[Vigrith]

  Actually no, prices do not include VAT. That's why our distributors in Europe have higher listed price.

 
Oh that's definitely interesting then, I wonder why Portuguese customs didn't hold up my packages and have me pay VAT both times I ordered from your store. Very weird, our customs are usually very strict when it comes to taxing as well so I would've expected them to hold my items in that case. Guess I must've gotten very lucky.
 
Thank you for confirming that for us though, that way people can be prepared! 

 

 

[drwlf]

  Haha, yea, If you arrive to us in Saint-Petersburg, it can be even cheaper
Sure, we appreciate any info sharing with local communities I do not have clear answer when exactly we will open that workshop, but it is in progress.
 
We did not know about Helsinki HifiExpo, we might actually attend it next time Thanks for that info!
Actually no, prices do not include VAT. That's why our distributors in Europe have higher listed price.

 
Too bad my calendars pretty booked for this year, no time for St. Petersburg yet at least, but with adequate planning, it would be realistic to purchase/pick them up from St. Petersburg then? Although, the Lappeenranta-shipping option would be extraordinary as well, I'll keep it in mind. I'll be sure to link this thread in the local forums - people will most likely value this kind of interaction from the manufacturer.
 
Might I inquire, what kind of a workshop is there in progress?
 
The Helsinki HifiExpo is a rather smallish event, nonetheless the largest in Finland, and a place for me to test out the new Focals. Vali seems a bit more interesting to me than Elear, judging from impressions here.
 
And on a sidenote, the karelian birch cups on the Odin on the other thread really hit a soft spot for me (along with the impressions), it's the wood I heat up my cottages sauna with

 

   
Oh that's definitely interesting then, I wonder why Portuguese customs didn't hold up my packages and have me pay VAT both times I ordered from your store. Very weird, our customs are usually very strict when it comes to taxing as well so I would've expected them to hold my items in that case. Guess I must've gotten very lucky.
 
Thank you for confirming that for us though, that way people can be prepared! 

 

 
Yeah, long are the days gone for Finnish customs of not stopping a purchase outside of EU nowadays, such surprises were lovely in the early days of internet shopping - now every purchase goes through them.

 

[Vigrith]

  Yeah, long are the days gone for Finnish customs of not stopping a purchase outside of EU nowadays, such surprises were lovely in the early days of internet shopping - now every purchase goes through them.

 
Yea almost every single one of my purchases that come from outside the EU gets stopped by our customs, in fact I can't think of another occasion where I've been lucky enough to dodge them - still, nothing incurred when I received my packages from Kennerton (point of origin was marked as St. Petersburg).
 
Sucks as I was planning on ordering a couple of the new stands, one in black and one in white at least (possibly red too)... They're beautiful so definitely worth the asking price, just not sure how keen I am on possibly having to fork out an extra like 60-70€ in taxing and customs handling fees (not counting shipping).
 
Not to mention the fact the staff here are either extremely incompetent or undermanned, every package can take up to a month and a half to be released (usually 4 weeks though) but that's a rant to be had elsewhere haha.

 

[JoeDoe]

Alright fellas, here we go!
 
Gear used: Macbook Pro running JRMC21 > W4S Recovery > Teac UD-503 or Project Ember > PS1000s, Alpha Primes, and HD800S
 
Test tracks:
 
"Happiness" by Needtobreathe - HARDLOVE
"Strasbourg/St. Denis" by The Roy Hargrove Quintet - Earfood
"Grown Folks" by Snarky Puppy - Culcha Vulcha
"Gold" by Chet Faker - Built on Glass
"Best for Last" by Adele - 19
"Common Ground" by The New Gary Burton Quartet - Common Ground
"Jupiter, from The Planets" per Sir Adrian Boult and the LSO
 
From the bottom up...
 
Bass:
First thought: "Wait, is this an HD650 or Vali?" To me the low end is very similar. Full and plump with a little more 'bloom' than one would call neutral. Kick drums had a nice punch and electronic stuff was nice and thick down low. Certainly a very warm signature that won't fatigue ANYONE. I'm a Grado-head normally, so the low end on the Val was a little looser than I prefer, but I will say it wasn't messy or uncontrolled. For those of you who like the Audeze or Senn HD6** sound, this will certainly please.
 
