Austrian Audio THE COMPOSER Dynamic Headphones

One of the best DD headphones out there

Comfort: Your mileage may vary. I have a bigger and wider than average head. For me, the clamp force is just right. I didn't feel and pressure and discomfort with the headband strap even during long listening session. However, I think most would find the earpads on the warm side, especially during the summer. But that did not bother me. Matching/synergy: I notice the Composer is quite amp and DAC depended. They reveal the timbre of your amp and dac a little more so than the technicality aspect. If you have a pretty analytical and linear chain, you might get a pretty boring sound. Unless that's what want. My chain is Gustard R26 and Luxman p750u. I find this match excellent since the Luxman offers excellent resolution in a smooth and musical presentation. And the Gustard has holography staging presentation that I love. I would also keep in mind that these headphones do not need a lot of power to drive them. If you plug them into any high power amp, you might hear some background noise. Tone/Timbre: I would say timbre is neutral overall. The Composer does have the sound signature of monitor/reference headphones. But the upper mids are well controlled and not forward to the point of shouty. Extension is excellent on both ends, even all the way to the sub-bass. Don't expect thump and kick like audiophile tuning headphones though. After all, these are reference targeted tuning. But for general listening, the Composer is much more enjoyable than most other reference/monitor headphones. Staging/Imaging: I would say the Composer is on the intimate side of medium staging. But that also depends on your Dac and amp. With my chain, I was able to make them a bit more spacious. I found them to be very capable of presenting good depth, esp. when your dac and/or amp can do that. Imaging is excellent and very coherent. Conclusion: I think the Composer strikes a great balance between being analytical and musical. They can give you that reference level technicality while getting hugged by a blanket of musicality which is the perfect amount of warmth I need. No, it is not gonna give you Susvara level of micro detail. But do you always need to hear the singer swallowing saliva, or the musician in the 3rd roll of the orchestra turning their page? If you are able to get the right synergy (I suggest a little bit of warmth somewhere in the chain), these can be a great pair of headphones for you. For me, they are.