CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS
Lobby => Headphone, IEM, and Other Audio Related Discussion => Topic started by: Koloth on September 20, 2015, 10:33:11 PM
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I just stumbled upon this and thought maybe you guys were interested and/or had any information about the phones.
Link to the advert with technical specifications:
http://www.emu.com/images/headers/topbanner/Woodseries.pdf (http://www.emu.com/images/headers/topbanner/Woodseries.pdf)
(http://s6.postimg.org/fmv7fzr7l/E_Mu_Teak.jpg)
So apparently there are two headphones, a bigger one in teak wood for home and studio use and a smaller one for portable use in walnut. Both use bio-cellulose diaphragms. The teak model looks a lot like the older Denon models (when Denon made good headphones instead of going after the Beats audience). So perhaps these are Fostex built? Anyway, since E-Mu is today pretty much the highend/pro section of Creative and Creative has already shown themselves capable of producing good sounding headphones in their Aurvana line, I'm pretty interested in these. + Wooooooddies!!!
Does anyone have any information on these models? Pricing, availability, sound impressions? This is the thread to share! (How long until a HF hypetrain breaks lose once they get the news?)
EDIT (21. september): I found a listing on the Singapore homepage of creative for these. Apparently they're supposed to go for approximately 700 USD for the Teak model and 140 USD for the Walnut model! Now these prices sound very very reasonable!
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Bringing back reasonably priced Foster OEM models? http://www.foster.co.jp/products/pdf/headphones.pdf Sounds good, especially if they're going with the newer tunings :)p6
And if they're anything like the Denons then the street price for the Teak model should get down to like 400.
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That look nice. I wonder if the two model have the same driver. Considered difference in price, I guess they
do don't.
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One is 50mm and other is 40mm so they have different drivers. Also other specs seems to be different.
700$ and no removable cable ?
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700$ and no removable cable ?
Yeah, that bit has me worried as well... But I fear it would be consistent with Fostex's designs: Neither the TF900 nor the TH600, nor the old Denon D5000 and D7000 had removable cables.
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(http://images.jp.creative.com/images/corporate/artwork/hries_aurvanaLive.jpg)
The smaller, 40mm option looks exactly like the CAL! except for the wood cups. Kind of gives it a Chinese knockoff look TBH.
It would have been nicer if it looked closer to the Denon D1000 or D1100 or even the AH-100.
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Yep, that looks like the D5000 or D7000. It might explain the discontinuation of the TH600.
I can attest that teak is awesome with these things.
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The Teak are more sensitve than the TH900's, and share the same 7N copper cable... Will be interesting to see how they sound.
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I've always wondered, what's a "bio-cellulose diaphragm"? Is that just a fancy word for recycled waste paper?
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I've always wondered, what's a "bio-cellulose diaphragm"? Is that just a fancy word for recycled waste paper?
http://www.head-fi.org/t/568694/biocellulose-and-its-use-in-headphones-earphones-referring-the-recent-iem-example-vsonic-gr-07-r07
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I've always wondered, what's a "bio-cellulose diaphragm"? Is that just a fancy word for recycled waste paper?
Muzo2's link is of course far more informative, but not only did the legendary Sony R10 use biocellulose diaphragms but so do the Audioquest Nighthawk, which while criticized for their tuning get high marks on their distortionless sound from pretty much everyone: http://personal.audioquest.com/nighthawk-driver-technology
So the new kids are in that regard in rather illustrous company.
I do find it noteworthy that your first association with "bio-" is waste product... Far better to buy some Atomic Rubidium Photon Fry-Your-Brain Spaceage Shit, huh?
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Well, the association is "bio- = re-used/recycled". That might be a particularly German perspective, I have to admit. Didn't mean to hate on biocellulose diaphragms either, it was basically a serious question. Marketing departments do tend to come up with marvelous descriptions for rather mundane technologies at times.
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...not only did the legendary Sony R10 use biocellulose diaphragms but so do the Audioquest Nighthawk, which while criticized for their tuning get high marks on their distortionless sound from pretty much everyone: http://personal.audioquest.com/nighthawk-driver-technology
I hope you're joking by saying "...get high marks on their distortionless sound," and then link one of Audioquest's marketing...I mean scientific articles. Where are these "everyone" people you refer to?
To be fair, Nighthawk does have some surprisingly low distortion areas, which you'll see when Tyll publishes his measurements, but the tuning and sound is still ass regardless. What good does low distortion and fancy marketing pages do when you still get ass sound?