Mids:
Not bad but nothing to write home about. They're fairly clear and balanced. Sometimes they are at the mercy of the mid-bass, but all in all the vocals and electric guitars that when through their paces came across fairly cleanly. Once again I was reminded of the 650's. Lush, thick, a little slow, but very easy to listen to.
 
Treble:
Unfortunately, here's the downfall. If the Senn HD650 has a veil, then the Vali has a dang brick wall. The upper end was just too rolled off and murky for me to enjoy. Cymbals sounded distant and tinny. Finer nuance stuff like vocalists taking breaths or fingers sliding on guitar strings were almost non-existent. The Val just suffers from a distinct lack of clarity up top. With the LCD2s or even HD650s, the treble certainly takes a back seat, but I wouldn't necessarily say that you miss information. With the Kennerton, to these ears, there is quite a bit to be desired. Just not my cup of tea.
 
Soundstage/Imaging/Separation/WhateverYouWantToCallIt:
Meh. 
 
Final thoughts:
Overall, the Vali has a non-fatiguing sound signature and a bauhaus build quality going for it. Lows and mids are a little slow, but still rich and mostly enjoyable. The upper mids and treble suffer from a pronounced lack of detail and refinement however, which to these so-called 'audiophilic' ears, makes them rather unenjoyable. On to the next one now!


 

 

[desik]

Thanks a lot for the review! I was reluctantly thinking of getting these. Now I'll happily continue to enjoy the LCD-2.2.

 

[grizzlybeast]

  Alright fellas, here we go!
 


 

Thanks for the impressions. 
.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

  Finer nuance stuff like vocalists taking breaths or fingers sliding on guitar strings were almost non-existent.


 

 
Honest question: this bothers people? Do we all actually WANT to be hearing everything that should ideally not be audible? If you can hear a pianist's fingernails on the keys, the squeak of the stool, vocalist breaths and lip smacks, doesn't that just DETRACT from the experience? If anything, if you CAN hear those things, I would argue that something has been really artificially boosted. I mean if you're listening for that stuff, you have well lost the forest for some tiny, insignificant trees.

 

[JoeDoe]

   
Honest question: this bothers people? Do we all actually WANT to be hearing everything that should ideally not be audible? If you can hear a pianist's fingernails on the keys, the squeak of the stool, vocalist breaths and lip smacks, doesn't that just DETRACT from the experience? If anything, if you CAN hear those things, I would argue that something has been really artificially boosted. I mean if you're listening for that stuff, you have well lost the forest for some tiny, insignificant trees.

I for one, do want to hear those. I want my headphone listening to replicate live performance as much as possible. When I get a good seat at a live concert or get to sit in at a recording studio, I often do hear things like finger squeaks, pedals, breaths, etc. To me those make the experience more lifelike and less synthetic. I don't focus on them more than the music, but to me, what makes music the greatest art form is it's inherent 'flaws'. I'd rather hear someone's fingernail making contact with a key and know that I'm hearing a human being perform than a 'doctored' performance that would be difficult to differentiate from one given by a computer or robot.
 
That's just my opinion. I'm sure others may not feel the same, but as a trained musician living/working in a world where drum machines and loop pedals are putting more and more of my colleagues out of business, those things matter to me!

 

[SomeGuyDude]

  I for one, do want to hear those. I want my headphone listening to replicate live performance as much as possible. When I get a good seat at a live concert or get to sit in at a recording studio, I often do hear things like finger squeaks, pedals, breaths, etc. To me those make the experience more lifelike and less synthetic. I don't focus on them more than the music, but to me, what makes music the greatest art form is it's inherent 'flaws'. I'd rather hear someone's fingernail making contact with a key and know that I'm hearing a human being perform than a 'doctored' performance that would be difficult to differentiate from one given by a computer or robot.
 
That's just my opinion. I'm sure others may not feel the same, but as a trained musician living/working in a world where drum machines and loop pedals are putting more and more of my colleagues out of business, those things matter to me!

