[Daemon Ursus]

So, here are my 2 cents on your plans so far.
 
First I think the aesthetic is perfect, they may be the most attractive headphones on the market. It's debatable, and a lot of it comes down to personal preference, but no one with eyes would call them ugly. My personal preference leans toward the Ebony. However, all three are quite attractive in their own way. I think you could stand to add a "red" wood to the lineup, possibly Bloodwood (Brosimum paraense), Tasmanian Myrtle (Nothofagus cunninghamii), or Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa). I think you should avoid Purpleheart (Peltogyne spp), it is not a color I think would fit the rest of the aesthetics of the headphones. 
 
Next, as others have pointed out, the headband may be a tad anemic for the size of the headphones. I think it really comes down to the total weight, if they are light enough, It may be a non-issue even for long listening sessions. A good solution for this might be to have the headband padding removable and offer a wider more plush version for sale if people are bothered by the stock headband. I think your idea for offering multiple pad options is wonderful, far too few companies do this, and it's a real shame. In addition to offering multiple materials, I think offering multiple sizes would be quite nice. I have large ears and it can be hard for me to find pads that work for me, but if you have small ears, you don't want such large openings your ears are swimming. Also, I think offering optional pads that just pop on magnetically, is a wonderful idea. I have a pair of Monolith M560 and I love how easy it is to remove their pads, I don't know why no one has done it before, its so much better than slowly stretching pads over the cup, or clipping them into stiff clips that make you worried you are about to break them.
 
As for tuning, I don't think you need to go for a pure reference sound unless you want to. I do think however you should avoid the ever popular V shape to the sound. So much of our music happens in the mids, you are missing a lot if you recess them. At the end of the day, it's your headphone, it should sound distinct and memorable as its own sound, not just as a refined Emu Teak, TH900 or whatever. I am very excited to hear what you are developing as your house sound for these.
 
On to cables,  I like the option you showed at CES for a screw on type 1/8-1/4 hybrid, it's a nice mid-point that lets you choose the source for your headphones without a bunch of cumbersome adapters. One note, I never saw what connectors to the cups you are actually using, but they look like Lemo 2 pin connectors, as used on the Hd800, and Utopia. If that is the case, as someone who makes cables, I would hope that you might entertain the idea of using an alternate connection. Those connectors are hugely overpriced, hard to work with and offer no perceptible benefit to the consumer. My take away from your statements thus far have been that you want people to be able to make these headphones their own, offering the option of easily interchangeable pads, multiple wood and color options, and so on. In my opinion, it would be a shame to put a connector on these which will make it difficult for people to tailor their cables to their personal needs and desires.
 
Finally, I am really excited for these, they could be an extremely compelling option for the price range you have targeted. I am even more excited that you have an interest in getting our opinions before the product has been finalized. As I am sure many others here are, I would be ecstatic to test these for you and look forward to being involved in their development if you continue to allow me to do so. 

 

[RedHotFuzz]

Based on the video the Bluetooth model looks to be on-ear and not over-ear, which is a bummer if true.

 

[lifeisbeautiful]

   
This one's a bit hard to answer since they're quite different animals. Personally I think the X10's bass tends to creep into the midrange a bit to much, so the HP-3 will have ironed that out. Next is the X10's high frequency response, it rolls off faster than our X20, so the HP-3 will have better high frequency extension. Outside of that, the tonality of the X10 is superb, but since it's an in-ear headphone it doesn't have the soundstage that the HP-3 will.

Thanks Grodzman. Any information on the availability and price. I'm currently thinking about the B&W P7 wireless. But, would be willing to wait and see if this is close...
Thanks

 

[zeleknot]

First of all let me congratulate you to what IMHO are the best looking headphones I have ever seen....I do not post much here but I read everything over and over again so I have seen hundreds of beautiful headphone and these look just astonishing. Right amount of class, premium materials and steam punk looks with those brass screews to top it all off!
In my mind I am already in the waiting line when these become available... hopefully someone in Slovenia is a Klipsch distributor..or is there an European online store???
 
