KENNERTON VALI - Impressions, Discussion Thread
Jul 23, 2016 at 2:45 PM Post #121 of 271
  A quick first impressions. 
 
Fast, natural, solid bass. Practically an HD650 on steriods with better bass extension and slam, a wider sound stage, and more dynamics. Not uber detailed and has a slight thickness in the lower mid range that  can easily be eq'd. 

 
 
So, basically, you are saying this is the perfect headphone?  
o2smile.gif
 
 
Jul 23, 2016 at 2:58 PM Post #122 of 271
   
 
So, basically, you are saying this is the perfect headphone?  
o2smile.gif
 

Unless you really like your treble and extension of treble/air.
biggrin.gif

 
It's good to hear that the metal parts are smoother than the pre-production and those cups lighter scheme looks fantastic with the 'silver' paint.
 
Jul 25, 2016 at 5:48 PM Post #124 of 271
Great^

Youve gor some good cans (not sold) to compare them to. You will have a good bearing
 
A quick first impressions. 

Fast, natural, solid bass. Practically an HD650 on steriods with better bass extension and slam, a wider sound stage, and more dynamics. Not uber detailed and has a slight thickness in the lower mid range that  can easily be eq'd. 



So, basically, you are saying this is the perfect headphone?  :o2smile:  

Those were first impressions.
 
Jul 27, 2016 at 2:29 PM Post #125 of 271
I might have to order one of these...
 
How long did they take to ship to the US?
 
Jul 27, 2016 at 5:58 PM Post #126 of 271
Are there people really finding the mids recessed on the Kennerton Vali? Who here has heard the Vali and feels the mids recessed? I'd like to hear a little more explanation of where about in the mids and what points it out.
 
As per my review I found the mids to be rich but I'm always ears to other people's takes:
 
In Mother Russia, you do not wear headphone. Headphone wears you!!
Sorry I had to do it.
 
Got the Kennerton Vali on a tour and had it for a week. Want to thank Kennerton/Fischer Audio and @grizzlybeast for making the tour happen, getting to listen to summit-fi headphones is a treat in your own home. I was able to listen to this $1K headphone for a week and was very impressed with what I heard. Kennerton is a top-tier brand of Fischer Audio, having owned one of their previous wood headphones I was interested in their TOTL open-back dynamic driver set. By the looking at the contents inside the wooden cup as well as the pads, you can tell numerous hours were spent on achieving this sound signature.

The bad:
The build. The headphones while sporting some mighty fine looking cups and some well thought out earpads, seemed to still be rough on the edges - particularly for a headphone in this price range. The gimbles look like they were manufactured from farming tools with no paint and the edges were also a little rough - when putting on the headphone you can feel particularly at the parts that goes into the headphone. It needs a little bid of smoothing in the edges and maybe some paint? The adjustment is also interesting with the screws working as sliders, you'll only need to fuss with this once if you're the only one using headphones but something about turning screws on a contraption on your head felt a little Frankensteinish -- cool in a way but also odd but if you're sharing this headphone with others then I can get old real quick. The weight of the phones tilts to a heavy side but the suspension headband really distributes the load well to keep me from complaining - a rarity when it comes to weight/headphones.

The Goods:
From someone that admires Grado off-shoot builds, this headphone caught my eye. They do look unique in their own way and once you get passed the gimbles, the head bolts, and stiff cable it's actually quite a nice headphone with good tuning. The wood and grill work looks fantastic, very classy and the size of the cup/driver reminds me of the higher end Grado phones in the $700+ range. The double entry with the locking headphone cable connectors are fantastic, securely fastening the cable to phones at an angle and away from the body. A shame the cables are stiff as they are but luckily that can be remedied with these common 3-pin mini-xlr on each cup.

