Warwick Aperio headphone system review
$40,000 for headphones? See what makes them so special
I
f you've never heard top-shelf electrostatic headphones before, it can be quite the experience. At times, sound seems to appear from thin air — like the headphones themselves are almost removed. It's a heady mix, somehow at once deeply intimate and refreshingly spacious. The Warwick Acoustics Aperio headphone system delivers one of the most profound examples of this spectacular sonic phenomenon that I've heard yet.
I spent over a month with this complete, closed personal audio system in my home office and often gravitated towards it, even after work hours. (The glittering magnesium earcups have that effect.) It includes deluxe electrostatic 'phones and the dedicated amplifier/energizer needed to properly power them. The amp also features a built-in digital-to-analog converter that's optimized for this system, along with custom-made cables.
These headphones offer spacious, transparent sound with authoritative bass.
Beyond the scope of most personal audio setups
Let's address the elephant in the room — the Aperio audiophile headphone system comes with a price tag that may raise some eyebrows. But this closed system is designed for the discerning listener looking for a space-friendly alternative to an ultra-high-end speaker-and-amp system.
Those two-channel systems can go for upwards of six figures — and can physically take up a lot of space. Super-premium electrostatic tower speakers in particular require a lot of real estate for a limited ideal listening area. (Vintage audio fans will recall the Quad ESL 57s that resemble a large cabinet mixed with a folding screen.) With the Aperio, the sweet spot is always where it needs to be.
A lasting impression
This system makes a bold statement from the moment it arrives. Everything is packed inside of a waist-high, heavy-duty molded plastic case, well-padded and airtight to protect the special gear. Once opened, it's easy to see how the Aperio system influenced the design of Warwick's more compact Bravura system — while listening sessions confirm that this one is a cut above.
Warwick packs and protects this special system inside a heavy-duty latching case.
Warwick keeps the power clean and consistent
The Aperio is called a "closed" system because the amp/energizer/DAC and headphones are both intended for each other — and neither will work with headphones or amps from other companies. Electrostatic headphones require consistent power, which is why you need the special amplifier (sometimes called an "energizer") included here.
This 16-pound machined-aluminum beauty is a full-size component, so I kept it on a dedicated shelf next to my desk. It features a series of tactile switches and dials, though I found the volume was more precisely controlled by my connected laptop. The amp serves up just the right amount of power — and restraint — for the headphones to excel.
How do electrostatic drivers work?
In most electrostatic headphones, you have electrically charged diaphragms suspended between two metal stators. The diaphragms receive a fixed, high voltage, while each stator receives a varying audio signal to move the diaphragm back and forth. What makes the Aperio drivers extra-special are the high-grade, low-mass materials and precision of movement.
This detailed breakdown shows the high-grade, low-mass elements used to construct the driver system.
Top-notch driver design for lower distortion and deep bass
Warwick's hand-assembled drivers use a double stator version of their well-received High-Precision Electrostatic Laminate (HPEL) transducers. In this case, those stators are made of fine copper and plated in gold while the diaphragm film itself is infused with 24-karat gold. The materials have been carefully chosen for their purity.
The entire driver structure — stators, diaphragm, and all — are incredibly thin, about one quarter the thickness of a human hair (shown with protective frame).
This ensures they maintain precise electrical conductivity to minimize distortion. It also makes the entire driver structure — stators, diaphragm, and all — incredibly thin, about one quarter the thickness of a human hair. The result is pristine clarity and visceral, authoritative bass punch without an ounce of bloat.
Several ways to connect
I connected the Aperio amp/DAC directly to my laptop via the included USB cable. From there, I could stream lossless high-res tracks via Qobuz. There is also a coaxial digital input and XLR digital input, along with a balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA analog input.
An Ethernet port lets you play music from a DLNA-compatible network-attached storage drive (there are no direct streaming music services). In addition to the dedicated headphone outputs, there are balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA outputs.
The Aperio offers a plethora of back panel connections.
For all your digital music
Two DAC chips run in dual-mono mode to squeeze out lots of musical detail from digital audio sources — for instance, a network streamer piping in Spotify®, Apple Music®, and YouTube. The DACs will decode high-resolution PCM-based music files up to 32-bit/384Hz resolution, and DSD files up to 11.2 MHz.
Warwick also applies 64-bit digital signal processing (DSP) to achieve their desired tuning. Again, it's all about optimizing everything for the strengths of the amp and headphone drivers. In this case, the desired frequency response closely matches a pair of "flat" loudspeakers in a room.
A look inside at the balanced analog circuitry and dual-mono digital design.
Hand-assembled across the pond
The headphones, drivers, amp, and components are built by hand in Warwick's Nuneaton, UK headquarters. There, the company is also developing car speakers that use similar principles as these electrostatic drivers. They've made recent headlines for breakthrough customized speakers they've designed for luxury EVs.
My listening impressions — everything all at once
I came to these headphones very familiar with Warwick's Bravura system, so I knew what the company was capable of, but this exceeded my expectations. The Aperio takes everything I loved about the Bravura and turns it up a notch — especially the pinpoint imaging, sense of space, and instrument separation.
I tested the Aperio system in silver, but it is also available in limited edition black at a premium.
This system somehow heightens each individual trait and the overall experience. I was dropped in the middle of my music and turned from passive listener into — at least emotionally — an active participant. By revealing hidden details in familiar tunes and presenting new-to-me songs with all their distinct nuances, I felt more in tune with the mood of each track.
Pleasant, musical vibe with fine detail retrieval
On the Bee Gees' pre-disco ballad "Massachusetts," the percussion and rhythm guitar sat tight in the center with Robin Gibb's lead vocals. It kept the track grounded while the melancholy orchestral arrangement rained in from the right. The textured tremble in Robin's voice tells the song's tale of homesickness and disappointment as well as the lyrics themselves.
And I've never heard his brothers' backup vocals the way the Aperio delivered them. The hummed harmonization seemed to hug the back of my head, just behind my left ear, and reverberated through my skull. It was somehow forlorn and eerie yet soothing and thrilling all at once. Kind of like being in a new place and thinking of another.
The snug, yet comfortable fit kept the drivers properly positioned to where I could practically melt into the listening experience
It's not that the Aperio allows the details to overwhelm the whole to the point where it sounds analytical. Instead, hearing all those delicate subtleties so vividly helps add to the emotional heft. The sound is transparent and accurate, so it rolls along with the vibe of the song — from the frantic, claustrophobic crunch of Iggy Pop's "Frenzy," to the hazy, laid-back sprawl of Miles Davis' "Yesternow."
Final thoughts
It's actually been my time without the Warwick Acoustics Aperio where I've truly appreciated its special powers. The lingering, longing feeling since I had to send it back. A sharp jab to the gut every time I look over next to my desk, and it's no longer there.
I was fortunate to spend quite a bit of time with the Aperio — but man, would I love to have one more listening session.
Details
- complete premium electrostatic headphone system for focused listening
- includes electrostatic headphones, precise-current amplifier/energizer with built-in DAC, and cables
- headphone and amp are designed to work together as a set, and not separately
- designed, built, and tested by hand in Warwick's Nuneaton, UK headquarters
- headphone frequency response: 10-60,000 Hz
- headphone weight: 16.28 ounces
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