Now on to what my 5 preferences besides an amazing sound would be (I must admit that I favour the looks and materials over sound):
1: Right choice of materials for premium money...(leather, metal, wood) ...CHECK
2: 2 cables (one balanced)
3: 2 sets of ear pads (preferably magnetic)
4: Nice presentation box (preferably wood...could be an option when ordering between premium box and more functional i.e. plastic case)
5: clamping force must be enough even for small heads!!!
 
Also I have a question regarding the use of different kinds of wood:
-are they all treated in a way to protect them from cracking (Audeze should be your important lesson)?
-will it be necessary to use oils or something else to protect it from drying out (preferably not...if wood is properly dried out before process it shouldn't need any!)
 
Just for information, I prefer the "oak wood" look but I have second thoughts 'cause of the 3 options "oak wood" is the least hard and more prone to deforming and cracking. Ebony is the hardest and least cracks, but the gimbals are black coloured aluminium and will show signs of wear quickest.
 
Thank you and bring them beauties out ASAP.

 

[conquerator2]

My only concern comfort wise are the earpads and their depth. That's usually the Achilles heel for me with regards to headphone. So I hope some thick foamed variants will also be available :] The ones in the video look fairly shallow.

 

[Grodzman]

I'll try to answer a number of questions after saying a big thank you from the Klipsch crew. We're all scribbling down ideas and it looks like the Head-Fi community is pretty much on point with the necessary accessories, the key issues of contention, and the aesthetic.
 
- The LEMO connectors used in the prototypes will not be used in production. Like you said, they're so expensive I would feel dishonest in passing that cost on to the consumer at a retail mark-up. There are many robust options out there and we've narrowed it down to a few others that look good, are built like a tank, and aren't big. That being said, I'm open for suggestions.
 
- You'll get two cables but the XLR-4 balanced cable will be sold separately. Most people don't have an amp that works with XLR-4 since there's a number of ways to connect into them (dual XLR-3, dual 3.5, and so on). We'll take care of building at least one ourselves, and the rest will be supported by awesome headphone cable companies. Don't worry, we'll choose a connector that's not proprietary and allows the community to customize.
 
- The box will be sturdy and attractive, however I again would like to elect not to make it obscene. We explored a couple of options from low-grade to simply stunning, and we're going to end up somewhere in between. The reason for this is simple - I want the biggest chunk of the budget to go towards the headphone itself, as well as providing as many useful accessories as possible right in the box. If I can trade down on box material (from actual plywood/hardwood to particle board and veneer/vinyl) to include an extra set of pads I will.
 
- I'm listening to the prototype set of HP-3 Walnut right now (totally the best perk of the job) to put some hours into the headband and really determine whether extra padding is necessary. My gut right now says that once we get our mechanical design dialed in the headband will expand by a few millimeters in every direction and sort itself out. So far so good though as long as it's not torqued down to your noggin. The pain test will happen as soon as we are off-tool on most parts - 2-3 hours of straight listening.
 
- Andrew is currently modifying some SLA samples of baffle parts that will further help us understand earpad depth. If the baffle's flat then we may have to make them a bit more plush. If it's recessed and/or angled then the current pad may be just the right amount of cushion.
 
- As far as 1/4" adapters are concerned, there's a really nice design that's friction fit instead of screw type. I like this better as it tends to never get unscrewed on its own or over-torqued.
 
- The smaller HP-2 and HP-1 will still be over-ear models (40mm), not on-ear. Even premium on-ears tend to hurt our ears here at the office, so we'll table them for now. They need to grow a little bit to accommodate an ear, the CES prototypes came off a bit on the small size.

 

[conquerator2]

  I'll try to answer a number of questions after saying a big thank you from the Klipsch crew. We're all scribbling down ideas and it looks like the Head-Fi community is pretty much on point with the necessary accessories, the key issues of contention, and the aesthetic.
 
- The LEMO connectors used in the prototypes will not be used in production. Like you said, they're so expensive I would feel dishonest in passing that cost on to the consumer at a retail mark-up. There are many robust options out there and we've narrowed it down to a few others that look good, are built like a tank, and aren't big. That being said, I'm open for suggestions.
 
- You'll get two cables but the XLR-4 balanced cable will be sold separately. Most people don't have an amp that works with XLR-4 since there's a number of ways to connect into them (dual XLR-3, dual 3.5, and so on). We'll take care of building at least one ourselves, and the rest will be supported by awesome headphone cable companies. Don't worry, we'll choose a connector that's not proprietary and allows the community to customize.
 
