I guess I got lucky. When I bought the Symphonized Wraith, I was expecting the highs to roll-off. After listening to them with many other headphones owned here, my Wraith do not roll-off, and are contrary to some reviews read. However, the reviews reporting roll-off were different wood types. The websites such as from LSTN formerly, which took down their frequency response graphs, and Fischer Audio which has them up currently concur with Lawton Audio about how the various woods types really do affect the frequency response range. This was expected for me, as is the case for musical instruments also. My Cherry-wood Wraith have no roll-off at all. Some of the reviews discuss the difference in response, particular to wood types & how they affect the lows-mids-highs for this teardrop-shape model...ex: I avoided Zebrawood as lows were reviewed poorly just for that type wood in this headphone model. Seems lows and highs were the most affected based on wood types, mids were more consistent...some response graphs were very linear for some woods, other woods had either U-shaped graphs, or high roll-off.
Different woods can reinforce certain frequencies to slightly attenuate them (especially in bass registers for headphones) - I knew Cherry has less tendency to high roll-off, or, a bit more reinforcement of high frequencies than some other woods. For musical instruments - sometimes woods are combined (multi wood hybrid designs) to exactly bring out the lows better with 1 type wood, mids with another wood, and highs with even another different wood. This is currently where many manufacturers are doing research & now marketting these hybrid-wood or multi-wood instruments. For headphones, some real soft woods emphasis low bass tones - some too muddy if overdone; and some hard, highly reflective woods emphasize high frequencies well. Some wood types (possibly Sapele) are closer to full range linearity. Kennerton Audio & Lawton Audio sites have fairly comprehensive descriptions about many different tone-wood types and their signature sounds.
One thing we know is any two pair of the exact same wood-type exact model headphones can sound differently, based on the wood itself. Just like a fine wood instrument, nature takes it's course in all the parameters of the actual wood - density, porosity, grain, torsional strength, reflective properties, hardness, age, conditons stored, soil grown in, etc...differences are seen around the globe from soils grown in and climates too, for same type woods. High variability, just like wood musical instruments, albeit headphones have a smaller surface area. One tree can be much different than the same type tree grown right next to it. At times, a different part of the same tree's wood may sound really different than the rest of the tree. Even Sony's research on this led them to use quality-controlled wood-resin composites (wood powdered & mixed with resin) to achieve better quality control and some uniformity in sound, seen in their testing.
I believe the teardrop esmooth OEM'd headphones are better than the Griffin mentioned, mostly because the Griffin's bass is not as tight or clean at higher volumes, where the Wraith is better; but, have not burned-in either pair yet - they should both get even better with use. At either $40 to $60 or $65, either are worth it in value. Some of the badges branding these teardrop-shaped cans are - Symphonized, Tribeca, LSTN, Fischer Audio, Optionz, Auvio, among some others. Radio Shack (Auvio line) also has a free Auvio EQ App to customize your EQ settings.
The various woods seen in the teardrop-shape headphone are Cherry, Rosewood, Bubinga, Beech, Light Walnut, Dark Walnut, Zebrawood, Ebony, Maple, Bamboo, Litichi, Green Sandalwood, and other requested woods from rebadgers at any particular time & with wood availabilty. Some have thought the wood design is related to non-wood SkullCandy Aviators, but others say the headphone types are much different, especially soundwise. Many prefer the eSmooth sound, based on reviews. I really like both the Griffin Woodtones and moreso the Symphonized Wraith, plus I found same as others did, for both impedence and sonics - they sound great with the computer/DAC, and then open up even finer with hifi gear.
On a parallel, unrelated to OP note, my HiFiMan HE-300 (dynamic) were totally disappointing out of the box due to real severe high frequency deficit per db. But, I have not yet done the simple HeadFi mod which most are saying really corrects this problem to where they are really fine, eliminating the problem. Just a simple foam tweek only. Decided to run them a lot to burn-in before undertaking mod; only halfway on hours so far. I don't like any high frequency deficits or roll-off, unless fixed with EQ easily, so eager to mess with the HE300 to remedy it & get closer to a linear presentation.
Depending on available materials, it makes us wonder, too, if OEM makers sometimes change materials based on either a promised-price point per vendor & rebadger contracts, where some require finer materials than others for sound goal, or others cheaper materials to satisfy an agreed lesser contract price based purely only on financial concerns. The OEM'er's do change things, just as eSmooth informed me they went single L-side ear cable per Griffin's specific request, rather than the usual 2 sided cable. Interesting, at least.
