[Taverius]

The K1000 ofc!

Why do you even need to ask?

 

[eric65]

The K1000 ofc!

Why do you even need to ask?

Not bad too, indeed!

 

[eric65]

Hello everyone,

Finally, if I should keep only one headphone and only one amp it would currently be the headphones Kennerton Thror and the Viva 2A3 amp.

The Thror headphones because it is the most performing (technically speaking) and universal (open to all musical genres); the Viva 2A3 amp because it magnifies the medium and treble of the Thror giving it a harmonic richness extremely pleasant to listen to: its rich, detailed, subtle and balanced.

The XI Audio Formula S amplifier (SS amp), more neutral, but less rich in harmonic than the Viva 2A3 amp is better suited to the Odin mk2 or mk1 which are already rich in harmonics.
So, not wanting to clutter me with two amplifiers, I will give it (the XI audio Formula S) to my elder brother to improve listening to his Odin mk1 in the meantime, maybe, he also buys a Thror for listen the piano (and computer emulations of Concert pianos).

I keep my Odin mk2 in Karelian birch, for fun, and by collection spirit (nb: the Karelian birch wood is so beautiful to look at).

Association of the Odin mk2 with the Viva 2A3, when first time listening, giving more fun because more colorful and rich in colors than the Thror ; association more unbridled too.
The Thror in comparison, in first time listening, less fun, is much more rigorous and serious, and even more universal.

PS: for Andrew @Arcamera: the Thror, when it will be available to listen in Montreal - Canada, could be used with your Woo Audio WA22 amp ; they should probably make a good association. Try this combination.

 

[Arcamera]

Thanks Eric. I'm sure the Thror sounds wonderful. One day!

 

[eric65]

For the francophones on Head-Fi, Pierre Paya, the french importer of the brand Kennerton continues of course its activity as importer and distributor of the brand Kennerton in our beautiful country, France, but it will no longer participate in one of the main forum French-language Hi-Fi.
http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/post179594379.html#p179594379

I pay tribute to him because he is who has allowed me to discover the brand Kennerton and its high-end headphones planar, in particular the Odin Mk1 and Mk2; and most recently the Thror.
Some will regret him because we spent countless hours exchanging on this forum our common passion for headphones.
Pierre being passionate, I understand his decision.
I will continue to follow the informations about the Kennerton brand on other news sites in the world, but the departure of Pierre from this Francophone site is a blow for all enthusiasts who could exchange on this forum with Pierre, in particular as a result of the loan of hi-fi equipments.
However, Pierre having his own information site (blog of its commercial site as well as a youtube channel), I will continue to follow them with interest to keep me informed of what is interesting to know on the latest High-end headphones, and Kennerton in particular.

 

[eric65]

Thanks Eric. I'm sure the Thror sounds wonderful. One day!

Hi Andrew,

Sorry for the late response.

Yes, the Thror is a wonderful headphone, which can make some of us dream (just like the Odin for other people I know) and who works very well, especially with a good tube amp.

But some other people don't like this headphones ; not for its technical performance (which is very good), but because it is a luxurious and expensive headphones (just like the Audeze LCD4 and the Hifiman Susvara); on the French forum there has recently been a trend against expensive and luxurious headphones, and this is undoubtedly one of the reasons for the departure of Pierre Paya, which is very unfortunate.

Personally I perfectly accept (assume in french) luxury, but in a reasonable and thoughtful way, it must be said.
We only have one life: some buy beautiful watches; Other buy beautiful headphones; Others finally buy beautiful SLR Cameras; I understand them.

Otherwise, I would like to point out that Kennerton, with its Kennerton headphones, is the luxury branch of Fischer Audio: They use noble and expensive materials; But they also know how to be High-Tech, and their engineers have no lessons to receive from anyone.


EDIT: on the french forum, Merlinus is always happy with his Thror S / N THR007
http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/post179595013.html#p179595013

 

[Taverius]

on the French forum there has recently been a trend against expensive and luxurious headphones

T'aint wrong though, and I say this as THR009 owner.

These are ****-you prices, and the thror is barely acceptable and I'm saying this as an enormous wood person. It doesn't give 1800€ more pleasure than my Auteur gives me, it's basically an equivalent, but at twice the price.

And the Thror is the best value of the 2k+ planar, if such a thing can exist. Wanna talk about the 6$kvara, coming in at over 6 thousand dollars in flimsy plastic, renowned HFM build quality and like 33% driver dead-on-arrival rate?

What about that pride of France, the Utopia, with an msrp over 4k, 250 for replacement pads, 900 for a headband, and after all of that it's not even comfortable on the head?

What about that violectric spinoff that's making a solid state headlamp that costs like 5k or whatever? Solid state. You can buy a DNA Stratus, and HD800s or focal clear or ZMF auteur and have money left over for hookers & blow and you won't have spent several thousand dollars on a solid state amp, which like mastercard, is priceless.

This industry is becoming absurd.

 

[eric65]

T'aint wrong though, and I say this as THR009 owner.

These are ****-you prices, and the thror is barely acceptable and I'm saying this as an enormous wood person. It doesn't give 1800€ more pleasure than my Auteur gives me, it's basically an equivalent, but at twice the price.

And the Thror is the best value of the 2k+ planar, if such a thing can exist. Wanna talk about the 6$kvara, coming in at over 6 thousand dollars in flimsy plastic, renowned HFM build quality and like 33% driver dead-on-arrival rate?

What about that pride of France, the Utopia, with an msrp over 4k, 250 for replacement pads, 900 for a headband, and after all of that it's not even comfortable on the head?

