[ra990]

This has to be one of the most polarizing headphones I've come across in my head-fi experience.

I think we can all agree that these aren't bass monsters and not going to impress with slam or punch.

What I can't figure out is how some of us are hearing one of the best midrange and overall tonality, yet others are complaining about muddy mids. I'd be concerned about a possible bum pair or some issue/bad synergy with upstream components. Let's not forget these are almost as inefficient as the Abyss and Susvara and those threads are filled with talk of how the headphones need the right gear to sound their best. It probably equally applies here.

 

[paradoxper]

This has to be one of the most polarizing headphones I've come across in my head-fi experience.

I think we can all agree that these aren't bass monsters and not going to impress with slam or punch.

What I can't figure out is how me and some others are hearing some of the best midrange and overall tonality, yet others are complaining about muddy mids.

It's one of the more strange curiosities I can recall. I almost want to unpack my Stealth.

 

[jlbrach]

A dark sounding headphone has no problems bringing all the information to your ears.
Best example is the T+A Solitaire P

I totally agree, the sol p has a darker sounding signature but is among the most detailed I have ever heard

 

[jlbrach]

This has to be one of the most polarizing headphones I've come across in my head-fi experience.

I think we can all agree that these aren't bass monsters and not going to impress with slam or punch.

What I can't figure out is how some of us are hearing one of the best midrange and overall tonality, yet others are complaining about muddy mids. I'd be concerned about a possible bum pair or some issue/bad synergy with upstream components. Let's not forget these are almost as inefficient as the Abyss and Susvara and those threads are filled with talk of how the headphones need the right gear to sound their best. It probably equally applies here.

I do tend to think that since these are closed a lot of people think of them as a portable option and do not provide them proper amping....

 

[DarginMahkum]

This has to be one of the most polarizing headphones I've come across in my head-fi experience.

I think we can all agree that these aren't bass monsters and not going to impress with slam or punch.

What I can't figure out is how some of us are hearing one of the best midrange and overall tonality, yet others are complaining about muddy mids. I'd be concerned about a possible bum pair or some issue/bad synergy with upstream components. Let's not forget these are almost as inefficient as the Abyss and Susvara and those threads are filled with talk of how the headphones need the right gear to sound their best. It probably equally applies here.

The "experienced ears" of HeadFi - this is the level of experience people have here, and those "experienced ears" influnce the decision of people. This is what someone wrote under my post on Facebook:

 

[Tachyon88]

Experienced doesn't mean trained.

 

[xirxes]

You can most definitely have booming slammy bass and "THE MUSIC!!!", not exactly one or the other kind of deal

Actually pretty much not. The distortion, bloat into what should be quiet places, and instrument/voice separations go away with overmuch bass.

 

[DarginMahkum]

The "experienced ears" of HeadFi - this is the level of experience people have here, and those "experienced ears" influnce the decision of people.

Oh, and some "manufacturer" said that Stealth has a "V" sound, and the mids are recessed. As a proof he sent me the measurements from ASR, which Dan already explained that it has something to do with the measurement rig, and explained how that measurement should be interpreted. But the problem here is, these guys are influencers. Most of them don't know what they are talking about. Apparently for him good, clean mids were with Empyrean.

 

[xirxes]

You haven't heard the Rögnir, have you?

I have. It was nowhere near the bass-tastrophe of the VC but it was already not performing well in separation due to excess lows.

 

[ra990]

Oh, and some "manufacturer" said that Stealth has a "V" sound, and the mids are recessed. As a proof he sent me the measurements from ASR, which Dan already explained that it has something to do with the measurement rig, and explained how that measurement should be interpreted. But the problem here is, these guys are influencers. Most of them don't know what they are talking about. Apparently for him good, clean mids were with Empyrean.

If someone tells me that the Stealth has a V sound, I'd advise them to promptly schedule an appointment for a hearing test.

 

[DarginMahkum]

If someone tells me that the Stealth has a V sound, I'd advise them to promptly schedule an appointment for a hearing test.

OK, to his account he also said it was a track he didn't know, but really, how recessed can the Stealth mids can sound? Rögnir, yes, absolutely but this?

 

[ra990]

I'm curious if @mrspeakers has any input on the wildly different impressions that are coming in for the Stealth?

 

[Alcophone]

OK, to his account he also said it was a track he didn't know, but really, how recessed can the Stealth mids can sound? Rögnir, yes, absolutely but this?

I thought the ÆON Open had recessed mids when I auditioned it at a store, but not the Stealth.

One thing that might explain the vastly different accounts is varying levels of burn in. There's no point in judging this headphone if it doesn't have some 200h on its back first. It started out bright and fatiguing for me.

The other is component matching, some of its qualities, like the sound stage, don't come out well or at all with some gear, though ironically the sound stage seems to be one of the least contested aspects of it.

However, the same parts of a song that give a nice sense of space with the HPA-1 somehow can make it sound harsh on the Aries, with the Yggdrasil OG and the single ended outs. Balanced into the Aries makes it sound much closer to the HPA-1, very pleasant, but still without a real sense of depth.

 

[jlbrach]

everyone listens with different ears and different equipment...makes it tough to pass judgment on individual opinions

 

[Ciggavelli]

I haven’t heard the Stealths, though I’m curious.

If the Stealths are as transparent as the measurements are saying, the differences in the mids are likely due to dacs and amps.

It’s like the HD800s that sound different with tube amps as opposed to solid state ones.