[frost15]

@Semper HiFi They are all sleeping on the Kennerton Gjallarhorn JMs. HUGE metal fan here and I have in this site one of the reviews for those headphones. They are my favorite headphones ever (any price range). Closed back's that sound more open and spacious than most open designs. If you like big festival/studio sound these are simply unbeatable, and judging by the bands you posted we share a lot of taste dude (I also LOVE A Forest of Stars, Gojira, Tool, Opeth, etc...). Trust me when I tell you these headphones will blow your mind. They are anything but boring. Read my review for more details because there are certain things that should be made before testing them.

 

[SubaruSumeragi]

@Semper HiFi They are all sleeping on the Kennerton Gjallarhorn JMs. HUGE metal fan here and I have in this site one of the reviews for those headphones. They are my favorite headphones ever (any price range). Closed back's that sound more open and spacious than most open designs. If you like big festival/studio sound these are simply unbeatable, and judging by the bands you posted we share a lot of taste dude (I also LOVE A Forest of Stars, Gojira, Tool, Opeth, etc...). Trust me when I tell you these headphones will blow your mind. They are anything but boring. Read my review for more details because there are certain things that should be made before testing them.

Can you elaborate on that please?
I can't get a hold of them to try them out here in Germany.. They sound great on paper but I'm hesitant to spend like 1300€ on a pair I can't check out before and can't return.

I listen mostly to thrash and death but also the symphonic side of black and power metal.

For reference is love my Magister pro from kennerton and the focal elex for power metal.
Also the HD25 are a huge favorite of mine.

Thanks a lot

 

[frost15]

Can you elaborate on that please?
I can't get a hold of them to try them out here in Germany.. They sound great on paper but I'm hesitant to spend like 1300€ on a pair I can't check out before and can't return.

I listen mostly to thrash and death but also the symphonic side of black and power metal.

For reference is love my Magister pro from kennerton and the focal elex for power metal.
Also the HD25 are a huge favorite of mine.

Thanks a lot

I think it's best if you read my review, I have all the details there. I've had them for over a year now and I'm not looking for anything anymore. I have settled with these until they break. I'll tell you this, for symphonic and atmospheric recordings (or music intended to be played in big theaters and chambers) these headphones are the best closed back's for me, second to none. Music like SepticFlesh, Epica, Powerwolf with lots of symphonic arrangements is a delight. Given the atmospheric nature of Tool's music these hedaphones make you transcend. Sounds come from everywhere detailed and pinpoint accurate. For aggressiveness it's another story because their sound signature may not be for everyone's tastes (I insist on reading my review to understand what I mean with this), but I'll tell you this, once you get accustomed to their sound signature there is simply no way back. I can't put almost any other headphones now haha

 

[SubaruSumeragi]

I think it's best if you read my review, I have all the details there. I've had them for over a year now and I'm not looking for anything anymore. I have settled with these until they break. I'll tell you this, for symphonic and atmospheric recordings (or music intended to be played in big theaters and chambers) these headphones are the best closed back's for me, second to none. Music like SepticFlesh, Epica, Powerwolf with lots of symphonic arrangements is a delight. Given the atmospheric nature of Tool's music these hedaphones make you transcend. Sounds come from everywhere detailed and pinpoint accurate. For aggressiveness it's another story because their sound signature may not be for everyone's tastes (I insist on reading my review to understand what I mean with this), but I'll tell you this, once you get accustomed to their sound signature there is simply no way back. I can't put almost any other headphones now haha

Thanks a lot man I'll check out your review

 

[Dawgfish]

Hey all,

Wondering what you would recommend for a closed back headphone in the $500-$1000 range. It would be paired with my Schiit Bifrost and Lyr 3. Closed back is a must so I can listen while studying late at night.

My only experience with high-end headphones are the ZMF Atticus which I have and am real happy with. I need to send them back to get a driver repaired and am thinking maybe I want to try something different. I have the Meze 99 Classics too which I only use for portable listening. They are nice but don't really compare to the Atticus.

I listen many kinds of metal, particularly Death (the more melodic stuff), Doom, Gothic, Symphonic, Avant-Garde, and some Progressive. Some of my favorite bands are Opeth, Agalloch, Katatonia, Gojira, Novembre, Hamferd/Iotunn, Tool, Megadeth, Arcturus, A Forest of Stars, Ayreon, Thy Catafalque, Ulver, the list goes on....

I would love to try a planar magnetic but the options are limited for closed back. Also important is that they comfortable and non-fatiguing for longer listening sessions.

Thoughts?

You also might want to consider either the DCA Aeon 2 Closed or Noir. Both are excellent matches with the Lyr and have great sound/comfort/build quality. They would be at the top of my list based on what you described you were looking for.

