Very nice impressions writeup @Dynamic.
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Bass is there, it’s just weirdly unfilled. I think it is a detail thing.
When I listen to any other headphone with bass, the notes are complete. There is impact at the beginning, a texture to the note and some kind of decay.
This feels like aspects of that are not present. Or possibly reduced dramatically. I don’t know. It’s just a bit weird. It was particularly prominent when listening in comparison to my Dunu Zen.
And, I was really hard on this headphone. It’s biggest problem, for me, is just the lack of clarity compared to everything else I listen to. And it’s not terrible. I just wouldn’t choose it as a primary headphone knowing what others I like sound like.
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Dunu Zen IEM. I realized I didn’t explicitly call out that it is one. But really, any of the closed backs have enough for that song. Audeze Mobius, ath-wp900, lcd-xc. They all did it differently with varying amounts of visceral impact. The 177x does it too, just when listening critically and in comparison, it seems to be missing something.
And every-time I flipped to a different headphone to compare something, I would forget to take it off and switch back. I just wanted to hear the others.
Now, the drop ether cx is something else. My notes on it are becoming longer than some of my reviews. And I am not done.
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Drop Ether CX Impressions
For some reason, I can’t stop trying planars in search of that elusive one that can slam. Enter the accidental purchase of the Drop Ether CX. Let’s see how it does.
Yes, Accidental
As I mentioned in my 177x impressions, I intended to purchase that headphone, not this one. Well, one click on amazon can backfire as they claimed it shipped within minutes of purchase while attempting to cancel. And, man, I am glad it came anyway.
A preface
The Ether CX has been an unexpected roller coaster. It is a type of sound and FR response I have not experienced yet. This has thrown me in a number of ways. My notes are all over the place, disagree with themselves and generally run the full gamut of “ugh really?” to “I have never heard this sound better”.
I have never had that kind of ride with a headphone. It’s usually pretty clear to me early on if it is good or bad for me. I will listen to my main test list once or twice, and start picking other things to explore and test/compare very specific aspects based on the main list.
Not this headphone. I am still listening to my main test list over and over. And when I pick something specific out to test, like dream on featuring morgan james, I find the opposite of what I expected to find based on whatever triggered that deeper investigation.
Here’s the thing, whether I end up loving the headphone, or not, I have had a very enjoyable ride listening to it. It was an experience that was worth having. And it reminded me of the first few hours I listened to the Blessing 2 Dusk. That bliss as you listen to something new and experience music in ways you have not experienced before.
Being the experience that it was, I am going to go through this review a bit linearly. I have taken my notes and translated them by waves of reactions to the headphone.
Wow that’s clear
I was listening to the 177x and anything else I have feels clear compared to that. But these are next level. I wish I had something else higher end on hand to a/b. But, to my memory, these beat the LCD-XC in raw clarity. Everything felt precise. Tight, fast, clear. Everything.
What the hell is hitting my shoulder
The plugs. They go straight down. Points to the XC for not doing that. I can’t wear my hoodie and turn my head with these on. The instant level of annoyance with these headphones surged to the surface. I put them down and put the 177x back on for a bit.
What happened to that clean bass?
I wish I had noted the track here. I did not, but for a bit, the bass sounded muddy. Which, given the first reaction above about clarity, made no sense. No sense at all. So, I kept interrupting my 177x listening because I was intrigued by these. What I think was happening is a few Apocalyptica and Massive attack songs have these sustained bass notes for extended periods. As I listened more, I think I was hearing detail within details. Also, something else happened below.
And now it got confusing
Bubbles played some surrounding sounds I haven’t heard before. I almost heard it like static (there is a sound like this in how deep is the ocean at the end strike of a certain note that repeats throughout the song. I have heard it on all good headphones. Definitely part of the track). But here, I think it was just more details I hadn’t heard before. Also, sound stage and imaging are fine, maybe even great for a closed back.
Then, I hit the occasional time where I thought the separation and layering was non-existent. And, I think I had discovered a minor fit issue. The pads were spun slightly off vertical. I don’t know if that happened, or was intentional. But I spun them to vertical and double checked fit.
It became apparent, that like the mobius, very small adjustments could change the sound dramatically. And, at this point, many of the above negative observations seemed to be gone.
