Another day of run-time on these, which brings them to just over 100 hours now.
The rattling/crackling I discovered yesterday with some specific tracks is no longer present, and I’ve not been able to reproduce it in the last eight hours even while specifically trying to.
The top-end has settled down quite a bit. I am no longer hearing sibilance in the Julia Fordham or Heart tracks. The zills on the tamborine in Der Kommisar can still be a little “zingy” and cymbals occasionally have a hint of extra “splashiness”, but not like they were a couple of days ago and not on every hit, either.
Bass hasn’t changed from yesterday … so still about 1 dB or so below where I’d ideally have it, but it’s so good in other regards that I don’t feel it is worth messing with, and it’s more satisfying in that region now than, say, the Utopia.
Speed, dynamics and resolution are still incredibly impressive, though micro-dynamics still lag the Utopia and other cans at this level.
Comfort is still an issue, but hasn’t gotten any worse.
If the tonal profile works for you, or you can EQ the bass up and the treble down a tad, and you can handle the weight/size/small headband, I think these things are poised to lay waste to the bulk of the ~$2,000-$3,000 competition, performance wise, unless you’re a massive bass-head or want something with specific types of coloration.
The HiFiMAN stuff, shy of the Susvara or HE6/SE is rather more relaxed and mellow, so might be interesting as a complement, but I don’t think they keep up otherwise.
The RAD-0 sort of has the opposite profile to these, while being much more dynamic and immediate than the HiFiMAN stuff, but would also be a good complement to the HEDDphone.
Audeze … well, there’s the LCD-4. Which I think bests these in enough ways to warrant its price. The rest of the line-up? Yeah, not so much.
Focal’s Clear are more balanced tonally, and micro-dynamics are handled better, and they’re much easier to drive and far more comfortable. An easier all-day listen too. But outclassed in terms of raw performance otherwise.
These are kinda of what I expected the Meze Empyrean to be based on the hype they got, but these best those in pretty much every way except bass level and, of course, comfort and ease-of-drive.
ZMF’s stuff addresses a different market entirely and would be my first choice (Aeolus, Auteur or Vérité) as a complement to the HEDDphone, just as they are with the SR1a.
These are a bit on the unrelenting side, and entirely unforgiving with marginal material - similar in that regard to the SR1a. I don’t think I could have these as my ONLY headphone. They’re an exciting and engaging listen, but not necessarily the most relaxing way to experience music (a line shared with my pending SR1a review, also).
So, while I still wouldn’t really class them as “giant killers” (or at least not “flagship killers”) … as the incumbents there do have relevant performance advantages and are generally easier to listen with for raw pleasure for long periods without giving up the technicalities, I am sure these are going to be quite disruptive.
Can’t name an open-back headphone that is more technically adept than the HEDDphone for under $3,000. Though, I can name a few I’d rather listen to for the purposes of simply enjoying music.
Amazing.
) or warranty these out. Assuming it persists of course. It’s taken me 72+ hours to come across it though, so it’s not that much of an issue.
that I can watch! Lol
