Наушники — Loewe Leo

The Leo is the first over-ear headphone from Loewe, the German company better known for its televisions, and it brings the brand into wireless personal listening with a closed-back, fold-flat design. The standard edition was introduced at EUR 1,299, and it comes in two colours, midnight blue and moonlight beige. Loewe also used the Leo as the basis for a Leo Bespoke collector's series made with the jeweller Jacob & Co, limited to ten gem-set pairs.

Key specs that matter

Loewe fits a 50 mm dynamic driver in each cup, its diaphragm formed from an olefin composite elastomer (OCE). The acoustic response is given as 20 Hz to 20 kHz within 3 dB. A Texas Instruments OPA1622 SoundPlus amplifier drives the transducers. The internal battery is a 3.7 V cell of 660 mAh, rated for up to about 65 hours with noise cancelling switched off and around 45 hours with ANC active. A complete recharge takes roughly two hours. The headphone can be used while it charges. Weight is about 360 g, and the housing carries an IP53 rating against limited dust and water spray.

Engineering and use context

The wireless link runs on Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio support and multipoint pairing, so the Leo can stay connected to a phone and a laptop at once. Supported codecs are SBC, AAC, LC3 and LC3+, the last used for high-resolution streaming at 24-bit and 96 kHz. A USB connection accepts digital audio up to 24-bit and 192 kHz, and an adapter cable adds a 3.5 mm analogue input for sources without Bluetooth. Five built-in microphones serve both adaptive active noise cancelling and hands-free calls, while an ambient mode passes outside noise in on demand. Spatial audio and Dolby Atmos content are supported. Through the Loewe app the user can create a Mimi hearing profile, reach a voice assistant and run real-time translation. The headband and cushions are covered in soft leather over anodised aluminium parts, and Loewe states that most components can be repaired or upgraded. A hard case and a leather bag come in the box.

Pairing

A smartphone or tablet with LC3 or LC3+ support makes full use of the LE Audio link, while older handsets use AAC or SBC. For desktop use a computer can stream to the headphone over its USB port, and the analogue cable covers in-flight systems or a dedicated headphone output on a hi-fi amplifier.

Alternatives

Loewe currently offers no other headphone model, as the Leo is its first over-ear design.