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All the coolest audio gear we saw at NAMM 2025

Lots of new gear to keep an eye on in 2025.
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Published onJanuary 24, 2025

NAMM show glowing neon sign.
Edgar Cervantes / SoundGuys

The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) is the place to find all the coolest music and audio gear for the year. This year, our team had the chance to walk the entire convention floor. Out of all of the hundreds of booths we checked out, these are the pieces of gear that stood out to us.

New open back headphones from Audio-Technica

A man wearing Audio Technica ATH-R70xa open back headphones.
Edgar Cervantes / SoundGuys
These new open back headphones from Audio-Technica are affordable for new music producers.

While there are a lot of open back headphones that we love in the SoundGuys office, we’ve yet to find a great set that is also affordable. At NAMM 2025, we were very excited to see Audio-Technica present some new open back reference headphones at affordable price points. The entry-level ATH-R30x headphones only cost $99. On the other hand, for $159 you can get the mid-tier ATH-R50x, which use the same drivers as the popular ATH-M50X closed back headphones. More serious audio engineers can check out the ATH-R70xa, which will cost $349. Stay tuned for our reviews this year with detailed measurements from our testing lab.

Bring your amp into your headphones with the new Spark NEO

Positive Grid Spark NEO headphones on an amp.
Edgar Cervantes / SoundGuys
Use the Spark NEO headphones wirelessly with your guitar.

Sick of dealing with tangled cables or hearing your roommate grumble about your loud guitar sessions? Positive Grid’s Spark NEO headphones could be just what you need. These wireless headphones work seamlessly with a compact transmitter that plugs straight into your guitar, allowing you to play without any cables getting in the way. While testing the headphones at NAMM, we found the Spark NEO delivers near-zero latency, so playing feels smooth and completely natural. Additionally, you can use the headphone companion app to add amp effects to your guitar tone, all right inside the headphones.

Beyerdynamic enters the performance IEM market with a big splash

Beyerdynamic IEMs on display at NAMM 2025.
Edgar Cervantes / SoundGuys
Beyerdynamic announced four new IEMs at NAMM 2025.

For the first time, Beyerdynamic is making performance in-ear monitors (IEMs) for performance musicians. The company revealed not one, not two, not three, but four new IEM models at NAMM 2025.

The new IEM lineup consists of four models, each targeting specific use cases:

  • DT 70 IE: Aimed at mixing engineers and critical listening, with a frequency response following the Fletcher-Munson curve
  • DT 71 IE: Designed for drummers and bassists, featuring enhanced low frequencies and clear treble
  • DT 72 IE: Tailored for guitarists and vocalists, with compensation for the occlusion effect
  • DT 73 IE: Created for orchestral musicians and keyboardists, offering linear reproduction from 20 Hz to 1 kHz

The new Roli Piano paired with a Roli AirWave is unlike any other musical instrument experience

Roli Piano with Roli AirWave.
Edgar Cervantes / SoundGuys
Control your music with a simple wave of your hand.

As a musician, using the Roli Airwave feels like magic. By simply waving, tilting, and sliding your hand in the air above a keyboard, you can adjust different parameters in your sound. For recording and performance musicians alike, this bit of gear is revolutionary. In addition to showcasing the AirWave, Roli announced their new keyboard, the simply-named Roli Piano. This keyboard is an upgrade to the previous Roli Piano M, which only had 24 mini-keys. The new Roli Piano has 49 keys, making it a much better instrument to learn piano on, especially when paired with an AirWave to give you feedback on your fingering. Just like the Piano M, the larger Roli Piano has lights to give you feedback on your playing, or to use for a unique performance.

What was the coolest thing you saw announced at NAMM 2025? Let us know in the comments down below.

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