Yeah because if you are running the ‘Reveal’ EQ for the LCD-4, that’s way easier than EQing the RAD-0 by hand. For me it would come down to how well the ‘Reveal’ EQ does - or at least, to what degree it fixes the LCD-4’s tonal balance.
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For me, the “Reveal” (or Roon/Audeze pre-sets) fix the LCD-4’s tonality to the point where it’s not an issue vs. any other headphone. Without it, they’re a bit too genre-specific vs. things like the RAD-0.
The RAD-0 are still tempting … and if I wasn’t trying to stick to my “only keep stuff that’s going to see regular use and that you can take with you” I’d buy them just because they’re excellent and fantastic looking.
The SR1a (and to a lesser extent, MySphere) are not helping matters, as they’re putting almost everything else on stern-notice, particularly when it comes to speed, resolution/detail and dynamics. It would not be an exaggeration to say that I could be entirely happy with the just the SR1a, MySphere 3.2, Vérité and Stellia …
Keeping a planar can, of any kind, around is more of a “completeness” thing, and the HD820 is a “coolness” thing (I love their sound, and their execution) … but actual listening time for either has become very minimal …
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Here are the drive requirements for the RAD-0, including voltage, current and total power required for a given SPL level, based on the published specs of 29 Ω impedance and 98 dB/mW sensitivity:
Remember that an amplifier must have both the necessary voltage swing and the ability to deliver the required current for a given SPL.
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I wound up deciding to keep the RAD-0.
It is, as I said earlier, one hell of a first release, even when you consider the pedigree and background of the designer.
Right out of the gate, Rosson’s first product has leap-frogged everything I’ve heard from Audeze excepting the LCD-4 (and that needs EQ to sound as natural). I’d need to compare to the 4z and MX-4 directly to see how it truly fares there, but I’ve always preferred the straight LCD-4 to either, at least for how they sound.
Put these next to anything currently coming from HiFi-MAN and you’ll start asking where the money was spent in moments; the build on the Rosson unit makes a complete mockery of even the Susvara. Though the ovoid-style HiFi-MAN cans are more comfortable than the RAD-0, and much lighter. Sound wise, and going from memory, for me, you’d have to step up to the HE1000se or HE1000V2 to get to a similar level of technical performance on offer here, though doing so will reward you with a hair more rumble and depth to the sub-bass. It will also yield a presentation that somehow “feels” a little slower.
I hesitate to draw sonic comparisons to the MrSpeakers Ether 2, since while I really liked the unit I heard, it never became clear if it was sounding the way it is supposed to when I had it (and was subsequently damaged somewhere along the review tour) or if it wasn’t right from the start. I will say that while the Ether 2 might just be one of the plainest looking flagship headphones around, not something you can accused any version of the RAD-0 of being, the Ether 2 is easily the most comfortable planar can you buy.
Meze’s Empyrean are more comfortable, much lighter, look as cool, but in a different way, are incredibly nicely put together, and play a bit deeper/harder in the bass. They were the other possibility here … (well, other than doing nothing, I suppose), but their mids didn’t work for me … lacking micro-detail vs. something like the HD650 (I didn’t notice this elsewhere, just in the mids) and being a little recessed in the mid-range too, with an odd sense of discontinuity in how/where the sounds seemed to emanate from.
Pretty impressive stuff.
Oh, and they do benefit from balanced drive (even if they don’t really need the extra power). You get a slight boost in resolution (which is already excellent and entirely competitive with other flagship planar cans) and the already more-spacious-than-typical for big planar headphones gets both more expansive and more precise too boot.
So, I’m actually adding a headphone (these are not directly replacing anything) to my collection mid-downsize, and it’s a planar-can at that (which are minority players in my collection). They’ll be a nice complement to the Vérité in the office and for where I’d want to run the LCD-4 but can’t either due to their need for more power and/or wanting to use the “Reveal” EQ with them.
