[ThanatosVI]

Fr isn't the entire story. If it was we would all use cheap AKG stuff

Yeah FR can only tell parts of thr Story.

Afaik the Susvara and Shangri La Jr. Have very similar frequency response graphs, yet sound very different

 

[bflat]

Is it just me or does the answer to every question of "how is this physically possible?" get answered with "carbon nanotubes"?

 

[tutetibiimperes]

As someone who is with Audeze, I avoid providing any strong subjective opinions and try to keep it technical/objective to the extent possible. I will leave subjective opinions to others. My personal preferences affects my perception too. I prefer well controlled, well extended, tight and fast bass with good bass texture and I will take that over hard hitting bass. Many headphones have a underdamped bass with resonance near 40-60hz, that gives the perception of better bass slam, but it is not natural in my books. There are characteristic qualities associated with each technology (Dynamics, Planar, Ribbon, Estats) these are controlled by the underlying physics and so it is not possible to make a headphone sound like it was using a different technology and neither is that our goal. Our hope is to try an improve what is possible within each category.

Some background behind bass as it relates to CRBN design:
By controlling the amount of carbon nanotubes in the diaphragm, a we achieve high efficiency by allowing it to hold more charge at the same time keeping the resistivity high enough to prevent charge migration (which will cause distortion) especially at low frequencies.

The high efficiency of the carbon nanotube diaphragm also allowed us to reduce the tension just enough to increase the space between the stator and diaphragm to allow higher excursion with lower diaphragm resonance frequency, without the risk of the diaphragm coming into contact with the stator. The low resonance frequency of the diaphragm combined with the large area makes for great bass response. The bass response is further improved by carefully chosen acoustically transparent damping material that not only provides dust protection but also damps the diaphragm to provide smooth bass response. Having experience designing planar headphones with good seal to provide great bass response, we improved the bass response further by carefully designed earpads that provide the necessary seal.

Imaging, speed, high frequency extension...
We chose an optimal diaphragm and stator size that is large enough to provide excellent imaging without compromising on high frequency extension due to capacitance. The perforation on the stator (with more than 50% open) was also optimized to provide excellent high frequency extension and sounding open without compromising efficiency. The lighter than air carbon nanotube infused diaphragm has naturally low inertia that allows the diaphragm to accelerate fast. We employ edge damping to further eliminate distortion and smooth the frequency and phase response.

The stators use a proprietary PCB manufacturing technique that allows us to achieve high rigidity with uniform thickness and flatness. and the Conductive surface of the stator is coated to ensure high dielectric strength. A rigid stator of uniform thickness is important to achieve uniform force distribution and for a linear response.

On a technical or objective level can you compare the air displacement or excursion of the CRBN driver to the LCD series drivers?

 

[musicday]

Unlike resistive coating typically used in electrostatic headphones, the carbon nanotube infused diaphragm is immune to the elements and does not degrade over time.

Actually, if you have managed to do that, congratulations. This is very, very good news !!

 

[KMann]

On a technical or objective level can you compare the air displacement or excursion of the CRBN driver to the LCD series drivers?

Hard to make apples to apples comparison because of the difference in technology, the excursion is lesser on CRBN but CRBN has more surface area, the bass extension is itself is comparable to to our LCD headphones.

 

[vsg28]

Is it just me or does the answer to every question of "how is this physically possible?" get answered with "carbon nanotubes"?

As someone who's spent over a decade researching carbon nanotubes, I sure hope so

 

[dukeskd]

As someone who's spent over a decade researching carbon nanotubes, I sure hope so

Hasn't JVC used carbon nanotubes for their dynamic drivers?

 

[KMann]

Is it just me or does the answer to every question of "how is this physically possible?" get answered with "carbon nanotubes"?

With respect to 'immune to the elements' I guess, my prior answer could use some more explanation. Typical electrostatic headphones have diaphragms that are coated with a thin metallic resistive layer, and this layer can over time degrade. Carbon Nanotubes on the other hand are uniformly dispersed within the thin film diaphragm, so they are not subject to conditions such as humidity the same way a metal deposit could be.

 

[vsg28]

Hasn't JVC used carbon nanotubes for their dynamic drivers?

There have been many CNT coatings on diaphragms used for audio applications before, be it IEMs, headphones, or even some speakers. These have been quite vague, almost to the point of using it as a hype word for marketing similar to graphene drivers which again are a thin coating- generally on the edge of the diaphragm. At that point, you might as well just use activated charcoal or soot and claim "rich ultrapure nano carbon drivers" or similar because it is more marketing than for a genuine need or as an innovation. The use of the CNTs to effectively replace classical metals for a genuine reason here is what got me excited enough to share it with my research group members too.

 

[Armaegis]

I have also witnessed a couple times in the past of an electrically-burnt stat diaphragm (once even on my own 007 when I used to have them years ago). Obviously guarding against any and all potential damages is nearly impossible when dealing with the high voltages of an estat headphone, but does the CRBN diaphragm have any slight advantages in this regard? Again, I'm not looking for absolutes. I don't expect that you've explicitly tested this sort of thing to destruction.

 

[tutetibiimperes]

I have also witnessed a couple times in the past of an electrically-burnt stat diaphragm (once even on my own 007 when I used to have them years ago). Obviously guarding against any and all potential damages is nearly impossible when dealing with the high voltages of an estat headphone, but does the CRBN diaphragm have any slight advantages in this regard? Again, I'm not looking for absolutes. I don't expect that you've explicitly tested this sort of thing to destruction.

I’d be sort of surprised if they didn’t. You’d want to know for liability purposes that if someone is listening while there’s a power surge that it’s not going to turn their recliner into Old Sparky.

 

[musicman59]

I am getting really tempted by these….
I was eyeing for some time the Solitaire P to add them to my collection but now I am not son sure since I already have an electrostatic rig.

 

[normie610]

With respect to 'immune to the elements' I guess, my prior answer could use some more explanation. Typical electrostatic headphones have diaphragms that are coated with a thin metallic resistive layer, and this layer can over time degrade. Carbon Nanotubes on the other hand are uniformly dispersed within the thin film diaphragm, so they are not subject to conditions such as humidity the same way a metal deposit could be.

Will you be adding a new preset for CRBN in Roon?

 

[Audio Addict]

I am getting really tempted by these….
I was eyeing for some time the Solitaire P to add them to my collection but now I am not son sure since I already have an electrostatic rig.

We may have an answer for the A-10 sooner rather than later.

These are the graphs from 21:03 of Jude's video.

 

[KDS315]

Yep, I had posted the screenshots already...