The Ollo Audio X1 1.0 is an open‑back, over‑ear set of headphones, with a linear sound signature designed to simplify studio monitoring and make critical judgements more accurate. To achieve this, it offers customisable, AI‑based calibration: The X1 comes with the Ollo-branded USC‑II plug‑in, which provides emulations of different listening environments, including a studio control room, FOH, and a car interior. The plug-in also allows producers to set specific frequency targets such as the Harman curve, as well as offering a binaural mode. In practice, this gives the Ollo Audio X1 broader scope for creating mixes that will reliably translate to a vast range of playback systems. Ollo Audio's build quality is high, and manufacturing tolerances remain tight, as each unit is individually measured before it leaves Ollo's production facility in the Slovenian Alps – the calibration file for the USC-II plug-in is customised for every single pair.
The technical specifications of the Ollo Audio X1 1.0 immediately identify it as a professional tool. Its dynamic 50mm drivers are powered by strong neodymium magnets and cover a frequency range from an ultra‑deep 5Hz right up to 22kHz. This ensures that it reproduces absolutely everything within the limits of typical human hearing. With a relatively low impedance of 32 ohms, the X1 is also suitable for mobile audio interfaces, laptops, and even smartphones; its sensitivity of 101dB (SPL) means it reaches sufficient listening levels even when driven by low‑voltage outputs. The open‑back construction provides an uncompressed, highly detailed sense of space. One of its notable features is the slight angling of its drivers, intended to enhance the naturalness of its stereo imaging.
Producers, mix engineers, and sound technicians will find in the Ollo Audio X1 1.0 a dependable reference headphone suited to a wide range of tasks. Its precise and neutral sound will win over even the most demanding professional users, streamlining and simplifying their work in editing, mixing, and mastering. Hi‑fi enthusiasts seeking a flat frequency response for uncomprimisingly uncoloured playback will also appreciate what it offers. One feature it does forgo is a balanced cable, but the handcrafted X1 more than compensates with its real walnut earcups, stainless‑steel headband, and a robust case that ensure it'll look good and perform professionally day in, day out.
An emerging manufacturer from Slovenia, Ollo Audio specialises in crafting high-end studio headphones tailored for professional music production. Their range includes closed-back models for recording and open-back designs for mixing and mastering, each engineered with exceptionally linear frequency responses. Accompanied by custom calibration software, these headphones deliver precise, reliable results in studio environments. Ollo Audio places a strong emphasis on durability and sustainability, constructing their headphones from robust materials like wood and metal to combine accurate sound reproduction with a premium tactile experience.
The Ollo Audio X1 1.0 is an excellent choice whenever the characteristics of the actual listening room need to be taken out of the equation. Producers will quickly learn to appreciate its unusually even frequency response – no more room modes, dips, or peaks. Adding to this, the X1 weighs just 390g and, with its ear pads made from a synthetic leather/velour mix, is exceptionally comfortable to wear. This allows mixing and mastering sessions to run into the night without fatigue. As an open‑back design, it's less suited to miked recordings – but all the more so for editing, mixing and mastering. Combined with Ollo's version of USC-II, with its dedicated calibration functionality and broad DAW compatibility, the Ollo Audio X1 can help producers transform their workflow, regardless of the acoustics of the spaces they usually work in.