[Evshrug]

@Evshrug The links within the review aren't working for me. I can't see the section with comparisons, for example (or I can see the post but it's empty). Just placeholders for now?

Thanks for the detailed review!

Yeah, my listening notes were a massive wall of jumbled thoughts, I’m going to try to cut to the chase. But I’ve been staying up late recently, and frankly after I made dinner I had to fall asleep. That happened tonight too, woke up now but I’ve got a headache. I’ll post a notification in this thread when I add comparisons and impressions to the spoiler tags on Head-Fi, and I’ll add them as comments on Drop once the duplicate posts and things get fixed from Drop converting my discussion comment into a review

A reminder, here’s some early stream-of-conscious impressions that I’d posted in this thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/axel-grell-headphone.967413/post-18088983

Yeah, the cliff is bewildering to me. I'm not graph crazy but I've seen quite a few and I struggle to think of anything with that kind of drop off in the upper treble. Like a sudden cliff past 10k is totally normal. But to have such a valley between 6-10k seems bizarre.

Well, in the headphones.com wrap video for CanJam NYC, DMS said he heard too much peak at 6k. But he might say something different now. The valley may even be the change made in response to CanJam SoCal feedback It can sometimes take time to understand what you’re hearing, but with understanding comes familiarity – by the time you’re used to what you’re hearing, brain burn-in is also well on its way.

I agree with @Rob80b , when you’re hearing a bunch of instruments and frequencies all playing at once your brain has to sort them out, and some frequencies mask others. I experienced brain burn-in where I got used to this one fairly quickly.

@Cocosan I hope you’ll enjoy it, I’m fairly confident someone who likes those headphones will find lots to like/love here too.

 

[karloil]

Ordered!

 

[trilos1]

I did place an order aswell....

 

[kman1211]

Whoa! that was under my radar so another possible purchase but that will have to wait.


You were saying. lol

Keeping an eye on the HD 620S but I just bought a closed-back recently the DT 770 Pro X (100th anniversary Beyer). I think I’ll likely order the Axel Grell headphones before the new closed Senns.

 

[Rob80b]

Keeping an eye on the HD 620S but I just bought a closed-back recently the DT 770 Pro X (100th anniversary Beyer). I think I’ll likely order the Axel Grell headphones before the new closed Senns.

The new Grell takes precedent, IMHO the new Senn is just another new Senn. lol

 

[kman1211]

The new Grell takes precedent, IMHO the new Senn is just another new Senn. lol

That’s how I feel too, the Grell is definitely a more interesting product to me. I generally prefer Beyers for closed-backs anyways (sonically and also I prefer velour on closed-backs) so the closed-back Senn is definitely lower priority to me.

 

[Shane D]

That’s how I feel too, the Grell is definitely a more interesting product to me. I generally prefer Beyers for closed-backs anyways (sonically and also I prefer velour on closed-backs) so the closed-back Senn is definitely lower priority to me.

I am not really a fan of closed back headphones and I already have a few pair. I do wonder what they will be like at that price point though.

 

[kman1211]

I am not really a fan of closed back headphones and I already have a few pair. I do wonder what they will be like at that price point though.

I prefer open-backs myself. I am curious as well as I haven’t really had good experiences with closed-back Sennheisers. For me I do want to see how they compared to the DT 700 Pro X which a relatively neutrally tuned closed-back. The new DT 770 Pro X on the other hand is more v-shaped.

With the OAE1 I want to compare its spatial behavior to my T1.3 and see how it compares to my more neutral headphones, the HD 6xx line, R70x, and the DT 900 Pro X.

 

[Evshrug]

That’s how I feel too, the Grell is definitely a more interesting product to me. I generally prefer Beyers for closed-backs anyways (sonically and also I prefer velour on closed-backs) so the closed-back Senn is definitely lower priority to me.

I prefer velour too!

 

[Shane D]

I prefer open-backs myself. I am curious as well as I haven’t really had good experiences with closed-back Sennheisers. For me I do want to see how they compared to the DT 700 Pro X which a relatively neutrally tuned closed-back.

With the OAE1 I want to compare its spatial behavior to my T1.3 and see how it compares to my more neutral headphone, the HD 6xx line, R70x, and the DT 900 Pro X.

I want to compare the Grell to my big four and see how it fares (Grado GH2, Arya, HD660S2 and Focal Clear OG). Even if it can't compete, hopefully it brings something different to the table.
Wouldn't it be wild if they hung, in some way, with my top 'phones...

 

[kman1211]

I prefer velour too!

