[TheMiddleSky]

Initial impression with Heddphone 2 (just around 3 hours of listening time):
- Definitely at neutral side of character. Not bright like Hifiman Arya, and not dark like LCD-2. It's just something in the middle.
- A bit remind me of Audeze MM-500 in character, there is a hint of forwardness in Midrange, but not as forwad as MM-500. Hedd 2 has advantages in airiness, detail, and soundstage though.

- Clear, transparent, rich of detail (truly surprised me for the price), great separation of instrument
- There no sharpness or extra "aggressive" character on treble. It's just liquid and clean.

- Bass, well, not a basshead headphone. However, as Elite and Caldera owner I don't think Hedd V2 lack of bass at all. A bit similar quantity as Caldera (Standard Pad) only one notch less, however Hedd V2 has more sparkle on treble than Caldera. Overall it's less warm than Caldera, but still warmer than any Hifiman Headphones in general (HE1000 and Arya series)

- Vocal is remain natural and accurate all the time. No extra mellow or sweet character. Being "transparent" in such nice way, some of sweet sounding recording from my mandarin songs remain sweet, but when I switched to rock songs the sweetness disappear.

- It's a smooth sounding headphone, but also accurate and revealing, so less forgiving character with bad recordings.
- With good recording songs, the treble performance is truly superb!

 

[rsbrsvp]

Initial impression with Heddphone 2 (just around 3 hours of listening time):
- Definitely at neutral side of character. Not bright like Hifiman Arya, and not dark like LCD-2. It's just something in the middle.
- A bit remind me of Audeze MM-500 in character, there is a hint of forwardness in Midrange, but not as forwad as MM-500. Hedd 2 has advantages in airiness, detail, and soundstage though.

- Clear, transparent, rich of detail (truly surprised me for the price), great separation of instrument
- There no sharpness or extra "aggressive" character on treble. It's just liquid and clean.

- Bass, well, not a basshead headphone. However, as Elite and Caldera owner I don't think Hedd V2 lack of bass at all. A bit similar quantity as Caldera (Standard Pad) only one notch less, however Hedd V2 has more sparkle on treble than Caldera. Overall it's less warm than Caldera, but still warmer than any Hifiman Headphones in general (HE1000 and Arya series)

- Vocal is remain natural and accurate all the time. No extra mellow or sweet character. Being "transparent" in such nice way, some of sweet sounding recording from my mandarin songs remain sweet, but when I switched to rock songs the sweetness disappear.

- It's a smooth sounding headphone, but also accurate and revealing, so less forgiving character with bad recordings.
- With good recording songs, the treble performance is truly superb!

Would you describe it as "lush" or "full bodied"? Would you describe the tonality similar to the DCA Expanse? I consider it kind of in the middle between thin and weighty...

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Would you describe it as "lush" or "full bodied"? Would you describe the tonality similar to the DCA Expanse? I consider it kind of in the middle between thin and weighty...

Full Body? Yes. Lush? Nope. It is not a "creamy" headphone like Audeze LCD3 / LCD4.

I hasn't compared Hedd V2 and Expanse side by side, so will comment more about that later.

As far as my memory served, both headphone focus on being linear/neutral, minim of coloration, but Hedd provide airier and wider soundstage, while Expanse projecting pin point imaging even more accurate then Hedd V2 (that already excellent). Both headphones also not a "crazy powerful" in term of attack of notes (bite and impact), but Hedd still deliver stronger attack than Expanse, but not up to Focal/Abyss level.

 

[rsbrsvp]

Full Body? Yes. Lush? Nope. It is not a "creamy" headphone like Audeze LCD3 / LCD4.

I hasn't compared Hedd V2 and Expanse side by side, so will comment more about that later.

As far as my memory served, both headphone focus on being linear/neutral, minim of coloration, but Hedd provide airier and wider soundstage, while Expanse projecting pin point imaging even more accurate then Hedd V2 (that already excellent). Both headphones also not a "crazy powerful" in term of attack of notes (bite and impact), but Hedd still deliver stronger attack than Expanse, but not up to Focal/Abyss level.

Well you have answered many questions for me. The Expanse has plenty of attack when powered by a super powerful amplifier- and pleanty of weight when used with a tube pre-amp. like I have.--- So the Hedd will make the cut....

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Well you have answered many questions for me. The Expanse has plenty of attack when powered by a super powerful amplifier- and pleanty of weight when used with a tube pre-amp. like I have.--- So the Hedd will make the cut....

Yeah synergy with system is quite important. What's your favourite amp to drive Expanse? I use tube amps, it works like a charm with Hedd V2. However, I haven't tried to plug the Hedd V2 directly to my Chord TT2.