Tuning pads
Somewhere around here, I put in the thicker white and black pads together. I was attempting to boost the bass and make the headphone a bit more engaging. Oddly, I would not call this headphone clinical. But it definitely doesn’t have the rich engaging traits of my Zen. The tuning pads attempted to fix that. And they helped? I guess? A little? It’s a bit lean without them.
It’s all about that bass
I am not going to say slam is non-existent. It exists, a bit. But, I doubt it reaches XC levels. That said, the bass sounds impeccable. And, I am not convinced that it is because of the bass. The rest of the frequency response seems fairly linear. I can’t find a reliable independent source for the FR graph that I trust (basically used the drop published one). But, I am pretty sure the normal pinna gain I like is not there (like the LCD-X) but it’s also not recessed like crazy on the X. So, darker? maybe? But not in this horrific “how do people like this headphone” way like I felt about the LCD-X.
I am going to quote my own notes: “It’s a bit odd. Feels like bass focused and then dribbles down to recession.” This is a pretty good description. I wrote this before looking at the graphs. It appears to be spot on. But, surprisingly, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Unlike the X, I was already finding this headphone to be quite listenable.
Extremely relaxed
The first thing I noticed is sabotage was not harsh like it was on the XC (even pre tuning pads). But there were elements of what I didn’t like from the X present. There is a tonal difference that my brain was not used to at all. Probably the lack of pinna gain, as mentioned. As I listened more, I definitely adjusted. I can’t say that about the other tonal issues I have had with other headphones (lcd-x, quad era-1).
And it became apparent that while the engagement wasn’t there, everything was super easy to listen to. And I mean everything. I threw all genres of music at it. I listened to playlists I haven’t heard in years. Even the Beatles, which have songs I hate on headphones, somehow worked. In fact, that last bit makes me think I have some re-mastered copies that fix things and some originals of some songs. Not sure if that is true. But old playlists I had with some beatles music sounded flawless.
I am not gonna lie, my Zen sound intense after this headphone.
And then, the EQ
For me, something absolutely unheard of happened. I went through all the EQ pre-sets on the Qudelix and found none of them offensive. Not one of them. Now, if I put some crazy random bump or recession somewhere, yeah it sounded messed up. But messed up in a way it should sound. So, I guess I can do EQ on these?
I did try boosting the bass, but I haven’t figured out the trick. Also, it doesn’t really help the impact, which is what I want. I don’t need elevated bass. Just impact. Volume enhances impact but requires it to be pretty loud to feel some decent impact.
Comfort
At this point it dawned on me that these are easily the most comfortable headphones I have put on my head. The only reason I notice I am wearing them is my ears will get a tad warmer as a closed back. But nothing else snugged my head and sat there so well. Not even the lcd-xc which did phenomenal for me. These skinny metal things (nitinol? Something?) with simple leather is awesome. It negates any need for the headphones to spin. It’s like magic.
Pretty Please
Yes, I mean the song by Dua Lipa. A number of things became immediately obvious. First, I noticed the electronic adjustments to her voice during certain notes. It was like an electric vibrato or something. Yes, I can hear it on other headphones, but this one pointed it out. Second, the bass, which is probably the clearest I have heard this song, did not engage in the way it does on my Zen. Now, the qudelix can’t push these things to ear bleeding kill your ears level. So, I would not be surprised if a better amp takes these to another level. But, when you really crank it, it does start to get that bass engaged feeling.
The turning point
Now, I was putting my Zen on to compare and two things happened on this song. First, the bass became engaging. Second, Dula Lipa became shouty. Yes, I said shouty. On my Zen. Now, at the time I had some pretty bright tips on it, but ones I had used plenty. I actually turned down the Zen because it felt too intense.
By contrast, I can raise the volume on the ether cx as much as I want. Nothing ever gets offensive or stands out. It all just gets louder in the most gorgeous way possible.
Background music
On the 177x I said it might be the ultimate “listen while you work” headphone. It practically forces you into a work zone. Well, the drop ether cx is giving it a run for its money. But in a very different way. I said its relaxed and easy to listen to. The thing is, you can “tune in” and hear things you haven’t heard before. Or just fully enjoy the details. That didn’t really work on the 177x.
