Absolutely. I predict HEDD will have a substantial impact on the market. So looking forward to what’s next.
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I’m hoping for a future version that is smaller and lighter, to be honest. Sure… it’s all about the sound, but I think these cross a few lines on size and weight. If they sound significantly better than my Auteur, then I’d consider them. 
Basically what I’m saying is that the design has challenges that must be overcome by sound quality for me to buy it. What I haven’t seen so far is a review that compares these to a known quantity, like a very well driven HD650 or Auteur. Right now, I have no baseline to judge these by.
Based on that, I think they will shake up the market due to price, but far less than others predict. This is an anomaly, at the moment. I think it will take far more manufactures putting out great headphones like this, being sold at much greater quantities, for less than $1000 to $1500 before the Focal, Sennheiser, ZMF, and HiFiMan $2600+ price tier even feels a tremor. We should cheer Hedd on though, and encourage other OEMs to follow suit. Bloated pricing needs to end.
Anyway… I enjoyed reading your review on them, and think the pictures are done very well! Kudos on a fantastic post @TylersEclectic!
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Size is definitely a factor (
), but seriously, I know some will be put off by that one characteristic.
I think the technology will have its limitations as to how compact it can be, but as of now their performance seems to be hitting many marks.
HEDD definitely has some engineering challenges before them, but I think this version ‘one’ shows that they have a very capable engineering team.
Congratulations to them and to new owners of the HEDDphone.
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I agree with this. Here’s what kept messing me up with these as a former owner of cans like the d8000, HEK V2, HEKse, Abyss Diana V2, And LCD 4Z. You listen to these for a while and then you start comparing them to all the flagship headphones you’ve heard, because they’re that good. But that’s not fair because they cost less than half of most of those!
I loved my Edition X V2’s because they sounded so smooth and forgiving, which is generally not a Hifiman trait. But it never even crossed my mind to compare them to the likes of a Focal Utopia or LCD 4.
So I agree with you and I agree with Resolve Reviews. On performance alone, they may not beat all of the flagships out there. But to be half the cost or even less than half the cost, they get so close that it just doesn’t make any sense to pay $2000 for a 2% improvement.
I only have two critiques of the HEDDphone after a full day of listening.
-
The headband needs to have longer extensions, period. There’s no reason why there should be so few adjustments.
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I don’t like the upper mid coloration around 1-3K. Yes it can make some vocals sound amazing, but it can also make things sound bright/shouty. I wish the FR was flat to 1K and then had a small downslope to 5K. After that it should just follow the Harman Curve to 20K.
Other than those two niggles, these are superb!
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Concur…but, and this is a big but, as I and you have similar preference to aesthetic (at least when it comes to our beloved ZMFs lol)…
I don’t even feel the weight on these, where as when I was using the LCD-X that eventually wore my neck down. These have a pretty good clamp force… not uncomfortable to me but I notice it. But, the big part is they disappear after the first few tracks… and I just have fun listening to them!
OOH! sorry ADHD this just came on and the match burning and “puffing breath” cool! wait…where did my whiskey go!!! damn it, I don’t want to walk to my liquor cabinet!!!
https://open.qobuz.com/track/46098715
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The weight of these is a non-issue for me. My LCD 4Z was far less comfortable. The only thing uncomfortable about these is the lack of headband extensions. I don’t have a large head and use them fully open, but I still need a few more clicks. But the rumor is that Hedd is aware of this issue and is going to be releasing a larger headband soon.
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I’ve just been reading this thread because while I’m interested, I really have no intention of buying the Heddphone. I really don’t care that it looks like [( 
)] and in fact can see some advantage in that, say for an everyday commute on the train when you don’t want the seat next to you to fill up.
Person on train: Hey what the heck are those?
Forum.headphones denizen: “Heddphones”
Person on train: (moving away, muttering to self) Yeah right, smart aleck.
But they are a first generation product, and while in some ways a price-point leader, it’s a darn high price point. I’m one of the Core Team guys here that STILL hasn’t pulled the trigger on any headphone over $800 final price. And for me I see price bands, rough 800-1400, 1600-2500, and over 2500.
In that 1600-2500 band, there are a lot of choices I would consider first, ZMF being one, STAX and Rosson Design being others.
The AMT design has always been a strong contender in speaker tweeters. Like @ProfFalkin and @ValentineLuke say above, there are some engineering things to be worked out. This is, to me, clearly something that I would expect to be a real option by version 2 or 3. And maybe, just maybe in the next version or two Apple will get the watch functional enough for me to consider getting one to wear when I don’t feel like wearing the 1949 vintage Lord Elgin.