- The box will be sturdy and attractive, however I again would like to elect not to make it obscene. We explored a couple of options from low-grade to simply stunning, and we're going to end up somewhere in between. The reason for this is simple - I want the biggest chunk of the budget to go towards the headphone itself, as well as providing as many useful accessories as possible right in the box. If I can trade down on box material (from actual plywood/hardwood to particle board and veneer/vinyl) to include an extra set of pads I will.
 
- I'm listening to the prototype set of HP-3 Walnut right now (totally the best perk of the job) to put some hours into the headband and really determine whether extra padding is necessary. My gut right now says that once we get our mechanical design dialed in the headband will expand by a few millimeters in every direction and sort itself out. So far so good though as long as it's not torqued down to your noggin. The pain test will happen as soon as we are off-tool on most parts - 2-3 hours of straight listening.
 
- Andrew is currently modifying some SLA samples of baffle parts that will further help us understand earpad depth. If the baffle's flat then we may have to make them a bit more plush. If it's recessed and/or angled then the current pad may be just the right amount of cushion.
 
- As far as 1/4" adapters are concerned, there's a really nice design that's friction fit instead of screw type. I like this better as it tends to never get unscrewed on its own or over-torqued.
 
- The smaller HP-2 and HP-1 will still be over-ear models (40mm), not on-ear. Even premium on-ears tend to hurt our ears here at the office, so we'll table them for now. They need to grow a little bit to accommodate an ear, the CES prototypes came off a bit on the small size.

- I am all for 2.5mm or 3.5mm connectors. I am not a fan of the screw on and the likes as an accidental yank can see the connector destroyed. We'll see what others think :]
- I am sure many would welcome a standard 4 pin XLR in the box. Now, my gear is all single ended so I don't mind but it's always nice to have balanced out of the box. Up to you :]
- I belong in the group that could care less about the box. Personally the less is spent on the box and the more is spent on the included accessories, such as extra earpads or cables, the better. A box has no redeeming qualities other than inflating the price IMO though I am not the box collector type
- I personally need at least 2 cm of depth clearance within the cups, assuming the material is medium soft. Super soft foam decompresses more so might need even more for me to get a comfy fit. If my ear touches the driver in any way then that is no good. Additionally, offering a hybrid design earpad [velour / alcantara contact point] is another welcome feature I'd enjoy. But the depth is always the most important feature for me.
- Either works for me. Screw on, snap on... I don't think that will be a big issue as long as either of the adapters are solid :]
- Gotcha. Good to know :]
- One extra; No matter what cable you decide to include in the end, please make sure it is pliable. An unwieldy cable can make the whole experience that much more sour. Anything around 2 meters / 6 ft in length is usually ideal, if pliable :]
Thank you on behalf of all the audiophiles around here. I am sure we all appreciate the out-going nature you guys show with these headphones. Now I can only hope most of these features make it into the headphones, though my #1 feature of these would definitely by comfy, deep earpads, followed by an easy to use connector.
Thank you again! Cheers and good luck :]

 

[voxie]

Hi Grodzman, thank you for the update. Great to see Klipsch interacting with the Head - Fi community. My first iem purchase where the x10's which set me on the audio world trip! Just to confirm... have you taken a back seat re launching an on ear version and if so have you plans to re visit in the future?

 

[Musiqlovr]

So...let me recap, Vlad said we both have big ears.  
 
I'm his boss and he has a set of HP-3 to listen to all day (as does Andrew) and I don't...whats wrong with this picture?
 
Steve

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Kilpsch is one of my personal favorite brands. The Khorn speakers is simply amazing even by today's standards. I am very pleased to hear you want to make a high-end headphone. 
 
Steve, the Sony MDR-Z1r checks a lot of boxes (sound, build quality, design, comfort, presentation, unboxing experience). I think it's a good hp to use as reference. 
 
Thanks for using our amps at your booth at CES 2017.
 

 

[luvmusik]

Maybe the goal might be for 1 or 2 models as a fun-sounding V-shape but retaining the 3rd model for a reference sound signature. Currently there are many new Foster biocellulose driver headphones variants on the market with the traditional v-shape sound. 
 