These phones are also relatively easy to drive and don't require a behemoth of an amp to drive. I would say anything that produces slightly more current than what a cell phone or light DAP puts out is enough to drive these to great sound. Because I was doing all sorts of things with my main rig along with being busy, I listened to these mainly as bedside phones using a Lenovo Tablet outputing 44/48khz FLAC via Neutron music player to an ALO International+ DAC/AMP. I was able to try them briefly with my primary system and recognized that these phones did not need the massive amps to sound fantastic and continued I used them with my ALO DAC/AMP.


The sound:
I believe Kennerton got the tuning on the Vali almost perfect for long listens and it's borderline there but I do have some issues with the mids. The bass if fast for a dynamic driver, has good weight/slam (nothing overbearing), and extends deep enough. It doesn't do much wrong here and it also doesn't encroach into the mids. The mid-bass is tamed and there is no hint of mid-bass boost, a major killer of headphones enjoyment for me (I prefer a 30-75hz boost over a 100-125hz boost any day).

The mids is where I ran into some issues with certain albums. With dry recorded albums like Way Out West (OJC Remaster)
by Sonny Rollins, it was a perfect pairing. I highly suggest trying that album with this headphone and you'll understand why -- the certain dryness to the recording/mastering played well with the rich mids the Vali put out. Keep in mind this is through a solid state unit so it wasn't like a tube was pushing the mids forward. I would say the mids were forward with a decay that holds the note for added liquid/richness to the sound. Now this could be bothersome if you put on an album like If You Wait by London Grammar which is heavily processed in the mids to give a euphonic sound. Many albums won't be as mid-rich as this album but going through even more albums showed that the Vali did like to push the mids forward with a decent sized decay - although it isn't as liquid as say Sony or AudioTechnica house sounds puts out on their higher end gear. I wouldn't call the mids slow but it also isn't a start-stop planar magnetic dryness to it. If you're using a tube or hybrid amp, pick your fastest/dry tubes maybe even V-shaped tubes.

The highs are very well done. Extending properly but without sibilant ringing and peaks. It's got fantastic detail which is hardest to produce in the sound spectrum as far as headphones go while keeping the bass and mids in line in detail/clarity. With the highs these get my long-listening session approval, I'm talking 2-3 or more hours in a sitting. While this headphone puts out great treble, it doesn't however have that air that Beyer or AKG or certain Sennheisers can produce. This doesn't mean it isn't as good of a headphone but it's just that it's tuned differently.
 ​
The overall sound of this headphone is fantastic. When it all ties together, there is excellent totl clarity with just enough romance (in the mids) to make it have soul. It's a unique contender in the TOTL sound as this type of tuning is usually not found in this tier. This headphone will allow you to initially listen in critically and be amazed at the level of detail/clarity coming through but after awhile or when listening for pleasure (that's what we're here for right?) it submerges you in it's sound while offering those hi-fi characteristics. The soundstage/imaging is amazing on them and it literally feels like the music is coming from the room you're sitting in. The depth is above average as well, instrument separation is fantastic. That and the tuning of the phone really makes this headphone special - I would be willing to call it HD650 remastered -- has everything that the HD650 lacked.
I have a funny story the first time I put these on.

Is it for everyone? Probably not, some will find the mids too much to their liking and that's totally understandable. For those looking for a unique sound aside from the HD800, HE560, LCD 3/4, Oppo PM1/2, etc this is a fantastic offering by Kennerton and really should be in your try list. Even if it has it's shortcomings in the aesthetics, IMO the sound warrants the price tag. Now if they took care of the aesthetics then we're talking (I see that the gimbles on the Kennerton Odin are painted black, now that looks fantastic).

Anyways, get it while you can. These are hand-crafted and each individually tested/burned-in by Kennerton it seems. Small batches made make them tough to grab whenever you want but they're totally worth waiting for another batch or getting one in the classifieds.



 ​

 
 
Jul 31, 2016 at 10:02 PM Post #128 of 271

Vali vs Elear comparison ( 2days listening time)


 

 

VALI VS ELEAR by SONG

 
Teas and Rumba 24/192 flac
Xiomara Laugart - Reclamo Mistico
 
Vali - Bass guitar has excellent presence and texture. Wood blocks sound very much like real wood blocks. The hand percussion sounds a lot more snappy, rounded and rich. The Vali makes the recording sound warmer and richer. Her voice is less dynamic than on the Elear but the percussion is more dynamic on the Vali. Every hand slap resonates harder and clearer. 
 
