[Sonic Guild]

Hello, I just discovered this thread!
 
So I am in a hunt for spacious wide sound stage phones and not sure if I am supposed to go with Ether or HE1000. Currently I am using LCD3 which I love its creamy and thick sound signature. I am afraid that Ether might be daed natural and thin sounding. Is there a review anywhere? How it is compared with the HE1000?

 

[reddog]

I'll have them both tomorrow and I'll let you know. 

Looking forward to your impressions sir.

 

[Currawong]

  Hello, I just discovered this thread!
 
So I am in a hunt for spacious wide sound stage phones and not sure if I am supposed to go with Ether or HE1000. Currently I am using LCD3 which I love its creamy and thick sound signature. I am afraid that Ether might be daed natural and thin sounding. Is there a review anywhere? How it is compared with the HE1000?

 
Search for my posts in this thread (Search Thread at the top, then Advanced Search - Search by username).
 
It isn't thin-sounding, but it wont be as thick-sounding as your LCD-3s -- lighter in the bass, mids and treble.

 

[DreamKing]

   
Not a problem. I'll be using the he10, lyr 2 with NOS tubes and my vintage Sansui au-717. Should be rocking the Ether by this time tomorrow. 

 
Ooooohhh 

 Tomorrow will be very interesting. HE-1000/Ether comparisons is icing on the cake.

 

[TonyNewman]

   
Ooooohhh 

 Tomorrow will be very interesting. HE-1000/Ether comparisons is icing on the cake.

 
+1.
 
I am hugely curious if the HE1000 offers enough above the Ether to justify being twice the price. Also keen to hear from modded HE6 owners on how the HE1000 compares to that headphone.
 
At 3K the HE1000 needs to perform at an extraordinarily high level to justify the pricetag, I think.

 

[Sonic Defender]

   
+1.
 
I am hugely curious if the HE1000 offers enough above the Ether to justify being twice the price. Also keen to hear from modded HE6 owners on how the HE1000 compares to that headphone.
 
At 3K the HE1000 needs to perform at an extraordinarily high level to justify the pricetag, I think.

Absolutely. Most of us aren't price is no object purchasers and if I was to go above the price point of the Ether, it would have to be a significant difference, not just subtle and nuanced. Double the cost should make an obvious difference.

 

[reddog]

Absolutely. Most of us aren't price is no object purchasers and if I was to go above the price point of the Ether, it would have to be a significant difference, not just subtle and nuanced. Double the cost should make an obvious difference.

+1 Well said, I wish I could say price in no problem. I am fortunate to participate in the HE1K beta program, and they sound very nice, however I have pre-ordered the Ether's and if the sound very nice, I will sell the HE1K to my uncle. Just because a headphone is twice as expensive, does not imply its twice as good. I will write up my comparisons, once I get the Ether, at the end of the month. I think MattTCG will be listening to the HE1K and the Ether's this weekend and doing write up soon too. These are amazing times for headphones.

 

[pedalhead]

  These are amazing  expensive times for headphones.

 

 

[MattTCG]

Got 'em!!!!!!!!!!

 

[VisceriousZERO]

 

[conquerator2]

Got 'em!!!!!!!!!!

I will grab some copporn then

 

[ssrock64]

   

Is that a Tera Player? Wow, I haven't seen one of those in awhile. Let us know how the combo sounds.

 

[Sonic Defender]

I'm seriously interested in the Ether. A question for Mr. Speaker's customers, how are quality control issues? I ask with the HiFi Man experience in mind where there are numerous accounts of quality control issues, and with several accounts of repeated product defects where the owner is stuck with down time, and has to spend money shipping the product in for repair. While I loved the sound quality of the 560, I'm not sure I want to take a chance with HFM quality control for my next planar. The Ether sounds like a great headphone so if quality control is better I am even more interested.

 

[MattTCG]

  I'm seriously interested in the Ether. A question for Mr. Speaker's customers, how are quality control issues? I ask with the HiFi Man experience in mind where there are numerous accounts of quality control issues, and with several accounts of repeated product defects where the owner is stuck with down time, and has to spend money shipping the product in for repair. While I loved the sound quality of the 560, I'm not sure I want to take a chance with HFM quality control for my next planar. The Ether sounds like a great headphone so if quality control is better I am even more interested.

 
I have not run into much problem with regard to quality control with previous Mr. Speakers products, but of course this is a ground up project which introduces a whole new realm of potential problems. While it is pretty early, let me say this. The Ether is an incredibly well thought out design. The execution of the design in terms of fit, finish and materials are some of the very best I've seen. I grilled Dan for about the better part of an hour at the Nashville meet about the build quality. One thing I came away with from that conversation was just how important build quality was to his process. He has scrutinized every last piece and screw and considered how each piece connects to the whole. I was impressed then as I am now that they are in my hands. 
 
I've only seen one other company in this arena truly impress this much right of the gate in the first time/ground up headphone game...Oppo. So.....I wouldn't worry to much about quality control or build quality...it's stellar. If I run across anything to contradict this I'll be sure to post back. 

 

[mrspeakers]

   
I have not run into much problem with regard to quality control with previous Mr. Speakers products, but of course this is a ground up project which introduces a whole new realm of potential problems. While it is pretty early, let me say this. The Ether is an incredibly well thought out design. The execution of the design in terms of fit, finish and materials are some of the very best I've seen. I grilled Dan for about the better part of an hour at the Nashville meet about the build quality. One thing I came away with from that conversation was just how important build quality was to his process. He has scrutinized every last piece and screw and considered how each piece connects to the whole. I was impressed then as I am now that they are in my hands. 
 
I've only seen one other company in this arena truly impress this much right of the gate in the first time/ground up headphone game...Oppo. So.....I wouldn't worry to much about quality control or build quality...it's stellar. If I run across anything to contradict this I'll be sure to post back. 

Thanks Matt.  Also, Peter was very involved in working through manufacturing issues as part of the design process, and Jason is a killer mechanical engineer.  Our yields so far have exceeded 95%, which is way better than I had hoped.  Doing the pre-production run really helped shake-out minor issues.