I am probably being harsh with that last negative point, and was in fact not even going to write it until I was alerted to the price increase that the MIRPH-1 will undergo. In fact, by the time this review is published, you will all likely see the MIRPH-1 go up to $749 in the USA and €699 (inc. VAT) in Europe, including directly from MIRPH Design. This is a steep increase of €149 (27%) that makes the MIRPH-1 less of a value offering than it is as of the date I write this review, and the USA gets a worse deal for once. Homero has said he will honor the current pricing of €550 until the distribution kicks in, so early Patreon readers and others who are in the know may want to purchase the MIRPH-1 right away if these headphones appeal to you. There's a lot to like about it too, beginning with the part where this is a project that feels more finished and less DIY than many other such one-man ventures have been offering lately. The MIRPH-1 started as a pandemic project, but differed from others in that Homero didn't do everything at home/in a garage. Instead, he worked with several suppliers to get parts made to his design, allowing for a set of headphones that does not feel cheap in any way.

Take the headband with its premium Portuguese leather, which feels extremely durable and comfortable simultaneously. The steel and aluminium parts also aren't going bad anytime soon, and even the resin plastic used for the ear cups has been given a textured finish akin to dSLR bodies, allowing for a more premium feel which is also highly functional in being resistant to dust, fingerprints, human oils etc. The original prototypes used 3D printed wood filament on the ear cups which looked even fancier in photos I've seen, but unfortunately Homero was unable to get them made reproducibly. This is key, because the MIRPH-1 has been designed to be modular, with everything assembled using screws. When the spare parts do arrive at the MIRPH Design store, you should be able to replace any part on the MIRPH-1 easily at home, if not even make your own MIRPH-1 if you so desire. The MIRPH-1 is also very comfortable with extensive options to accommodate people, be it with heads tall or short, wide or narrow, or even with how the ears are positioned on your specific head. I don't anticipate anyone having a comfort or seal issue thus. The industrial design also feels retro and vintage, which probably works well also for the warm/smooth sound you get here, almost like it's being played through a vintage tube amp. You may find yourself lost in the music thus, with a larger-than-life soundstage adding to the experience.

This comes at the cost of accuracy in the playback though, again arguably getting that tube amp analogy back in the picture. I felt the lower frequencies could be cleaner sounding, and higher volumes/driving off a dongle may have perceived distortion. Cutting down the mid-bass helps here, albeit it does make the MIRPH-1 sound more like other sets on the market, some of which can be had for less. Imaging in particular takes a hit, and sometimes that soundstage feels artificially wide—especially when you notice depth and height don't correlate. The ear cups also feel a touch too floppy in motion, and vertical sizing could be more precise. At $749, you are now also in a realm where there is tougher competition. Yet, MIRPH-1 going for this more unique flavoring to the sound signature may well be what gets it all the sales once people try it on. Keep in mind that it was near-unanimously praised at CanJam London, and clearly the product is going to last awhile given the international distribution plans in motion too. I expect more people will start talking about it once demo units become available in other countries, and then we'll see whether my comparison of the MIRPH-1 as a baby ZMF Atrium rings true for others too.