Elear - Bass less solid more forward and present. Her voice is more forward and less thick and rich and more dynamic. More airy. The soundstage is slightly larger. Wood blocks sound good here too. Details sound very very similar overall. She has a deeper voice that sound more serious on the Vali but more free on the Elear. More treble on the Elear and a little more fatiguing slightly. 
 
Winner: tie;  The percussion of the Vali is very addicting to me personally on the Vali but the more  open sound of the Elear is equally appreciated. 
 
 
This Unruly Mess I’ve Made 24/44 flac
MackleMore&Ryan Lewis - Buckshot (feat. KRS - One)
 
Vali - More forgiving of the recording quality, The bass sounds slightly less clear. It is more solid but sounds a little more distorted. The male rappers on this track sound better on the Vali. They are more present and forward. They sound a little more stuffy than the Elears on this song but it compliments the grungy mood of this song. 
 
Elear- sounds great. The bass punches pretty decently just not as solid as on the Vali but cleaner. It is a little lighter and sounds more balanced and has a more open sound but it is not really necessary for this song. The high hats sound cleaner on the Elear but overall I prefer heavy and rich punchiness on the Vali for this song. Adlibs popped more from the background than with the Vali. 
 
Winner: Vali very slightly. I actually played the song on repeat on the Vali and forgot about analyzing it. Fun times. The Elear is a genre master though and handled this song very well.  
 
 
 
Mary J. Blige 
The London Sessions 24/96 flac
Whole Damn Year
 
Vali - Kick drums start off more percussive. Bass is heavier and weighter. Mary J’s voice actually sounds more rounded and soulful on the Vali. I went into this songs expecting the Elear to win but as soon as she sings its pretty much an easy choice on this song. I started with the Elear on this song. It is almost like Kennerton used this song to tune these headphones. Here voice is not recessed at all and very much up close with good depth.  
 
Elear - Slightly less rich, sounds great but makes the recording sound as if it is not as clear as it does with the Vali. It sounds more like a recording on the Elear whereas the Vali sounds more realistic. The bass is clean, the space is very natural. Perhaps Mary and Xiomara with there voices sitting heavily in the midrange proper and not having a lot of upper midrange extension plays better for the Vali.
 
 
Winner: Very easily the Vali
 
Basia Bulat  
Good Advice - Tidal
‘La La Lie’ and ‘Fool’
 
 
Vali - I don’t think this is a high quality recording but it sounds stuffy on the Vali and her voice is not cutting through. The bass is more present but it sounds less open, less clear, less open. Not really liking the effect on the Vali and it feels congested. ‘Fool’ sounds better than ‘La La Lie’ but still not as good as the Elear on this song. When things pick up and get busy I feel like some instruments don’t cut through the mix as well as on the Elear but the Bass is more solid for sure.  Her voice cuts through the mix on ‘Fool’ just not as well as the Elear. 
 
Elear - The Elear reveals the recording quality and file fidelity to not be as good as the previous songs, however her voice does not sound tucked back and cuts through the recording very well. When she belts to make her voice cut out from the raspiness it sounds very nice and clear. On ‘Fool’ I turn it up get lost. Where as going back on the Vali I turn it up to get the same emotion
 
Winner: Very easily the Elear
 
 
C.C. Colleti
Bring it Home 24/192 flac
Black Dog
 
Vali - Wow that stand up bass is very engaging on the Vali. This is from swapping already from the Elear. The Elear sounds more open but on the left channel that banjo is very much more present and just stuck there as real in presence as can be. I wish for a little more air like the Elear has. Her voice sounds cool too. Again I was really expecting the Elear to take the cake here since it is more open and has a consistent clarity to it, never sounding stuffy. But the Vali does pretty good. 
 