 
Those aren't intended to be audible in a recording unless it's a recording of a live performance, though. I mean I'm glad you enjoy it when it happens but I really do believe if they're audible in studio recordings it's a result of artificial treble making those noises stand out more than they're supposed to.
 
I'm a trained musician as well (though I haven't done any performing in a long time). I want to hear the song, not fingers squeaking on guitar strings. The breath and heartbeat of music is in the expression the performer adds to it, not being able to hear the thunk of a piano key.

 

[JoeDoe]

   
Those aren't intended to be audible in a recording unless it's a recording of a live performance, though. I mean I'm glad you enjoy it when it happens but I really do believe if they're audible in studio recordings it's a result of artificial treble making those noises stand out more than they're supposed to.
 
I'm a trained musician as well (though I haven't done any performing in a long time). I want to hear the song, not fingers squeaking on guitar strings. The breath and heartbeat of music is in the expression the performer adds to it, not being able to hear the thunk of a piano key.

Fair enough. To each there own! 

 

[joeq70]

Vali showed up today. Very excited to provide impressions. Early thoughts:

Pros:

Very punchy, with a pretty decent soundstage and pretty good imaging. Doesn't smother you with sound like the Elear.

Cons:

Just a notch and a half or so below my ideal treble clarity/brightness.

Snare drum area is a little too forward IMO. Similar to the Elear in this way.

 

[joeq70]

Kennerton Vali Review
 
Build Quality and Comfort
 
The headphone looks and feels very nice. Some of the best build quality I’ve seen in a headphone. It has some heft and the materials feel high quality. The wood itself looks nice, though not particularly striking.
Comfort-wise, this is a headphone that is a little cumbersome to adjust on the head. There is a lot of friction between the sliders and the guide on the headband, so adjusting the headphone while you wear it is a pain. Once you do finally get the adjustments right and dial them in, the headphone is pretty comfy. Even though it is a fairly heavy headphone, I was able to wear it comfortably for about 2 hours and 15 minutes. After this much time passed, I started to feel a little bit sore on the top middle of my head where the headband rests. Overall, these headphones look and feel great in the hand, but are basically middle of the road once they are on your head.
 
Treble
 
One thing that most reviewers have agreed on is that the Vali leans warm when it comes to treble presentation. Where people seem to diverge is whether or not it is overall too smooth, too rolled off, etc. Listening to the Vali all by itself without comparing it to anything else, the treble is reasonably detailed to my ears. However, like I mentioned in my short initial impressions, the treble clarity is a bit below where I like it. If the HD800 is a 10/10, the HD600 is a 7.75/10, then the Vali, is a 6.5/10.
 
A little bit of a distinction, though: the HD-6X00 does exhibit a subtle bit of grain in the treble. I don’t think it is bothersome, but it is notable. The Vali, while being less detailed, does not exhibit grain but rather the treble is simply too smoothed over and extension a little rolled off.
 
Midrange
 
The mids of this can come across as well balanced and fairly thick. The dialed back clarity is less obvious in the midrange and makes for pleasing voices, snappy drums, etc. I will say that these mids lack that addictive character that draws people to the HD6X0, ZMF Omni, etc. But these mids were not bad.
 
Bass
 
I was actually expecting a more visceral bass response based on the reviews I’ve read so far. The bass here is nice though, overall. Bass reaches low when songs call for it and it has plenty of presence. I think getting the ideal bass experience from these headphone requires thoughtful equipment pairing.  I talk more about the amp I used below, but out of the iFi Micro iCan with the XBass setting on max, the Vali was about to produce very deep,  robust, satisfying bass far beyond what the HD6X0 headphones are capable of.  
 
Soundstage/Imaging
 
Honestly, the Vali sounds more like a closed headphone to me than an open one. The soundstage is pretty small for an open headphone.  It is not horrible or a deal breaker, but it isn’t a selling point. Likewise, imaging is decent but nothing to get too excited about.
 
