Yeah only the left side tho, i cant tell if its the fulcrum rubbing against the circular housing or its the wings against one or both of the triangular cavity. tis the nature of “hand built” items i guess, theyre all “special”? There’s also a gash the width of a nail on the inner side of the left slider on my pair. The apprentice building mine sneezed too hard while working the metal lathe perhaps… . Its fine, not a cause of concern as all i have to do is keep moderately still
And yes, this hedd does every song well. It did seem to run out of breath on Infected Mushroom’s Vicious Delicious; tho I suspect its either my dac or amp that shat itself during the busy parts of the track. No hedd, it wasn’t you… lol
Just to share, Chantal Chamberland’s cover of Besame Mucho on tidal (master) with bass boost ON on the zen dac (output set to variable) is oh so good with the hedd.
Stellar observation. I think it’s a first here. Exactly what makes this a great forum. You’ll fit in just fine. Thank you for joining and keep the observations coming.
Back when I was a product manager (not in audio) the best comments were from people who were not used to commenting on a product. You just showed why.
Just updating this with additional measurements of the HEDDphone. This was a very difficult one to measure because the cups are so large they don’t always sit on the rig the way they sit on your head when you wear them. With that said, this was the most consistent result, and it should reflect the most common placement.
One thing to note, that weirdness in the mids on the HEDDphone showed up on most measurements, but when I positioned it as far forward and upward as I could it tended to go away. For some positions, I find the unevenness isn’t as audible as the averaged measurement of all positions shows here.
The punch being present throughout the FR with the HEDDphone is very appealing. I have experienced it a limited amount of times outside of the bass region, such as physically feeling piano keys being struck, with my Auteur and it really adds to the dynamics. Being able to do that across the spectrum is quite remarkable.
Excellent show, as always.
(edited for spelling/grammar and for deleting a question that was answered in the video that I missed for some reason)
I did some non professional measurements with the Minidsp Ears too. I don’t use same view as I am adapting some EQ from autoEQ project (HPN Compensation) to my own taste with my heddphone.
Definitely worth to try, even if the heddphone is already impressive as it.
There is really a very good marging to EQ and keep distortion almost unnoticeable …
I am still waiting for some way to find a kind of freedom in my home with a transportable amp… actually I would like to approach the results I can get wit a cheap Monolyth THX887 and WM1A. I am waiting for the CEntrance M8 V2 end of this month, otherwise I will give a try to a next to come replacement iFi Micro iDSD Black Label DAC (but with balanced output and USB-C input) …
At last I will maybe go the DMP-Z1 …
But more than 1W seems to be needed for the Heddphone.
I have had good success with my Hugo2Go driving the Heddphone. Volume knob in the mid blues (so a little over 50%) gives around 82-85db average volume based on sticking my ancient Rat Shack SPL meter into one of the earcups. (I have volume leveling enabled in Roon, since I often listen in “Radio” random shuffle mode.) This is as loud as I’d ever want it to be – I am not one to listen at levels that will quickly destroy my hearing. And at this level, I do not find the bass/etc wanting with the H2 powering the cans. The H2 is only about ~.75W @ 32Ohms, if I recall correctly.
Yeah even my zen dac alone (in SE mode) can power the heddphone to loud volume. It just lacks meat down on the lower frequencies.
My new dac (hopefully it’ll satisfy me enough so i don’t have to stare at the bifrost 2 page anymore🤞🏻) just arrived along with a new custom cables from customcans, PURRRple & black lyst braided something something. They were kind enough to wire the pins according to hedd’s arrangement at no extra cost as I originally ordered the cable as Audeze lcd’s configuration. Happy days
Edit -
Anyone tried the Headamp GSX Mini with their heddphone yet? If so, how was it? Headamp offers an option for it to come with a purple faceplate that looks soo good.
Love the reviews and comments, but as always it comes down to putting them on and listening with my own source, dac and amps.
The only amp that “struggles” is one of my low power tube amps and it does a decent job with these cans.
This am I am listneing with a B-Stock $89 Schiit Magni 3 ( the old one, original) and it has MORE than enough power to drive these cans to ear destroying levels. This was mentioned by Torq in his comments about amps that would provide a good listening experience.
I find this HEDD phone is ruthlessly revealing…comfortable, considering its weight…and am able to listen now for several hours…its all in the placement on my head. I find having most of the weight being taken up by my head (using NO extentsions here) alleviates any stress on my ears…fitting with these IMO is critical for comfort. The heft is still there. This is noticable if I am looking downwards instead of sitting staright up (good posture)…I often listen and type at the same time…looking downwards and this is when I notice the heft and mass of these BIG cans!!
Excellent overall first impressions here, for the cost of less than $2K (in some cases WAY less) they are a steal…especially when compared to the TOTALS > $1899.
I would say, it’s maybe more something related to peak voltage available for low frequencies, which gives some interesting improvements with the TH887 to the heddphones. Sustain voltage around 1W is probably sufficient to give a fairly loud volume.
It’s more or less an hypothesis, and I am not sure that results will be really there, but the CEntrance M8 V2 should be able to deliver till 20V peak voltage, which can be a good key to access those low to very low frequencies with high reactivity, impacts and clarity…
When I measure my amps (between 1W to 6W, the minidsp ears won’t show any differences in low to very low frequencies, but impacts and clarity are significantly in favour of the TH887…
Pity it’s not portable at all (as I don’t want to seat in a fixed place in my home).
