make many aftermarket cables awkward

Only single-ended cable in the box - balanced sold separately

Read the full Verum Audio Verum 1 review on The Audio Stuff