Elemental Force - Spirit Torino Radiante

Today I would like to introduce one of my favorite headphones, the Spirit Torino Radiante. 

The Radiante is a semi-closed headphone that combines the advantages of an open construction with those of a closed design: The image with a realistic stage is similar to that of open headphones while only a little sound penetrates to the outside - and vice versa.

Fun Cannon

The Spirit Torino Radiante has a bombastic and larger-than-life sound signature. If you want neutrality - better take cover. If you want to feel like you're at a live concert - turn up the volume and you'll forget everything around you. 

I really liked the Radiante straight away! Yes, yes, I admit to being a bass head! 

These headphones may not be suitable for everyone. But - unlike other reviewers - I will argue that it's not just for bass heads and rock/metal lovers. That would be too simplistic, because the Radiante can do so much more.

Processing quality

Spirit Torino does not use plastic in its headphones. The 5 models I have from Spirit Torino are all made of metal and real leather. The build quality is very, very good, I love the craftsmanship that goes into these beauties!

Although the Radiante is a bit heavier, I find it very comfortable to wear, even for several hours. The beautifully padded headband and custom-made Dekoni ear pads made from the softest leather are wonderful to touch and wear.

The stock cables from Portento Audio Italy are pretty much the best stock cables I've ever seen on a headphone, Point. The packaging is also great, you can choose between a stylish white cardboard box or a stylish wooden/leather display box, which costs a little more.

Against the tide: color and design

Like all Spirit Torino headphones, the Radiante can be fully adapted to your personal taste in terms of color and design of the headphones and the headband. No other brand I know does this and that's why Spirit Torino convinced me. But he is also an individualist in terms of sound.

Sound 

The bass pumps like there is no tomorrow. In general, the Radiante is perhaps the headphone with the heaviest, yet well-controlled bass that exists.

Nevertheless, the Radiante is very capable of presenting a lot of detail. In addition, the bass does not simply cover up the other frequencies, but forms a strong foundation for them.

Voices are reproduced clearly and beautifully, strings sound lifelike, everything is where it belongs. The instrument separation is excellent, the soundstage seems very realistic to me, which is a real achievement for closed (semi-closed) headphones!

Gain | Synergy | Tunability

These headphones are the most source-dependent and tuning-friendly headphones I've ever heard, and I mean that in a good way. Depending on the amplifier/DAP used, the sound signature can change dramatically! I mainly tested with my Burson Soloist amp, which is fairly neutral but packs a lot of power. The result is a more superficial sound with a lot of attack. 

I was really surprised when I switched to the Cayin N8 DAP in tube mode.It was almost like I was listening to a different headphone - much less forward and aggressive but more subtle - less sub-bass but a gain in finesse and definition.

Other headphones and earphones of course also showed subtle changes, but here the difference was big. What also surprised me is how easy the Radiante is to drive - the N8 had no problem pushing it to its full potential. So with the right source you can tune the Radiante pretty well to your needs. You can also tune it directly, because Spirit Torino includes a tuning kit, which is basically a kind of damper with holes in it that you can insert into the headphones in 2 different positions or simply leave it out. 

If you're into EQ-ing headphones, you'll be very pleased as these are some of the most EQ-friendly headphones you'll find. They can drastically change the sound signature. Several reviewers have lowered the bass a few dB and boosted the highs a bit. I tried this too and the result was much more clarity. Apparently there's a lot of headroom to play with on the Radiante.

My opinion

The Radiante is fun - that's exactly what it was built for.
But to dismiss him as a hooligan for rock/metal and live recordings would simply be wrong, as he also has an excellent command of the subtle nuances. 

As already mentioned - these headphones may not be for everyone. He doesn't want to be that at all. It has character and temperament, but can be adapted to your personal taste thanks to the variety of tuning options. 

The Spirit Torino Radiante is something special in a market dominated by uniformity: an individualist for individualists. You can fully adapt it to your needs in terms of sound and appearance. 

More blogs & reviews from Spirit Torino

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