Dan Clark Audio CORINA

Gorgeously tuned electrostatic headphones

The Dan Clark Audio CORINA headphones are the latest and greatest electrostatic headphones from the renowned personal audio company, formerly known as MrSpeakers. Like their first set of electrostats, the VOCE, these lightweight headphones feature large 88mm drivers that move efficiently and deliver a transparent, resolving sound. But this time around, company founder and chief designer Dan Clark voiced a warmer, more spacious presentation with lifelike tonal balance and stronger bass. 

Clark has included his patented Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System (AMTS), originally developed for the STEALTH and EXPANSE planar magnetic headphones. This system uses a precisely engineered damping filter that helps center and expand the soundstage, while smoothing out harsh high-end resonance. It's a slope-shaped baffle that's pockmarked with a series of grooves, deliberate in their depth and placement. 

An important note about amplification

You'll need a special type of headphone amp or separate "energizer" to use these headphones. The CORINA headphones use a 5-pin, 580-volt "pro bias" connection — the standard for electrostatic 'phones. We don't currently carry a compatible energizer, but companies like Stax and iFi Audio make all-in-one solutions or energizers that require a separate amp. 

If you have questions about compatibility or how to power the CORINA headphones, please reach out to one of our Advisors for help. 

My sneak peek at CanJam — tremendous depth with a light touch

I was able to spend a brief moment with the CORINA headphones at CanJam NYC 2023, where they held their own alongside the best personal audio gear in the world. They certainly look and feel the part of flagship audiophile headphones, with an intricate design that's interesting to the eye and pleasant to the touch. They were in high demand, so my time with them was limited — but it definitely left me wanting to listen more.

If you haven't heard top-notch electrostatic headphones before, the initial sonic presentation is more reserved than most dynamic headphones. It often takes me a beat to reorient myself. But once I settled in with the CORINA 'phones, the sense of depth, place, and distinct detail all really stood out.   

Patented tuning smooths "peaks and holes" in upper frequencies

Great electrostatic sound often feels as if it's appearing from thin air — like the headphones themselves are almost removed. So, it might seem counterintuitive to introduce any possible "obstruction" between the driver and your ear. But the AMTS baffle is designed to enhance that "absence of headphones" effect, by diffusing and absorbing the standing sound waves found even in open-back headphones.   

Think of the ear cup like a listening room with a set of speakers that can introduce unwanted reflections and resonances. Dan Clark says this kind of effect often happens at higher frequencies inside headphones, perceived as distortion and harshness. The AMTS features grooves in its sloped baffle, each targeting specific "problem" frequencies to address potential sharp sonic spikes and sudden, distracting dips.

What exactly are electrostatic headphones?

Dan Clark Audio made their name with planar magnetic headphones. Electrostatic headphones seem similar in theory — you still have a large, ultra-thin diaphragm moving quickly to create sound. But they actually rely on an entirely different principle. Electrostatic diaphragms are suspended between two metal stators. The diaphragms receive a fixed, high amount of voltage, while each stator receives a varying audio signal to push and pull the diaphragm back and forth. 

The CORINA's supersized 88mm diaphragms are able to start and stop quickly within the electromagnetic field to deliver that realistic sound. This process requires consistent power, which is why you'll need the special amplifier (sometimes called an "energizer") that I mentioned earlier.