[RSC08]

I didn't want to use something with glue though...

 

[SpAwNCQN]

Hello my fellow Vietnamese
I'm interested in it because I like its steampunky look and allegedly good sound!
I'm newbie in the forums but I'm not into hype so I rather take my time and read and learn from people.
But to be honest I'm quite torn between the HP3 and Focal clear. Which one would you and guys here advise for general listening (pop, rock, jazz, instrumental music) on a portable player (fiio m11 pro)? I'm not a basshead nor a analytical listener, I just want to enjoy music.

Hi all,

I am in the same situation as our friend, torn between the Klipsch and the Clear... I want to buy a high-end headphone, and those 2 are on the final list... Right now I enjoy my music through my Sony NW-ZX1 (from 2014, still relevant...) or from my desktop with a small Fiio Dac/Amp and I am splitting my time between my Earsonics Velvet V2 IEM and my good old Fidelio X1. I also own a beautiful ATH-W1000X but this one is the least favorite when it comes to pleasure I take listening to mucic, too quiet for me.

Listening to Rap / Metal / Electronic and what I need is a foot tapping headphone, and I think the HP3 is a good choice for that, but what disturbs me is all those reviews saying they are overpriced and not precise enough...

What do you guys think?

(Just a note, if I buy them, I will also buy the paired amplifier)

 

[Ninosan]

Now that I've had several days with the HP-3, I figured I would make a mini review and share good and bad that I've found with it.

Build 9/10
With no surprises to anyone, the build is pretty great. The only flaw that I have found so far is that my set, when the cups are turned to lay flat, the right earcup isn't level with the left, suggesting that the curve of the headband is symmetrical. This is annoying to me but I never lay them flat so it's not very noticeable otherwise.

Fit & Comfort 4/10
This are where my biggest gripes with the headphones are. While the design looks nice, it definitely isn't designed with comfort in mind, especially the headband. The narrow width, small amount of stiff padding, and small contact area across my head was the perfect storm me. The lower clamp force and heavy construction just make things worse. After only an hour the pain on top of my head becomes bad enough to distract from the music.Also, because of this discomfort I would constantly fiddle with the fit, trying to reposition it to a more comfortable spot, usually in vain.

So if I was going to keep them, I needed to do something about this. I could have used Dekoni Nuggets as others have suggested but I really dislike the way this looks and the thought of using adhesive on a headphone this nice makes me squirm. So instead I have made a leather suspension strap from a piece of cream colored leather, pictured below. I would have liked to use the same caramel color leather that's used on the pads and headband but I knew that I would never find a piece that was the exact right color so I went with a contrasting color instead. While this greatly enhances the comfort for me, this brings to light another problem. In order for these headphones to fit my head properly when stock (I have a tall head and my ears are lower set than most people's are) I have to set them to setting #6 on the headband slider (which is the last marked number but they do extend slightly more than this), so in order to have enough room for the strap to keep the headband off of my head I only had a 1/4 inch of room to play with. So now I have the strap I have to fully extend them and they are barely big enough. So if you have a big/tall head with lower ears, this headphone might not fit you at all, let alone leave enough room for a comfort strap.

The earpads are on the harder and shallower side but aren't terribly uncomfortable since they are genuine leather and so breathe decently well. Although they aren't ideal with glasses. I find them a lot more comfortable without my glasses on, which is typically something that doesn't bother me this much with other headphones.

One minor annoyance that I wanted to mention briefly is that because of the rear entry cable design on the yokes that combined with the lower clamping force can cause using these headphones while lying down problematic, usually making the use of a pillow impractical since it pushes the headphone forward too much.

One last thing to mention in this section is that my pair doesn't have the channel imbalance that I thought it initially had. The fiddly fit in a combination with very sensitive imaging and very slight channel imbalances from that even the best analog volume controls have, I thought it was a driver mismatch, when it wasn't.

