[flatmap]

   
Sure. I'm trying to get all my thoughts and impressions down into quick mini review so that others can get an idea of the performance level. But here is a brief comment:
 
I've bought, sold, traded and sometimes re-purchased the same headphone. The hd650 I've managed to keep around for primarily one reason...I love the mids. The mids on the hd650 are tonally accurate and very natural and they keep me coming back over and over for the vocal centric music that I often listen to. 
 
That being said, the mids on the Ether are, quite honestly, way better. The tonality and ability to reproduce in great detail the specific resonant quality of a singers voice is amazing with the Ether. Jaw dropping mids...

When you're ready, I'll be very interested to hear how it matches up with your various amplification choices.  Is this great midrange evinced via the Gustard H10?

 

[MattTCG]

The h10 is a really good match actually. I don't know why I say that like I'm surprised. That amp is crazy good for the money. 
 
Mid-range is spectacular with h10 and Ether. 

 

[llcook51]

  The h10 is a really good match actually. I don't know why I say that like I'm surprised. That amp is crazy good for the money. 
 
Mid-range is spectacular with h10 and Ether. 

I got an h10 a few weeks ago and have the Ether on order. "Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

 

[aamefford]

Funny you should ask because I've been listening to them both all weekend. They are both impressive in their own right. But at the end of the day when it just comes down to enjoying music, the Ether puts that smile on my face and makes my foot tap more than anything else. But please don't tell anyone...shhhhhhhh. 

Funny you say that. I spent a bunch of meet time with both, in 3 or 4 rigs. At the end of the day, I found the he1000 the more impressive headphone. The one I wanted to take home with me was the Ether. As beautiful, nearly as impressive, more honest, and it made me feel better. It was pretty close though. All disclaimers apply - meet conditions, not my rig most of the time, Mr. Speakers fanboy…

 

[Sonic Guild]

Funny you say that. I spent a bunch of meet time with both, in 3 or 4 rigs. At the end of the day, I found the he1000 the more impressive headphone. The one I wanted to take home with me was the Ether. As beautiful, nearly as impressive, more honest, and it made me feel better. It was pretty close though. All disclaimers apply - meet conditions, not my rig most of the time, Mr. Speakers fanboy…

When you say it is more honest, does that mean it is more natural?! Do u find the HE1000 coloured? 
What made you feel better, musicality? 

 

[aamefford]

When you say it is more honest, does that mean it is more natural?! Do u find the HE1000 coloured? 
What made you feel better, musicality? 

I'm gonna mostly side step the questions. More natural, I think so, but to my ears. What made me feel better? A sound that resonates with my tastes, at a bit of a reach for price. Vs the HE1000, which is priced in Stax territory. I've been a fan, a one or two time beta tester, an upgrade guinea pig, and an email and say hello at the show friend of Dan's. That plays into the "happy" as well. Both the Ether and the HE1000 are great, great headphones to me. $1,500 is more than I've ever spent on a headphone. $3000 is twice that. I have a LOT of demands on my family money. I will spend the money for the Ether and be thrilled with what I received for that money. I just don't feel the same about the HE1000. If money were no object, hah! I'd get both. If one is considering the HE1000, have a listen to the Ether. For me, they play in the same league. Again, all previously noted caveats plus the fact that it's been since May 2nd that I did the meet listening exercise.

 

[lramirez1959]

 

When you say it is more honest, does that mean it is more natural?! Do u find the HE1000 coloured? 
What made you feel better, musicality? 

I'm gonna mostly side step the questions. More natural, I think so, but to my ears. What made me feel better? A sound that resonates with my tastes, at a bit of a reach for price. Vs the HE1000, which is priced in Stax territory. I've been a fan, a one or two time beta tester, an upgrade guinea pig, and an email and say hello at the show friend of Dan's. That plays into the "happy" as well. Both the Ether and the HE1000 are great, great headphones to me. $1,500 is more than I've ever spent on a headphone. $3000 is twice that. I have a LOT of demands on my family money. I will spend the money for the Ether and be thrilled with what I received for that money. I just don't feel the same about the HE1000. If money were no object, hah! I'd get both. If one is considering the HE1000, have a listen to the Ether. For me, they play in the same league. Again, all previously noted caveats plus the fact that it's been since May 2nd that I did the meet listening exercise.

"For me, they play in the same league" - Sometimes a single sentence summarizes it all. Excellent mini-review

 

[rawrster]

I'm not sure if I missed it but has anyone compared the he6 to the ether?

Also how far up does the ether scale? What I mean is are there gains as you go higher up in gear. I've had headphones in the past where going from a mid tier amp to a higher tier amp didn't result in much if any gains other than a slightly different sound signature. I ask since it seems this headphone sounds like it is easy to drive.

 

[Pwn3r4Life]

I'm not sure if I missed it but has anyone compared the he6 to the ether?

Also how far up does the ether scale? What I mean is are there gains as you go higher up in gear. I've had headphones in the past where going from a mid tier amp to a higher tier amp didn't result in much if any gains other than a slightly different sound signature. I ask since it seems this headphone sounds like it is easy to drive.

