Heaven VII initial impressions (short and succinct).
Pros: clean linear sound that's non fatiguing, excellent imaging, enough of that LAB1 magic (ie. vocals) to draw me in and not stop listening, offers a different flavor, beautiful look and feel, comfortable
Cons: sound lacks in dynamics, a bit of midrange suck-out on certain tracks
Thoughts so far:
I like them, and I think they offer something a bit different in the FAD lineup. They seem like FAD's take on a more studio monitor-ish type of sound: fairly linear, easy to listen to for an extended period of time. They definitely favor good mastering, but the less-than-steller stuff isn't shoved in your face. Likewise their detail extraction is very much on point, but these details don't quite 'pop' on some tracks and are presented in a more holistic way (something I'd say is true of the LAB1 to an extent as well). The midrange and lower treble performance seem like the main emphasis here, and the bass doesn't really have the impact of some of the other Heavens. Some people will prefer this, and some will miss it.
In my case I don't mind the diminished bass presence, but I feel it exacerbates the main gripe I have with the Heaven VII: its sound isn't quite dynamic enough for my liking at times. Things that should hit hard sometimes don't, and there isn't a sharp enough distinction between soft and heavy or quiet and loud passage. For instance when building up to a crescendo, it's often underwhelming; everything is sort of placed on the same dynamic level, on the same plane. Also while I'm griping, I should note a bit of perceived midrange suck-out on some tracks, the telltale sign of which for me is my turning the volume up a bit more than I normally do with my preferred listening levels.
Okay, so, gripes aside there earphones do a lot that I like. There's just enough hint of the LAB1's goodness to give these a mesmerizing effect, and I find myself revisiting them a lot so far. The matte black finish is gorgeous, and I find I can treat them a bit more roughly than the LAB1 which demands white glove treatment; consequently I think I'll be using them for some time to come. The Heaven VII's midrange is simply beautiful, with vocals and pianos having a mesmerizing effect. Instrument timbre is spot on and seductive without using an overly romantic tuning. Spatially, the Heaven VII is open sounding with a nicely "out-of-head" presentation. Imaging is well defined and instrument placement is handled well too.