Elear - More spacious. That banjo(sorry if I named the instrument wrong) resonates with less richness than on the  Vali but there is more air around it and it sounds more a part of the recording. The bass is less punchy but actually sounds better balanced and true to the recording whereas the Vali is emphasizing it a little too much. I am hearing good texture from the bass on the Elear when the cords vibrate. Her voice is more delicate and sophisticated on the Elear. 
 
Winner: Tie;
I would have an inner debate for a while and go back and for with these headphones but I know the average person may find the Vali too rich on this song. The Elears would be the winner here too. While I personally like the Vali more on this song. 
 
 
 

Elear VS Vali by Aspect

 
Layering: Vali
 
Attack: not sure they are both really good
 
Decay: Elear wins for having a little less decay
 
Dynamics: Very close but for vocals the Elear, Percussion the Vali if it is lower than 1000hz in the frequency response
 
Midrange balance: Elear
 
Upper mids qty: Elear (which has a bit of a dip itself)
 
Lower mids qty: Vali 
 
Soundstage: Elear (don’t expect a super spacious headphone though). It casts a larger soundstage even though the Vali is better separated and produces larger images. 
 
Imaging: Vali
 
Bass solidity: Vali
 
Bass control: tie
 
Bass texure:  Vali slightly
 
Bass quantity: Vali
 
Bass cleanliness: Elear that has less distortion
 
Sub bass presence: Vali is stronger at 50hz
 
Sub bass extenstion: Elear goes deeper
 
Treble smoothness: Vali
 
Treble presence: Elear
 
Air: Elear
 
Details and resolution: Tie… very much a Tie
 
Refinement, least distortion: Elear
 
Speed: Elear
 
Transparency or clarity: Elear Very much song dependent but the lighter, open sound of the Elear gives it the edge
 
Comfort: Elear.. Vali is not even close. 
 
Build: Not sure because the Demo unit has a screw from the logo ring loose and my pair was broken and I have had no problems with the Vali build. 
 
Overall punchiness: tie; track dependent. I enjoy this aspect on the Vali more though but on the more objective side of things I dont really know
 
Overall more engaging: you have rich and punchy vs balanced and punchy...again track dependent. 
 
Most Visceral: Vali since it has the denser tones it is much more visceral. Meaning when it does punch it does it with a heavier hand. The Elear jabs the Vali throws hooks. 
 
 
OVERALL:
Elear
I will have to give the the super HD650 title to the Elear. The upper mids sound more in line with what someone wanting a super HD650 would go for. There has never been a headphone to come closer to that title than the Elear... it is a super HD650. In the meet one gentleman was very impressed with the Vali and really wanted one. The hype surrounding the Elear will obviously gain it more popularity as well as the looks and design but for reasons above some may prefer the Vali. I for one like both very much and find the Elear less seductive than the Vali but overall would recommend the Elear to the average listener as the less polarizing choice. 
 
Miceblue said the revision made nice improvements but was still a little rich for his blood. Me I say bring it on but totally understand his perspective. Overdevelopment in the bass and midrange proper or lower mids does not cater well to the average audiophiles desire of hearing every little detail easily.  Even though the details are there and very much so, you may subconsciously disregard the Vali's inner detail because it is different than audiophile tuning. Some songs the Elear sounds much more clear and open while others the Vali literally takes the instruments at the core and pulls them in fullness for you to hear. 
 
Him and another member whose ears I really appreciate mentioned the Vali to be recessed in midrange on some songs. He used the word withdrawn.  I attribute that to the upper midrange. It is is easier to hear this on busy passages. The opposite is true on some songs where they are very forward because of the lower midrange warmth. Take for example the ‘Black Dog’ song above. The Vali plays that banjo stronger and it resonates with more presence than on the Elear. Yet on another song the Elear makes a females voice cut through the mix like a hot knife through butter in comparison. 
 
