[Alexzander]

Just ordered ECL-02 and ECL-03 MF to use with my Rognir Planar (bass version).
Let’s see if it would become way too much or I’m just transforming into a basshead guy

 

[Martinrm]

Kennerton said they had a video available on the conversion process from bass -> neutral. Does anyone happen to have that video?

I love how configurable these headphones are (and i'm saying that even though my pair is still en-route lol!) Hyped.

 

[aqsw]

Needed some closed backs so I thought I would try out Kennerton. Bought the lowly Magnis. Damn, these things are nice. Now I have to start saving for some Thrors.

 

[rlawry]

I finally received my Benchmark HPA4 headphone amp, pictured with my Kennerton Gjallarhorn GH50 JM Edition Mark 2 phones. I made a special order for a rack mount version that includes the heatsinks but had them change the rack mount faceplate to a regular faceplate. I like the way they look with the heatsinks.

I only listened for about a half hour so far but they are leaner, faster, more dynamic, more transparent and spacious than with my cap-modded Quicksilver amp. Bass has less weight and perhaps a little less punchy but faster and more extended. They are not as lean with the HPA4 than they were with the $15K Wells Audio HeadTrip II Level II I heard a few weeks ago but IMO they were too lean and detailed with the WA amp. The HPA4 has the lowest harmonic and intermodulation distortion as well as highest signal-to-noise measurements that both Stereophile and Audio Sciences Review has ever tested. I care a lot more about the sound but was interested in how the phones sound with this amp. I am not disappointed.

I will post more listening notes as it breaks in.

 

[aqsw]

Gotta say I was going to comment a couple days ago about the current war situation and swift payments . I am hesitant to buy at the moment, but as soon as this is absolved (hopefully) I will be buying these great Russian products. As a Canadian that absolutely agrees with the West, I believe that you cannot boycott a company. If you want to boycott a country, that is your perogitive. These folks don't deserve that.

 

[John Massaria]

I finally received my Benchmark HPA4 headphone amp, pictured with my Kennerton Gjallarhorn GH50 JM Edition Mark 2 phones. I made a special order for a rack mount version that includes the heatsinks but had them change the rack mount faceplate to a regular faceplate. I like the way they look with the heatsinks.

I only listened for about a half hour so far but they are leaner, faster, more dynamic, more transparent and spacious than with my cap-modded Quicksilver amp. Bass has less weight and perhaps a little less punchy but faster and more extended. They are not as lean with the HPA4 than they were with the $15K Wells Audio HeadTrip II Level II I heard a few weeks ago but IMO they were too lean and detailed with the WA amp. The HPA4 has the lowest harmonic and intermodulation distortion as well as highest signal-to-noise measurements that both Stereophile and Audio Sciences Review has ever tested. I care a lot more about the sound but was interested in how the phones sound with this amp. I am not disappointed.

I will post more listening notes as it breaks in.

Wow awesome congrats !!! Would love to hear more with the new amp as it breaks in.... very cool

 

[Alexzander]

Just got less perforated and fully not perforated pads for my bass tuned Rognir Planar.

I’ve installed fully non-perforated ones currently and here are the changes I’ve noticed immediately:
1. The timbre has changed and became much more pleasant to my ear. Removed mid bass dip contributed to vocals and string becoming sounding more natural.
2. Low bass amount reached it max amount for me - sound definitely became more bassy, but not overwhelming for me fortunately. But if bass amount became a bit more - I won’t be able to tolerate it. So I’m lucky here.
3. Isolation became top notch. There is no sound leakage and so on.

Pads have the same comfort as default ones.

Wanted to ask how to position them properly?
I’ve put them with stitches angled like this, can you please guys comment if it is right or not?

 

[ardbeg1975]

Just got less perforated and fully not perforated pads for my bass tuned Rognir Planar.

I’ve installed fully non-perforated ones currently and here are the changes I’ve noticed immediately:
1. The timbre has changed and became much more pleasant to my ear. Removed mid bass dip contributed to vocals and string becoming sounding more natural.
2. Low bass amount reached it max amount for me - sound definitely became more bassy, but not overwhelming for me fortunately. But if bass amount became a bit more - I won’t be able to tolerate it. So I’m lucky here.
3. Isolation became top notch. There is no sound leakage and so on.

