JM Audio Editions XTC Headphones

[Audiophile03]

Ok now I have to say something,

So a brief backstory, I had spent my younger years building up an awesome home theater Soundsystem only to loose the ability to enjoy it after having kids and both my wife and I working from home. I need to get lost in music in order to function for my desk job. I would say I had decent headphones from BW and Audeze Mobius ( terrible Build had to be sent back for new parts every year ) and LCD2 ( ear pads kept falling off ). I thought they sounded alright but always leaned on my speakers for good sound I believed that I wouldn't ever be able to get the same enjoyment out of headphones ( Musically wise ) that I could out of my BW800s. A buddy of mine who works in the audio industry told me about Johns headphones and that I should trust him and take a leap of faith that I would end up getting lost into the world of Headphones after getting XTC2.5 built by John. So I ordered them and waited for the customization to begin. Let me just say this is something that impressed me the most, being able to customize my headphones the way I wanted make them 100% unique. No one else has them unlike the mass market variations. The build quality is superb they are solid but not heavy. I dont have to tell yall this because you all have them but im still going to rant on anyways.

Now this brings me to the most important part of my rant. The communication with John about my setup and recommendations is something that has proved to be to me the crowning jewel of the whole JM Audio Edition experience. This also ties be back around to by setup. I was thinking well if these are supposed to be as amazing as they have been hyped up to be by my friend then I'm going to need to sink some serious money into and DAC and AMP to drive these bad boys. Through my conversations with John he surprised the hell out of me by telling me to stop thinking of spending crazy $$$$ to get lost in music. If i was going to be disecting and creating music for a job sure if I wanted to enjoy and get lost, umm no. So he pointed me to this big setup killer the Woo Mini Tube + Power base. While not "cheap" ....... What folks. I got my box I plugged them in and couldnt believe what was being poured into my ears.

The sounds out of the headphones is incredible, the detail and the balance is superb. While i might not get they full body music impact of my big speakers, yall i dont long for them anymore. Eargasms galore I couldn't believe the quality of sound coming from such a small device, when I have gone and sunk a ton of money to drive my BW 800s.

Folks this is the American Dream right here. These are made by hand. The advice and the quality of service that he offers is not seen much if at all these days. Its good to see this has not been lost to time. Ill be honest I'm interested in what else he has to offer.

These are amazing... Keep it up John.

Question for this community: These are amazing and apparently easy to drive at 32 ohms. What would be the differences between these and the harder to drive drivers in the 300ohm range.

Those things are gorgeous! Congrats and enjoy those beauties. My XTC2.5s have sounded amazing with a multitude of different amplifiers but IMO, I love them best with tubes.

 

[rlawry]

Agreed with the above. I have yet to hear a headphone that doesn't benefit in most ways from a tube amp no matter the tube used, including the JMAE XTC-C 2.5.

That said, I did once have a pair of Kennerton Gjallarhorn GH50 JM Edition V2 that with my previous Quicksilver Headphone Amp and RFT EL84 output tubes and Raytheon 1950s D-getter 7729 input tubes, there was just too much of a good thing. I found the bass, warmth, and darkness excessive to the point where IMO it no longer sounded like live music. I no longer have that issue with my Ampsansound Forge amp and NOS tubes.

 

[filadfx]

What tuning did you get?

Bliss


Ok so heres another question for this community. Please forgive my lack of knowledge in the headphone world but with how incredible these sounds I believe I have a new addiction.

1. These XTC 2.5 are 32 ohm ... what would be difference If i got a higher ohm headphone from John like a 300 ohm or 500ohm?

2. He mentioned to me that I wouldn't be able to beat the woo mini tub with power base ( I love it and am curious about adding a full tube amp to my setup ) unless I sunk 3k plus in a tube amp from Cayin. I have looked at the HA-6A and the 300MK2 and the Woo Audio WA5-LE, WA6, WA22. Any thoughts?

 

[rlawry]

I believe that higher impedance headphones have some plusses and minuses as compared to lower impedance designs.

Plusses: higher damping factor of the headphone drivers leading to better bass control and lower total harmonic and intermodulation distortion. Also, they are better candidates for Output Transformerless (OTL) amplifiers.

Minuses: More difficult for amps to drive and wimpy amps not need apply.

For amps, I would also recommend any of the Ampsandsound amps. I have a Forge and it is the best headphone amp I have heard.

 

[filadfx]

I believe that higher impedance headphones have some plusses and minuses as compared to lower impedance designs.