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The RAD-0s that I designed at the Studio back during CanJam SoCal time have arrived to the office! It has been a while since I’ve listened to them as the last time was when the Graffiti was shipped off to @Torq and I got to say I am still as enamoured with their sound as I originally was.
This one is ridiculously difficult to photograph as the colours change at the slightest bit of light. It’s hard to see in most photos but the white and blue actually has a shiny texture to it. Super stoked that I got to be part of the process and see the colours that I chose, mixed and poured come alive on the headphones and a huge shoutout to Alex Rosson for that.
Been listening to https://tidal.com/browse/album/76615230 all day and it has been fantastic. The natural sound of the RAD-0 just sounds so good with acoustic guitar.
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I do love the sound of the Acoustic Guitar. My favourite instrument. Lovely headphones by the way.
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Those are very pretty!
And now they’re making we want silver hardware on mine!
I’ll have to try and coordinate my next trip to California with time to stop by Rosson and do a custom set myself.
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What a beauty - could not decide between these or the Graffiti - maybe on the long run your design wins, because it wears not as fast off - designwise the Graffiti is shrill for the eye?
and outstanding pictures @taronlissimore
The mix between the fresh/cold blue/silver with the warm background 
Thank you for the recommended Mike Dawes album- saved for later. The first song was exactly what I like.
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Quick preview of the latest batch heading our way!
@Caleb.Scott has decided the first pair is going to be called “Electric Rhasta”.
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Now if only they did one with purple splatter on the grills 
digging on the green and purple one! The all blue one is gorgeous as well!
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Those are very cool!
Nice to see more units coming out!
Though it’s always a bit tense looking at new ones … just in case one comes along that makes me think “Damnit, now I need to do a custom one!”
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beautiful headphones… the second ones have a space/galaxy feel that make the space geek in me want them just for photos with my NASA desk pad 
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Some close-ups of the RAD-0 #55 “Electric Rhasta” that sold yesterday. I also learned that while I was on vacation that the latest batch of RAD-0s have an updated headband that shaves off about 100 grams of weight. It’s pretty noticeable and I think alleviates the “hot spot” complaints that I’ve seen.
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Oh me too!! Thanks @taronlissimore for sending these out for me to try! I am still working on an impressions/review of them =)
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nice! the colour mix reminds me of the bottles we put countless candles on in the 90s
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I got the chance to listen to the RAD-0 at a Head-Fi meet today. It was my first time hearing it and I was sold instantly. It came across as superbly neutral while still delivering impact and without sacrificing detail. I hope I can get my hands on the community review unit at some point.
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I agree that It’s a great sounding (and looking) planar. How did you find the weight and comfort?
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They were heavy and the clamp force was intense, but it was tolerable for the time I was using them. I would need to sit with them for a longer span of time to make a definitive call on those though.
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I have one I’ll be relinquishing soon… My, plan for how I was going to review it fell apart with all the travel I’ve been doing…plus I want @andrew @taronlissimore to asses if this should be the one doing the rounds first… first impressions and all that.
As the ones I have, sound excellent, but have some serious driver flex that sounds “krinkle klaus” to a level I’ve not heard before. Every other Rad-O I’ve heard has not had this issue,
(I’ve heard 3 so far including this one) nor have I seen this issue pop up anywhere in my readings. Which brings me to the conclusion this one is an outlier =) and shouldn’t be the one to base an opinion of these excellent headphones =)
That being said, the Rad-O has been the best planar I’ve heard yet!
Cons are only the weight really, and clamp force can be a bit much at times, but both are easily acclimated to.
But build quality, and the sound make up for it =)
Plus if you can build your own/request specific colors that is soo very cool and makes for something unique to you…which is something I’m a big fan of! Gives you a pride in ownership, similar to ZMF headphones, each is a unique piece of art, both Rosson and ZMF are currently in “my”opinion the top dogs of this space (headphones as art, while also sounding fantastic) Impressive since Rosson being a new company (but the folks behind it are old hat in the space lol).
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The one I listened to did not have any driver flex, so I’m sorry yours do.