Pioneer unveils MS5Ts, 'the world's most affordable' hi-res headphones

The rules are quite clear: if a pair of headphones is going to carry the official Hi-Res Audio logo, they must respond up to a bandwidth of at least 40kHz. Ignore for a moment the fact that's way above the threshold of human hearing - rules are rules.

The latest pair to earn this badge of honour come courtesy of Pioneer and its new SE-MS5-T over-ears.

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They're a lightweight, faux-leather and metal-look plastic design, with a 3.5mm jack and 6.3mm adaptor. They're available in a range of colours - silver, brown, black and red - and there's an in-line one-button remote on the 1.2m cable for smartphone operation. They weigh a very managable 230g.

They're on sale in the UK right now, priced at just £50. So we're not holding our breath for an even more affordable pair to arrive any time soon.

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Simon Lucas is a freelance technology journalist and consultant, with particular emphasis on the audio/video aspects of home entertainment. Before embracing the carefree life of the freelancer, he was editor of What Hi-Fi? – since then, he's written for titles such as GQ, Metro, The Guardian and Stuff, among many others.