V6 initial impressions...
...brought the first set of V6 headphones on-line last night. Since I would much rather listen to them again tonight than type here, I'll just offer a few quick comments...
...for reference these are the function-oriented lower-cost "Tactical Studio Monitor" version
, consisting of:
* V6 drivers - from the very first batch.
* Sony MDR-7506 headband from Trew Audio.
* Shapeways C6 cups, first drawing version without the cable mounting tab, in flat black Flexible and Strong material.
* DIY cable using Mogami cable and Amphenol 3.5 TRS connector, which have a flange that allows use with an iPhone case.
* L-Cush pad as recommended by Rhydon.
Construction Comments:
The mounting points on the C6 are sized perfectly sized for the Grado band gimbals, but the Sony's are
very slightly larger, and don't fully fit into the recess on the C6 cup. However, the end of the pins on the Sony mount are rounded or conical to fit okay, and there is enough tension that this is really a non-issue.
The matte finish of the C6 in Flexible and Strong material holds the pads in place very well.
Limited manual dexterity, patience, and presbyopia
in my case combined to make assembly of the cord a little less fun. I am pleased with what I was able to do with the cord for a more function oriented cord, but I will likely order a cord with a more pleasing visual aesthetic for my other more custom wood V6's. (recommendations appreciated)
I used a 40-watt Weller iron for soldering, which works if you are quick and careful. However I will use a 25 watt in the future, to give a little more margin for error and give less possibility for the driver or voice coil to be damaged.
Initial Listening Impressions:
Note, these impressions are without any burn-in.
I guess the best thing I can say about these is that what I intended to be a quick audition last night, turned into a three-hour tour through my audio library into the wee hours of the morning.
I've been fortunate enough to have been in and around many studios in Nashville through the years. There is a very intimate, almost ethereal, even holographic life-like quality to music that is heard in the control room of a very good studio where the acoustics are carefully managed, and where the quality and headroom of the equipment is state-of-the art. More than any headphone I have ever heard, the V6's provide this same listening experience. You are able to hear what the recording engineer or mastering engineer intended, as though you are actually in the studio with them. This is most evident in the often startling realism, and also in the very distinct delineation between instruments and vocals. Multi-layered vocals, and complex passages are easily resolved and much more enjoyable, with previously masked passages opened to bring new life and appreciation to familiar recordings.
Balance is the term that comes to mind in describing the V6's. I did not detect either emphasis or reticence in any frequency range.
The nuance in the music was evident at all volumes, from one click off of mute, to as loud as I could stand. These are so clear that you will do well to set a volume, and then back off two or three clicks, since the normal distortion-related audio cues where headroom limits are reached that clue you that it may be a bit too loud are pretty much absent. This acoustic headroom is aided by the V6's excellent efficiency which preserves amplifier headroom as well.
I have found that other headphones, while excellent, either imparted and acoustic signature of their own (which may be very enjoyable but not necessarily accurate to the original), or were accurate but to the point of being somewhat clinical in nature. Or some either have an in-your face presence, or on the other extreme make you feel you are witnessing the performance as an observer from a slight distance. For me, the V6's strike a great balance that at once provides realism, and makes you feel part of the event, while at the same time providing an accurate representation. All elements and instruments of the recording are balanced.
I've often heard, and noticed myself, with some headphones that they could make bad recording very evident. To a great extent last night with the V6's though, I often noticed that recordings I previously considered bad or harsh were often so clearly rendered and detailed by the V6's, that the passages were unpacked to reveal detail instead. I was able to hear what he engineer intended, instead of a representation compromised by limitations of a particular equipment reproduction. What previously might have been heard as somewhat of a vague blend or sonic "texture", were now distinctly defined passages, with vocals and/or instruments precisely placed.
Interesting, I noticed the weight of the bass to increase slightly, even during this short listening session as the driver began to break in. (For the record, I believe any mechanical device, whether an engine, or a ball glove, often benefits from mechanical break in. The suspension of a headphone diaphragm would be no different.) The bass is very natural, with no particular enclosure-related emphasis imparted at any frequency, even to the lowest limits, similar in nature to what is heard in the best dipole speakers. Midrange is exceptional. Treble is extended, and I detected no unnatural sibilance. The extended response is very enjoyable as it allows the upper harmonics to fully develop, which brings realistic timbre with it. I found myself able to clearly visualize the nature of the instruments themselves, such as even where on a cymbal the drumstick strikes, or whether the cymbal is rotating slightly after being struck. I could hear the depth, head resonance, and room resonance on a drum strike, the wood resonance the body of and acoustic guitar, for instance. But these characteristics don't draw attention to themselves but rather bring realism to the presentation in a natural way.
I guess the thing I noticed most about the V6's -unless I was consciously thinking about it- was that I didn't notice them. Rather, I noticed and was immersed in the music itself.
I'll provide a more detailed review later after significant break in, as well as comparison to wood based set I'll build next, and also other headphones for reference, as time allows.
But right now I'm going to relax and enjoy the V6's some more....
