[Citizen13469]

Initial impressions...
 
I got a pair of Lola's today and a pair of PSB M4U 2's yesterday. I'd say they sound not much alike. So far I think the PSB has a more refined sound and is more revealing. The PSB do sound a little sluggish to me though (room feel?). I could see how someone might call the Lola's "fun".
 
I brought the PSB along with Fiio X3 and Mont Blanc e12a to GC and listened to both headphones side by side for about 40 minutes. In the noisy store environment the e12a drove both units well enough and of course the PSB has a built in amp and noise cancellation. When using the NC the PSB slayed the Lola. Even though sound quality is not that great on the PSB with NC on, in the noisy environment it still sounded like the more refined headphone.
 
So, I bought the Lola's to try in a better environment to make up my mind. At home, running thru e12a or Schiit Asgard 2 / Music Streamer II from mac the PSB still seems more refined and accurate, but more sluggish in some weird way that I can't figure out. The Lola is more "immediate" but the mids sound totally different from the PSB and not quite accurate in the mix to my ears. The Lola also seems more rolled off on the top end.
 
Comfort on the Lola is very good. I don't notice the weight at all and I'm super impressed with the fit. i think they look pretty cool as well I'm not sure I could say which of the two is "better". I think it's what you want at that moment..the PSB is more refined all the way across the spectrum and sound "bigger", but they do sound a little processed. The Lola sounds more pure, but a little less even. For low lows I'd say the PSB seems to reach down lower and handle those frequencies a little better.
 
I could easily live with either of these headphones. The PSB however is more versatile with built in amp and noise cancellation. The Lola seems to have much better build quality and is fun when cranked up a bit.
 
One more note...neither sound as good as my HD650 or HE400 to my ears, but then closed vs. open etc.
 
I have very little listening time on these, so my comments are very YMMV.

 

[meringo]

Nice! Glad to see a comparison. I sold my NADs to a friend who should be back from Holiday sometime next week. We both plan on doing a direct comparison. Obviously I'll post my thoughts.
 
When I put on the Blue at first, I too noticed the treble rolloff, but I recall having the same feelings the first time I put on the NADs. To me, this is perfectly fine as I am using them for mobile. When out and about, treble on any full size headphone seems to disappear (due to external noise.) The darker signature of everything we are mentioning is great for mobile. At home though, this might bother some.

 

[Citizen13469]

  Nice! Glad to see a comparison. I sold my NADs to a friend who should be back from Holiday sometime next week. We both plan on doing a direct comparison. Obviously I'll post my thoughts.
 
When I put on the Blue at first, I too noticed the treble rolloff, but I recall having the same feelings the first time I put on the NADs. To me, this is perfectly fine as I am using them for mobile. When out and about, treble on any full size headphone seems to disappear (due to external noise.) The darker signature of everything we are mentioning is great for mobile. At home though, this might bother some.

Totally agree on the point about treble while out and about. For sure the sound sig needed when in a noisy environment is totally different than when in the perfect one...something I learned works for me over time.

 

[Citizen13469]

UPDATE: DAY TWO
Took a short walk around the neighborhood and down to a local shopping center this morning. Brought along the PSB's and the Lola's. First thing that struck me is the Lola's had NO microphonics when walking. The PSB's however I heard and felt every step I took thru the headsets. This is the same for my normal walk arounds, the Amperiors. So, blown away by how the Lola's don't transmit any steps from walking thru the headset.
 
Now having said that, the PSB's had noise cancellation turned on and I could run the listening levels much lower..and that's when every step became an intrusion into the sound. If I raised the volume slightly the problem with my steps ringing thru the headset was mostly gone.
 
Isolation on the Lola's was very good. Not as good as the PSB's with noise cancelling turned on, but very good.
 
Sound quality, I still prefer the PSB's but not by much. I would not call them better, just different and more suitable for my ears. But, I'm having issues with the PSB's which are only a day old. The battery cover is loose, and the glue sticking the metal decorative outer part to the pop in plastic battery cover is coming loose .
 
The Lola sound outdoors walking around with trucks driving by etc. is still very good. I tend to prefer to listen at lower volume levels and there was adequate passive noise attenuation that I felt I didn't have to raise the levels at all. The PSB's were still preferable but I could live with the Lola's.
 
Comfort walking around was great by the way. Weight is a non-issue for me with these.
 
That's it for now..

 

[meringo]

Reporting in, but still waiting for my friend to get back from vacation with his NADs.
 
portability: I've been using them daily on the streets of new york for a while now. Although large, they are comfortable for the commute, isolate better than anything I can remember, and really have a great sound signature for noisy environments. I commute with a bookbag, so their size doesn't bother me too much when I have to throw them in my bag. Anyone who likes to pack super light or with nothing at all will want to shy away. With that being said, aren't headphones supposed to be transported on your head?
 
