ULTRASONE Launches Four Signature Headphones and the NAOS MICRO USB DAC, With S-Logic Still Doing Its Own Thing

ULTRASONE has launched its largest product push to date, introducing four new wired headphones alongside the compact NAOS MICRO USB DAC. Rather than recycle one familiar platform with a new finish and some fresh adjectives, the German headphone maker is covering five distinct use cases: open-back listening, studio monitoring, compact audiophile listening, bass-heavy portable use, and better desktop or mobile source hardware.

The new lineup includes the Signature QUANTUM, Signature AERO, Signature MASTER PRO, Signature RAYVO, and NAOS MICRO. Preorders are open now, with deliveries expected to begin in September 2026. Wunderbar. The German national team probably wishes these had been available for the flight home after its rather early World Cup exit.

The Bavarian Headphone Brand That Put Space First

Founded in Bavaria in 1991, ULTRASONE has spent more than three decades building headphones for listeners who wanted something other than the familiar Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic, or AKG approach. The company established itself first in professional audio and DJ circles with its HFI and PRO ranges, before moving further into high-end consumer territory with its limited-edition Edition series.

The key to the brand’s identity has always been S-Logic. Rather than placing the driver directly in front of the ear canal, ULTRASONE positions it off-center so that sound reaches the outer ear first. The idea is to use the pinna, which helps people locate voices and instruments in real space, to create a broader and more speaker-like image inside a pair of headphones. It is not a subtle design choice, and neither are the results. Some listeners love the larger, more diffuse presentation; others find it unconventional. ULTRASONE has never seemed especially troubled by that.

The company’s reputation in high-end audio was cemented by models such as the Edition 9, Edition 8, Edition 10, and later Edition 15. These were not designed to disappear into the background. They combined premium materials, ambitious pricing, and a distinctly spatial sound that made them favorites among listeners looking for an alternative to the more conventional reference headphone hierarchy. The Edition 8, introduced in 2008, became one of the company’s best-known models by proving that a luxury closed-back headphone could work both at home and on the move without looking like studio equipment borrowed from 1987.

ULTRASONE also developed its ULE, or Ultra Low Emission, shielding system, which uses mu-metal protection around the drivers to reduce electromagnetic emissions. That feature has always been part engineering, part brand signature, but it underlined the company’s willingness to pursue headphone design from angles that other manufacturers generally ignored.

Signature QUANTUM Leads the New Lineup

The Signature QUANTUM (€999) is the most clearly defined audiophile model in the group. It uses ULTRASONE’s 40mm GTC driver, previously found in the more expensive Edition 15 and Founders Series, with a gold and titanium-coated diaphragm, S-Logic5 spatial technology, and both single-ended and 4.4mm balanced LUMINOX cables in the box.

It is a closed-back, foldable design with 40-ohm impedance, 103dB sensitivity, and a claimed 6Hz–44kHz frequency response. At 364 grams without its cable, the QUANTUM is not pretending to be a featherweight travel headphone, but it is clearly intended to work beyond the listening room thanks to its passive isolation, aluminum hard case, and compact form factor.

ULTRASONE Signature QUANTUM Specs:

• Headphone type: Wired, closed-back, foldable
• Driver: 40mm GTC dynamic driver with gold-and-titanium-coated diaphragm
• Technology: S-Logic5; Symmetrical DDF; Balanced Audio
• Impedance: 40 ohms
• Sensitivity: 103dB
• Frequency response: 6Hz–44kHz
• Weight: 364g, without cable
• Ear pads/headband: Sheepskin-covered memory foam
• Cables: 3m LUMINOX 3.5mm cable with screw-on 6.35mm adapter; 1.5m LUMINOX 4.4mm balanced cable
• Other: Swivel ear cups; detachable screw-lock cable connectors; aluminum hard case

Open Back, Studio, and Bass Focused Alternatives

The Signature AERO (€399) is the open-back option, built around a 45mm graphene driver and positioned for listeners who prioritize space, air, and detail with acoustic music, jazz, classical, and more carefully recorded pop. It looks like the model most likely to appeal to existing open-back headphone listeners who want a more spacious presentation without wandering into four-figure flagship territory.