One thing that is apparent about the Vali is that its separation is Great. The instruments are carved out in the flesh with very good presence. Details retrieval, not once gave anything up to the Elear, in fact some songs made me think it was more detailed. The Elear has a more open and clean sound so it sounds more transparent but like on a couple of songs above the Vali sounded more clear. So it is hard to definitively declare a winner for detail retrieval. 
 
The win would go to the Vali if I was choosing for bass. The Elear bass is a definite step up from the 650 and unlike the Dharma, it is solid, clean and punchy just not as heavy and hard as the Vali. 
 
The Elear has less flaws overall and  I think it can handle all songs well and the Vali may struggle with  a couple. I love Kennerton and have developed a bias for its bass and lush sound but the truth is the truth… More people will prefer the Elear and it showed in the meet we had when I roughly estimated a consensus. It is the more broadly appealing headphone. 
 
 
The Vali is a specialist with a few offenses:
specialties - Tonal weight and focus, timbre richness, dynamics, percussion (probably the best I have heard), separation, smoothness, bass solidity
offenses - comfort, thickness, upper midrange withdraw, treble extension
 
The Elear is more like an all do it all but with no real offenses and is less specialized:
Specialties - flow, dynamics, balance, smoothness, 
offenses - No real offenses yet would sound even better with the separation, tonal weight, and solidity of the Vali

 
Update 8-19-16:
After some time I simply ended up preferring the Vali in the End. 
 
The Elear while, I am sure will be the more universally appealing had the flaw of 10khz gnawing at my ears and became fatiguing. The dynamics coupled with a slightly more hollow tonality and less density made for a more shouty sound for me. I love dynamics but the Elear, opposed to  my tastes, didn't have the tonal weight behind the dynamics to make it realistic and became fatiguing after just a short time. Also the Valis ability to slam harder, have stronger tones, made it the winner for me personally and I know this is simply my preference. I did hear less distortion in the Elear though and a more open and clear sound that were admirable qualities I appreciated about it. 
 
Switching back and forth made me pick the Vali most times because it performed better with percussion and the sound images were larger and meatier. Its not just about balance. Something like a well amped HE6 will have more solid and heavy tones despite being brighter and more scooped in the midrange than the Elear which goes to show its all about driver design. 
 
Jul 31, 2016 at 10:40 PM Post #130 of 271
I read your post the moment you hit send, I read/write in English for a living and I didn't notice any typos at all so that's something haha. Thanks for the review man you know how long I was waiting on that one!
 
Jul 31, 2016 at 11:00 PM Post #132 of 271
I was secretly hoping the Elear would be a clear winner because it'll be easier to come by here, we have a Focal dealer whose waiting for the headphones to become available but the fact you referred to the Vali as seductive of all things got me real good, I love that sort of sound, think like a slightly smoky and intimate bar with Tom Waits or Lake Street Dive playing. I love bass too but I'm afraid I'll regret not going for the more "neutral" sound of the Elear.
 
Jul 31, 2016 at 11:27 PM Post #133 of 271
My pair should be here in a few days. Don't have all my old gear but I'll have an initial and final write up for them.
 
Aug 2, 2016 at 2:06 AM Post #134 of 271

Vali vs Elear comparison ( 2days listening time) unedited









VALI VS ELEAR by SONG




Teas and Rumba 24/192 flac
Xiomara Laugart - Reclamo Mistico

Vali - Bass guitar has excellent presence and texture. Wood blocks sound very much like real wood blocks. The hand percussion sounds a lot more snappy, rounded and rich. The Vali makes the recording sound warmer and richer. Her voice is less dynamic than on the Elear but the percussion is more dynamic on the Vali. Every hand slap resonates harder and clearer. 

Elear - Bass less solid more forward and present. Her voice is more forward and less thick and rich and more dynamic. More airy. The soundstage is slightly larger. Wood blocks sound good here too. Details sound very very similar overall. She has a deeper voice that sound more serious on the Vali but more free on the Elear. More treble on the Elear and a little more fatiguing slightly. 

Winner: tie  The percussion of the Vali is very addicting to me personally on the Vali but the more slightly more open sound of the Elear is equally appreciated. 