Plusses: higher damping factor of the headphone drivers leading to better bass control and lower total harmonic and intermodulation distortion. Also, they are better candidates for Output Transformerless (OTL) amplifiers.

Minuses: More difficult for amps to drive and wimpy amps not need apply.

For amps, I would also recommend any of the Ampsandsound amps. I have a Forge and it is the best headphone amp I have heard.

Which Ampsandsound? , Oh nice I saw those but didnt look to much into them. Im looking at the Kenzie OG or the Mogway SE. Do you have any thoughts on either one of those?

 

[rlawry]

Which Ampsandsound? , Oh nice I saw those but didnt look to much into them. Im looking at the Kenzie OG or the Mogway SE. Do you have any thoughts on either one of those?

The Kenzie, either OG or current one, uses a 1626 triode and outputs about 0.5W into 32 ohms and much less into 300 ohms (maybe 50mW or so), so you will need some relatively sensitive headphones, which the 32 and 64 ohm JMAE models are. It would probably struggle to drive a 300 ohm headphone to loud levels but with one of the sensitive JMAE models it might have enough power.

The Mogwai is pretty much an upgraded Forge and the main differences are about twice the power output (8W versus 4.5W into 32 ohms) and the use of a tube rectifier versus a solid-state one in the Forge.

I have never heard either of these but there are quite a few positive reviews on Head-Fi and elsewhere online.

 

[dj2thirteen]

Just recently got my hands on the XTC Carbon editions!

Got the "Light Bliss" edition as I was looking for something a bit more neutral sounding for mixing/monitoring purposes.

Originally was planning on grabbing the NRG but from my understanding it was more in the opposite direction and more fun sounding, one day hopefully.

Expect to do a review at some point in the future (with comparions my XTC 1.0 and possibly one other headphone) but in the meantime a few quick photos included.

 

[UberHaxorMarty]

I have a Carbon Universe too, and a XTC2 will arrive today as well. I think the one I have is a darker tuning since the frequency response seems to be from largest to smallest bass - mids - treble. Has a slight echo/decay that reminds me of the 8XX (which on mine I removed stickers and residue on driver so it's a 800S practically). I didn't do any proper testing, but if anyone has questions I can also help with answering them (I'll post pics later today I think)

 

[dj2thirteen]

I have a Carbon Universe too, and a XTC2 will arrive today as well. I think the one I have is a darker tuning since the frequency response seems to be from largest to smallest bass - mids - treble. Has a slight echo/decay that reminds me of the 8XX (which on mine I removed stickers and residue on driver so it's a 800S practically). I didn't do any proper testing, but if anyone has questions I can also help with answering them (I'll post pics later today I think)

I'd assume that would be the "Heavy Bliss" then since he only offers different "Bliss" (Light, Regular and Heavy) tunings for the Carbon from what John mentioned. The Bass is def lighter on mine at least compared to my 1.0 mids stand out more for vocals and the highs seem to vary but haven't done any indepth listening/comparisons as of yet.

 

[UberHaxorMarty]

Here's a pic I'll post others later today

 

[FuerstRalph]

OK, so I promised to give my take on the JM Audio Editions XTC-Closed headphones that I recently bought new from JMAE, pictures of which are in post #1 above.

Having never heard any of the various JMAE headphones listed on the www.jmaudioeditions.com website but having previous dealings with the owner, John Massaria, the "JM" in the company name, I contacted John and asked if he had any recommendations in his line for my favorite headphone sound. I have owned a number of headphones in the past and still have a working pair of Stanton Dynaphase 60 phones that I bought new in 1975 and have survived numerous moves around the country. Obviously headphone, and audio, technology has evolved over the ensuing 47 years, and I now own the phones listed below in my signature. I would term my favorite headphone sound as fast, detailed, transparent, and spacious. Generally if you get that type of sound you don't get a lot of warmth, midrange body, and bass weight and dynamics. The RAAL SR-1b and Kennerton Rognir Planar phones I own are proof of that postulation. So I told John that I wanted it all, the above characteristics but more bass to underpin certain types of music such as all types of rock and fusion jazz music. Still, I am willing to give up warmth and bass to get the speed, detail, transparency, and spaciousness that I so desire. So John sent me a pair of the larger-cupped, black automotive painted, beryllium driver phones shown in the pictures and described them as "nearly scapel" versions. He also employs the use of fractal mesh and perforated carbon fabrics to improve spaciousness. The important thing is that John has a real ear for music and headphone technology and sound and can custom produce phones that move the sound in the direction desired by customers.