I listened to the Ether straight out of my iPod Video, through a Fiio E11, and through three top end DAC/Amp sets on a relatively quiet show floor. I did not use my own music on the top end gear. That said, it sounded much much better on the top end gear. From one top end amp to another, the differences were primarily in signature. But from the Fiio to the top end stuff, what is gained is a ridiculous amount of detail, clarity, transparency, and of course, signature. The Fiio rig did not sound lacking in any way. Straight out of the iPod, I could tell that they needed more power. They were loud enough, but it was blantantly obvious that they could sound a lot better. On the Fiio, I could listen to them and love them for hours and never think they could sound better. But they do.

My advice is this. If you think you'd like the Ether, but are concerned about "wasting" it by not having a top end amp and DAC. Don't be. You will be more than pleased and can always upgrade later on down the line. That's not to say the Ether is the end all be all of headphones, but says that it sounds more than fine on moderate at best gear. Just don't fool yourself that a Fiio can drive it to its full potential.

 

[m8o]

   
Sure. I'm trying to get all my thoughts and impressions down into quick mini review so that others can get an idea of the performance level. But here is a brief comment:
 
I've bought, sold, traded and sometimes re-purchased the same headphone. The hd650 I've managed to keep around for primarily one reason...I love the mids. The mids on the hd650 are tonally accurate and very natural and they keep me coming back over and over for the vocal centric music that I often listen to. 
 
That being said, the mids on the Ether are, quite honestly, way better. The tonality and ability to reproduce in great detail the specific resonant quality of a singers voice is amazing with the Ether. Jaw dropping mids...

 
Thank you.  I'm very comforted to hear this, and jives with my memory of it.  
 
I've been going nutz lately over the opening track of "Jazz at the Pawn Shop", Limehouse Blues, from HDTracks in 192/24.  I can't get enough of it (very OT, but anyone, please tell me of other incredible music & recording like this I didn't know existed!).  And I've been rotating my listening of it thru the HD650, Mr.Speakers Alpha Prime and MadDog 3.2.  While the Alpha Prime to me is like I'm plugged-in to the console used to mix the recording, the HD650 and MadDog (especially the MadDog) are like I'm sitting on a stool live in-front of the drummer with the band around me during the recording of the performance.  
 
I don't have a shred of doubt the Ether is going to be like that, turned-up to 11.
 
Thanx for the impression Matt.

 

[m8o]

 
Funny you should ask because I've been listening to them both all weekend. They are both impressive in their own right. But at the end of the day when it just comes down to enjoying music, the Ether puts that smile on my face and makes my foot tap more than anything else. But please don't tell anyone...shhhhhhhh. 

 
I can't be happier to hear this either.  
 
Almost every review of the Mc MHA100 said a similar thing; how musical it was and that they kept catching themselves tapping their foot while listening thru it.  
 
And now, enter an Ether, also prone to produce involuntary movement of the leg/foot synchronized to the beat.  
 
This is going to take my shaking leg habit which already bugs by wife to a whole 'nutha level!

 

[warrenpchi]

  I can't spoil it or else Frank I will be mad at me, but Part II of my ETHER review (the part that deals with sound quality, with a comparison to the LCD-X) comes out tomorrow at Headphone.Guru.  To my knowledge, it's the only one that reflects nearly two months of daily listening in a quiet environment on a known rig (mine).  I hope it will help clear some things up.  

 
Originally Posted by AxelCloris /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
I know I'm anxiously waiting for it. It'll have to hold me over until my own personal ETHER arrives.
 
Originally Posted by MattTCG /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
very much looking forward to your review Warren. 

 
Thanks guys!  Matt, from what I've been reading of your impressions, you and I are hearing the ETHER very similarly... particularly with regards to its excellent sense of dynamics, and the resulting level of engagement.  The music seems to come alive doesn't it?
 

  I've had more pure fun listening to music this weekend with the Ether than I've had in a very very long time. 

 
See what I mean?  I know EXACTLY how you feel!  

 

 

[Byronb]

I'm gonna mostly side step the questions. More natural, I think so, but to my ears. What made me feel better? A sound that resonates with my tastes, at a bit of a reach for price. Vs the HE1000, which is priced in Stax territory. I've been a fan, a one or two time beta tester, an upgrade guinea pig, and an email and say hello at the show friend of Dan's. That plays into the "happy" as well. Both the Ether and the HE1000 are great, great headphones to me. $1,500 is more than I've ever spent on a headphone. $3000 is twice that. I have a LOT of demands on my family money. I will spend the money for the Ether and be thrilled with what I received for that money. I just don't feel the same about the HE1000. If money were no object, hah! I'd get both. If one is considering the HE1000, have a listen to the Ether. For me, they play in the same league. Again, all previously noted caveats plus the fact that it's been since May 2nd that I did the meet listening exercise.

+1 Well said, Sir!

 

[m8o]

1. warrenpchi, quite the write-up.  Well done!  I'm bummed it's 2:15am here and I have to wait until tomorrow to read it.

 

[NZtechfreak]

Enjoyed reading part two of that review enormously. Seems the headphone excels sonically in areas that are priorities for me. I'm not surprised, given they really impressed Theogenes at a meet, and he and I seem to have basically the same ears.

(while not surprised, I was relieved, given I already purchased the Ether)