CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS
Lobby => Headphone, IEM, and Other Audio Related Discussion => Topic started by: Skyline on April 18, 2015, 10:30:08 PM
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Got to here these today at the Nashville meet.
In my humble opinion, they're the real deal. Very fast, clear, and detailed without being harsh or aggressive.
I think they go toe-to-toe with the HD800s. I don't have the expertise to distinguish which is technically better, but I enjoyed the Ether a bit more.
Listened via the Woo Audio WA5, a couple of Cavalli amps (Carbon and Crimson), as well as the Yggy/Rag.
Looking forward to seeing more of these in the wild...
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Got to here these today at the Nashville meet.
In my humble opinion, they're the real deal. Very fast, clear, and detailed without being harsh or aggressive.
I think they go toe-to-toe with the HD800s. I don't have the expertise to distinguish which is technically better, but I enjoyed the Ether a bit more.
Listened via the Woo Audio WA5, a couple of Cavalli amps (Carbon and Crimson), as well as the Yggy/Rag.
Looking forward to seeing more of these in the wild...
Modded HD800 from a better amp is technically better. Myself and some others spent a good chuck of time comparing mine versus the best cherry picked Ether that could be found via balanced using the Liquid Crimson and Resolution Cantata. Compared to that sample, the tonality between the two was almost identical. That was the biggest surprise and the overall clarity was similar as well. The main difference was in maintaining the speed and imaging from the mids down. The 800 still had better strings, air, and bass transients and resolution where the Ether's bass was comparatively slower and more congested and pronounced. One person said they preferred the bloomier bass effect but that's simply not accurate. They said they liked having bass that was more diffuse because that's the kind of concerts they attend. Whatever, studios don't sound like that and neither do my reference tracks. I'd also need to know how well they scale using my reference rig versus an 800. Though we were already hearing differences so doubt it would be able to ultimately keep up the pace if one is chasing the upstream demon.
Overall, the Ether is simply Dan's best phone yet. However, we heard 3-4 samples and not all were of the same performance. So which will people receive? No idea. Also I's like to think people are getting their HD800's for $900-$1200 so I'd like the Ether to match or exceed that value proposition quite a bit. A $699-$799 MSRP would be pure win and an easy recommendation for me, but I'm a cheap bastard and others have a right to charge and pay whatever they like.
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Overall, the Ether is simply Dan's best phone yet. However, we heard 3-4 samples and not all were of the same performance.
Time will tell.
I listened to 3 different pairs today and didn't notice differences. But, then, I'm an admitted amateur.
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I agree with you that Ether is fast, clear, open. Absolutely understand why you enjoy the Ether more given that I am not a huge fan of the stock HD800. Ether has a lot similarities with the HD800. Both on the bright side, but Ether's response curve seems more even. Stock HD800 FR just seems wonky.
Ether's main weakness seems to be in the bass. Tried on a lot of amps from Rag to my 2A3 custom and seems to lack heft and texture in the bass. Not the worse bass, but not the best either.
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Time will tell.
I listened to 3 different pairs today and didn't notice differences. But, then, I'm an admitted amateur.
It's probable that Dan has ironed out the manufacturer QA process. Dan did reveal to me that there was some inconsistent tensioning with the Ethers he had available at CanJam, so this probably accounts for Anax's experiences there.
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Ether's main weakness seems to be in the bass. Tried on a lot of amps from Rag to my 2A3 custom and seems to lack heft and texture in the bass. Not the worse bass, but not the best either.
Bass extension seemed a bit lacking as well, based on the samples I heard at CanJam. A/B'ing with an LCD-3 off the Rag, it was quite noticeable.
Despite the HD800 having better technicalities, I do wonder if the Ether would be a better choice for people who want more of a plug and play headphone. The Ether's stock tonality was appealing to me. Kudos to Dan for a nice design - light and comfortable for a planar. I do wish it was cheaper though...$1K would be a far easier recommendation.
