The first-ever pair of Loewe headphones? Club hopping? Copious amounts of seafood? A David Guetta link-up? Welcome to Ben Tibbits’ 24 hours in Ibiza. 

Cast your mind back to before this age of instant gratification, and try to imagine a time without headphones. How would you disconnect from the world around you? Fully transported yourself into the mind of our favourite artists? Block out the screaming children polluting your commute?

Luckily, for now at least (I hold no promises for the post-apocalyptic hellscape that creeps closer daily), I don’t have to picture such a Godforsaken place. In fact, quite the opposite – I’m off to the Balearic Island of Ibiza to indulge in some sonic luxury, culinary excellence and light-to-heavy hedonism. There’s the German luxury AV brand, Loewe, hosting and presenting their very first pair of headphones, entitled Leo. And there’s David Guetta – the headphones’ ambassador – on hand to transport me back to 2012. 

So without further ado, I pack a spare pair of boxers, a travel-sized mouthwash and my dancing shoes, and find myself dragging my feet through Gatwick airport in the early hours of Monday – yes, Monday – morning. The sun is yet to come up, but my spirits are high, for what looks set to be a swift and adventurous expedition into the AV brand Loewe and the beautifully misunderstood Ibiza. 

The flight is swift, and only slightly plagued by groups of laddy lads chugging pre 9am tinnies and throwing out the occasional misfire of misogyny for their entourage to awkwardly snigger at. Off the plane, there’s no time to spare as me and the wider press party are ushered off for lunch at the Casa Jondal, a much hyped beachfront restaurant. We settle in for some crisp rosé wine and a seemingly unlimited pantheon of fish and meat courses, culminating in stand outs like a (I think) giant crab’s leg and some beautiful white fish. Mouthwatering stuff. 

All the while, conversation flows almost as regularly as the increasingly tasty wine. We’re speaking with Bear Clark, an inventor and the spearhead of t10 bespoke, which is a luxury high-fidelity company based in the States. He is also the brains behind the new Loewe headphones. Bear is a brash, funny, eccentric. A businessman, a go-getter, the type to set up an off-the-books sweet shop in the school playground in his adolescence. 

He talks about his work with a razor-sharp understanding and an analytical humility. The collaboration with Loewe is clearly one that brings out both the individual visionary and the collective company. The German AV brand is over a century old, leading the industry in paramount audio-visual experience with a range of TVs, radios, speakers and other entertainment systems, ubiquitous with blending the traditional with the progressive.

And this first foray into the world of headphones brings this modus operandi of finding the perfect bridge between the classic and the cutting edge into a new medium; the emblem of modernity – suave, sophisticated, reliable. It’s quite the statement, after all, enlisting two titans of lifestyle and culture as your launch ambassadors: Real Madrid footballing superstar, Kylian Mbappe, and one of the biggest DJs on the planet, David Guetta. More on the latter later. 

So, what makes the Leo headphones special and different from any number of other luxury pairs on offer? Well, following our leisurely lunch, I found out. Back at the hotel – the sleek, sophisticated Mondrian – Bear puts our ears to the test. Lying out five pairs of headphones, with branding hidden so as not to reveal which pair is which, we listen to an array of selected compositions on all of them, taking notes and ranking each in order of preference. 

Without sounding like too much of a kiss ass, my favourite is coincidentally the Loewe pair. Its industry-leading characteristics shine through: the latest in head-fi technology, adaptive noise cancellation and transparency mode, full Hi-Res Audio Wireless support, Spatial Audio, Bluetooth LE and Dolby Atmos. A thrilling, wonderful listen for a variety of genres, tones and textures. To hear the pair alongside four – very well respected – others is a telling sign of Leo’s quality.  

Testing done, after a quick freshen up, a night in Ibiza awaits. And not just any night – a VIP experience at one of Ibiza’s best clubs, Ushuaïa. The establishment has hosted Guetta as its resident all summer, and he’s on hand to start the party. First, some dinner in the attached Japanese restaurant, before a short meet and greet with the man himself. It’s a photo op and dash type situation, as David scuttles out onto the stage in front of a packed Ushuaïa of adoring fans. 

There are hits aplenty throughout his two-hour set, with a private booth providing us with space to boogie, a decent view, and plenty of tequila. The night goes on until the early hours, with a visit to another club to take in some more of the Beefa ambience. Things get a little encrypted from there. 

The next morning arrives, the room spinning. 20 minutes until check out. Some of the others embark on a boat trip, but even the thought of stepping off dry land is enough to make me turn green, so I laze around the hotel and make headway on a bulging inbox until it’s time to fly home. 

It’s a wearisome journey, but eventually I’m stepping out of an Addison Lee into the chilly East London air. A day in Ibiza is a thrilling concept, and it doesn’t disappoint. Pure unapologetic partying with no unnecessary trimmings. Delightful food, lovely company and a glimpse into one of luxury audio’s very best. Loewe’s Leo looks set to be a staple of the headphone game for years to come. 

As for me? I need 12-to-14 hours of sleep and a ginger shot.

Find out more about Loewe here.