Soundstage 6/10 & Imaging 10/10
Soundstage is on the smaller side of things. It's not quite the in-your-head experience of the HD6XX but it doesn't really extend more than a few inches away from the cups. This ins't terribly surprising since these really aren't open headphones despite the looks. They are on the more closed side of semi-open and when you are wearing them they block about as much sound as a poor-isolating closed-back.

The HP-3 have some of the best imaging that I have heard. It is not only excellent side to side but also back to front. A good example of this is "Intro" on Yosi Horikawa's Vapor album, the bass actually circles around the listener while most headphones can only make it sound side to side. "Letter" from the same album is another good example of good imaging with smooth transitions from left to right while he writes across the page. Headphones with worse imaging tend to lump it into far left, middle, and far right, making this song more jarring. The only other headphone that I have that can compete with the imaging of this headphone is the DT1990 but given how much more analytical that is, it's impressive that the more "fun" HP-3 can hang with the best.

Dynamics 5/10
This was one of the bigger disappointments for me. The HP-3 has a powerful sound but it really phones it in when it comes to dynamics. I was never surprised when a crescendo occurred or when a build up pays off. "Mountains" from the Interstellar soundtrack is a good example of this. When the horns and organ finally come in, it doesn't shock or surprise with the volume difference."Take Five" from The Dave Brubeck Quartet's album Time Out is another example. The drum hits starting from around the 2:30 mark do have the same amount of dynamic impact other headphones have. For a music-focused high-end headphone this is category I thought these would own, but alas, that's not the case.

Sound 8/10
Overall, these sound good, but I don't think they sound good enough to deserve their original listing price of $1,200 when there is so much great-sounding competition lower in the price bracket. For the $700 I paid, I feel like the price-to-performance ratio is pretty close to in sync, which is honestly disappointing. That being said, these sound very good with some caveats.

Bass
These definitely have the biocellulose character to the bass although it's much more tame than the Fostex TR/H-X00, probably due in part to the more open design. The bass extends pretty well, hits pretty hard (although the lack of dynamics takes out some of the potential impact here) and is pretty even across the spectrum although it does bleed a bit into the mids and can have extra reverb depending on the frequency. "Letting Go While Holding On" on Nine Inch Nails' new Ghosts V: Together album is one of the tracks I noticed this the most. A minor gripe overall.

Mids
This is a section of the sound that's a bit recessed but still sweet sounding. Almost like the music is being performed in a wooden concert hall. The HP-3 isn't super v-shaped but it's definitely where it leans. Because of this mids-recession, songs can sound kind of hollow. This effect is much less noticeable when it's being amped properly. They are easy to drive but picky about the power you give them and these definitely benefit from cleaner sources.

Highs
I'll be blunt here, the HP-3 can be strident and sibilant in the highs. This isn't particularly bothersome to me but I own 5 pairs of Beyerdynamics so take that how you will. This is one area where the headphone has a lot of detail but it's taking a bit of the brute force approach here with the recessed mids and elevated highs to get there.That being said, it's effective. I have heard details with this headphone that I never heard before which is becoming rarer the longer I'm in this hobby and get better gear. One interesting area that I notice more detail is when reverb is applied to a singer's voice it's super easy to pick the effect out. "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)" on Adele's 25 album is an example where the effect is clearly audible.

Conclusion
If I had to sum these up in one word I would say "rich." From the build to the sound it has a very rich character. The HP-3 is an interesting headphone. It's more v-shaped than I thought it would be, honestly. A lot of high end stuff tends to shy away from this tuning which is a fine sound when it's done right. Another thing, I mentioned this above but what these are driven with does make a difference despite them being "easy" to drive. Getting volume is not problem but getting good sound is another problem entirely. My favorite pairings have been the IFI ICAN SE, and THX-789. I haven't tried them balanced since they don't need the power but I might try that later although I'm doubtful it will make a huge difference.