This Unruly Mess I’ve Made 24/44 flac
MackleMore&Ryan Lewis - Buckshot (feat. KRS - One)

Vali - More forgiving of the recording quality, The bass sounds slightly less clear. It is more solid but sounds a little more distorted. The male rappers on this track sound better on the Vali. They are more present and forward. They sound a little more stuffy than the Elears on this song but it compliments the grungy mood of this song. 

Elear- sounds great. The bass punches pretty decently just not as solid as on the Vali but cleaner. It is a little lighter and sounds more balanced and has a more open sound but it is not really necessary for this song. The high hats sound cleaner on the Elear but overall I prefer heavy and rich punchiness on the Vali for this song. Adlibs popped more from the background than with the Vali. 

Winner: Vali very slightly. I actually played the song on repeat on the Vali and forgot about analyzing it. Fun times. The Elear is a genre master though and handled this song very well.  



Mary J. Blige 
The London Sessions 24/96 flac
Whole Damn Year

Vali - Kick drums start off more percussive. Bass is heavier and weighter. Mary J’s voice actually sounds more rounded and soulful on the Vali. I went into this songs expecting the Elear to win but as soon as she sings its pretty much an easy choice on this song. I started with the Elear on this song. It is almost like Kennerton used this song to tune these headphones. Here voice is not recessed at all and very much up close with good depth.  

Elear - Slightly less rich, sounds great but makes the recording sound as if it is not as clear as it does with the Vali. It sounds more like a recording on the Elear whereas the Vali sounds more realistic. The bass is clean, the space is very natural. Perhaps Mary and Xiomara with there voices sitting heavily in the midrange proper and not having a lot of upper midrange extension plays better for the Vali.


Winner: Very easily the Vali

Basia Bulat  
Good Advice - Tidal
‘La La Lie’ and ‘Fool’


Vali - I don’t think this is a high quality recording but it sounds stuffy on the Vali and her voice is not cutting through. The bass is more present but it sounds less open, less clear, less open. Not really liking the effect on the Vali and it feels congested. ‘Fool’ sounds better than ‘La La Lie’ but still not as good as the Elear on this song. When things pick up and get busy I feel like some instruments don’t cut through the mix as well as on the Elear but the Bass is more solid for sure.  Her voice cuts through the mix on ‘Fool’ just not as well as the Elear. 

Elear - The Elear reveals the recording quality and file fidelity to not be as good as the previous songs, however her voice does not sound tucked back and cuts through the recording very well. When she belts to make her voice cut out from the raspiness it sounds very nice and clear. On ‘Fool’ I turn it up get lost. Where as going back on the Vali I turn it up to get the same emotion

Winner: Very easily the Elear


C.C. Colleti
Bring it Home 24/192 flac
Black Dog

Vali - Wow that stand up bass is very engaging on the Vali. This is from swapping already from the Elear. The Elear sounds more open but on the left channel that banjo is very much more present and just stuck there as real in presence as can be. I wish for a little more air like the Elear has. Her voice sounds cool too. Again I was really expecting the Elear to take the cake here since it is more open and has a consistent clarity to it, never sounding stuffy. But the Vali does pretty good. 

Elear - More spacious. That banjo(sorry if I named the instrument wrong) resonates with less richness than on the  Vali but there is more air around it and it sounds more a part of the recording. The bass is less punchy but actually sounds better balanced and true to the recording whereas the Vali is emphasizing it a little too much. I am hearing good texture from the bass on the Elear when the cords vibrate. Her voice is more delicate and sophisticated on the Elear. 

Winner: Tie;
I would have an inner debate for a while and go back and for with these headphones but I know the average person may find the Vali too rich on this song. The Elears would be the winner here too. While I personally like the Vali more on this song. 


