HEDD Audio HEDDphone - Official Thread

Official Headphone Model Discussion
948

Just completed my homebrew balanced cable for the Hedd’s…worked first time…as usual it was a minor pain, but for $34 it was well worth it!

Had to use my super old guy magnifiers to assist with the soldering and heat shrink…

Testing with the Jot balanced from the B2 to the Hedds…

Ah Life is good…and so is the sound!

Alex

5 Likes
949

Alex, how would you think the HEDDphone would compare to Focal Stellia or Utopia?

1 Like
950

Wow thats a great question…seeing how I never have heard only the Hedds I am treading on thin ice here.

A fellow that is much repected on this forum that is leaving…has given the Stellias some of the highest praise…and I think he likes the HEDD’s as well…maybe he will chime in.

I can only speak to a Focal Clear compro. Both great, very different.

What I do know is the comfort level for some would probably be better with the Focals. The Hedds I think would have a wider soundstage latterly and possible better imaging…close? For micro details the Hedds are hard to beat maybe on par with the Utopias…dont know about the Setllias…

Bass on the HEDDS some think need 1-2 dB 60-80 and downwards…for me the bass is just where I like it. Explosive with the right material and amp…its very, very capable of loud fast transients.

I know you have the Stellias, so maybe you can tell us how you think they work compared to some of the stuff you have had like the LCD3’s? and maybe the Abyss?

Alex

3 Likes
951

I have both the HEDDphone and the Focal Stellia. (I have not used or heard a Utopa.)

Both are very good. Listening to similar types of music on both, I’d say the most notable, in-your-face, even someone deaf could tell difference is that the Stellia has WAY more slam than the HEDD.

It’s not that the bass on the HEDD is bad. The Stellia is just way more oomph. Probably because its closed-back.

6 Likes
952

Thanks! That makes a lot of sense.

I found that the LCD-3 and the Diana both were lacking in the upper treble registers. The Diana did have a spooky rendition with vocals.

To me, the Stellia is one of the very few headphones that get the brass instruments to sound right.

2 Likes
953

What dac + amp do you use with both and what type of music do you like to listen to on both?

Alex

954

I use a Pxe with internal DAC768 in the home office, and a dCS Bartók w/ integrated headphone amp for the main rig. I also have a Hugo2Go for “transportable” use.

I listen to a variety of stuff. A lot of classic dance music (late 90s, early 00s trance, techno, etc), rock, folk, movie sound tracks, etc. No jazz. And absolutely NO R&B/hip-hop.

2 Likes
955

I mentioned this headphone in this thread earlier but have you ever tried the Denon D9200? It looks much more conservative and likely lighter than the Stellia but when I did an AB test, albeit not a very long one, I preferred the D9200. Maybe it was a bias call too since I actually own the D9200 and it is my on-the-go headphone. If you haven’t tried it, I would recommend that you give it a try.

2 Likes
956

The Denon AH-D9200, along with the Sony MDR-Z1R, were the other two closed back models I considered when making a decision as to what headphone to get. The availability of the Denon is rather limited here in the US, so not easy to audition.

In the past, I had a Denon AH-D5000, and while I did like it, it was a bit too polite for my taste. The reviews indicate that the D9200 is a very different sounding headphone from the 72000/5200.

One item that I’ve come to appreciate is the fact that auditioning headphones has to be taken with a grain of salt. More so than speakers, the DAC/headphone amp combo can make the difference regarding overall impressions with headphone evaluation. Having a DAC with built in EQ such as the ADI-2 can really change the impressions one can have with headphone evaluation, since it’s not hard to flatten out the response.

2 Likes
957

I have both :slight_smile:

1 Like
958

So, what are your impressions with both headphones?

Have you compared them with the Heeddphone?

959

First post here.
I’ve got a chance to spend some time with a TT2 along with an Empyrean and the Hedd. Thought I could share my view on how they compare. I don’t mean to write a comprehensive review but just highlight a few points.

  • Tonality wise, they’re surprisingly very very close! The more sensitive nature of the empy may make them sound a bit clearer but it’s really a tie here
  • Still on the tonality, but more a general impression than anything else. The Hedd sounds more cohesive. The empy on the other end takes the music apart, breaks it down into 2, with the bass being quite distinct from the medium/treble. That’s one of the main difference and something which kind of bug me with the empy. It’s like listening to a 2.1 system, with the sub not being perfectly integrated with the rest.
  • Soundstage is something which tells those 2 apart. Empy sounds much wider and Hedd sounds a lot more intimate and 2 dimensional. The empy really adds another dimension. Something special with the empy: the sound really comes from the sides, almost behind you. The Hedd sounds more conventional, with a sound being slighty in front of you.
  • In terms of resolution, I’d give the edge to the empy but it’s close and depends on the frequency you’re paying attention to. Empy sounds a bit smoother too, with beautifuly fluid treble compared to the Hedd where they may sounds a bit rougher at time.
  • In terms of balance, the Hedd puts the medium forward. With the empy, it’s all about the bass. Way too much IMO. And that’s the Achilles heel of the empy, having such a prominent bass which is ok at best. It’s nowhere near as clean and tight as with the Hedd, and that’s what kills the empy. It’s forward, it’s slow and boomy, and it’s not well integrated with the rest of the spectrum. It’s sad because medium and high are so perfect to me. Empy’s bass is kicking well though. It’s more dynamic. Where I’ve been quite surprised is that the Hedd digs deeper in the bass, easily going down to infra bass level.
  • Comfort… comparing the 2 is a joke. Putting the empy after the Hedd is just a bliss. They’re so light and comfy in comparison. Hedd is comfortable but so damn heavy. The band is hurting after a while.
  • Pleasure wise? Though the Empy might win on several technical aspect, I do enjoy my music (all genre) more with the Hedd… and that’s what matter in the end!.. even if it hurts a bit my skull.
8 Likes
960

I’m curious, what is the audio chain used? Which pads were selected for the Empyrean?

2 Likes
961

Nice. A fun comparison of compression rates it is!! Lol.
The mighty joe is great though, right?!
My favourite song he’s ever done is Time Machine. I’d use that as a test track anyday, especially with the massive Hedd.

1 Like
962

I too love Time Machine - great song. Joe is the best guitarist of this era in my opinion. Now I just need to hear Rubina on the HEDDphone. :slight_smile:

1 Like
963

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

@Torq I’m kinda ready to upgrade from the LCD 2 I got from ya years ago, I see what you meant then. It’s pretty special there’s a mixture of this rather lush wet tonality but some impressive tactility/impact throughout the low and mid range

But I want something tonally similar and I’m not ready for LCD 4… tho I’m wondering between Ether 2 and HEDDphone whose going to have that match of richness and tactility but with better staging and detail than this PreFazor LCD 2

Some of you mention HEDDphone as having a slight thiccness so really I’m open to any and all suggestions!

I’m also not a fan of the kinda dipped upper mid-range of PF LCD2, I like the more even tonality of my LCD 2C with Vegan pads but it lacks that… tactility and just PRESENCE and force of PF LCD2

Yes I guess I could EQ but I dislike that given how many different systems and OS/Gui’s I listen on

964

@ProFalkin I was using a Roon Nucleus as a source, connected with USB. I did the comparison with the leather pads which IMO add a bit of bass but increase focus. Overall I do prefer the suede pads but the leather ones might be better suited for critical listening.

965

… i should have been more clear. What amp and dac?

966

well… it was already mentioned in my post. A TT2.

967

Ah, I missed it. Thank you