Want background music? Turn down the volume and let it play. Want to hear every detail and just listen? Turn it up. Either way, it does a great job.
Contradictions
I just said it can be relaxed background music. I also mentioned morgan james in the preface. I put this on because I expected her to be toned down and more relaxed. Yeah, not really. But she was absolutely clear. Solid. I feel like other headphones may have been causing some shriekyness, while this one brings just her notes. It was astounding. Just astounding.
Pentatonix
They sounded amazing. The CX does not have the impact I am used to on the Zen. Or the feeling the ath-wp900 had. The thing is, if pentatonix were in the same room with me, singing live, there would be no sense of bass. It would be heard, not felt. I am not sure I have ever heard them sound cleaner and clearer. And the things lost, did not matter. I listened to dozens of pentatonix songs. It was musical brilliance. And this makes no sense to me based on the FR graph. No sense.
I clearly have no understanding of FR graphs. Or I have funky sound desires. Or both.
It continues
I just keep throwing music at it. And I can’t find anything that sounds bad. I find things that don’t engage the way I am used to. Maybe not as rich. Not as impactful. But bad? No. Nothing. Nothing stood out negatively.
I simply stopped wanting to a/b test them. I just wanted to hear what they did to the music.
I just read my randomly created list of current pop music to my wife. And she said, I quote, “What kind of garbage are you listening to?” It was all top 100 hits that I have never listened to before (I swear!!). Beyonce, Nicki Minaj (spelling?), Destiny’s child. This is stuff I turn off in the real world. These headphones don’t live in the real world. I just happily kept listening.
What did I learn?
These are probably the most informative headphones I have ever purchased. They certainly challenged my assumptions about what I like. The FR graph was flat out unexpected. If these had more slam and/or a slightly more engaging feeling, I would be completely sold on them. As they are, they already make me want more.
They have definitely shown me that there is a much wider range of FR responses that appeal to me. Yeah, the lcd-x was off the deep end, but my reaction to it was far too extreme.
I still have practical issues with closed backs. Both the wife and the son glared at me when I listened with them in the room. I am working on that. But it is a real problem.
I made my wife listen
I put on Lido Shuffle by Boz Scaggs which my wife loves. She melted and may have finally understood my obsession. SCORE!
This alone, has made me like these headphones quite a bit.
Took the tuning pads out
It’s almost like they were a crutch to get to know the headphone. Now I am listening to stuff without them, and frankly, it’s fine. I can understand why people wouldn’t want to do this, but I am not sensitive to frequency in those ways. So I am fine with it.
I see flaws in my Zen
The pedestal is crumbling. Comparatively, the Zen can sound shouty. I even had some a/b testing where it felt like it lacked detail. shudders. My world is broken! What will I do?!
These headphones make me want to explore more linear fr graphs. ZMF is looking mighty appealing. The MEST is looking like it would fix much of what the ether cx showed me I don’t like about my Zen.
Really though, What will I do?!
I honestly have no idea. I really thought the 177x was going to be a keeper. It clearly wasn’t for me. The drop ether cx has been a genuine pleasure.
I have a tough decision to make here. Keeping these means I am done with the higher priced headphones for a while from a budget perspective (certainly no ZMF or Stellia, maybe a clear). It also, may limit the Zen to occasional use. And that, in itself, is miraculous.
As someone still relatively new to headphones, these have been worth trying. The journey really is the important part. And these added to that journey more effectively than any other headphone has for me.
Fin
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This was a great write up! I owned both the CX and C Flow last year and your comments on the bass does line up with my experience. One thing that I felt was an improvement to the headphone overall was to do a pad swap with ZMF Universe Lambskin pads. I felt it improved the seal significantly and brought back a bit of life to the bass.
If you find yourself continuing to enjoy the CX I would recommend trying out the C Flow if you can find one secondhand, they often drop under the $1k range in decent shape. I ended up selling mine after narrowing my collection down to one open and closed back each. For the closed back I went with an Australis from Aurorus Audio, but based of my memory the CX/C Flow did have marginally better isolation.