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+2db from 200Hz and below and $899 - would have been on the Leaderboard. I dunno, you can ask Anax for his "proper price point" analysis. It's a very good headphone, but overpriced in my opinion.
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I don't know if MrSpeakers is the best at pricing stuff. He did price the Alpha Prime at $999...
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I do wonder if the Ether would be a better choice for people who want more of a plug and play headphone.
That is certainly true of about 97.276% of the phones out there.
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I don't know if MrSpeakers is the best at pricing stuff. He did price the Alpha Prime at $999...
$150 MSRP
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+2db from 200Hz and below and $899 - would have been on the Leaderboard. I dunno, you can ask Anax for his "proper price point" analysis. It's a very good headphone, but overpriced in my opinion.
I'd like to see it priced around $1000. I think it'd really undercut all of its closest competitors at that price point.
But, that's part of the reason I drew the comparison to the HD800. If that can be sold for $1500 with a straight face, then I don't think the Ether is far off.
It'll be really interesting to see where used prices settle eventually.
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wtf, a planar HD800 from the same guy who makes shitty T50RP mods
*insert what are the odds GIF here*
On a less joking note, I really wanna get these on my head if what you're saying is true.
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$1499
Maybe LFF will consider an open design hp
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It was $1200 and called the Code-X.
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It was $1200 and called the Code-X.
LOL that's how much it cost in 2013 ... much more today if you want a new one :P
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Because the headphone is unobtainium, Kap! It's really really rare that a pair can be found now.
I'm desperate enough that I may just grab a HE-6 and mod it with wood enclosure instead... we'll see.
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Yes, the Code-X are unicorns. Even any HE-5's (not the 5LE, not the 500) are rare because there is the hope that one can send them to LFF to make a Code-X.
I don't think Luis would be divulging whether there's a successor.
Haven't really heard one, I wonder how the HFM series would rank:
Code-X > modded HE-6 ~ stock HE-1000 > modded HE-560?
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Because the headphone is unobtainium, Kap! It's really really rare that a pair can be found now.
I'm desperate enough that I may just grab a HE-6 and mod it with wood enclosure instead... we'll see.
I'm serious now. Do you want my HE 4?
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Well, tonality-wise, I'd say (this is all IMO, so take it with a grain of salt):
Code-X > Modded HE-560 > Modded HE-6 > stock HE-1000 ~ stock HE-560 > stock HE-6
Technicality-wise...
Stock HE-1000 > Code-X > HE-6 > HE-560
IMO YMMV INR... and any other abbreviation you can think of. :)
And koth, will discuss this with ya in another place!
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I'm desperate enough that I may just grab a HE-6 and mod it with wood enclosure instead... we'll see.
Bill, don't know if it's a true, but it's been said the HE-1000 will eventually see the HE-6 phased out. You might have to bite the bullet and get it before it too becomes unobtanium.
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LOL this has become a Hifiman thread.
Question: is the Ether worth getting instead of a HE-6, LCD-X, both around the same MSRP? and how would that compare to a modded but cheaper HE-560?
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Well, I think it's worth getting if you meet the following conditions:
1) You don't want to spend time modding (trust me, it can get loooooonnnnnggg and tedious)
2) You have extra cash to spare
3) You don't mind anemic bass extension and impact
4) You like an HD800-like sound
By the way, relative to all other headphones on show at CanJam, including HE-1k, I think Ether is the best of show for me so far. And that's saying something.
HE-1k has the technicality, but falls short where bass impact is concerned, and yet the tonality wasn't quite there.
At its price, I don't think Hifiman will be able to phase the HE-6 out any time soon. The HE-1k is priced more than twice the HE-6.
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So what's the verdict for those who had the chance to compare the Ether with the HE-1000 ?
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And what's the verdict on the Ether vs HE-400s? Isn't that a more fair comparison?
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And what's the verdict on the Ether vs HE-400s? Isn't that a more fair comparison?