Pads have the same comfort as default ones.

Wanted to ask how to position them properly?
I’ve put them with stitches angled like this, can you please guys comment if it is right or not?

That’s generally how I position my angled pads so the thicker part is toward the back of my ear and thus the stitching is front facing. Works very well for me. Your post has encouraged me to try the non-perf pads which I have not yet taken out of their box.

 

[Nostoi]

Just got less perforated and fully not perforated pads for my bass tuned Rognir Planar.

I’ve installed fully non-perforated ones currently and here are the changes I’ve noticed immediately:
1. The timbre has changed and became much more pleasant to my ear. Removed mid bass dip contributed to vocals and string becoming sounding more natural.
2. Low bass amount reached it max amount for me - sound definitely became more bassy, but not overwhelming for me fortunately. But if bass amount became a bit more - I won’t be able to tolerate it. So I’m lucky here.
3. Isolation became top notch. There is no sound leakage and so on.

Pads have the same comfort as default ones.

Wanted to ask how to position them properly?
I’ve put them with stitches angled like this, can you please guys comment if it is right or not?

I have the seams on top. I tried it with how yours are positioned and found there's a seal leak at the front. With seams on top, seal is tight and sound is impactful.

The only problem I continue to find with the Rognir is that they're so good, they make all my other closed-backs sound incoherent

 

[ithilienrp]

One little thing: there might be some inconsistency about where the seams are.

Most ear pads, including all my Kennerton's ECL-01 and 02, have the seams on the "thin-side" of the pads. However, I noticed that starting with my Thror Novel pads (also a non-perforated, similar to the ones came with my Rognir Dynamics) as well as the Rognir Dynamics non-perforated pads, both of them have the seams on the "fat-side" of the pads.

So, I think it's better to talk the alignment in terms of "thin/fat side" rather than the seams.

I usually have the thin side on the front, slightly angled upward.

For the pads with seams on the thin side, they would align or almost align (depending on micro-adjustment) with the front-side-yoke.

Ex: The original Mk1 Odin (with newer ECL-02 pads).



For the pads with seams on the fat side, they would almost or almost align with the back-side-yoke.

Ex: The Thror Novel, with non-perforated pads (ECL-03 MF?) -- this is the back of the headphones, as you can see from the direction of the cable connector.

 

[LostnAmerica]

Gotta say I was going to comment a couple days ago about the current war situation and swift payments . I am hesitant to buy at the moment, but as soon as this is absolved (hopefully) I will be buying these great Russian products. As a Canadian that absolutely agrees with the West, I believe that you cannot boycott a company. If you want to boycott a country, that is your perogitive. These folks don't deserve that.

I agree with you on the above statements. You can also order/purchase from Audio46 in NY, they are an authorized dealer for Kennerton...

 

[LostnAmerica]

Thank you. Very helpful on the sound signature. As beautiful as the ZMFs are (I have a VC), I do very much like the aesthetics of the Baltic Sea Vali Neoteric in the open back space.

Is the Vali Neoteric the 2019 version or are they the newer one? I see Kennerton and Auio46 have/had both models for sale. Thx.

 

[ardbeg1975]

Is the Vali Neoteric the 2019 version or are they the newer one? I see Kennerton and Auio46 have/had both models for sale. Thx.

Neoteric = Newer one. Non-neoteric is ‘19 version to my understanding.

 

[LostnAmerica]

Neoteric = Newer one. Non-neoteric is ‘19 version to my understanding.

Thx! Are there major differences in the sound signature or overall sound? I've read great things about the Vali, but was confused on which version they were writing about...

 

[ardbeg1975]

Thx! Are there major differences in the sound signature or overall sound? I've read great things about the Vali, but was confused on which version they were writing about...

I have not heard earlier Valis so unfortunately I cannot comment except to say that the online reviews seem to refer to 2019 or earlier iterations.