Palma has introduced the DHS-10, a more accessible and more colourful sibling to its DHS-1 convertible headphone. The Palma DHS-10 carries over the DHS-1’s patented rotating shutter mechanism, which lets listeners switch between open-back and closed-back operation on the same headphone, while moving to a high-performance composite enclosure available in seven distinctive finishes rather than the original’s sapele wood.
The Palma DHS-10: The Same Convertible Concept, a New Material
Like the DHS-1 before it, the Palma DHS-10 is built around a rotating shutter that opens or closes the acoustic chambers, allowing a single headphone to operate as either an open-back or closed-back design. Palma’s engineering goal was to preserve that core acoustic philosophy while making the concept more attainable, which led the brand to a carefully selected synthetic composite in place of the DHS-1’s sapele wood enclosures. The material change gives the Palma DHS-10 a slightly more analytical and revealing presentation than its wood-bodied sibling, without the natural warmth the sapele imparted.
Eight Finishes, One Driver Platform
Where the Palma DHS-10 most visibly departs from the DHS-1 is in colour: the new model is offered in seven distinctive finishes, turning what was previously a single wood tone into a genuine personalization choice. Underneath the colour, the DHS-10 uses the same driver architecture as the rest of the Palma lineup — a neodymium magnet driving a 28.5mm voice coil with less than 0.1mH of inductance, which Palma says keeps the headphone easy to drive from integrated amplifiers, DACs, streamers and portable sources alike. Palma specifies sensitivity of 101dB/1mW in open mode and 102dB/1mW in closed mode, with a 32-ohm impedance and a frequency response extending from 8Hz to 30kHz open and 12Hz to 30kHz closed.
Comfort and Accessories Carried Over
Palma has kept the comfort details that defined the DHS-1 experience: memory foam ear pads wrapped in soft lambskin, and a headband built from the same premium materials used throughout the original. At 502 grams without cables, the Palma DHS-10 is close in weight to the DHS-1’s 490 grams. The headphone connects through individual 3.5mm jacks on each side and ships with two detachable cables — a 1.2m cable with a 3.5mm plug for portable use and a 2.8m cable with a 6.3mm plug for home systems — along with a robust protective hard case for travel.
Pricing and Availability
Palma has not yet published pricing for the DHS-10; the brand confirms the headphone will be available from September 2026 through its official site. The existing Palma DHS-1 remains in the lineup alongside the new model for listeners who prefer its sapele-wood enclosures and warmer tonal character, joining other recent high-end headphone launches such as the CANOR Crius H5S.
Key Specifications
- Transducer: electro-dynamic driver with neodymium magnet, 28.5mm voice coil, less than 0.1mH inductance
- Impedance: 32 ohms
- Sensitivity: 101dB/1mW (open mode), 102dB/1mW (closed mode)
- Frequency response: 8Hz-30kHz (open mode), 12Hz-30kHz (closed mode)
- Weight: 502g (excluding cables)
- Finishes: seven distinctive colours on a high-performance composite enclosure
- Included: two detachable cables (3.5mm and 6.3mm) and a protective hard case
With the Palma DHS-10, the brand is betting that its convertible open/closed-back concept has broader appeal once it comes in colours beyond a single wood finish, while keeping the driver platform and switching mechanism that built the DHS-1’s reputation intact.