I don’t need a portable sytem, as I already use a Ultrasone Ed15 Veritas (320g) with the WM1A to travel or office… but I look for a transportable powerful amp to stay each time a few hours in 3 or 4 various places in my home (home Office, Living Room, Sleeping Room, Garden)…
The weight and size of the heddphone is not an issue at all in my case, I use it sometimes more than 8 or 10 hours a day. It does fit my head perfectly with no pain.
Doing an AB test with Focal Clears and HEDDs…using Brandi Carlile, The Story, Until I Die…a wondeful CD thats done so very well…
After a morning 4_ hours on the Hedds across several amps, and then the Clears on the Schiit Lyr3, the Clears were so less bassy…and very crisp and clear…like an old friend…so nice.
So I left the Clears plugged into the Lyr 3 via SE inputs from Bifrost 2 and turned on the Schiit Jot which is connected to the Bfrost 2 via the balanced outs into a Schiit Jotenheim…so I can level set and have the Clears and the Hedds plugged into 2 different amps…at the same time…
WOW!
The clears are soooo nice…great tonality and presentation…
Then the Hedds in the Jot (SE out), are a giant step up in the overll soundstage laterally and presentation…just out there close to perfection for headphones.
Does it make me want to part with the Clears, NO…but they both are awesome in their own right…
The Hedds just explode with realism and an openess IMO, not closed in at all…
Ah!
Life is good!
Alex
Cowboy Junkies, Trinity Sessions, Postcard Blues, the harmonic in the Clears are razor like sharp…with the Hedds they are razor sharp but have an “air” about them…like you know where they are on the stage so to speak.
Thank you for the great comparative impressions. As a Clear fan, it’s good to hear they’ve not been supplanted for you by the HEDDphone, and it’s even better to hear that the Jot makes for an excellent pairing. That makes the value proposition of the HEDDphone quite appealing.
As someone who loves the open, spacious soundstage of the HD 800 - especially its width - it’s also interesting to hear the HEDDphone excel at this as well. Have you heard the HD 800 and, if so, would you mind commenting on the two headphones’ lateral presentations, please?
Well I acctually bought the HD800s instead of the Focal Clears. I had them for three days. I returned them because they were too thin for me…I have HD600’s as well and like them alot. I thought I would really like the 800s…but overall I didnt really like them much at all. IMO for $1699 the build quality to me was sub standard for that price…I tried to like them, on a dozen amps…but they went back and I bought the Clears and instant WOW the build level is so first class, not thin, full range, clear and accurate.
So when I bought the HEDD’s it was based on a bunch of opinions from folks that have them and the Clears…exept for the weight (not an issue with me) they also were an instant WOW these are indeed a very special set of headphones.
So I havent had the 800s here to actually compare but I think the lateral soundstage of the HEDDs are great, with exceptional instrument seperation…partially due to the distance the drivers are from you ears…like the 800s, so I would think the lateral soundstage would be similar etc…
When I say the 800s are thin, its the low end missing the body or weight of those low bass tones or notes…play some really low organ music below 30hz and its WOW really full and an overall wonderful presentation of the low end…some think the low end needs a tad of eq to match the harmon curve…but I really dont think for my taste this is really necessary…I hate boomy bass and the stock HEDDS are phenomenal on the low end when its in the recording…
I have no regrets for not having a set of 800s in house, the hd600s are close enough for that Senn sound…and as good as they are for the cost, the Clears and Hedds are in a class above them for sure.
Thank you, Alex, I very much appreciate the comparison. Given how closely our sound preferences seem to align, I’m much more interested in hearing the HEDDphone now! I auditioned them at CanJam in NY this past February but didn’t spend long enough listening as the line was always long and it was hard to get a decent impression because of the noisy show conditions, so it’s invaluable to read impressions like yours and others in this thread.
I likewise find the HD 800 to be a bit too thin. Funnily enough, this was something I had been willing to tolerate with my ZDT Jr. amp - because the amp provides a bit of tubey thickness and warmth - until, that is, I got a pair of the Clear, at which point the HD 800 felt downright skinny. I agree the Clear is, overall, a superior headphone in most ways, but I’ve been prepared to soldier on with the HD 800 because of its soundstage and highly resolving qualities, which are essential for my preferences when listening to orchestral works. (I find that the Clear come impressively and surprisingly close to the HD 800, when it comes to listening to classical music, and if it weren’t for the narrow soundstage, the Clear would have replaced the Senns).
I’d wondered if there was a viable alternative upgrade for classical music before reaching into the rarified realm of the Raal Requisite SR1a but now, thanks to your description, the HEDDphone sounds like an excellent candidate, one that wouldn’t involve such a financial stretch as the SR1a, especially given the Jot’s suitability as an amp for it (and not the Jot R). I suspect the HEDDphone’s a much better all-rounder than the HD 800. I only prefer to listen to classical music with the Sennheiser; I reach for the Clear with all other genres. Given the qualities you describe, it sounds as though the HEDDphone could match, if not surpass the HD 800 for classical music. Thank you again for taking the time to reply!
. Its fine, not a cause of concern as all i have to do is keep moderately still 