Yeah, and honestly way too few closed-backs have velours. There are many Beyers that have them, the Shure SRH-1540 has those wonderful alcantara pads. The 1540 pads and the DT 700 Pro X pads (donut pillow-like velour pads) are my favorite closed-back pads I’ve ever came across. There are a few other velour closed backs here and there.

Luckily most open pads have velours so don’t have to worry about finding my preferred pads so much with opens. A good leather isn’t bad either as I generally find leather more breathable than pleather. Funnily enough I found most of my problems with closed-backs actually come down to unbreathable pleather/vinyl pads.

 

[Shane D]

Yeah, and honestly way too few closed-backs have velours. There are many Beyers that have them, the Shure SRH-1540 has those wonderful alcantara pads. The 1540 pads and the DT 700 Pro X pads (donut pillow-like velour pads) are my favorite closed-back pads I’ve ever came across. There are a few other velour closed backs here and there.

Luckily most open pads have velours so don’t have to worry about finding my preferred pads so much with opens. A good leather isn’t bad either as I generally find leather more breathable than pleather. Funnily enough I found most of my problems with closed-backs actually come down to unbreathable pleather/vinyl pads.

I just find closed backs too (wait for it), "closed in" sounding. Most times, after a few days I need to hear something more "open" sounding.
The most expensive headphone I ever bought was the Focal Radiance and it is not in my top six for favourites.

 

[trilos1]

Here at home the GRELL OAE1 will team up with a DENON AH-D7200, an Audio Technica ATH-R70x and a FOCAL Elegia.
The Amp in use is a McIntosh MHA-200 and the CD/SACD-player is an older TEAC/Esoteric X-05....

I like the sound of open backs aswell as the sound of closed backs.

 

[kman1211]

I want to compare the Grell to my big four and see how it fares (Grado GH2, Arya, HD660S2 and Focal Clear OG). Even if it can't compete, hopefully it brings something different to the table.
Wouldn't it be wild if they hung, in some way, with my top 'phones...

I’m not sure if I’ll hold onto my 660S2 sadly and may end up selling them off, I enjoy its sound quite a bit but fatigue has sadly been a real issue with me and them. Not familiar with the other 3 headphones, but am familiar with the Focal sound. I am eyeing that new focal open-back as well. It would be nice if the OAE1 hung with the S2’s etc. Don’t think it will hang with my T1.3 but I find that headphone in a league above my other dynamic open-backs, but it’s also the most expensive headphone I ever bought.

I just find closed backs too (wait for it), "closed in" sounding. Most times, after a few days I need to hear something more "open" sounding.
The most expensive headphone I ever bought was the Focal Radiance and it is not in my top six for favourites.

I found some of them like that honestly. I purposely try and find open and spacious sounding closed backs, but intimate and closed-in isn’t going to ruin a closed back to for me; but I do prefer open and spacious sounding pairs. With the DT 770 Pro X is spacious and very clear and I forget I’m even listening to a closed-back. But if you don’t like a v-shape, they aren’t for you. The DT 700 Pro X does sound a bit intimate and closed-in. I thought the T5.3 sounded more intimate and closed in too. The Sony MDR-Z1R (borrowed from a friend for a few days) sounded wide open to me. Never heard the Radiance, only experience I have with Focal is the Elear and the old Utopia.

 

[Shane D]

I’m not sure if I’ll hold onto my 660S2 sadly and may end up selling them off, I enjoy its sound quite a bit but fatigue has sadly been a real issue with me and them. Not familiar with the other 3 headphones, but am familiar with the Focal sound. I am eyeing that new focal open-back as well. It would be nice if the OAE1 hung with the S2’s etc. Don’t think it will hang with my T1.3 but I find that headphone in a league above my other dynamic open-backs, but it’s also the most expensive headphone I ever bought.


I found some of them like that honestly. I purposely try and find open and spacious sounding closed backs. With the DT 770 Pro X is spacious and very clear and I forget I’m even listening to a closed-back. But if you don’t like a v-shape, they aren’t for you. The DT 700 Pro X does sound a bit intimate and closed-in. I thought the T5.3 sounded more intimate and closed in too. The Sony MDR-Z1R (borrowed from a friend for a few days) sounded wide open to me. Never head the Radiance, only experience I have with Focal is the Elear and the old Utopia.

Have you tried taking the foam filters out of your HD660S2's? Just pull off the pads and pop them out. Try them for a couple of days this way and see what you think. After owning them for a few months, I was about to move along yet another pair of Sennheisers when I saw that @jonathan c did a little mod and I copied him.
You do of course have to be careful where the drivers won't have any protection during your experiment.