The phones arrived in a cardboard box encasing a bombproof thick plastic case designed to withstand a nuclear holocaust, the ones I refer to Zero cases. Inside were the phones, an information card, and a nice, flexible braided OFC copper cable with fabric jacketing. The cable connectors are twin 3.5mm TRS male plugs for the headphone connections and a 4 pin XLR cable for my Benchmark HPA4 amp. And let me tell you, these phones are gorgeous with the black automotive paint like that used on luxury cars. In fact, I polished them up, not that they needed it, with some carnauba wax I had in the garage. Or maybe I should have used headphonenauba wax. Anyway, I feel the need to bring the phones in every 5000 miles for oil change and tire rotation. Terrible jokes aside, I hooked the phone up to my amp and played a variety of music, from Thelonious Monk's 1957 album Monk's Music, to Mark Knopfler's El Macho, to the China Crisis Autumn In the Neighborhood album, to Steely Dan's Everything Must Go.

My initial impressions were of a great sound, a nice mix of extended and dynamic bass, a full and vivid midrange with lots of body, and a clear and detailed treble. John mentioned that the small oval ports on the top of the earcups can be tuned by placing tape over part or all of the port. I used some black electrical tape that is normally hidden by the gimbals during use, starting first with no tape where the bass was a little heavy for my tastes, then to fully covered which reduced the bass significantly, then to the Goldilocks version by covering half the port that was just right, the best combination of bass and midrange, i.e. it tipped up the frequency balance. Dynamic range is great with these phones, detail is nice, they are quite spacious for closed-back phones, and there is good liquidity in the robust midrange.

So in comparison with my other phones (see my signature), the JM Audio Editions XTC-C phones are quite different th.an my other TOTL phones, the Kennerton Rognir Planar and RAAL SR-1b. No, the XTC-C does not have the speed and detail of ribbon drivers nor quite the spaciouness, with the sound in a smaller space around your head. These phones are more up-front and robust, kind of what a tube amp does to the sound. They are closer in sound to the planar magnetic Rognir Planars with a similar-sized soundstage with images easy to pick out. But the bass of the XTC-C is something else. The RAALs are certainly not known for the bass weight and dynamics and are eclipsed by the XTC-C, as is the midrange body and warmth. The Rognir Planar can have great bass on the right recordings but the XTC-C has bass to die for if that is your desired sound. I had a great time listening to the bass on Mark Knopfler's El Macho, one of my favorite songs. So as in most, if not all, cases, your choice of phones will somewhat dictate what type of recording you reach for, and I would say that if you like your music underpinned by a bass foundation, the XTC-C is your guy. Not to mention that they are not that much of a compromise in the spaciousness and detail departments.

I forgot to mention fit and finish. I was surprised at how light these phones are and the size can easily be adjusted using the stepped rods. Clamp was perfect for my slightly-smaller-than-normal head (my wife sometimes calls me a "pinhead" and not sure if that is a compliment or not). The earcups are large enough to envelop my ears fully and they do not touch the drivers.

I would conclude by saying that I am pleased as punch with these phones and they rate right at the top of any closed-back phones I have owned including the Kennerton Rognir Planars and Gjallarhorn GH50 JM Edition Mark 2. I am going to hold off on discussing pricing of these phones as I think John is still trying to determine long-term pricing but at any reasonable price I would consider them a steal.

Man that was a great write-up
Sounds like JM Audio really nailed it with the XTC-C
Love hearing how you tuned the ports to find that sweet spot too
Kinda makes me want to grab a pair just for that bass and midrange body you talked about

 

[DennisKaufmann11]

John's work is seriously next level

 

[UberHaxorMarty]

Some more pics attached as promised

 

[andrewchoppa]

Just recently got my hands on the XTC Carbon editions!

Got the "Light Bliss" edition as I was looking for something a bit more neutral sounding for mixing/monitoring purposes.

Originally was planning on grabbing the NRG but from my understanding it was more in the opposite direction and more fun sounding, one day hopefully.

Expect to do a review at some point in the future (with comparions my XTC 1.0 and possibly one other headphone) but in the meantime a few quick photos included.

Stunning!!!!!!! Enjoy mate!!!!!

 

[UberHaxorMarty]

Did anyone else pick up the handmade stabilized wood stands?