For the reference type sound signature, per my post #30 here, if mids were brought up a tad bit more to balance the already fine bass, deep sub-bass and brilliant sparkling highs (inherent in the Foster bio-dyna driver v-shape sound), near evenly balanced top to bottom for all around reference tuning; here is another suggestion tweak to help balance towards a more reference signature -
 
This I posted long ago in the E-MU thread...please try some testing with these 5 wood cup types - Bloodwood, Bocote, Cocobolo, Padauk and Zelkova woods. It's not for their appearance, but rather these woods have characteristics which will retain the low sub-bass, bass and brilliant sparkling highs while also moving the mids just slightly forward a tad bit - approaching closer to a reference signature. It's really worth a try in both your measurements lab and listening lab.
 
Realize there is far much more involved than just frequency response, but this is one point that can help achieve closer to a reference signature, making other tuning tweaks easier.

 

[Daemon Ursus]

  I'll try to answer a number of questions after saying a big thank you from the Klipsch crew. We're all scribbling down ideas and it looks like the Head-Fi community is pretty much on point with the necessary accessories, the key issues of contention, and the aesthetic.
 
- The LEMO connectors used in the prototypes will not be used in production. Like you said, they're so expensive I would feel dishonest in passing that cost on to the consumer at a retail mark-up. There are many robust options out there and we've narrowed it down to a few others that look good, are built like a tank, and aren't big. That being said, I'm open for suggestions.
 
- You'll get two cables but the XLR-4 balanced cable will be sold separately. Most people don't have an amp that works with XLR-4 since there's a number of ways to connect into them (dual XLR-3, dual 3.5, and so on). We'll take care of building at least one ourselves, and the rest will be supported by awesome headphone cable companies. Don't worry, we'll choose a connector that's not proprietary and allows the community to customize.

For the cup connectors, I personally would like to see either 3.5mm or 2.5mm TRS jacks. They are easy to work with, plentiful and inexpensive. If you should choose to use one of them, I think you should look into wiring them something like this: 
 
Right
Tip: no signal,
Ring: signal
Sleeve: ground
 
Left
Tip: signal
Ring: no signal
Sleeve: ground
 
By wiring the cable like this you can make it so that your cable is reversible, but you always have the proper channel going to each cup. It also has no negative impact on the aftermarket cable industry, if you don’t want to have to run the 2 extra conductors in the cable needed to make it reversible, you simply wire the cable accordingly and indicate L&R like normal. This is a very rare, but wonderful convenience feature I would love to see it make it into these.
 
I agree with your decision to not include an XLR  cable, they would go almost unused and that money could be put into other more commonly used features. Also, most people who run fully balanced, end up buying custom cables anyway. So, in my personal opinion, It would be nice for you to offer a branded XLR cable for those who want it, but it’s unnecessary to include one in the box.

 

[Musiqlovr]

Mike,

Thanks, the amps sounded great and you hooked me on the WA-8. I had Vlad buy 2 more and we are keeping the one you let us use at the show...they sound fantastic. Now Vlad, Andrew and I all have WA-8's, hold make the next trip to Asia a lot more enjoyable!

 

[Andrew Rieger]

Tyll's CES article and interview is up: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/ces-2017-klipsch-upcoming-heritage-headphone-line#blIRbWJMxEF94AkA.97
 
 
 
More positive impressions here as well: http://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/1/13/14186338/audio-technica-dsr9bt-klipsch-heritage-blue-ella-ces-2017

 

[Armaegis]

  As to the fasteners being visible and copper.  This is something I am responsible for because since I joined Klipsch, I have been pushing for us to have an identity across all product categories.  The theme is Bench Made, Kraft Made etc.  Its all about celebrating the material composition and not hiding from it.  You will see this element on virtually all the new Klipsch products developed under my watch, be it HP, Integrated Amp, Powered Speakers etc.  This is one of those things I am not compromising or changing.  Feel strongly that one day you will be able to look across a retail store and tell what is Klipsch imply by look at the construction. 
 
 

 
Now if only there were enough of that copper to develop a nice patina on your products, giving each one a personal identity...