I continue to listen to Rognir. The main conclusion for today is not too original: perhaps Rognir is the best of the closed headphones to date. And definitely - the best I've ever heard. The key point is that you can listen to them without discounts on a closed design, just like very good headphones with their own character.
Let’s compare with some other closed cans, that I had at hand:
- Sennheiser 820 - probably strongest opponent from what you compared with face to face. 820 sound signature is rather close to 800S, but, alas, unlike Rognir, there is a feeling that you are listening to closed headphones. (Nevertheless, the headphones are very good, also one of the best in a closed section).
- MrSpeakers C Flow 1.1-much more niche headphones, very calm and soft. Rognir on their background are more neutral, balanced, energetic cans.
- Denon 7000 - excellent headphones for their time, but for now - not competitors to Rognir technical level.
- Audio-technica W5000 - perfect vintage and perfectly over-colored compared to Rognir.
Let's compare it with the Kennertons neighbors, accompanying the traditional scheme:
- Thror - in my opinion, they are still the flagship in the family. Still, they are technically, albeit a little, but in almost everything better than Rognir. With the exception of perhaps one aspect - Rognir is still more involving.
- Thekk are exciting headphones, but for me they are already too much colored (or in a way that I don't understand) in comparison with Rognir (too bright, too much bass, too sweet mids). In what perhaps Thekk is still better - only the volume of the soundstage. Interestingly, the generic features of Rognir, despite all the differences in sound signature, are much more clearly felt with Thekk than with Thror.
About sound signature (with a stock balanced cable). The sound is quite neutral (goodbye, Thekk), but at the same time it is not boring, engaging. With precise, clear treble, that are not afraid to be high, but not harsh at the same time. With the middle - a little in the smooth side, perhaps, but without going over the unnatural, with an obvious analog velvet aftertaste. The bass is quite enough for itself and on electronics (including sub-bass) and on metal (with QBD76 HDSD and interconnect emphasizing the bass - can be even too much), but for extreme genres and in certain conditions of the sound tract, there may be a feeling of a lack of punch - so in general I can understand where the roots of the "energetic version" Rognir grow from. The soundstage for closed headphones is more than average, perhaps typical for open cans on average - not a stadium, but not at all chamber-ish.
Here's what I also noted an important feature. Headphones are surprisingly able to charge with positive energy. Usually listening to metal, it takes a certain brain effort to convert the black energy of music into a productive charge. Rognir does this work for you. You relax, have fun and get charged twice as effectively as a result.
Let's go through the genres, starting traditionally with metal.
Alternative. Fun, positively charged, energetically capacious. Without breaking the brain with colors. Perpetual motion machine.
Power. The cans manage to serve the frivolous easily and without excessive inappropriate irony. Careful, honest and easy presentation, like a fairy tale performed by a very good dramatic actor.
Progressive, Symphonic. The headphones have more than enough honesty and epic-ness for an excellent result. For the absolute top right here, there is almost not enough soundstage vastness, but it is very easy not to remember this, immersion in the music material - headphones gives the deepest.
Sludge, Stoner, Doom. To be honest, there were serious doubts about the ability to play with the right fat, saturation for these genres - the more surprised was the result. For sludge and stoner, there is definitely no need for more. For the doom, LCD-shaped cans can give a more synergic result by a hair, but that's all.
Heavy Metal. For rock - exactly one of the most optimal without discounts on openness-closeness-character. Cheerfulness, drive, positive, the life force of rock hits the key through these headphones.
Black, Death, Grindcore. For extreme varieties, it is still slightly lightweight. And optimistic. I personally do not have enough atmosphere. But I noticed such a moment - if you concentrate, listen carefully - everything seems to be in abundance according to the technique - and the volume of the bass with a punch and highs are great and the speed is not bad, but only you will distract yourself - emotions are not quite like expected. Perhaps even not bad, as I wrote above - "to convert the black energy of music into a productive charge. Rognir does this work for you", but the emotional charge is actually from the music, so it turns out that it passes by a little, alas.
Goth. Melancholy, but light melancholy. It is interesting and difficult to say unequivocally how much such a sound signature hits the target or past it.
Thrash. In general, everything is fine - both the speed and the cheerful anger are obvious. But for some reason I want to criticize, maybe the punk atmosphere looks a little too technical and far-fetched?
Electronica, Industrial Metal. Electronica - was the first genre that caught me in these headphones, I was drawn to a couple of dozen albums to go through both my favorite and unfamiliar tracks. Electronica is exactly one of the iconic genres for these cans.
Jazz. An exceptional result. If you want Norwegian jazz, take sophistication, detachment, coolness and a light melancholy. Female vocals - purrs in the ear exactly to the extent that was provided with a light bonus of "involving machine". If you want piano trios, here they are, honest and accurate, with a right mood. If you want a smoky club , Rognir has it. With such abilities to embrace the profile of the genre - perhaps unique closed cans.
The result is pleasant and simple - if you need excellent closed headphones - start with Rognir, perhaps you will not have to waste time on choosing further.
