I'll summarize this detailed review, which I urge everyone to go through fully, given this is the first of a whole different type of headphones by saying that the Audeze CRBN is not your typical electrostatic headphone. It's bass heavy and treble light, which seems almost opposite to the norm, based on my admittedly limited experience with e-stats. Part of this is because it's a tiny market compared to dynamic and even planar magnetic headphones. It's not trivial to manufacture a good e-stat set and even harder to build an amplifier/energizer that also does not cost more than what the headphones themselves do. It ends up being a vicious cycle with a high cost entry barrier, which in turn means the volume scales of production don't really apply here either. Audeze would be the first to admit, and they recently did so, that the LCD-5 outsells the CRBN handily for this reason. My amplifier—the Headamp Blue Hawaii Special Edition all decked out with upgrades—runs $8000 before taxes and shipping to give you an idea, although the same audio output can be had for $6500 in a less fancy version. You can get less expensive amps certainly, and perhaps there are many which will get you the full CRBN experience, but I have yet to hear one that isn't significantly less expensive.

But this isn't simply a discourse on whether or not e-stat headphones are for you, since anyone looking at the CRBN has already committed to it. Indeed, I dare say that e-stats are my likely end game based on how well they respond to my specific music interests! There's simply nothing like the experience from an e-stat in terms of the natural and airy presentation you inherently get and in this regard the CRBN does not disappoint. Yet it is unique in offering one of the best bass reproductions I've ever listened to, and this alone merits a strong consideration. There are many things the CRBN gets right and others it falls short on, but no one can deny the driver's technical prowess when it comes to dynamic range, micro/macro contrast, channel and instrument separation despite an interesting timbre to say the least, as well as precise imaging and a decent soundstage too. Audeze has also made the CRBN look and feel extremely premium while also ensuring comfort is not an issue either. Then there's the part where the CRBN came about as a side application after the original medical research venture which has already shown great results in easing the comfort of MRI subjects, this tugs a few heart strings too.

That particular medical application also shows there is untapped potential in this platform, seeing as how the medical version operates at a higher potential bias for higher SPL to in turn allow for more efficient noise cancellation inside the loud MRI chamber. The cool carbon nanotube-based transducers also immediately got me interested, given I have a vested interest in seeing CNTs get out of the lab more and more, and so there is certainly some bias on my side too—just not the 580 V kind. Speaking of which, I do wonder what would have happened if Audeze had partnered with the likes of Headamp or Mjolnir Audio to put forth a specific amplifier running at an even higher voltage bias, similar to what Warwick Acoustics has done to seemingly critical acclaim. Given the niche audience and source market already, surely there is a place for a CRBN Pro or similar? Either way, there was enough from the CRBN to make it my favorite Audeze to date when paired with the BHSE at least. However, I have to acknowledge there are potential deal breakers here and other challenges which make it harder to justify the asking price. I do admire the novel, ongoing science and engineering however, and thus the CRBN easily wins our innovation award.