I’m not sure why a headphone review is considered a dark subject…
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Ok, just so everyone knows… Chrono is a musician… so I hope that wasn’t lobbed in his direction… secondly… seriously… lets please all respect each other and each others opinions/experiences no need for veiled slights or passive aggressive comments… we all have our own experiences and preferences… let us get back to having discussions about them in a respectful way.
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This is quite a polarizing headphone. Some of us love it, and some, like me, were very off-put by it. That said, I wonder if the trace methodology has something to do with how it’s perceived to sound from one person to the next.
I for one, actually am not a huge fan of how it looks on my head either. I compliment it’s build quality and craftsmanship and know its a very well designed and expensive to make headphone, but I don’t really like how it looks.
Then again, I like Arya, so I also like dagger-stabbing sounds and weird space man headbands too.
I do think I want to, at some point when I have more free time, take a deeper listen at home with the Empyrean and give it a more fair shot. My first impressions were quite horrid, but I’d be willing to see if things change after I gave it a proper shakedown.
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I was thinking the exact same thing after reading this thread today. There is quite a large variance in the shape of human ears. I often have to use two different tip sizes for IEM’s to find the proper fit in each ear. I couldn’t help but think that variance in combination with the driver design could be part of the wide variance feelings about them. I absolutely love them myself.
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I think what makes this such a difficult headphone to gain a consensus on is largely due to how different it sounds from more “conventional” headphones. For some, like me, its sound just makes sense. But for others, maybe not so much. With this headphone especially, there seems to be a large disconnect in mutual understanding between those who love it and those who don’t.
I think much of it has to do with how we listen to it. Those who care first and foremost for an organic/natural timbre will probably prefer Vérité’s over Empyreans. That’s simply not Empyrean’s forté. What makes the Empyrean special, imo, is the sense of depth and realism in its presentation. You don’t really hear that when you’re critically analyzing its sound, but it will appear to you when you just kick back and allow the music to do its thing.
No headphone is truly perfect, and that includes the Empyrean. As @Rhodey also mentioned, I think the Empyrean offers a welcome contrast to the Vérité’s. They both have different qualities, and imo they’re both excellent at what they they aim to accomplish. Not everyone has to appreciate each and every headphone for what they are, but I do hope that through this discussion we can at least create a better mutual understanding about what makes the Empyrean’s sound so desirable to a fairly large portion of the community, and to better inform those who haven’t heard the Empyrean on whether or not it’s something they might want to check out.
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Yep, my forty-something ears can attest to this, alas. I’m fond of my HD 800 SDR. But I’d be reluctant to recommend this headphone to someone half my age. We should probably disclose our (approximate) ages when offerings impressions just as being clear about our audio preferences can help others get a handle on where we’re coming from. Such disclosures might alleviate or forestall some of the controversies about gear.
Is it a subwoofer sump pump?! 
(please know I’m joking, there’s been some tension in this thread and I’m just kidding)
We could really do with an off-topic bourbon and rye thread…
with some space devoted to whisky.
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haha I think the Verite has weird timbre too, at least in the upper mids 
My new found love for warmth may re-attract me to Empy at some point.
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Yeah it’s a nice headphone to compliment others imo.
And I think people try to find the perfect headphone each time they try a new one. I understand reviewers have to have a baseline but nothing will be perfect. It’s more about preference.
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Try my EQ profile for the VO!
I have my own for VO. its probably similar to yours.
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Eq the Verite?
I kid, I kid! 
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This has me thinking. I know some really enjoy the verite pads on the VO over the universe. But I’m more of a universe guy and I think @ProfFalkin is similar. I feel the verite pads cause the vocals and some mids to be veiled. Maybe its the way the FR hits our ears and makes the difference in the VO with the universe pads and why we may enjoy Empyrean? Idk? just a thought… I’ll stop now 
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Posit.
If pleases all, then all satisfied at 7 out of 10.
If polarizes all, then some satisfied 10 out of 10 and others satisfied 0 out of 10.
Those satisfied 10 out of 10 attain audio nirvana.
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I’m in my 40,s I was a raver back in the 90’s so my music hasn’t changed.
I brought my Empyrean up from basement to listen to on my Burson Conductor 3XR and it’s really good. Cable I’m using is Verite Hybrid can’t say it’s any better then my Norne Draug 3SC.
Some parts of a track can sound veiled and others very clear. So with this headphone the quality of the track is important to sound very good.
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so very true.As an elder in this group the ability to tolerant noise changes with age. I can’t handle deep bass or thin harsh highs anymore. But a lot can be attributed to how we treat our hearing at a younger age. Loud music, loud sounds just do so much damage to our internal structure of our ears. If only I would have listened to my parents LOL.
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That’s more than likely due to the thick backing used to tune the headphone. To my knowledge Verité pads are the only ones that employ this thicker acoustic dampening material (of the pads that ZMF offer).
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Be2 pads have the thicker backing as well.
But I was thinking, maybe the people who like the thinner backing of the universe pads may be the same people who enjoy the Empyrean. Maybe it’s the way our ears receive the FR.
Just a thought. It’s just interesting how some like the Verite pads and some like the universe pads. Same thing with the Empyrean. It seems split.
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Used the alcantara pads today while working. They warm it up a bit and present such a relaxing presentation. Used them at a lower volume and it was really enjoyable.
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If I remember I tested the headphone without pads and it was a brighter sound. So maybe the pads they make are too deep.
Ear field speakers