Ether is the definitely a performance upgrade. But some would prefer the 400s as being more neutral and I think the bass on the 400S is cleaner/tighter from what I recall. Depends on what version of the Ether you get I suppose.
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Have the ETHER and he1000 in house now. Doing some comparisons this evening. Early impressions...the Ether has made me once for all quit mucking around with the hd800. The Ether quickly gets to 95% of it's potential/goodness on a decent mid-fi amp(lyr 2 with NOS tubes for me). I think it makes a great alternative to those who have a similar love-hate relationship with the hd800.
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New review : http://headphone.guru/mrspeakerss-ether-part-ii-of-ii/
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You mean what the HD800 stock would sound like on a mid-fi amp. Sure.
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New review : http://headphone.guru/mrspeakerss-ether-part-ii-of-ii/
"Remember that one time when you scored a blind date with that impossibly hot girl? She was pretty hot right? Like way hot. Like you-can-still-remember-the-way-her-hair-smelled hot. Like way-too-hot-for-you hot, and everyone knew it, including her. So, at the end of that date, she says “I might love you one day, but I’ll never be in-love with you.” And then she gives you the worst hug ever… a nascent hug… a mere suggestion of what a hug might have been like… a hug that – in some cultures – is a declaration of war. That is the amount of clamping force that the ETHER exerts on your head."
That is the longest description I've ever seen about clamping force, ever.
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LOL Warren! TMI
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"Remember that one time when you scored a blind date with that impossibly hot girl? She was pretty hot right? Like way hot. Like you-can-still-remember-the-way-her-hair-smelled hot. Like way-too-hot-for-you hot, and everyone knew it, including her. So, at the end of that date, she says “I might love you one day, but I’ll never be in-love with you.” And then she gives you the worst hug ever… a nascent hug… a mere suggestion of what a hug might have been like… a hug that – in some cultures – is a declaration of war. That is the amount of clamping force that the ETHER exerts on your head."
That is the longest description I've ever seen about clamping force, ever.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!
At least is not as bad as anything that has come out of the 6moons reviewers!!!
Enjoyed the review a lot, it tackles lots of things.
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Ether is quite possibly the most addictive hp that I've ever owned. Very cohesive top to bottom. Incredibly natural mid-range. This is neutrality done right. I have never been a fan of neutral till this headphone.
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Totally fell in love with this headphone at AXPONA. I can't wait for more reviews to come in though.
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Tyll has measured Ether :)p1
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/MrSpeakersEther.pdf (http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/MrSpeakersEther.pdf)
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I think it's a tad lean but it's very nice. The new crop of cans will be disturbing the high-end headphone category.
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New review : http://headphone.guru/mrspeakerss-ether-part-ii-of-ii/
''And finally, the LCD-X is slightly less resolving, resulting in a smoother presentation and a greater sense of refinement.''
I quess one's refined is other's dull.
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Less resolving = more refinement.
Long Live head-fi.
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Ether is quite possibly the most addictive hp that I've ever owned. Very cohesive top to bottom. Incredibly natural mid-range. This is neutrality done right. I have never been a fan of neutral till this headphone.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!
At least is not as bad as anything that has come out of the 6moons reviewers!!!
Enjoyed the review a lot, it tackles lots of things.
I'm considering the Ether as well, hope to hear it at CanJam London.
Concerning 6Moons ... The best I heard came from Henk and Marja. Those two should be stand-up comedians!
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I think that after listening to the Ether open back phones that yes they are a little on the neutral side but I felt that they had a better amount of bass than the HD800. The issue that I don't like about the HD800 is that it seems like STAX headphones you need a specific amplifier for it to shine.
Would I buy these if I was into music with a lot of bass probably not but I have to say that the vocals of Adele on the track Skyfall almost put me in tears with how well the phones projected her vocals. The soundstage was wide and her voice just pierced your soul. The bass projected on this track as well just sounded so perfect it hit with just the right amount but always seemed to put her voice in front of all of the instruments in just a way where everything just melted together.