[macx]

I’m consider an kimber axios cable, any thoughts on how this cable performs with the empyrean?

 

[gesperon]

Well my first thought is "why not keep both?" But I realize that's incredibly presumptuous... not everyone has the budget, space, or even just the desire to own two extremely nice/expensive sets of headphones - and that's a totally valid choice.

Personally I like the Empyrean more. It better fits my impression of what "live music" actually sounds like. I see your point about HEK having its own appeal, but if given the choice I'd take the Meze for roughly 90% of my listening time.

Let me ask you this - are you on the stock Meze cable? Because I do feel I get a worthwhile improvement from an upgrade... in my case the Audio Art HPX-1SE does the trick quite nicely. I'll never call a cable difference night and day, but the HPX-1SE seems to open things up by a good amount. Meze has an upgrade cable of their own but I don't know much about it. Again, cable upgrades can only do so much, but in this case it might tip the scales in favor of the Empyrean.

Well, I did the same with the HD800 and LCD3 and ended up listening to the LCD3 like 95% of the time, so I don't want to make the same choice and have such an expensive headphone collecting dust. Maybe what I just said just answered my own question about what sound I prefer. Or maybe I just get rid of both and spend the money in alcohol, getting drunk trying to forget... forget the sound

I am on a balanced silver dragon (moon-audio). I do get your point, the Empyrean sound more like "live music", and yes, the HEK has it own appeal... I guess I'll give them both a little more thoughts and ears before deciding... thanks a lot for sharing!

 

[franz12]

Well, I did the same with the HD800 and LCD3 and ended up listening to the LCD3 like 95% of the time, so I don't want to make the same choice and have such an expensive headphone collecting dust. Maybe what I just said just answered my own question about what sound I prefer. Or maybe I just get rid of both and spend the money in alcohol, getting drunk trying to forget... forget the sound

I am on a balanced silver dragon (moon-audio). I do get your point, the Empyrean sound more like "live music", and yes, the HEK has it own appeal... I guess I'll give them both a little more thoughts and ears before deciding... thanks a lot for sharing!

I found that Bose Soundwear is great for non-fatiguing sound. I can listen to it hours without any fatigue, if not days.
I am selling my gears. Frustrated. Getting drunk and forget the sound!

 

[Drumonron]

Need a recommendation for a 4 pin xlr balanced empyrean cable.
Is the following cable any good:

EMPYREAN BALANCED 4PIN XLR SILVER PLATED PCUHD UPGRADE CABLE


https://www.mezeaudio.com/collectio...-balanced-4pin-xlr-silver-pcuhd-upgrade-cable

 

[Rowethren]

Well, I did the same with the HD800 and LCD3 and ended up listening to the LCD3 like 95% of the time, so I don't want to make the same choice and have such an expensive headphone collecting dust. Maybe what I just said just answered my own question about what sound I prefer. Or maybe I just get rid of both and spend the money in alcohol, getting drunk trying to forget... forget the sound

I am on a balanced silver dragon (moon-audio). I do get your point, the Empyrean sound more like "live music", and yes, the HEK has it own appeal... I guess I'll give them both a little more thoughts and ears before deciding... thanks a lot for sharing!

Haha I does seem like you just answered your own question there

Meze Empyrean it is!

 

[Dragonmilenario]

Can someone connect them directly to the mobile (one with a more or less decent output) and say how they work?

Just out of curiosity.

 

[musicday]

Can someone connect them directly to the mobile (one with a more or less decent output) and say how they work?

Just out of curiosity.

They work fine with the V40 , but still won't replace a more powerful portable music player. A bit of everything is missing.

 

[musicday]

I’m consider an kimber axios cable, any thoughts on how this cable performs with the empyrean?

I asked that question few weeks ago, but seem like nobody has been using one. Still one of the finest looking cable with one of the finest looking ( sounding ) headphones. I think it will be a great match.

 

[musicday]

And for the future, I would like to see the Empyrean as a closed back headphone, with the same tonal characteristics if possible.

 

[ken6217]

I asked that question few weeks ago, but seem like nobody has been using one. Still one of the finest looking cable with one of the finest looking ( sounding ) headphones. I think it will be a great match.

I had this cable on my LCD4. I can’t say how the cable was because I didn’t listen to any of the cable but this on that headphone. So I have no comparison. I’m pretty sure Kimber gives you a trial period where you can send it back if you’re not happy.

