Last year at CES we checked out an impressive new prototype from up-and-coming Australian headphone maker, Audiofly. This year, Audiofly’s concept has come to fruition in the form of two new models, the AF250 and the AF240, both of which mark the first over-ear cans Audiofly has ever produced.
OK, we lied just slightly when we said the concept had come to fruition. Audiofly’s new babies aren’t quite finished yet, awaiting a few final sonic tweaks before they become available to the general public. However, they’re almost done, and the sound appears to be ready for market as far as our ears are concerned.
We’re especially impressed by the performance of the flagship AF250, which offer custom voiced 40mm drivers that are rich and ruddy down below, matched by a poised and present punch to the midrange, and an accurate upper register.
Perhaps just as intriguing as the sound of these cans is the actual design. While the AF250 rise above the 240 thanks to die-cast aluminum frames, both headphones are built around a 3-part flexible headband and socket joint system, allowing the earcups to auto adjust to your head simply by putting them on. The earpads are made from memory foam to conform to your head as well. The result is a comfortable, well-fitting pair of headphones that are extremely easy to put on and take off, aimed specifically at studio musicians.
At $350 for the AF250, and $250 for the AF240, you don’t have to be a professional musician to pick up these cans, however. They’re not extremely affordable, but they ride close to other headphones in their class, and based on our initial impressions, they’ll likely have the sound performance to make for some healthy competition.
The Audiofly AF250 and AF240 are expected to hit the market in the next couple of months, and we’ll have our full review ready for their debut, so check back with us soon.