[Arcamera]

Kennerton makes some fine headphones. I've often thought that people who like the Elite might appreciate, say, the Kennerton Thekk.

 

[betula]

It was planned as a short visit in my favourite HP shop for maintenance reasons, when saw what they have there. The Lina! Plans changed immediately. I thought I have to get to know this, with something I have experienced already on other systems, and had the ability to show high end features. So I had chosen Elite to partner the Lina. I spent almos two hours with the combo on various tracks. After the initial OhMG! just went through the different settings, changed to NOS, external clock (audible difference compared to the internal) , no crossfeed, etc. Interesting was how much influence had the output voltage 2V/6V switch, changing the mids presentation completely, which I found strange.
My conclusion: for me, the most obvious difference on these high-end dacs is the way how the highs are rendered. Cymbals, hi-hats, and dozens of strings - just resolved effortlessly in a smooth life-like way. I have not heard many of them, I can name the Dave, the Rockna Wawelight - maybe that's it. Perhaps the T+A HA200 and Bartok.
I cannot tell the difference between them, because I did not do A/B-ing, and memory is a fading thing. The Lina is definitely out of range for me, but it was a nice experience.

There were a heap of interesting HPs that I have read about on the Head-fi pages, and I wanted to get some impressions. I picked the following ones:


Elite: you know it. Worthy partner for the Lina.

Zmf Atrium: nice warm sounding. Reminds me a lot to the Empyrean. I could love it.

109 pro: colder than the Atrium. Clean and "fast". I hate this word to read in sound impressions, perhaps because I did not really know what it describes, but very probably I started to get the feeling. I was impressed, till I came to a track well known for me where I missed the body and warmth. Perhaps ears conditioned on Epyrean would need some more accomodation time.

Kennerton Magni: mentioned on the Kennerton thread as bass wonder. I guess I am in another genre, another world.

Hifiman HE-R10P: nice highs, but everything below is not my cup of tee.

Expanse: I had the feeling it is either leaner than I like, or the Lina amp is not strong enough to bring out what is in it.

The last five got considerable less time than the first, but enough for me to still my curiosity.

Those who can make a trip to Zürich, it is definitely worth to try the Lina experience at k55.ch. Perhaps it is not there forever.

Thanks for your insight. I appreciate it is not quite your thing to share impressions but we all can learn from it.

 

[commtrd]

Sure would be nice to try out a set of hybrids that are say 10mm deeper, all fenestrated sheepskin or possibly even cowhide. I think that would be perfect to clear any ears. It might even help the sound stage be even more expansive?

 

[ColSaulTigh]

With the magnet system, it only takes a few seconds to swap the pads. It only took me one or two songs to realize I definitely preferred the hybrid pads. They would be perfect for me if they were just a little bit thicker, as I am blessed with large ears as well.

If you like the hybrids but want some extra bass from the Alcantara pads, find a pair of Empyrean leather pads, which fit perfectly and give you exactly what you're looking for. I've been swapping sets all night and came up with the following:

Elite leather hybrid pads (skinny) - bright and crisp, lacking bass
Elite Alcantara pads (fat) - softer and warm with the extra bass added back in
Empyrean leather hybrid pads (fat) - all the benefits of both - clean, plenty of crisp highs, and extra bass added in.

IMO, YMMV.

 

[commtrd]

Good source for the Empyrean leather pads? Sounds like the perfect solution!

 

[ColSaulTigh]

Good source for the Empyrean leather pads? Sounds like the perfect solution!

https://mezeaudio.com/collections/accessories/products/empyrean-earpads?variant=19737200525369

Be sure to select "Real Leather" (unless you must have vegan leather for personal reasons).

They also pop up in the classifieds from time-to-time.

 

[ckhirnigs113]

If you like the hybrids but want some extra bass from the Alcantara pads, find a pair of Empyrean leather pads, which fit perfectly and give you exactly what you're looking for. I've been swapping sets all night and came up with the following:

Elite leather hybrid pads (skinny) - bright and crisp, lacking bass
Elite Alcantara pads (fat) - softer and warm with the extra bass added back in
Empyrean leather hybrid pads (fat) - all the benefits of both - clean, plenty of crisp highs, and extra bass added in.

IMO, YMMV.

