e-Earphone Akihabara Store Relocation and Renewal Store Report: Listening Tests and Opening Sale

The e-Earphone Akihabara store relocated and reopened along Akihabara's Chuo Dori on April 22, 2021.
This time, I'd like to report on my visit to the store on Saturday, April 24th, the first weekend since its reopening.

Akihabara headphone and earphone retailer e-earphone relocates and reopens

Head straight to the new e-earphone store

The store was previously located in a back alley off Chuo Dori, but has since moved to a street-level store nearby.

The e-Earphone sign, which reads "Earphone and Headphone Specialty Store" in orange, is now more noticeable than before, making it easier to find.
It's a place that's usually very busy, so it looks like it'll attract a lot of customers!

When I arrived at the store it was past noon, but since it was a holiday, there were so many people there that it was hard to believe given the coronavirus pandemic!
There were many flowers lined up in front of the store to celebrate the opening, and an opening sale was also being held.

1F Wireless Corner - New earphones, headphones, etc.

The first floor is home to the currently popular completely wireless earphones and headphones.
Of course, you will be able to listen to the actual product at the store after it reopens.
If you find a product that interests you, try listening to it on your portable player or smartphone.

A lineup of many popular new products that have been released in recent years.

The store has a wide selection of products, from domestic manufacturers such as Sony and Technics to overseas manufacturers such as Master & Dynamic and HUAWEI.

On the second floor and beyond, there is an elevator hall to the immediate left of the entrance.

It is also possible to move up the stairs.

2nd Floor Lifestyle Corner - Recommended for watching movies, gaming, and teleworking!

Next, the second floor is designed to allow customers to choose products that suit their lifestyle.
As soon as you get off the elevator, you will see a corner for major manufacturers.
On the left is my favorite manufacturer! (Shure fan)

A section featuring headphones and earphones recommended by staff for watching movies.
With the current situation, we are spending more time at home, but this is a godsend for people who cannot watch movies at high volume in apartment buildings.

There is also a section for the currently popular gaming headphones.
If you want to compete seriously in online games such as FPS and MMORPGs, choosing the right gaming headset is essential!

In the gaming play corner, you can actually try out games and check out how the headset feels.

The game demo is Splatoon! If you'd like to try out the headset you're planning to buy, be sure to ask a nearby staff member.

A corner recommended for teleworking.
Due to the impact of COVID-19, online meetings and working from home have increased, and demand for headsets is on the rise.
I hear that bone conduction headsets are selling quite well because more people are wearing earphones all the time while working from home, which is causing ear pain and ear infections.
I never thought that the day would come when bone conduction would be a selling point...

3F Audio Corner - New earphones, headphones, music players (DAP), accessories, etc.

The third floor sells new earphones and headphones as well as accessories such as ear tips and re-cables.

This corner displays mid-range to high-end earphones from Japan and abroad sorted by price.
If you normally use cheap earphones and have never heard the sound of expensive earphones, it's worth trying them out and experiencing the unknown world of high-end earphones.

There is also a corner where you can try out actual music players and portable amplifiers.
You can experience high-resolution sound quality with the recently popular iPod touch, Walkman, and other DAPs (digital audio players), and if you want to improve the sound quality of your music player or smartphone, you can also get lost in the world of portable amplifiers.

4th floor second-hand goods and outlet corner - Lots of bargains!

The fourth floor is where second-hand earphones, headphones, and other items are sold.
Here too, you can listen to products that are in fairly good condition as well as junk items.

You can listen to products in the showcase, such as used music players, by asking a nearby staff member.

Outlet corner.
You might even come across some unexpected bargains!

There is also a space where you can listen to used items.
In order to maintain social distancing, we are taking measures to prevent infection, such as leaving one seat space between customers whenever possible.

5F Buyback and Repair Floor - This is the place to come for buybacks and repairs such as broken cables!

In addition to accepting purchases, the 5th floor also houses the e-Earphone Clinic, which undertakes earphone and headphone repairs.
In addition to repair requests for broken cables and cracked exterior shells, they also accept consultations on customization such as shortening cables and replacing parts, so it's best to contact the store for more details.

By the way, the area above the 5th floor is an event space, and currently only those involved are allowed to enter.
It may be difficult in these times, but I wonder if they will hold events in the future, inviting various celebrities and artists.

What caught my attention after the reopening

I'd like to point out some things that I've noticed since the renewal.

Due to the size of the building, each floor is small.
I think even if you add up all the floors, it's probably still smaller than the previous store.
In particular, the width of the stairs is narrow, only wide enough for one person, so passing each other will be difficult (in terms of distance).
On busy days such as holidays, there is a high possibility of congestion on the stairs.

I don't think it would be good to only talk about the bad points, so I'll also mention the good points.
There are sections divided by price like this.

There are an increasing number of different sections tailored to the needs of different buyers.

The unique POPs that the store has put a lot of thought into are also great.

A great product I found on e-Earphone!

Here, the author personally visited the store and picked out some products that caught his eye based on his own personal opinions and biases!

Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Earbuds Pro ￥25540 (tax included)
These completely wireless earphones feature noise-canceling functionality thanks to cutting-edge technology from Razer, a company renowned in the gaming world.
Since they are specialized for gaming, they are comfortable to wear and the sound quality is good, so they can be used for listening to music as well as gaming.

[amazonjs asin="B0929263MK" locale="JP" title="Razer Hammerhead Ture Wireless Pro Wireless Gaming Earphones, THX Certified, Advanced Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation, 60ms Low Latency Connection, Bluetooth 5.1, Up to 20 Hours of Battery Life, Touch-Enabled Controls [Japan Authorized Retailer Warranty] RZ12-03440100-R3A1"]

AKG K712 PRO-Y3 ￥33210 (tax included)
These open-back monitor headphones don't put pressure on your ears, and they deliver the brilliant high frequencies that AKG is known for!
It really felt like I had high-quality speakers in both ears (like an elementary school kid).

[amazonjs asin="B086YHHCS1" locale="JP" title="AKG Official Store" AKG Professional Open-Air Monitor Headphones K712 PRO-Y3 3-Year Warranty Model with Original Sticker K712 PRO-Y3-E]

My thoughts on the newly renovated e-earphone Akihabara store!

Previously, the store was located in a back alley, so some people may have found it difficult to get to, but I think it's good that it has moved to a street-level store along a main street, making it much easier to enter.
However, the store has become smaller overall, and it is a tough time in these times, but it does seem that the selection of products has increased more than ever before.
It's fine to buy earphones or headphones based on reviews from online retailers, but everyone hears differently and has their own preferences for comfort, so we recommend trying them out for yourself at e-earphone to find your favorite product!