 

[Semper HiFi]

Alright, currently on the list are:

Audeze LCD-2 Closed
Dan Clark Aeon 2 Closed
Dan Clark Aeon Noire
Kennerton Magni
Kennerton Gjallarhorn

@frost15 Read and enjoyed your review on the Gjallarhorns. They sound pretty fantastic! Have you also tried the Magni by any chance? The Gjallerhorns are a little out of my price range unless I can find one on the marketplace.

 

[arielext]

Alright, currently on the list are:

Audeze LCD-2 Closed
Dan Clark Aeon 2 Closed
Dan Clark Aeon Noire
Kennerton Magni
Kennerton Gjallarhorn

@frost15 Read and enjoyed your review on the Gjallarhorns. They sound pretty fantastic! Have you also tried the Magni by any chance? The Gjallerhorns are a little out of my price range unless I can find one on the marketplace.

LSA HP-2 Ultra is the same as the Gjallarhorn. Should be even more cost friendly for an American since those are sent from the US instead of Russia.

 

[Semper HiFi]

LSA HP-2 Ultra is the same as the Gjallarhorn. Should be even more cost friendly for an American since those are sent from the US instead of Russia.

Thanks for pointing that out. I did a little preliminary reading and found a few comparisons. While on paper they seem like they should be the same if they do indeed have the same driver, the reviewers favored the Gjallarhorns slightly. Perhaps the execution of the driver and the design of the cups is to credit. Either way, that's a substantial cost savings at $849 vs $1,257 with the current exchange.

 

[Frisker76]

Binge, great essay on metal/headphones listening! I think it clearly demonstrate issues that present and NOT present in my headphones/metal effort. I’ll try to clear why It’s done this way.

First of all, I am much more music listening enthusiast, than gear/headphones enthusiast. So I am most of all interested in this research in “ethereal substances”, not hard scientific facts. Actually there are already lots of reviews on headphones technical characteristics and I have no plans to create one more. My effort is focused on 1) emotion transition and endorphins generation for headphone/metal subgenre and 2) synthesis of results in concise way. Alas, by definition, point 1 results are deeply subjective, personal and not always strictly connected to headphones technical excellence, so I am using expressionistic terms instead of something technical. (Actually I use very similar language in my wine tasting notes, for me there is a lot of parallels in wine and headphones tasting))). If anything in my notes is really “pretentious” in a bad way, please let me know (may be in a PM), I’ll try to correct it, I am not native English speaking person after all.

As a next step on point 2 I’m planning to make brief summary on every headphone under consideration and I’ll try to be bit a more objective. Anyway, table with results is designed to be used as reference, as start point for new headphones search and as intellectual provocation for discussions like this one ))

Thank you for the great post

 

[frost15]

Thanks for pointing that out. I did a little preliminary reading and found a few comparisons. While on paper they seem like they should be the same if they do indeed have the same driver, the reviewers favored the Gjallarhorns slightly. Perhaps the execution of the driver and the design of the cups is to credit. Either way, that's a substantial cost savings at $849 vs $1,257 with the current exchange.

Be careful though. The stock Gjallarhorn ARE NOT the same as the Gjallarhorn JM Edition. John Massaria (a headfi user) modified the stock unit and made it sound way better. Kennerton liked it so much they released the modified version profesionally. I haven't tested the Magni but I did hear they sound great.

 

[arielext]

I had the HP-2 and sold them to someone who heard both the Gjallarhorn JM and HP-2 and he confirmed: not exactly the same.
I preferred the Magni myself compared to the HP-2. None of both are super-duper at passive noise isolation or anti-leak.

As for a closed back for metal? Focals offerings are worth the consideration as well.

 

[Semper HiFi]

As for a closed back for metal? Focals offerings are worth the consideration as well.

Would you be referring to the Focal Celestee? Can't say I have ever heard anything about this one.

 

[arielext]

Would you be referring to the Focal Celestee? Can't say I have ever heard anything about this one.

I got a celestee myself and quite happy with it. It is direct and demands attention. Bass and mids are it's stronger points. Treble and space not so.
I compared it directly to the Kennerton Magni and æon 2 noire and out of those 3 it's my fav. for energetic music/listening. It's not the best match for all-day listening, but which Focal is?

 

[firesign]

I got a celestee myself and quite happy with it. It is direct and demands attention. Bass and mids are it's stronger points. Treble and space not so.
I compared it directly to the Kennerton Magni and æon 2 noire and out of those 3 it's my fav. for energetic music/listening. It's not the best match for all-day listening, but which Focal is?

I can use my Focal Clear all day without problems…

 

[Semper HiFi]

Do folks have any thoughts on planar magnetic drivers vs dynamic drivers for listening to metal? I don't know much about planar headphones and have never listened to one before. Is it possible to make any generalizations or is it entirely dependent on the individual application of the driver?