https://www.etaheadphones.com/
Some impressions threads:
4 Likes
I purchased a used pair of Genesis but it only comes with drivers. Currently ETA is offering a full pair of headphones for $875. For those with a Senn HD6x0 headband and focal/hifiman cable, you can purchase the drivers only for $725.
At this moment, I consider Genesis one of the best under $1k headphones you can purchase and they personally beat some of the $1k+ offerings available like LCD-X, Arya, Aeolus, etc. They’re a downsloping headphone that packs a nice punch in the bass and has plenty of clarity throughout the frequency response. It’s a very engaging headphone that makes me want to listen more. As of now, I sold mine to a friend but am waiting for a possible redesign of the enclosure before purchasing my second one.
The biggest drawback with this headphone is the DIY nature of it. It’s a 3D print enclosure with some pieces that are meant to be taken apart for easy access to mod the sound signature. I enjoy stock plus some additional bumpons to add a bit more bass to the sound. I’m hoping there will be a more polished version that gives just enough mod-ability to keep the character of the headphone.
I’m normally a very picky person but I think the Genesis deserves a bit of praise. The ability to tweak the sound to your liking in an affordable package isn’t really something that you see every day. If you have a chance to pick one up, I highly recommend it. It does the best on lower OI amplifiers and isn’t too hard to drive. However, the better your gear, the better it’ll sound.
5 Likes
Hey everyone, I heard a pair of Mini Closed at a HiFiCon meetup and was instantly intrigued by them, so I reached out for a loaner pair from ETA. I haven’t been able to put as much time on them as I’d like, but I wanted to share some quick thoughts.
Basically, they have a lot of tuning decisions that align with my preferences as someone who’s sole headphone is the HD6XX. The HD6XX’s main weaknesses are its lack of extension on the extremes of the frequency spectrum: no bass, no highs, just mids. The Mini Closed definitely rectifies the issue of no bass. It has good extension, although I wish it had a stronger bass shelf. I want to say that the treble extension is also slightly better, although the pads on my HD6XX are pretty worn out.
The interesting thing about the Mini Closed, though, has more to do with its upper-midrange and treble tuning. It has an unconventional flavor of both of them that reminds me a lot of the way the 64 Audio IEMs (some of my favorite IEMs) are tuned. The 3-4kHz region is pulled back and then the treble region has a slight lower-and-upper treble emphasis. This gives it a more colored, yet not unnatural presentation. Ultimately, it doesn’t sound like these IEMs but there is definitely a resemblance to the tonal characteristics.
Technicality wise, I’m less impressed with the Mini Closed on second listen. It sounds fine, but not mind-blowingly better than what it costs. It has noticeable blunting to its transients due to the upper-midrange recession and there isn’t enough upper-treble to give it a ‘bite’ to decay. Staging is fairly standard for a headphone, but it sounds decently dynamic due to the bass extension and slight contrast in the upper-midrange and lower-treble.
Overall, the Mini Closed isn’t the paradigm shifter that I might’ve thought it was on first listen, but it is a palatable sounding headphone, which I can’t say for a lot of headphones that I’ve heard. It also has a few characteristics to its tuning that I don’t normally hear with headphones that might be enough to set it apart from the pack for some listeners.
4 Likes
O2 rules. That is all.
1 Like
Looking forward to the real review, as the Mini Closed is the only ETA model I haven’t heard.
I was on a tour for both the Mini Semi-Closed and O2 and both times, I liked the headphones so much that I bought one. In fact I completely disrupted the O2 tour because I wanted to take it on vacation with me and they had to ask ETA for another tour model. I think both those models punch above their price range and are a huge value for money.
LOL I can’t tell if this is good or bad. I know you tend to review iems. Do you generally not like headphones?
I agree, the O2 is fantastic, not just for it’s price, but generally fantastic.