Expanse, along with Elite, being the most comfortable headphones in the current market (for my head). At first I thought Hedd V2 was a bit "awkward" on my head, but surprisingly after 3 hours of use, my head still felt comfortable. Perhaps I just need more time to get used to the headband fitting.

 

[rsbrsvp]

I hava a Mass Kobo 394II with a Audio-gd tube HE-1 preamp. Stunning power, transparency, and due to the preamp- darker, fuller thicker sound with tube sparkel.

 

[rsbrsvp]

I had a CFA-3 for around a year- and it drove the Expanse quite well. SImilar level of control, attack, speed as the Mass Kobo-- but the Mass Kobo has more flavour, more heft, more transparency.

Honestly, after close to 20 years of experimenting- my ears like either tube preamp and SS amp, or tube amp with no preamp.. Solid state amp with no tube preamp or no tube dac is just to dry for me- no matter how highly rated.. I need tubes in there somewhere..... I just need more tonal color and saturation to satisfy my ears.

 

[Christer]

Initial impression with Heddphone 2 (just around 3 hours of listening time):
- Definitely at neutral side of character. Not bright like Hifiman Arya, and not dark like LCD-2. It's just something in the middle.
- A bit remind me of Audeze MM-500 in character, there is a hint of forwardness in Midrange, but not as forwad as MM-500. Hedd 2 has advantages in airiness, detail, and soundstage though.

- Clear, transparent, rich of detail (truly surprised me for the price), great separation of instrument
- There no sharpness or extra "aggressive" character on treble. It's just liquid and clean.

- Bass, well, not a basshead headphone. However, as Elite and Caldera owner I don't think Hedd V2 lack of bass at all. A bit similar quantity as Caldera (Standard Pad) only one notch less, however Hedd V2 has more sparkle on treble than Caldera. Overall it's less warm than Caldera, but still warmer than any Hifiman Headphones in general (HE1000 and Arya series)

- Vocal is remain natural and accurate all the time. No extra mellow or sweet character. Being "transparent" in such nice way, some of sweet sounding recording from my mandarin songs remain sweet, but when I switched to rock songs the sweetness disappear.

- It's a smooth sounding headphone, but also accurate and revealing, so less forgiving character with bad recordings.
- With good recording songs, the treble performance is truly superb!

Hello would you know if there is anyone more than Zeppelin in Singapore that sells Heddphone V2?

 

[listen4joy]

Z Review

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Great engineering may come with cool looking design as well. Love how they choose to put a solid black colour for almost all area on hedd v2.

Addiitonal notes:
- Now I'm sure that Hedd V2 passed my test as become a comfortable headphone.
- Treble quality is just... insane, very fluid, fast, yet also liquid smooth, not harshness to be found
- It's indeed a revealing headphone, to make it shine a good recoding quality is a must. Not that all bad recordings sounds bright or sharp, some of them actually sound "mute", veiled and dull as well.
- I can't think any other headphone in this price range that able to match Hedd V2 in technical (Detail, Speed, Accuracy, Separation, and Pin Point Imaging). I think the only contender is a little more expensive Raal CA-1. However, I haven't tested it yet, and Raal still need extra "converter" to work with (another additional cost).

Hello would you know if there is anyone more than Zeppelin in Singapore that sells Heddphone V2?

As far as I know, Kristy (Zepp) is the only dealer in Singapore.

 

[rsbrsvp]

@TheMiddleSky ,

Is the Elite thicker sounding and punchier than the HeDD two or vice versa?

My guess- is the Hedd is more revealing but the Elite more musical, thicker, more mellow. Please chip in....... and help explain the differences..

 

[TheMiddleSky]

@TheMiddleSky ,

Is the Elite thicker sounding and punchier than the HeDD two or vice versa?

My guess- is the Hedd is more revealing but the Elite more musical, thicker, more mellow. Please chip in....... and help explain the differences..

Elite has even bigger bass than Caldera. Caldera has more bass than Hedd V2. DCA Expanse has less bass than Hedd V2.

Correct, Hedd V2 is more as revealing character, Elite is more forgiving and mellow.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Elite has even bigger bass than Caldera. Caldera has more bass than Hedd V2. DCA Expanse has less bass than Hedd V2.

Correct, Hedd V2 is more as revealing character, Elite is more forgiving and mellow.

That is an oxymoron.
Expanse has more Bass than Elite (objective proof in measurements, this is no opinion)
it can't have less bass than the Heddphone V2 while the Elite has more.

 

[rsbrsvp]

That is an oxymoron.
Expanse has more Bass than Elite (objective proof in measurements, this is no opinion)
it can't have less bass than the Heddphone V2 while the Elite has more.

I think you misunderstood this. It makes sense to me..

 

[rsbrsvp]

Is Caldera more mellow than Hedd V2?