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If I keep them, I will be pouring all kinds of things into them. Pads, hart audio cables, maybe even some high power desktop amps good for planars again. This is all off the qudelix 5k. And, while it doesn’t feel constrained to me as other planars have when under powered (looking at sundara and arya), it’s possible it will still get better. Not sure I can tie myself to my desk though.
I also always hear the “after X hours it sounds better” thing and I have never been a believer in that (beyond brain burn in). But I did have a few moments where I thought “Am I hearing more bass now?”. (Probably just playing louder or a micro fit adjustment)
If I do keep these, I will probably go down a DD path to find a DD I like as well. And, I might finally be convinced to eat my dislike of ordering from drop directly and try the elex. Or maybe the Celestee. I know from experience that I am not a “large stable” collector type. I will find the best for a combination and use that. I demo multiple things at a time, because I know one of them will win and I will likely ignore the others. So there is no point in keeping it. Case in point: There is no situation I can find where I would choose the 177x I reviewed above over other things I have currently. So it would just sit here, unused. Which is just silly.
Now, do I keep these or jump on the ZMF bandwagon? 
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In my experience with the AEON Flow Closed, the amp matters a lot. A LOT. Their performance moved to another level on the Lyr 3. However, planar drivers can be “non-slam” versus dynamic drivers.
Yeah. My AFC pads started to sound cottony or wooly over time. I left in the acoustically transparent black foam liners. I don’t know if yours came with those.
Start with the amp. Start with the amp. Start with the amp. Leave the cables until the end (or, leave them until after the end…).
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They did. I left it all out. No issues for me.
The cables are instabuys if I keep it. The amp presents a problem in that I have not found a powerful portable amp I can live with.
The hiby r6 2020 is a possibility. I was also wondering about it for ZMF cans.
The problem is I went through a mess of portable amps. It must have bluetooth to work for me. I haven’t tried the xduoo balanced one yet. But, I don’t have warm fuzzy feelings about it. ifi xcan/xdsd are another couple that may do it.
Not much on the portable side has bluetooth and a lot of power. 
ZMF pads ordered as well as a few brainwav xl pads in different materials and the hart audio cables.
Now considering the hiby r6 2020 as a more powerful source.
They get even more comfortable with the installation of ZMF co-pilot headband pads. I put them on my DCAs. Worth the extra $50 per set of headphones. The CXs are comfortable to start with…
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Man, these ether cx are really polarizing. I have been trying to figure out what aspect(s) of them it is I like by reading other reviews. And, wow there is a lot of hate for them. I guess accidental orders really do pay off.
There is a smoothness to these headphones that I just haven’t heard before. This comes across in a number of ways. First, there is not really an “ideal volume” to listen at. I can listen effectively quietly and loudly. This has not been true of any other headphone for me. On all the other headphones, some aspect of the music becomes overbearing. So, I end up adjusting the volume to stay under whichever part of the music became too much.
Second, and probably related, somehow, nothing takes a back seat. Example: on the ath-wp900, vocals could feel somewhat in the background. On these, I don’t think I have ever had to strain to hear any aspect of the sound. This, I think is why metallica s&m sounds so incredible to me. Even the crowd in the background is balanced with the orchestra. Each instrument is present and identifiable.
The arya did not feel like this. And I want to understand what is really different. The arya felt light and airy as opposed to full. It could establish details incredibly, but it never felt smoothly coherent the way this does. The crazy large soundstage almost disassociated instruments. It was intriguing, but not necessarily enjoyable. (Based on memory) the he6se v2 was closer to the ether cx for me.
The lcd-xc had some of this. But it also had peaks that made parts of it overbearing as I turned up the volume. The ether cx doesn’t have that. At least not at any reasonable won’t kill you volume.
My Zen has those peaks. But the Zen bass is so good it seems to combat the treble. And, I get a satisfying visceral response. Vocals can get harsh quick if not balanced with some satisfying low end.
What is the ether cx special sauce? I don’t even like it much tonally. Putting the Zen on can be like “oh yeah, balance, richness and impact”. Then I just reach for the ether cx again.
What is it? Anyway, just musing. And I am really stumped by these.
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Don’t let others put you off your headphones - it only matters if you like them!