What about that violectric spinoff that's making a solid state headlamp that costs like 5k or whatever? Solid state. You can buy a DNA Stratus, and HD800s or focal clear or ZMF auteur and have money left over for hookers & blow and you won't have spent several thousand dollars on a solid state amp, which like mastercard, is priceless.

This industry is becoming absurd.

Hi,

Yes the prices are expensive, and even indecent for many of us.

At least Kennerton has the merit of not doubling the price with his last flagship.

That said, subjectively speaking, I have much more fun listening to a Thror or an Odin than a HD-600 and even a Stax-SR-009.

Otherwise, listening to Jacques Brel (a well-known Belgian singer) lately with my Thror: what to say ... nothing like this to show how the quality of the sound recording varies from one title to another, on the same CD; amazing, but with each listening, despite the variability of the sound, the voice of J. Brel is fascinating.

 

[eric65]

Hi all,

Always about the Thror and the Kennerton brand, which sometimes triggers passions in France, @agnostic1er will soon receive a Thror on loan that he will be able to test, measure and compare to his Odin mk1.
http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/post179595336.html#p179595336

Knowing the seriousness and the experience in agnostic1er's measurements, a first-rate DIYer (who participated with Sorrodje in the HD-800 mod to mitigate his peak of 6 KHz, with the resonator Super Dupond) and well I wait with interest its objective expertise of this planar headphones which succeeds the Odin as flagship of the brand Kennerton.

 

[eric65]

HI all,

Kennerton Thror video (in french)



Note: the driver presented separately in this video is that of the Odin mk2 with it metal frame (heavier than it in carbon of the Thror) and with the old membrane (not the lighter membrane in honeycomb of the Thror).


Translation of the Thror's listening impressions by Pierre Paya in this video.

" For my listening, I compared the Thror to a Odin MKII in order to try to fully understand what this new Thror can bring in addition, or of course if it is the case, in less.

The two headphones were listened to with a source, an Auris D1D DAC powered by a NUC server under Linux + Daphile, and my amplifier XI Audio Formula S.

I chose the XI Audio Formula S amplifier because in a price range close to that of Thror, it is the most "fair" amplifier and the most transparent I have at my disposal.

With the Formula S amplifier I mean that the Kennerton Thror brings a number of things in addition to the Odin. First, it is better airy. The restitution "breathes" more, I mean there is more space between the instruments and the performers. Always compared to the Odin, the voices of the range low medium to high medium are for my ears more just, in the sense that less "loaded" of matter. Less organic. The Thror degreases more and thereby gives me a message that I personally find cleaner.

I understand, however, that we can prefer the full sound of the Odin. This makes it a great success and is now in smaller proportions with the Thror.

The treble offered by the Thror file subjectively goes a little higher, but above all it is much more incisive and biting. It does not present more harmonic richness but it is better focused and released from a surplus of material

The Thror is faster in the bass, it comes down with a impulse response better mastered and thus, its bass is less thick, cleaner, swifter, which can give the false impression that it goes down lower, but this n is not the case.

To finish, I want to say that technically, the Thror is a very nice technical progress compared to the Odin, that it gives me a music more readable and more credible. "


EDIT : Regarding the prices in France of the Thror and the Odin mk3 Thridi wich replacing the Odin mk2.

In France, the Odin Thridi (mk3) is sold at the same price as the Odin mk2, while sharing the same high-tech honeycomb membrane as the Thror, as well as the same improved headband, as well as a lighter external grid in composite material (100 or 120 g less).

In France, too, the Thror is sold more expensive than the Odin mk2 (and mk3) because it is even lighter (200 g less) than the Odin mk2 ; thanks for its outer grids also in composite material, the wood used for cups (bog oak wood) lighter than the sapeli or the Zebrano wood, and thanks to the use of a carbon frame for the Thror's drivers (against metal for the Odin mk2 and mk3) ; Thror's drivers are more expensive to produce than those of the Odin mk2 and mk3 ; moreover, in France, the Thror headphones is delivered with the excellent Kennerton cable Custom Litz wire (military quality), sheathed nylon.

EDIT bis : Kennerton Thror Vs Audeze LCD4 (short assessment, in Russian)
http://player.ru/showthread.php?t=142284&page=108&p=2530984&viewfull=1#post2530984

 

[eric65]

Hi all,

Manufacture of Thror planar headphones, like buns ... russian!

It's all there.
. Carbon frame.
. High-tech honeycomb membrane.
. Litz wire internal wiring.
. Lightened wooden in bog Oak.

 

[Giallofan]

Hello,
I had the good fortune to listen to an Odin and a Vali recently and found both of them to be extremely impressive from the build quality to the sound. I was wondering if there was a way to determine whether it was an Odin mark 1 or mark 2 by looking at it?

 

[eric65]

Hello,
I had the good fortune to listen to an Odin and a Vali recently and found both of them to be extremely impressive from the build quality to the sound. I was wondering if there was a way to determine whether it was an Odin mark 1 or mark 2 by looking at it?

Hi,
The Odin mk2 have an engraving with the serial number S/N ODxxx on the internal face of the left arch branch of the headband, not the ODIN mk1 that do not have engraving.

 

[Giallofan]

Thanks. Now I just have to go back and see which one it is and find out if they have decided to sell it.

 

[eric65]

Hi all.

FA-012 ? = Kennerton Stor = apparently the last version (and better version?) of the famous FA-011.

https://kennerton.com/headphones/stor

https://www.facebook.com/KennertonAudioEquipment