The Signature MASTER PRO (€799) takes the professional route. It features a newly developed 40mm titanium driver, LUMINOX internal wiring, and two high-end LUMINOX cables. ULTRASONE is pitching it toward engineers, producers, musicians, and studio owners who need a neutral and revealing tool for mixing, mastering, and critical listening. That is a crowded field, and it will have to earn its place against Beyerdynamic, Focal, Austrian Audio, Sennheiser, and the usual suspects who have been living in control rooms for decades.

The Signature RAYVO (€299) is the least subtle entry of the group, which is probably the point. It combines aluminum ear cups, a foldable DJ-ready chassis, S-Logic5, balanced connectivity, and a more energetic tuning intended for bass-heavy genres including electronic music, hip-hop, techno, rock, and pop. ULTRASONE is not trying to sell this one as a mastering tool. Thank heaven.

NAOS MICRO Brings Dual DAC Hardware to the Mix

The NAOS MICRO (€169) is an ultra-compact USB DAC with dual Cirrus Logic CS43131 converters, 3.5mm and 4.4mm headphone outputs, PCM support up to 32-bit/384kHz, and native DSD256 compatibility. ULTRASONE also describes it as providing dedicated headphone amplification, making it more than a basic USB-C adapter for listeners using laptops, tablets, or smartphones with wired headphones.

That could make it a logical companion for the new Signature lineup, particularly for anyone who wants balanced connectivity without dragging a desktop stack into a hotel room. ULTRASONE has not yet published detailed output-power specifications or U.S. pricing, however, so the real-world driving capability remains a question worth saving for an actual test.

ULTRASONE NAOS MICRO Specs:

• Type: Compact USB DAC/headphone amplifier
• DAC section: Dual Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC chips
• Outputs: 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced headphone outputs
• Format support: PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz; native DSD256
• Construction: Aluminum-and-glass housing
• Intended use: Smartphones, tablets, laptops, and compact hi-fi systems
• Still unconfirmed: Price, output power into specific loads, gain settings, dimensions, weight, USB input type, and U.S. availability. 

The Bottom Line

ULTRASONE’s five-product launch is unusual because it is not built around one headphone platform dressed up for different audiences. The Signature RAYVO targets bass-heavy and DJ use, the open-back AERO focuses on spacious listening, the MASTER PRO goes after studio users, and the QUANTUM is the premium compact audiophile model. Across the range, ULTRASONE is leaning into its long-standing S-Logic spatial approach, balanced connectivity, and more specialized driver materials rather than chasing the same broad “reference” tuning with every model.

There is still plenty we do not know. The QUANTUM has the most complete specification sheet, but ULTRASONE has not yet published full technical data, U.S. pricing, or confirmed American dealer availability for the entire range. The NAOS MICRO is also intriguing, but without output-power figures it is impossible to say how it will stack up against the iFi GO bar, Questyle M15i, FiiO KA17, or Cayin RU7.

The headphone competition is equally specific. The AERO will face open-back models from Sennheiser, Meze, Beyerdynamic, and Austrian Audio; the MASTER PRO will have to contend with studio standards from Beyerdynamic, Focal, Shure, and Austrian Audio; and the QUANTUM enters a premium closed-back market dominated by Dan Clark Audio, Denon, Focal, Meze, and Audeze.

The differentiator is not merely a graphene or titanium driver. It is ULTRASONE’s attempt to offer a clearly different spatial presentation across multiple categories. Whether that translates into a real competitive advantage will depend on the tuning, comfort, durability, and how it performs.

Pricing & Availability

Preorders are available now directly from ULTRASONE, with global shipping and deliveries expected to begin in September 2026. U.S. pricing and retailer availability have not yet been announced.

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