I wonder if there’s sometimes a danger of over-analyzing our new toys. I’m not suggesting that you’re doing this - not in the least - but it can be all too tempting to listen critically, as is our wont in this hobby, only to spend too long looking for flaws. I’d say that if you like what you’re hearing, go with it and enjoy the Ether CX.
Sometimes these things work out weirdly. I picked up a pair of LCD2-Classic some 18 months ago and, for most of the time I’ve had them, I’ve nitpicked about things I don’t like. I’ve been on the cusp of selling them several times only to decide to give them another try. The few things I really do like about them end up being enough to merit keeping them in my collection. Maybe I like them more than I think. Maybe I don’t. Maybe I should take my own advice here and just enjoy them for what they are and without thinking about it too much. They are pretty cool headphones, and it’s nice to have a pair of planars in a collection.
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Not a danger with me. I will, and sometimes do stand against the masses with an opinion of one.
Uh, I am, but I do have a reason.
I don’t want a collection. At least not a big one. I imagined having a few for situations more than sound signatures.
But that’s not why I am analyzing this. I want to figure out what to buy next, and I would like to know what in the FR graph makes it this way.
The LSA hp-2 ultra / kennerton gjallahorn looks pretty similar fr wise. (Can’t find good graphs anywhere, but are dynamic)
Is it the linear planar I like? Or would a dynamic give me something with more bass but similar? Would a stellia or celestee sound crazy warm/obnoxious compared to these?
I want to make an informed future purchase instead of throwing darts at a dart board. I even halted making custom iems/tips because I have no idea what I want to get.
That’s my concern. I would like an iem that has this kind of smoothness to it. Ideally with a bit of impact.
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What your describe may be dynamic (volume range) compression. Some music is mixed to have limited variation between quiet and loud notes, as suitable for playing in a car versus a quiet home listening area. Classical orchestral music with soloists and 80 people is an example of music involving high dynamic range. Pop vocals (e.g., Adele or the infamous Red Hot Chili Peppers Californication album) have little variation between the soft and loud notes.
Depending on the context, compressed range can be desired or undesirable. Planar drivers do tend to have less volume variation than dynamic drivers. For this reason I prefer planar drivers with closed headphones.
I don’t think it has anything to do with the FR graph. I think it follows from the synergy between your amp and the planar driver. Many Dan Clark products have extremely low impedance and expect high current delivery. Most headphones have higher impedance and require less current.
I think something about its planar technology is grabbing you. Focal’s products tend to be punchy and clean – the opposite of a flatter/compressed and diffuse planars.
I again suggest you try the headphones with a mega-powerful desktop amp to see if that improves what you like or makes it worse.
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So, essentially the headphone is compressing the sound in a way that works for my listening preferences. I have always preferred planar sound. Wouldn’t a more linear headphone from an fr graph perspective come across with less dynamic response just because the fr graph doesn’t have as much differentiation?
I absolutely experienced this with sundara and arya around power (and, of course, he6se v2, but different there). I don’t have anything more powerful to try. But I don’t think this headphone is doing what sundara or arya did. They felt constrained. This doesn’t. He6se definitely changed. But I didn’t get much time with it before it died.
It’s not my first planar. I have preferred planar due to clarity. Arya, he6se, sundara, quad era1, lcd-x, lcd-xc. None of the others have whatever this does.
Do you have suggestions? Keep in mind, I normally can’t be tied to a desktop amp. So unless it magically makes me want to be tied to a desk, it probably needs to be returnable. I gave up all my desktop class amps once that became clear.
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The FR graph shows relative evenness from bass to treble. Low notes have the same energy as high notes. This has moderate relevance to human hearing, as the ears evolved to be attuned to specific frequencies, some people have notchy damaged hearing, and each person prefers what they personally like.
FR is good at communicating whether something is aimed at bassheads (e.g., Beats) versus something aimed at mid-high notes and vocals (e.g., Grado). Flatness may or may not match YOUR HEARING strengths and weaknesses, or match the specific frequency range content of YOUR SOURCES.
The performance of each product follows from its technology and design. They only practical path is to try and compare.