Sound:
I liked them from the start, but Lola;s signature continues to grow on me. Their lack of treble sparkle is still apparent, but I'm having a hard time finding any portable headphone with the midrange strength these have. Guitars are vocals sound great. Every track. Bass is also beautifully done. It's very natural, and can dig deep without sounding artificial. I really do love the sub-bass when the track calls for it. For my intended purpose (daily commute) these are perfect.
 
Cable Noise:
Unless I touch the spot where the earcup and cable meet, I hear no cable noise. Winning.
 
Looks:
I previously mentioned strangers giving me compliments, and that has continued. I have had about 4-5 people come up to me randomly on the street and in stores complimenting the look, or asking me about where they can find them. I know it's not for everyone, but the kids seem to dig them. Not one person has given me a gross look or said otherwise.
 
Power:
Through my O2 amp at home, they sound great. Treble opens up a bit, and bass hits a little harder. Through my X3, they sound similar. When I use them with my iPhone, they still sound great... but require a bit more volume (75%.) I'd say these are highly portable and good through any source. It makes me wonder a bit why Blue didn't start with these first instead of the MiFi.

 

[Citizen13469]

As a follow up, was in Best Buy and they had the MoFi's on sale so I bought a pair of those as well expecting them to sound like the Lola's when in passive mode. This was very far from reality.
 
I've found a couple of large differences as I A/B them. The Mofi is more airy with a seemingly larger sense of space, but does not retrieve as much detail, especially in the mids as the Lola's do. I really want to like the Mofi more as the amp would be nice to have but as of now to me the Lola's provide more detail.
 
The Lola's also seem to have a tighter low end with more definition there as well.
 
Both are some of the best headphones I've ever heard in closed back.

 

[meringo]

 
I've found a couple of large differences as I A/B them. The Mofi is more airy with a seemingly larger sense of space, but does not retrieve as much detail, especially in the mids as the Lola's do. I really want to like the Mofi more as the amp would be nice to have but as of now to me the Lola's provide more detail.

 
What was the source? From what I understand, there should be no difference in passive mode. The source must have made a difference, no?

 

[Citizen13469]

   
What was the source? From what I understand, there should be no difference in passive mode. The source must have made a difference, no?

 
Ran Mofi in passive mode from Fiio x3 into Cayin C5 to headphones. Also ran Lola from Fiio X3 to Cayin C5 to headphones. There is definitely a difference. Both are very good, but different. When you turn the amp on the Mofi and run it direct from the X3 it sounds different yet again..muddier. I believe this is because the the C5 amp is just better than the one built into the Mofi.

 

[meringo]

A comparison of the HP50 and Lola:
 
Just for some insight, I was out to purchase a new closed back about last spring. I bought and sold nearly every $300ish option available at the time. I ultimately settled on the NAD HP 50, by quite a large margin. But then I had to get rid of them :-/ Despite my love for the NADs, I had to sell them to fund something else entirely. Luckily, they went to a friend. Fast forward even further, and I had some money to once again get a closed back. I went Lola, on a whim. 
 
Sound:
 
Bass - Both of us agreed that the NAD had more bass overall, but Lola had more impact and depth** but only when the music wasn't too busy. If there were a lot of instruments or voices, a lot of that went away. I noticed that an amp also kept it a bit more consistent.
Mids - Hands down, Lola was our favorite of the two. I never thought the NADs underperformed, but the Blue have a nice sweetness to the vocals, with a clear, forward signature. This may be one of Lola's best traits. The NADs are just a bit more recessed and less intimate.
Treble - NADs, although slightly rolled off, extended well with great clarity. The roll off really didn't bother me, as I wanted these to be mobile. Mobile headphones require a slightly darker signature with a bit more bass. Treble can be lost combined with external noise, so the focus usually isn't put there. Blue did the same, but with less sparkle than the NADs. They don't perform poorly, but just average. If you are a treble head, you will want to find something else.
Imaging, and Sound Stage - Again, we both firmly shared the same opinion. The soundstage is a lot wider on the NADs, with more airiness. The Blue are perfectly fine but seem more traditional. NAD's "RoomFeel" is the real deal, which puts them ahead of every closed back I've ever tried. That wasn't much of a surprise. What WAS a surprise is that we both found Lola's imaging to be a bit more realistic. Where the NADs feel like you are listening to nice stereo speakers, Lola seats you with a group of musicians. 
 