I think the perfect pad as far as comfort is concerned would be version of the Hybrid that retained the larger inner dimensions (80mm x 50mm) while adding 10mm to the depth to make it 35mm like the Alcantara/Empyrean pads.

The Alcantara/Empyrean pads have slightly smaller inner dimensions (75mm x 45mm) than the Hybrid Elite pads, so my largish ears touch the pads when I wear them. I actually find the Hybrid pads more comfortable because of this, but they would be perfect with a little more depth. As far as sound is concerned, I definitely prefer the Hybrids. I find the Alcantara pads to sound slightly muffled and less precise. The sub-bass also seems attenuated vs the Hybrid pads.

Who knows how changing the depth of the Hybrid pads might affect the sound characteristics, but I’d certainly give them a try if they were ever released. I even went so far as to reach out to Meze and ask to be a Guinea pig if they ever decide to make a prototype of a pad like this. It never hurts to ask!

 

[incredulousity]

https://mezeaudio.com/collections/accessories/products/empyrean-earpads?variant=19737200525369

Be sure to select "Real Leather" (unless you must have vegan leather for personal reasons).

They also pop up in the classifieds from time-to-time.

OTOH I bought an extra set of Hybrid pads for my Empys, and like that combination too.

 

[devilboy]

If the hybrid pad was just one extra millimeter deep my left ear wouldn't touch.
Also, I didn't notice this until just the other day... When I hold the Elites in front of me and I stretch it out as if it were on my head, I noticed that the headband is slightly right of center. I wonder if this is giving me the feeling of my left ear touching the driver panel? I have worn my Elites for hours and hours and hours and I never adjust the right side. I'm making adjustments on the left side every so often.

Strange.

 

[devilboy]

The other day I switched the right and left pads and my left ear was still, ever so slightly, touching the driver panel. But it felt like it wasn't all the time, just every once in a while. Weird.

Just now I flipped the Elites around so the left channel was going to the right ear and the right channel was going to the left ear. My left ear was still, ever so slightly, touching.

Maybe my left ear is bigger than my right ear?

Son of a b***h.

 

[turbofeet]

I always preferred the Alcantara pads on the Empyrean but today I did some pad rolling on both the Empys and the Elites and I have switched to the leather which I think I may prefer after all on the Empys.

Damn those Empyreans may not be on the technical level of the Elites but they sure make everything sound really nice with that extra bass. Meaty and Soulful.

-For the Elites I feel the Alcantara reduce the bass a bit too much and it sounds a bit thin.
-The Empy leather pads add a lovely bass bump but it throws the balance out to my ears. It just doesn't sound quite right. It's not bad but it's just a little off for me.
-The Hybrid Pads are the sweet spot. They're just well balanced.

That said I think adding a little depth might well have a positive result.

I have quite a small head but quite large ears so my ears can very lightly touch the grills with the Hybrid Pads. Not always though it depends how I wear them with the headband more towards the centre of my head or to the rear slightly nearer my crown.

Perhaps an extra 5mm-10mm or so would have a positive result on these. Happy to be a beta tester for Meze too.

 

[commtrd]

Agree. If Meze would make some pads exact same except 10mm deeper i think that might be perfect. Until then the hybrids are working ok, ears can just slightly touch at times depending on adjustment.

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Kennerton makes some fine headphones. I've often thought that people who like the Elite might appreciate, say, the Kennerton Thekk.

Tried several models, include their TOTL, actually I quite like the built and sound. However, the pain to use them (extremely uncomfortable for my head) make me stop dig more about them.

 

[tcode]

It's almost funny how many people here found Empyreans dark and veiled. Actually that is true if you use them in a bad system. With a proper system they sound very tonally balanced, for most of the people they would be perfect, an end game headphones if you like. Around 20 of my friends, most of them are passionate audiophiles for a big part of their lives were at my home for a listening session. Absolutely every one said that this is probably the most accurate sound they heard so far. And at the end of the listening session my last question was always: are they dark sounding? You can guess the answer, and it was the same for all 20 people.

Anyway, I'm waiting for Elites to arrive, it will be interesting to hear the difference. Hopefully I wouldn't be disappointed because I really love my Empyreans a ton! The reason I bought the Elites is because I was very lucky, they were a bargain. So reselling them shouldn't make me lose money, if they do not perform better than Empyreans to me.

 

[adrianm]

if they do not perform better than Empyreans to me.

You'd be the first person ever to say that