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HP-1 is a studio headphone with switchable reference curves, which is the point of the multi-reference name. Rather than committing to one voicing, it lets you audition a mix against more than one target from the same pair, and it ships with a case.
More than one reference curve, from one pair of headphones.
Headphone mixing has always had the problem that every model has its own voicing, so a mix that works on one pair does not on another. The usual workaround is owning several pairs and switching between them, which is expensive and inconsistent.
The HP-1 puts multiple reference curves in a single headphone, so the check happens without changing headphones and without the fit and seal changing along with the sound. It comes from a company that publishes its measurements, which is the reason to take a claim about reference accuracy seriously here.
At a Glance
| Brand | Kali Audio |
|---|---|
| Model | HP-1 |
| Type | Multi-reference studio headphones |
| Feature | Switchable reference curves |
| Included | Carrying case |
What Does Multi-Reference Mean?
The headphone offers more than one voicing, so you can check a mix against several targets without swapping headphones. That removes the variable of fit and seal changing at the same time as the sound.
Are These for Mixing or Tracking?
They are built as a reference headphone, so mixing and critical listening. For tracking, isolation and comfort over long sessions usually matter more than reference accuracy.
What Comes in the Box?
The headphones and a carrying case.
Why Kali Audio
Kali Audio was started in Burbank in 2018 by engineers out of the professional audio industry, and the whole company is built on one idea: measure everything, publish the measurements, and let the numbers do the arguing. Every product line is named after a California town. Lone Pine is the entry range, Independence is the 3-way coaxial line, Santa Monica is the flagship, and Watts is the subwoofer series. Kali became the reference for value in studio monitoring by beating far more expensive speakers on measured response rather than on marketing.