I do find it unfortunate that they went a little too much form-over-function especially when it comes to the headband but this doesn't seem to bother everybody so it could just be my head that it doesn't like. If anyone is interested in making their own comfort strap, I would be happy to scan and post the pattern here, just let me know. It was honestly pretty easy to make once I figured out what length would be enough to keep the headband off of my head while also not making the headphone too small for me.

Stay safe, and happy listening everyone!

I almost totally agree with your review.
In the low end I don't like it at all. With some genres that require maximum dynamic expression and a punchy punch, these headphones sit on the ground. It almost seems that they have difficulty expressing themselves and sometimes they do it in an embarrassing way.
I'm waiting to do some more tests, if they don't convince me they'll go on sale.
in my opinion they are not worth the price of about € 1,000.

 

[RSC08]

To those who got these recently, can you check your warranty card and see what is the manufacturing date on your pair?

 

[maggie17fan]

To those who got these recently, can you check your warranty card and see what is the manufacturing date on your pair?

Mine was October 31, 2017, and I just bought them new unopened a few months ago.

 

[theangelboy]

To those who got these recently, can you check your warranty card and see what is the manufacturing date on your pair?

Oddly enough, mine is December 25, 2017. Yes, Christmas day. Probably pretty good evidence they were not assembled in the USA.

 

[DaYooper]

It's no secret, they were manufactured in China.

 

[Ninosan]

10.09.2018

 

[RSC08]

Mine is also from 2018.

 

[Pigeon X]

Mine is also 10/9/18. A good vintage.

10.09.2018

 

[sontung]

Mine is from November 2018.

And that means... Yes I have received my HP3 5 days ago! Hahah it arrived quite quickly considering it was from Italy to the UK during these time.

And as promised my impressions? Man, I am really happy with them! I won't look for other headphones, prolly will be still checking out some but not buying anything more.. or maybe in some years later hahaha

Why? Are they perfect? No they are not perfect. So let's get straight to the points, untraditionally bad news first:

Cons:
- the headphones are bigger and heavier than I expected. That means there is some weight on your head and unfortunately the headband is not well designed so I already feel slight pain after 10mins of wearing them. I have to fix this somehow, prolly buy some extra padding.

- the cables for it is an 3,5mm to 3,5mm unbalanced. If you want buy balanced cable replacements, it is really hard to find good ones, there are some in offer but they cost over 200usd. Do you guys know some good reasonable balanced cables?

Nit picking:
- for some songs the air consonants like s and sh are quiet pitchy/zazzy. But it seems like after few days of burn in it has improved, so it's good here now.

- I wish the subbass has more rumbles. But considering these are open back headphones, I think the bass department is as strong as it can get and not end up being too much of bass.

Pros:
- they are beautiful, the steampunky / vintage look is so aesthetically pleasing. I have never seen more beautiful headphones! Emphasis on every little details, every shape, line and colors matches together perfectly.

- quality built. Quality materials.

- my biggest concern was that I was afraid, from reading reviews, that they would have too much bass. Naah that's not true. For me it is the best, it sounds good, I feel it, I hear the texture and the kick. If they just take away a bit of it the headphones would become boring!

- the sound stage is good too! Wide and natural. The sound source feels more like in your face. It can be more wider and taller - but I have Fiio M11 pro which has a sound filter called "sharp roll off" which moves the sound source a bit farther and adds some echoes. So now it sounds more like around my head, which I prefer more, and with the echo stuff make everything a bit sweeter. Perfect combo here!

- everything sounds clear, lively. Separation is very good.

Are there stuff to improve? Yes. The comfort department.

Sound wise they are best for me so from all the headphones. They can be tuned differently, but that's just matter of taste and then they would not the avantgarde Klipsch HP-3 any more.

They are not polished, comfy Mercedes.
They are like old Mustang cars - they are clunky, but they have their own charm and fun. For someone most beautiful. And since the whole headphones department of Klipsch has been dissolved since 2018, prolly no new models or even pieces might be produced in the future, that makes them unique. That's why I like them and will keep them.