Excluding my amps meant for high-impedance headphones…I currently own the THX 789 (thin and mediocre with planars), the Schiit Magni 3+ (fuller tone and better than the 789), and Schiit Lyr 3 (on another level with my Dan Clark AFC with its 9 watts into 16 ohms; I got rid my other planar headphones before buying it).
I also live near several audio stores. They have stuff you might demo. Audiophile local stores tend to sell high-end stuff (e.g., SPL, McIntosh) and avoid lower cost brands or those available online, but their powerful amps may suffice for your testing.
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Alternate amateur theory: I have read previously that planars sound compressed. This makes zero sense to me. One of the things I like about planars is the distinction between notes. DD, so far, always sound like notes blend (see 177x above). Blending can create a smoother sound. DD can be great because of that (see ath-wp900), but on planar, it means there is a low point between notes that should be increasing the perceived dynamic range comparatively to a dynamic as mentioned. At least on very fast and clear planars. To me, I think this is one reason bass sounds so incredibly good. It doesn’t slam, but it starts and ends leaving more room to appreciate the note itself. I am listening to Pentatonix Sing right now, and I simply haven’t heard it like this before. Deep fast bass as on billie eilish or dua lipa is incredibly well controlled. To me it sounds deeper but feels more boring (lacking impact).
Now, if you measure the loudest part of the lowest note (which almost doesn’t make sense, because background recording noise could qualify here), and compare to the loudest part of loudest note then maybe?
In addition, this is the first closed back planar I have heard that does not have aggressive peaks (like the xc) or sound closed off (like the mobius). I have also read that isolation (of which the lcd-xc was fairly poor for me) will increase the percieved dynamic range because non-musical noise is at an absolute minimum. So, basically, there is less interference.
Are people just making this stuff up?
Just genuinely trying to understand. But there is a trend for me, I have liked damn near every isolating closed back headphone better than everything else. What do B2 Dusk, Dunu Zen, ath-wp900, 177x (still better than the opens, just not a match for anything else in this list), lcd-xc and mobius all have in common?
Isolation. They all have isolation. Coincidence? I am starting to think, not so much coincidence there.
I’m not sure there’s a way out of this labyrinth if your planars require a lot of power (or, more specifically, current). I doubt even the Kann Cube, supposedly one of the beefier DAPs, can drive demanding headphones, at least not to the point where they sound as good as from desktop amps.
There are always going to be trade-offs and compromises. There may be no such thing as a portable setup for a closed-back planar headphone that’s hard to drive. Are there many easy-to-drive closed-back planars? If not, then something will have to give, and that might well be portability.
I’ve only heard my LCD2-Classic with it, but it seems as though a consensus is emerging that the Jot 2, besides being a highly versatile desktop amp, pairs exceptionally well with planars. I intend to get one for my Audeze. It provided the best sound I’ve heard from those headphones.
I do not believe the drop ether cx are hard to drive. Not based on my experiences with arya, he6se and sundara. But, since I have never heard the ether cx on anything more powerful, I can’t fully answer that. Maybe it just scales well without sounding strained like the others do when under powered. There is this feeling of effortless presentation I have heard once a headphone has sufficient power. The ether cx seem to already have that to me.
The Jot 2 was literally next on the list before I gave up desktop amps. Now the a30/d30 pro stack interest me as well because other things with that cirrus chip sounded really good to me. (dx300 and dx160 both use that chip I think).
It’s just hard to justify staying at the desk.
From what you’re describing here, it sounds as though the ether cx are being driven satisfactorily - or well enough for your needs if the sound is effortless.
I know what you mean: I have a car analogy to describe my LCD2-C. Before I tried the Jot 2 on a loaner tour, these headphones were like driving an old, sluggish diesel car that only came to life if you put your foot down. With high enough revs, or at a certain speed, the car would begin to perform reasonably well. But it still wasn’t great. With the Jot 2, it was like I’d switched out the diesel engine for a good, strong V8. The LCD2-Classics were woken up beautifully and, as you put it, sounded effortless.
Ok, back on topic: are you not happy with your ether cx, then? Or do you just want something better? It sounds like a CanJam visit to NYC next February is what you need - if there isn’t a retailer near you that would let you try a bunch of headphones. There’s also Audio 46 in NYC if you feel up for a weekend trip. I can recommend local places for pizza!