Build quality:
 
The HP50 seem sturdy enough, but the manufacturing is pretty poor. I had to exchange my first pair for unequal pressure from the headband, and had a bad cable included on the 2nd. Luckily everything was fine after that was all rectified (quickly, I will note.) I didn't have any issues with my Lola's, and the build seems far better overall. The cast aluminum parts (including the microphone) will likely last forever, the pads are comfy and isolate well, and neither of us noticed any cable noise, much unlike the NADs.
 
Overall, we couldn't really point to which is better. They both excel at slightly different things and had different issues. What I can firmly say is that both the HP50 and Lola put a spell on us while listening. They both really rock.

 

[gelocks]

Definitely an interesting set of cans.
 
First, to me (and a few others at work), they LOOK AWESOME!!!
It's like a weird mix of futuristic and retro, art deco thing they have going on which I like. Got the white version cause I have so many black ones already. It looks sharp, it calls for attention. Surprisingly, even though it is a bit heavy and clampy they don't feel bad at all. It seems like their adjustment system really works. Pads are supple and feel good but I think that big ears will have trouble here...
 
Sound... well, not sure yet. It has good sub-bass presence, good mid-bass punch (but not as much as I'd like), their mids-highs are fairly balanced but something seems to be missing... Something somewhere makes them a bit rough sounding and I'm not talking about sibilance, nor distortion. It's kind of an unnatural sound in the mid-region, kind of "reverb-y". Maybe they just aren't that resolving.  Imaging/separation is quite alright on these. Guess I'll give them my usual couple of weeks and see how it goes. Hopefully I'll have time to compare to a couple of other cans.
 
 
BTW, I do have to say, at cheaper than MSRP prices, these might be actually kind of cool/good.

 

[meringo]

   It's kind of an unnatural sound in the mid-region, kind of "reverb-y". 

 
I notice a bit of that, too. I think it has to do with how far away the drivers are from your ears. There is quite a bit of space with these pads. Luckily, I adjusted to the sound and quite like it. Despite not being my best sounding set, I still reach for them 8/10 I leave my apartment.

 

[ggibby]

My girlfriend bought me the Mo-Fis for Christmas right after debut,
and I really liked the sound,
but the weight of the headband was just stupid.
 
What are the chances of the Lola headband + Mo-Fi becoming the Mo-Fi 2.0?
 
I'd be back QUICK.
 
-G

 

[meringo]

  My girlfriend bought me the Mo-Fis for Christmas right after debut,
and I really liked the sound,
but the weight of the headband was just stupid.
 
What are the chances of the Lola headband + Mo-Fi becoming the Mo-Fi 2.0?
 
I'd be back QUICK.
 
-G

 
Why wait?
 
The Lola sound is identical, granted you are coming from a decent source. When I first bought the Lola's, I used them strictly with my Fiio X3ii, but now I usually just rock it with my iPhone 6S Plus + Spotify. Although the MoFi led people to believe they were hard to drive, they actually aren't. The added headphone amp on that was likely just a way to diversify. I really see these as gen 2 for MoFi. The fit is better, they are lighter, and have the same awesome sound.
 
I'm selling my Lola now, strictly to fund custom IEMs. It's going to be a hard cutting them loose... 

 

[ggibby]

   
Why wait?

 
You make excellent points.
I still think they should change the headband on the Mo-Fi.

Now to decide what to sell...

 

[headwhacker]

How come this headphone is not popular here? Is it because of the price? Personally, this is one of the best sounding headphones I heard no matter the price tag. Especially, for a closed back. I had the original ether C and sold it because it sounds very lean and thin no matter what I do. The DT1770 sound too muddy or bloated in comparison.

To me, the lola sounds the most natural, like listening to a very good stereo speakers setup. If you dissect the Lola's abilities it may not win a single category but collectively it excels over other headphones in terms of enjoying music for long listening hours. The bass really goes deep and accurate if not natural. No hint of bloat even at high volume level. Doesn't have much treble sparkle but still airy, crisp and clear. The mids is just as crisp, clear and blends well with the rest of the music. The stage and imaging is just right. Not artificially large nor felt closed-in. It does an excellent job conveying depth and width which give music a solid body mimicking the experience of listening to a set of speakers than a headphone.

The ear cups does exert noticeable pressure than most headphones, which may feel uncomfortable at first. But give yourself a chance to get use to it and it turn into the most comfortable headphone. Both inside and outside your house. Despite the size, this is the perfect can for me when I'm out and about.

The design looks bit weird, but after spending more time with it, I think this is a well thought and designed headphone. It may look hard at first, but when you get around the eccentric headband mechanism, it's actually very easy to put on and stays in your head no matter what you do. Also I think this was designed to fit most head shape and sizes.

Now, I am more curious with Ella.