 

[DaYooper]

Do you guys know some good reasonable balanced cables?

CustomCans in London.

 

[RSC08]

Mine is from November 2018.

And that means... Yes I have received my HP3 5 days ago! Hahah it arrived quite quickly considering it was from Italy to the UK during these time.

And as promised my impressions? Man, I am really happy with them! I won't look for other headphones, prolly will be still checking out some but not buying anything more.. or maybe in some years later hahaha

Why? Are they perfect? No they are not perfect. So let's get straight to the points, untraditionally bad news first:

Cons:
- the headphones are bigger and heavier than I expected. That means there is some weight on your head and unfortunately the headband is not well designed so I already feel slight pain after 10mins of wearing them. I have to fix this somehow, prolly buy some extra padding.

- the cables for it is an 3,5mm to 3,5mm unbalanced. If you want buy balanced cable replacements, it is really hard to find good ones, there are some in offer but they cost over 200usd. Do you guys know some good reasonable balanced cables?

Nit picking:
- for some songs the air consonants like s and sh are quiet pitchy/zazzy. But it seems like after few days of burn in it has improved, so it's good here now.

- I wish the subbass has more rumbles. But considering these are open back headphones, I think the bass department is as strong as it can get and not end up being too much of bass.

Pros:
- they are beautiful, the steampunky / vintage look is so aesthetically pleasing. I have never seen more beautiful headphones! Emphasis on every little details, every shape, line and colors matches together perfectly.

- quality built. Quality materials.

- my biggest concern was that I was afraid, from reading reviews, that they would have too much bass. Naah that's not true. For me it is the best, it sounds good, I feel it, I hear the texture and the kick. If they just take away a bit of it the headphones would become boring!

- the sound stage is good too! Wide and natural. The sound source feels more like in your face. It can be more wider and taller - but I have Fiio M11 pro which has a sound filter called "sharp roll off" which moves the sound source a bit farther and adds some echoes. So now it sounds more like around my head, which I prefer more, and with the echo stuff make everything a bit sweeter. Perfect combo here!

- everything sounds clear, lively. Separation is very good.

Are there stuff to improve? Yes. The comfort department.

Sound wise they are best for me so from all the headphones. They can be tuned differently, but that's just matter of taste and then they would not the avantgarde Klipsch HP-3 any more.

They are not polished, comfy Mercedes.
They are like old Mustang cars - they are clunky, but they have their own charm and fun. For someone most beautiful. And since the whole headphones department of Klipsch has been dissolved since 2018, prolly no new models or even pieces might be produced in the future, that makes them unique. That's why I like them and will keep them.

Since yours is the black version, the dekoni nuggets would not ruin the overall aesthetic of the set.

 

[vodanhkhack]

- the cables for it is an 3,5mm to 3,5mm unbalanced. If you want buy balanced cable replacements, it is really hard to find good ones, there are some in offer but they cost over 200usd. Do you guys know some good reasonable balanced cables?



Pros:
- they are beautiful, the steampunky / vintage look is so aesthetically pleasing. I have never seen more beautiful headphones! Emphasis on every little details, every shape, line and colors matches together perfectly.



They are not polished, comfy Mercedes.
They are like old Mustang cars - they are clunky, but they have their own charm and fun. For someone most beautiful. And since the whole headphones department of Klipsch has been dissolved since 2018, prolly no new models or even pieces might be produced in the future, that makes them unique. That's why I like them and will keep them.

The point is the balanced output of your DAP, not on the cable actually.
Balanced output uses dual DACs, dual amplifier circuits ... taking all the advantages of the sound processing and it is day and night different vs the 3.5mm single end output!

 

[Ninosan]

I currently have this configuration with XLR connections between the amp and the DAC.
I try to build a balanced cable myself (on XLR) and I ordered the material on aliexpress.
I will use an 8 core cable, silver plated OCC copper. I will use it on double, that is 8 cores for each channel.