Austrian Audio Hi-X20

Studio sound without spending a fortune

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Precise, informative and resplendently clear in their presentation, Austrian Audio's headphones, in our experience, are ones that refuse to get in the way of your music, instead dropping back and simply allowing it to be as it is. And that sparkling Austrian Audio DNA flows just as strongly through the bespoke drive units of these relatively affordable wireless cans.

The Hi-X20 are very much of the same breed as their stablemates such as the Hi-X15, sporting a simple, functional yet robust design. What's pleasing about the Hi-X20 is just how undemanding they are to wear and live with. They are lightweight and good looking in a modest kind of way, with a rugged, plucky design which hints at a product that will go the distance.

The headband's adjustable slider is easy to expand and contract without us needing to yank at the mechanism, while the cans' effortless folding action has enough resistance to feel sufficiently well made. Not all wired headphones at this level fold away, with even fewer collapsing down with such reliable eagerness - for wired listeners who like to wander, it's a big tick.