A Note On Vali Synergy Generally
 
Right now, I have on hand my Aune T1, which does fine with the Vali out of its internal amp. Hooking up my iFi Micro iCan, however, did some really positive things to the sound. The iCan has several settings built into it for bass and also some 3D sound settings that modify treble extension and soundstage. The Vali has responded better to the iCan’s built in features than any other headphone I’ve tried with it. The 3D setting on max had a significant positive impact on the soundstage of the Vali. The bass setting added additional bottom end to the Vali which sounds excessive in theory, but it improves the overall balance and euphony of the headphone. The Vali reminds me a bit of the ZMF Omni when using the ifi Micro iCan, which is a good thing IMO.
 
Conclusion
 
At this point, it probably sounds like I found a lot to complain about with the Vali, but that doesn’t quite mean I didn’t like it. On the whole, the sound of the Vali is nice. It is reasonably detailed, pretty well balanced, and it possesses the capacity for deep, thumping bass without distortion. It doesn’t have the pleasing tonality of the HD6X0 headphones, the bass of the Omni, or the clarity of the HD800, the Elear, or even my Nhoord Red build, but as an overall package the Vali is a good headphone.  My main knock on the Vali is that for the overall sound quality you get, the price is a little too high. I think it sounds like something that should have an MSRP of $600 even though the build quality suggests a headphone costing more than that.
 
Here are some of the songs I listened to when considering the Vali:
 
Freelance Whales – Generator ^ Second Floor
FKA Twigs – Two Weeks
Gil-Scott Heron – I’m New Here
Queens of the Stone Age – You Think I Ain’t Worth A Dollar, But I Feel Like A Millionaire
Kendrick Lamar – Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe
Lemaitre – Fiction
Beirut – Gibraltar
Benji Hughes – Tight Tee Shirt

 

[grizzlybeast]

Thanks for the review!

 

[joeq70]

Thanks for the review!

Thanks for doing this tour! It's a real treat getting to hear a new headphone, especially one that is difficult to come by like the Vali.

 

[reddog]

A review of the Kennerton Vali​

A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to demo the Kennerton Vali, an under appreciated headphone. I used the following equipment to demo these cans: a Questyle QP1R as a DAP, connected to one of two DACS: 1 A Schiit Audio Yggdrasil or 2 Gungnir Multibit. The DAC's were connected to one of the following amps: Schiit Audio's Ragnarock, Mjolnir 2, Cavalli Liquid Carbon, Crimson and the Glass.

Quality of Build​

The Kennerton Vali is a handsome headphone, that seems to be a Steam Punk artifact. These cans are slightly heavy, but once you adjust and dial in the headband, they are fairly comfortable. I could ware these headphones for hours without any noticeable problems. The cans stayed on my head and did not make my ears warm. I wore these headphones ,while I watched the first four seasons of Game of Thrones. and was never in discomfort. Furthermore the cables plugged into the cups nicely and hung without getting in the way. I wish the cable was slightly longer.

Sound Quality​

The Vali is a fun headphone to listen to. The bass is very nice, with good satisfying thud. Frank Zappa's Uncle Remus was a lot of fun to jam out to because the bass had good presence. I would thump.my foot up and down, getting loss in the music. The bass is good, on the Vali but does not muddy up the mids. The mids were pretty smooth with just a touch of edginess. This slight edginess really made such groups as Led Zepplin and Yes a lot of fun to listen too. Likewise the mids on the Vali, makes Jazz by Brubeck , Monk and Gershwin more lively and interesting to jam out to. The Treble on the Kennerton Vali sounded very nice. I did not find the treble to be overly bright and to be annoyingly sybilant. The soundstage on the Vali is alright, not to large or small. The sound stage could be holographic, depending upon equipment used. The Vali sounded very nice but is not as detailed, resolving of the sound, as other more expensive cans. However the Vali does scale well with equipment used, and can sound very resolving. The Vali can be quite resolving, when coming out of the Yggdrasil and Liquid Glass. Mozart and Beethoven sounded great through this combination.
The Kennerton Vali is a very nice Headphone that has some very nice bass and edgy mids. I would compare it to Mr Speakers Alpha Dogs, with better, thumpier bass. Furthermore the Vali is revealing to the equipment used. The Vali sounded phenomenal out of the Questyle QP1R, Yggdrasil and Liquid Glass..