 

[macx]

So I have been using my Empyreans mostly over the other set of cans, trying to break them in when possible... however last night I switched my WA5 LE to high power, which honestly I just forgot about it, maybe it’s placebo but it’s completely different sounding now thru Empyreans, soundstage opened up incredibly... everything is tighter slightly more defined... placebo?? Maybe I’m crazy

 

[ken6217]

Not a placebo effect at all. It would make sense that it sounds different. It could have easily sounded worse too. In your case, it sounded better.

I've had interconnects where you can switch the impedance based on the amp. They all sound different depending on the setting.

 

[gwompki]

Can someone connect them directly to the mobile (one with a more or less decent output) and say how they work?

Just out of curiosity.

I tried them with LG V30 and as @musicday said it's just lacking overall. You can certainly drive them to loud volumes in high gain mode, but the lower frequencies seem to be severely lacking and the excellent soundstage collapses. I was reallllllly hoping this would be a full size planar driven well by a mobile phone but we aren't there yet.

 

[koven]

I’m consider an kimber axios cable, any thoughts on how this cable performs with the empyrean?

You may want to see this post before buying an Axios:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kimber-kable-axios-headphone-cable.792149/#post-12507544

Norne are the only cables I buy personally.

 

[koven]

I am not a seasoned reviewer by any means, but about Empyrean and HEKse I have both (returning one of the two) running from a W4S DAC1v2 -> V281 (balanced) and WA6-SE (unbalanced) in parallel. I do not have a balanced cable for the HEKse and I find it I like the sound better from the WA6-SE at least single ended. The Empyrean I am running it with a dragon silver cable from an LCD3 I have, connected to the V281 (balanced). 100+ hours on each cans.

Roughly speaking, the sound signature is the same debate as LCD3 vs HD800, only Empyrean and HEKse do everything much better imo. I don't feel like typing much so I would summarize the difference between the two are in tonality, bass and soundstage.

The leather pads on the Empyrean make the sound really dark and bassy to my taste, they remind me of the Sony's with these pads. The alcantara pad are more neutral and to my liking, they give Empyrean more air and space. Detail retrieval and extension is about the same in both cans.


(From now on all impressions of the Empyrean are with the alcantara pads)

Overall the sound out of the Empyrean feels very balanced, a bit warm and dark but not much, this makes it possible for me to listen to them for very long hours with no fatigue whatsoever. The bass is always present even at low volumes but it never gets over powering, they are also very transparent and natural sounding. If you were to listen to a life performance, the bass rendition of the Empyrean would be much closer to it than the HEKse. This is easily noticeable with jazz, where the background bass notes would almost be lost with HEKse, the Empyrean would give it an slight boost, enough to make it relevant but not distracting. Empyrean performs spectacularly cross the whole range. Where they do suffer is in the soundstage.

Soundstage is a whole lot smaller on Empyrean than on the HEKse. To put it in perspective, Empyrean soundstage is about the size of the LCD4 while HEKse is about the same of the HD800. Both are better in terms on placement and precision compared to LCD and HD, with HEKse having a lot more air, space and separation between instrument than the Empyrean. If bass is a bit better on the Empyrean, I would say soundstage/imaging is whole lot better on the HEKse. There is also instances where the soundstage/imaging on the Empyrean "breaks down" with complex passages, example of this Metamorphosis by World Saxophone Quartet makes for a very unconformable listening experience on the Empyrean, where I find my left and right ears listening to two different rooms, very disconnected. On the other hand the HEKse never losses coherence and accuracy.

I haven't mentioned HEKse much because aside for the bass, everything else is close to perfection if not perfection itself, and you already have a pair. HEKse are very natural sounding with an outstanding soundstage, both in size and presicion. Mids and highs feels so real that sometimes gets spooky with voices and sudden notes.



Summarizing, if you were to ask me, I would say Empyrean bass is half step ahead of HEKse while HEKse soundstage/imaging is a whole step ahead of Empyrean. Tonal differences are a matter of personal taste and everything else is about the same on both.


Hope it helps, If you want to know something specific, ask and I'll do my best answering.

EDIT:
The Empyrian is "dark or warm leaning" sound, but it is a really pleasing sound with a ton of details and very good soundstage. This makes for a very relaxing/comfortable experience, I can listen much longer to Empyrian than to the HEKse for example.

I agree with your assessment. Personally I was in a HEKse, Verite, Empyrean pick two out of three situation and I ended up w/ the Verite and HEKse. HEKse is quite different than the other two.. it's air and transparency is almost Stax-like. Both Verite and Empyrean are on the warm/dark side but I found the Verite faster and more organic.