Elear VS Vali by Aspect




Soundstage: Elear

Layering: Vali

Attack: not sure they are both really good

Decay: Elear wins for having a little less decay

Dynamics: Very close but for vocals the Elear, Percussion the Vali if it is lower than 1000hz in the frequency response

Midrange balance: Elear

Upper mids qty: Elear

Lower mids qty: Vali 

Soundstage: Elear (don’t expect a super spacious headphone though)

Bass solidity: Vali

Bass control: tie

Bass texure:  Vali slightly

Bass quantity: Vali

Bass cleanliness: Elear

Sub bass: Vali

Treble smoothness: Vali

Treble presence: Elear

Air: Elear

Details and resolution: Tie… very much a Tie

Transparency or clarity: Very much song dependent but the lighter, open sound of the Elear gives it the edge

Comfort: Elear

Build: Not sure because the Demo unit has a screw from the logo ring loose and my pair was broken and I have had no problems with the Vali build. 

Overall punchiness: tie track dependent. I enjoy this aspect on the Vali more though but on the more objective side of things I dont really know

Overall more engaging: you have rich and punchy vs balanced and punchy again track dependent. 


OVERALL:
I will have to give the the super HD650 title to the Elear. The upper mids sound more in line with what someone wanting a super HD650 would go for. There has never been a headphone to come closer to that title than the Elear... it is a super HD650. In the meet one gentleman was very impressed with the Vali and really wanted one. The hype surrounding the Elear will obviously gain it more popularity as well as the looks and design but for reasons above some may prefer the Vali. I for one like both very much and find the Elear less seductive than the Vali but overall would recommend the Elear to the average listener as the less polarizing choice. 

Miceblue said the revision made nice improvements but was still a little rich for his blood. Me I say bring it on but totally understand his perspective. Overdevelopment in the bass and midrange proper or lower mids does not cater well to the average audiophiles desire of hearing every little detail.  Even though the details are there and very much so, you may subconciously not realize how detailed it is because it is different than audiophile tuning.

Him and another member whose ears I really appreciate mentioned the Vali to be recessed in midrange on some songs. He used the word withdrawn.  I attribute that to the upper midrange. It is is easier to hear this on busy passages. The opposite is true on some songs where they are very forward. Take for example the ‘Black Dog’ song above. The Vali plays that banjo stronger and it resonates with more presence than on the Elear. Yet on another song the Elear makes a females voice cut through the mix like a hot knife through butter in comparison. 

One thing that is apparent about the Vali is that its separation is Great. The instruments are carved out in the flesh with very good presence. Details retrieval, not once gave anything up to the Elear, in fact some songs made me think it was more detailed. The Elear has a more open and clean sound so it sounds more transparent but like on a couple of songs above the Vali sounded more clear and realistic. So it is hard to definitively declare a winner for detail retrieval

As a basshead though, the win would go to the Vali. The Elear bass is a definite step up from the 650 and unlike the Dharma, it is solid, clean and punchy

I  will give the recommendation to the Elear for most though and have to declare it the winner. I love Kennerton and have developed a bias for its bass and lush sound but the truth is the truth… More people will prefer the Elear and it showed in the meet we had when I roughly estimated a consensus. 


This is all unedited. This is a forum and people kind of know eachother so I write this for the interested. Not the critical english major and dont really care to fix it all up nice. 

This is a couple of  days. When I have my  own Elear I will go back and check for anything I disagree with and edit it. As well as link it in the first page along with others impressions. 


Very informative, first class sharing as usual. The fact that you prefer Vali but you leave enough room to reader to pick their own preference, that's something that we must appreciate and treasure.

Looks like the one grand US benchmark will have a tough war, lets hope there is more competitive choice in this price segment down the road, this is, IMHO, a very important milestone in hobbyist market, there is no turning back once you step into the four figure range, so we need more viable options to draw people into this the game.
 
Cayin Stay updated on Cayin at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
http://en.cayin.cn/
Aug 2, 2016 at 7:45 PM Post #135 of 271
Hey Grizz! You still wanna try out a pair of Nighthawks? My previous sale fell through so I might as well let you borrow 'em for a bit before I put 'em back on the market. 
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top