My favorite quirky hi-res audio firm just released ultra-cheap over-ear headphones, and I cannot understand how FiiO kept the price so low

• FiiO unveils EH13 over-ear headphones
• 40mm drivers, LDAC compatible, ANC and 75 hours of battery
• All that for $49 / £49 (about AU$100)

Audiophiles will know the name FiiO; between the likes of the M27 digital audio player or KA15 DAC-amp, it's beloved by audiophiles looking for portable hi-fi kit (the firm also does non-portable kit, but that's not relevant for this story).

The company's devices generally fall into the 'reasonable' rather than 'cheap' head-fi category, but every rule has an exception, and the new FiiO EH13 are today's exception. These wireless headphones cost just $49 / £49 (about AU$100), so the brand is making a surprise play for top spot in our best cheap headphones list.

Now, FiiO is no stranger to headphones — we gave five stars to its FT5 planar magnetic cans two years ago, and four to its FT13 last year — but these models were distinctly aimed at audiophiles and cost around ten times as much as the EH13. At the $49 (or equivalent) mark, the new EH13 are targeted distinctly at the average cash-savvy consumer.

Team TechRadar has put its best heads together, and can't quite work out why the FiiO EH13 are so cheap. LDAC, 75-hour battery, 40mm drivers, EQ and ANC for $49? How?! Sure, the design is a little quotidian, but beyond that... what's the catch?

We didn't start the FiiO...

Like basically every pair of wireless headphones at this price, the FiiO EH13 have 40mm dynamic drivers and while it's hard to gauge from the specs list just how they'll sound, the company takes pride in maintaining its known-to-audiophiles nod of approval. Mention of a "sapphire-coated composite diaphragm" sounds pretty bougie though, especially for this price.

Thanks to Bluetooth 6.0, you get support for LDAC transmission (as well as AAC and SBC) and the brand's EQ control app to customize your sound.

You're getting a battery life of 75 hours, which drops to 45 hours if you turn ANC on. That's right, a FiiO product with noise cancellation!

The EH13 offer a 3.5mm jack, with a signal processor designed to keep sound consistent regardless of how you listen. And there are other connection tools, like multi-point pairing.

I don't particularly associate FiiO with entry-level tech, so am quite curious to discover how the EH13 sound. But judging by what the brand's shared so far, they could be a great entry-level piece of FiiO tech, before you find yourself buying a new M33 R2R, and sliding further and further down the slippery slope...