As for these seemingly re-badged Fostex headphones, I'm curious how close they'll be to the Denon line and newer Fostex line in terms of sound. Also wondering what sort of dirty stuff, i.e mods, I could do to them now that I'm a bit more seasoned in that area.
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I hope you're joking by saying "...get high marks on their distortionless sound," and then link one of Audioquest's marketing...I mean scientific articles. Where are these "everyone" people you refer to?
You misunderstand, perhaps I expressed myself unclearly: I linked to the official Audioquest homepage to proof that they indeed use a biocellulose diaphragm. My statement regaring their low distortion is based on the impressions of people here and one HF. The lack of distortion is of course directly related to the physical attributes of the driver, thus showing the potential of biocellulose diaphragms - the topic of conversation. The specific tuning of the headphones that Audioquest went for is irrelevant.
To be fair, Nighthawk does have some surprisingly low distortion areas, which you'll see when Tyll publishes his measurements, but the tuning and sound is still ass regardless. What good does low distortion and fancy marketing pages do when you still get ass sound?
Congrats, you're now part of the "'everyone' people". And once again the tuning of the Nighthawks is utterly irrelevant to the discussion.
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Can anybody point me in the direction of Muzo2's link? I'm genuinely curious what bio-cellulose is.
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Can anybody point me in the direction of Muzo2's link? I'm genuinely curious what bio-cellulose is.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/568694/biocellulose-and-its-use-in-headphones-earphones-referring-the-recent-iem-example-vsonic-gr-07-r07
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Thanks!
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You misunderstand, perhaps I expressed myself unclearly: I linked to the official Audioquest homepage to proof that they indeed use a biocellulose diaphragm. My statement regaring their low distortion is based on the impressions of people here and one HF. The lack of distortion is of course directly related to the physical attributes of the driver, thus showing the potential of biocellulose diaphragms - the topic of conversation. The specific tuning of the headphones that Audioquest went for is irrelevant.
Congrats, you're now part of the "'everyone' people". And once again the tuning of the Nighthawks is utterly irrelevant to the discussion.
Ah, fuck, you're right...I'm part of everyone now! I don't think anyone doubted they are using biocellulose drivers or the potential of the drivers. I've actually seen quite a few positive comments regarding those types of drivers on this site. Actually, I only remember the (unpublished) Nighthawk measurements having low distortion in the bass...can't remember anything above that point, but I distinctly recall only being truly impressed by its bass distortion.
Anyway, if we want to start looking at the potential of the biocellulose driver, we need to consider all biocellulose headphones and focus on designs that most closely match this particular headphone to get a good idea how it will sound (i.e. Fostex-based like Denon or TH900/600). Do they always have good distortion? How easy is it to tune them to have a good response? Because a good response with bad distortion is about as helpful as a bad response with good distortion IME, though the latter option might take well to EQ.
Perhaps the better question is if these are tuned more like the old Denon line or the new Fostex line. :)
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My apologies for taking this thread OT. Back on topic now! :)
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Perhaps the better question is if these are tuned more like the old Denon line or the new Fostex line. :)
Which would you prefer? :) The Fostex are said to have quite a V-shaped sound signature with recessed mids, rather harsh treble and powerful but somewhat bloated bass. The old Denons i'm not all that familiar with.
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Haven't heard the new Fostex...but based on measurements and various impressions, I'd probably take one of the old Denons. One thing I'm curious of, though, is how the Fostex ones are apparently so bassy in comparison, given they have internal damping pre-applied. I thought the Denons had minimal to no internal damping? Maybe it's the pads or driver baffle design. Leakier cups? I dunno. Would have to pop both open and look.
Another thought, Creative seemed to do a good thing with the Aurvana Live for the price. Hoping they can do the same with these two headphones, given E-Mu is just their pro line or something like that. (This is the same E-Mu, right?)
Y'all know I'd still mod anything thrown my way anyway. ;)
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The old Denons had zero damping and did not seal at all but still came out rather bassy (with some funny honkiness somewhere in the upper mids if my fuzzy memory is correct).
For a while there was somebody making a business on modding them which involved a bunch of dynamat with holes punched in it, plus other stuff. I think it was a guy named Lawton??
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The old Denons had zero damping and did not seal at all but still came out rather bassy (with some funny honkiness somewhere in the upper mids if my fuzzy memory is correct).
For a while there was somebody making a business on modding them which involved a bunch of dynamat with holes punched in it, plus other stuff. I think it was a guy named Lawton??
He still does. Just moved the business over to the Fostex line ... http://www.lawtonaudio.com/