TomNC
100+ Head-Fier
My first post at head-fi. Received my Alpha Prime headphones yesterday. I would like to share my excitement at this premium hp and some of my initial impressions.
To begin with, I have a modest but enjoyable set up: pc (with an external cd/dvd player)--- CEntrance DACport---- Little Dot Mk III (with tube upgrades)---- hp. Before the purchase of AP, I have had two middle level hps: HD650 (with a silver cable) and Grado RS1i. I like both of them for different reasons.
Getting the AP was based on several considerations. First, I wanted to have a taste of a hi-end hp. I did some homework on Audeze LCD hps but could not decide on which model to get. Reviewers seemed to split on which of the five models (LCD-2 with/without fazor; LCD-X; LCD-3 with/without fazor) is preferable. Since I do not have an easy access to the LCDs, I rely on putting various reviews together to make a purchase decision. In the case of Audeze LCDs, I could not reach a consensus on which one to buy. Plus, I noticed a fair number of reviewers who mentioned inadequacy of the LCD headband design. Comfort is an important factor to me. So I had to put aside my purchase of a LCD hp.
Then Mr Speakers Alpha Prime suddenly got my interest. Alpha Dog received overall good reviews and was noted as a good value at $600. First review by Michael Mercer was very positive about the major improvements in the AP over AD. Then I read more positive impressions of the AP at Can Jam 2014. I figured that the AP should be worthy of at least $900. So I pulled the trigger and ordered the AP.
After two days of learning, it is clear to me that the AP outperforms both the HD650 and RS1i. It is fast and resolves a lot more details, particularly notable in bass and treble ranges. I heard things I have never heard before. For example, I heard clearly minor nose clearance and other non-music sounds on the Nocturnes CD by Rubinstein. I like to listen to amateur singing posted at some forums. The recording problems were so much more salient with the AP making those mp3 files become harder to enjoy.
As noted by other posts, AP produces tight and impactful bass which is a much more authoritative presence than with the other two hps. Though not a basshead at all, listening to the bass from the AP makes me realize again that plenty of good bass is indispensable for creating an engaging, immersive listening experience.
It is a really good thing that the AP produces extended non-fatigue trebles. Both my HD650 and RS1i are limited in the treble ranges. When volume reaches a certain but by no means extremely level, trebles from both of them become unpleasant. As to the HD650, I particularly noted a pattern that with some recordings, the mids sound recessed while the highs are already too bright and dry. In contrast, the AP has a much larger envelop in covering a fuller spectrum. Among about 10 CDs I listened to since yesterday. I only noticed some brightness with keyboard music on one CD (by Keiko Matsui). I did take note that another post mentioned a bump in some frequency range might be a potential source of brightness. Overall I am not concerned over this. Instead, I am happy with the non-fatigue sound from the AP. This is a crucial attribute of a good hp to me.
Besides great dynamics from excellent details and range, the AP also produces really good timbre of voice/instruments, another attribute I value a lot about a hp. I like piano and guitar sound from the RS1i, that crispiness and sweetness, colored but in a good way. The AP is much more neutral than both RS1i and HD650. It is capable to reproduce the natural timbre of piano and female voices (I am enjoying some opera singing now—it is satisfying). I noted many instances of well conveyed warm wooden instrument sounds and glorious or rock-n-roll metal instrument sounds and male voices. In terms of playing classical music, the AP exceeds both of those hps by a big margin due to its neutrality, dynamics, and coherence/balance across frequency spectrum. I have never had any moments at which the AP sounds too clinically analytic to be musical. There is some magic as to how it is capable of this balance.
Despite being a closed back hp, the AP also produces larger, or at least equal, soundstage and better sound separation than the other two hps. One specific thing I have noted is that voices are not recessed relative to instrument sounds in any CD I heard with the AP. This is not the case for my HD650. I was bothered by the imbalance rendered by the HD650 when listening to quite some songs.
Comfort. Though heavier than the other two hps, the AP is more comfortable as it is right from the box. Wearing glasses poses no problem for comfort due to the well-designed soft pad (an extreme contrast to the firm foam on the RS1i). The sound sealing is so good that it sets up a listening experience as I was be seated in a well isolated and well dampened studio. This is something I am surprised and amazed at. A job well done by Mr Speakers.
My overall impression is that the AP is a premium all-rounder hp. Since I have never heard other top hi-end hps, it makes me wonder how good the AP is compared to the best audiophile hps out there. But it is undoubtedly in a league higher than my HD650 and RS1i. The closed-back design offers an additional practical advantage. To me, it is a keeper.