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My relationship to the current head (edd?) phone market is revealed in all its glory by the fact that the most I have ever paid for 'phones is exactly half of the bottom figure in the lowest of the price “bands” you see. And I expect that to get worse. I don’t even bother to participate in the loaner programs here or elsewhere, as I see no point in attempting to hear a product that I don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of ever being able to afford. Why torture myself? Not complaining mind, just stating a fact.
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LOL I was only listing the price bands that I have not yet bought in. My usual purchase is $100 and under, often for a gift, but sometimes for me too - bedphones, porta-pro, etc. I start to think hard about anything $200+
Honestly, for years my favorite headphone was the Sennheiser PX 100, notwithstanding that I had more costly ones.
Both you and I read about the Heddphones. And if I get a chance to try them, I will, but I think months to years before buying in any costly range.
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The upside of course is that the overall sq available per $ in the market as a whole (including electronics too) is better than ever before, especially in the market segment that I pretty happily inhabit. The sq available from a Modi3, Vali2, and 6xx for $450 brand new for a complete headphone system still kinda blows my mind. These are the good old days as Carly Simon once warbled.
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I have listened in the past 2 years to most TOTL headphones and can say one thing for sure.
You will enjoy your under 1k Equipment at home like before
It is intersting to get an idea. Like visiting a concert or the opera. Back at home you can put in the CD and go on.
Thankfully our brain is not capable of saving this informations. Maybe similar to telling how fast a car is driving- we are not good in this
So as you don’t A/B at home for longer periods… no worries 
A quick listen on a meet or in a shop, won’t kill your stuff
Though a loan for a week or two with critical listening could break the bank😲
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This… human audio memory is pretty bad lol! But once stuck… that can be problematic…for the wallet ha! Kind of like the adage of “once heard/seen, can’t be unheard/unseen” lol
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I had them- you destroyed everything
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The perfect antidote for that kind of trick is being a tightwad.
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I had the pleasure of meeting Chris from HEDD Audio yesterday at NAMM. Chris previously worked with Audeze and from my understanding, he was brought over to HEDD for the launch of the HEDDphone.
This pretty much speaks to HEDD’s commitment to the headphone market.
Unfortunately due to time constraints I actually didn’t get to listen to the HEDDphone, but I’m definitely looking forward to it.
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Alright people, I don’t want to dominate this thread so I’ll just say a few more things about these. I’ve never had a better listening session than I did this morning with the HEDDphone.
I just can’t recommend them enough. For me, they’ve lived up to the hype. They have a very balanced frequency response, they’re heavy but comfortable, they’re built well, and they just sound phenomenal unless your music is garbage or mastered poorly. They’re the most transparent headphone I’ve ever owned.
So here’s a few TOTL headphones that I’ve owned and I would not take over the HEDDphone:
- HEK V1
- HEK V2
- HEKse
- Ultrasone Edition 15
- Sennheiser 800S
- LCD 4Z
- Final D8000
- Abyss Diana V2
- Ether 2
- Meze Empyrean
These remind me of a planar-esque version of the 800S, but with a much better bass response, especially sub bass, and smoother treble, but just as detailed. They have fantastic imaging and layering and a soundstage that can get almost as large. They are highly detailed and analytical but without the usual harshness that tends to come with that characteristic.
You have to listen to some well-recorded live albums with these. For example, The Eagles - Hell Freezes Over, Seether - One Cold Night, The Scorpions - MTV Unplugged, Ray Montford - Live Sessions
Live music, acoustic music, and vocal music absolutely give me chills with these. I simply love them. I hope others get a chance to check these out because I think they’re something special.
Sub bass - 9/10
Mid bass - 9/10
Lower mids - 9/10
Mids - 9/10
Upper mids - 8/10
All treble - 10/10
I am an audiophile and active member of Head-Fi, so clearly I have issues. But I’m serious when I say my upgradeitis is quenched for a while. The fact that it is so easy to even compare these to headphones, that cost over twice their price, is a testament to how good they are. I really loved my Edition X V2’s. So much so that I bought them twice. But I would never think to compare them to something like the Focal Utopia, because that would be ridiculous.
And just a heads up, these can definitely be driven by the IFI Micro BL. I tried it with them for a little bit this morning, and it did just fine.
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You’re not dominating at all, you’ve actually put in a great deal of information and I appreciate it.
The biggest hurdle for me is the lack of a sufficient amp to power it.
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I don’t think you are dominating the thread… you are providing great insights into your experience with this new headphone… it is greatly appropriate and appreciated!
@ValentineLuke I’ll try the HEDDPHONE with the Fidelice RNAMP in a bit and post my thoughts
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Thank you!
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What have you been connecting them up to besides the iFi Micro iDSD Black Label? Did they sound any different when connected up through the other devices?
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