My findings differ somewhat a little than what's been thus far reported. First, I think it's important in the future that owners specify which pads were used for listening impressions because both pads give off vastly different sound signature. I cannot emphasize this enough, it's like having two completely different headphones.
Generally speaking, the alcantara pads have a wider and deeper soundstage, with more recessed vocals and instruments. Everything sounds 'grander', as though one chose a 'concert hall' filter. There's greater reverb, the singer is placed further back, and instruments sounding more distant. The alcantara pads also sound distinctly darker and warmer- vocals and instruments are muted. Instrument separation is excellent. Bass is also more emphasized with the alcantara. There's more bloom, more heft from 20-50hz. The grand soundstage, and darker more bassy sound helps create a much more dark atmospheric ambiance. The alcantara pads sound particularly fantastic for more melancholic music, such as Paper Trails by Darkside. The soundstage on the alcantara pads is remarkable... also the pads seem to mesh with the boomier lower end, giving a more pleasing ear massage. It's like being cocooned in a luxurious soundscape.
On the other hand, music on the leather pads instantly sound a little more closed in, less 'hall' like, and probably more accurate to the source. There's significantly more energy in the midrange and treble where a lot of the magic happens. It comes across as brighter, more detailed (though never harsh or sibilant), but also more 'in your face'. For instance, vocals, and instruments like the guitar (acoustic and electric) are more emphasized, more forward. In the very same song by Darkside, you can feel the energy for the electric guitar a lot more than w the alcantara pads. There's more grunt, more growl, more crunch... The same thing happens w vocals. Cues are a lot more apparent, and for someone like me who listens to a lot of rock music, the overly smooth and more veiled midrange in the alcantara pads is an unacceptable trade off. Leather pads literally 'rock' more than the alcantara ones. Classical music definitely sound better with leather pads.
There's sometimes more mid bass punch with the leather pads. Bass notes are also clearer, tighter, more rounded, and easier to follow. I think that's why some users like
@xxx1313 and
@Nomax found the leather pads more bassy whereas Lieven from Headfonia (
@Ultrainferno ) thought otherwise. For me, there's no question that alcantara pads have more bass with techno music.
I ended up preferring the leather pads, even though I do miss the soundstage, and more subwoofer like bass of the alcantara pads... I also like the positioning of the vocals a lot more on the alcantara pads. It's easier for me to visualize the singer on stage since he/she is placed further back... but there's just too much veil in the midrange, and that's where I feel the Empyrean truly excels. Actually, the greatest quality of the Empyrean is its sense of rhythmic ability, but I'll save it for my full impressions.
What I'd love for
@MezeTeam to do, is to continue working on the leather pads, where we can get a slightly deeper soundstage w more heft in the 20-40hz without losing the immediacy, speed, energy of the midrange. No rush though, the Empyrean sounds fantastic right out of the case.