To begin with, I have a modest but enjoyable set up: pc (with an external cd/dvd player)--- CEntrance DACport---- Little Dot Mk III (with tube upgrades)---- hp. Before the purchase of AP, I have had two middle level hps: HD650 (with a silver cable) and Grado RS1i. I like both of them for different reasons.
Getting the AP was based on several considerations. First, I wanted to have a taste of a hi-end hp. I did some homework on Audeze LCD hps but could not decide on which model to get. Reviewers seemed to split on which of the five models (LCD-2 with/without fazor; LCD-X; LCD-3 with/without fazor) is preferable. Since I do not have an easy access to the LCDs, I rely on putting various reviews together to make a purchase decision. In the case of Audeze LCDs, I could not reach a consensus on which one to buy. Plus, I noticed a fair number of reviewers who mentioned inadequacy of the LCD headband design. Comfort is an important factor to me. So I had to put aside my purchase of a LCD hp.
Then Mr Speakers Alpha Prime suddenly got my interest. Alpha Dog received overall good reviews and was noted as a good value at $600. First review by Michael Mercer was very positive about the major improvements in the AP over AD. Then I read more positive impressions of the AP at Can Jam 2014. I figured that the AP should be worthy of at least $900. So I pulled the trigger and ordered the AP.
After two days of learning, it is clear to me that the AP outperforms both the HD650 and RS1i. It is fast and resolves a lot more details, particularly notable in bass and treble ranges. I heard things I have never heard before. For example, I heard clearly minor nose clearance and other non-music sounds on the Nocturnes CD by Rubinstein. I like to listen to amateur singing posted at some forums. The recording problems were so much more salient with the AP making those mp3 files become harder to enjoy.
As noted by other posts, AP produces tight and impactful bass which is a much more authoritative presence than with the other two hps. Though not a basshead at all, listening to the bass from the AP makes me realize again that plenty of good bass is indispensable for creating an engaging, immersive listening experience.
It is a really good thing that the AP produces extended non-fatigue trebles. Both my HD650 and RS1i are limited in the treble ranges. When volume reaches a certain but by no means extremely level, trebles from both of them become unpleasant. As to the HD650, I particularly noted a pattern that with some recordings, the mids sound recessed while the highs are already too bright and dry. In contrast, the AP has a much larger envelop in covering a fuller spectrum. Among about 10 CDs I listened to since yesterday. I only noticed some brightness with keyboard music on one CD (by Keiko Matsui). I did take note that another post mentioned a bump in some frequency range might be a potential source of brightness. Overall I am not concerned over this. Instead, I am happy with the non-fatigue sound from the AP. This is a crucial attribute of a good hp to me.
Besides great dynamics from excellent details and range, the AP also produces really good timbre of voice/instruments, another attribute I value a lot about a hp. I like piano and guitar sound from the RS1i, that crispiness and sweetness, colored but in a good way. The AP is much more neutral than both RS1i and HD650. It is capable to reproduce the natural timbre of piano and female voices (I am enjoying some opera singing now—it is satisfying). I noted many instances of well conveyed warm wooden instrument sounds and glorious or rock-n-roll metal instrument sounds and male voices. In terms of playing classical music, the AP exceeds both of those hps by a big margin due to its neutrality, dynamics, and coherence/balance across frequency spectrum. I have never had any moments at which the AP sounds too clinically analytic to be musical. There is some magic as to how it is capable of this balance.
Despite being a closed back hp, the AP also produces larger, or at least equal, soundstage and better sound separation than the other two hps. One specific thing I have noted is that voices are not recessed relative to instrument sounds in any CD I heard with the AP. This is not the case for my HD650. I was bothered by the imbalance rendered by the HD650 when listening to quite some songs.
Comfort. Though heavier than the other two hps, the AP is more comfortable as it is right from the box. Wearing glasses poses no problem for comfort due to the well-designed soft pad (an extreme contrast to the firm foam on the RS1i). The sound sealing is so good that it sets up a listening experience as I was be seated in a well isolated and well dampened studio. This is something I am surprised and amazed at. A job well done by Mr Speakers.
My overall impression is that the AP is a premium all-rounder hp. Since I have never heard other top hi-end hps, it makes me wonder how good the AP is compared to the best audiophile hps out there. But it is undoubtedly in a league higher than my HD650 and RS1i. The closed-back design offers an additional practical advantage. To me, it is a keeper.
