[nwavesailor]

Love or hate the Empy (I am in the love it camp) it is hard to beat in comfort!
If a hp sounds great but ultimately is not comfortable, will you use it for extended sessions?

 

[LCMusicLover]

Miswrote it seems. E2 bass is better than EMP IMO, then I meant to go on: Emp is more coherent overall - to me that's roughly 150 Hz - 2kHz (my own bias). EMP has a great midrange, no question. E2 treble down slant can probably be controlled via EQ w/o much trouble. I use the HEX v2 which is a less technical can in the same sound "branch" as the E2, and needs some EQ to waken the upper mids.

Got it — thought you were saying E2 bass was less coherent which I disagreed with.

Also, re: Susvara, the whole ‘not from mere mortal amps’gets in my way. Lots of back-and-forth on HEKse vs Susvara in the HEKse thread, with some on each side and some saying close enough that it depends on your chain and preferences. I’ve never had significant time w/ a well-driven Susvara, so can’t offer an opinion.

HEKse mids are definitely more awake than mids from HEXv2 without EQ. Not HD-650 prominent, but also not recessed.

BTW, I caught my used HEKse for $2300

 

[LCMusicLover]

Love or hate the Empy (I am in the love it camp) it is hard to beat in comfort!
If a hp sounds great but ultimately is not comfortable, will you use it for extended sessions?

Apparently ...

given my ownership of Blackwood Auteur and Heddphone, as well as over a year w/ RAD-0

... I will

Agree that Empy are super comfortable — best comfort of any TOTL I’ve tried.

 

[bagwell359]

Got it — thought you were saying E2 bass was less coherent which I disagreed with.

Also, re: Susvara, the whole ‘not from mere mortal amps’gets in my way. Lots of back-and-forth on HEKse vs Susvara in the HEKse thread, with some on each side and some saying close enough that it depends on your chain and preferences. I’ve never had significant time w/ a well-driven Susvara, so can’t offer an opinion.

HEKse mids are definitely more awake than mids from HEXv2 without EQ. Not HD-650 prominent, but also not recessed.

BTW, I caught my used HEKse for $2300

I'm thinking HEDD's and RAAL's are both going to outpace the initial offerings in a year or two, I'm not going to include them in this round, meanwhile no new cans in like two years, so used/open box E2/EMP/HEKse/Susvara and one or two more to hold the fort for a few years.

Late flash, hitting Audio46 on 11/21 - at 10 AM, hopefully I can nail down some of the contenders in a consistent if somewhat distracting place.....

 

[Frankie D]

Should I have gotten on my knees and sworn eternal fealty to them first to be allowed to ask questions and make observations here? I cite a few minor/medium issues on a brief listen on unfamiliar gear with them and I'm automatically unwashed scum? They are clearly one of the 7 best headphones I've heard, that makes them good enough to consider seriously IMO. Is that enough for you, self appointed Prince of the Emp?

Maybe the stench of arrogance is enough to avoid these, and their adherents.

Wow! You really need to get off your high horse. Let’s discuss this a bit. At no time did I mention if you were right or wrong in your opinions. As you mentioned specific issues and whether you could fix them via EQ, I was simply curious as to why the EMP? Why not go after a different headphone that did not have the perceived issues you mentioned. The EMP is not exactly cheap, so I would think you could buy something you liked better. However, maybe you were able to get a great deal on a used pair, or a buddy offered a set to you.? I have no idea and was simply asking why the EMP? I am a new owner, so I cannot help you (yet). I also do not like to use EQ. If I get some time I could try it for you, but I use an N8 to drive them, and I have tried the N8’s EQ in the past with my IEM’s and I have not liked it, so I doubt my findings would help you.

Anyway, later.

 

[LCMusicLover]

What about HEDD vs HE1000se ? Also isn't hedd just too uncomfortable?

HEKse vs Hedd not really a ‘battle’ either. Pretty far apart, with Hedd much closer to Empyrean.

I personally don’t find Hedd uncomfortable. Of course the fact that I’m happy with Blackwood Auteur and tolerated RAD-0 suggests that heavy cans don’t bother me.

 

[bagwell359]

Wow! You really need to get off your high horse. Let’s discuss this a bit. At no time did I mention if you were right or wrong in your opinions. As you mentioned specific issues and whether you could fix them via EQ, I was simply curious as to why the EMP? Why not go after a different headphone that did not have the perceived issues you mentioned. The EMP is not exactly cheap, so I would think you could buy something you liked better. However, maybe you were able to get a great deal on a used pair, or a buddy offered a set to you.? I have no idea and was simply asking why the EMP? I am a new owner, so I cannot help you (yet). I also do not like to use EQ. If I get some time I could try it for you, but I use an N8 to drive them, and I have tried the N8’s EQ in the past with my IEM’s and I have not liked it, so I doubt my findings would help you.

Anyway, later.

The tone of the first two responses to my initial query seemed challenging and and a bit chilly. I seem to have gained a foothold to some extent since then. As I said I wanted to get some info, and if I didn't specify my concerns with specifics re the Emp the request might seem odd, and not get the sort of answers I was hoping for. Designating a headphone one of the very best I've heard means that the perceived issues cannot be that disqualifying, and its worth investigating to me. If there is any other requirement for posting here in peace, I am not aware of it.

 

[DaYooper]

Well, you know, sometimes posting in peace turns into a riot.

 

[jonathan c]

Well, you know, sometimes posting in peace turns into a riot.

As in “you want a peace of me?”...

 

[smodtactical]

How does empy clarity and detail retrieval compare to HD800S ?

 

[Ichos]

All of this questions have been asked hundreds of times with equal answers all subjective as you understand.

Here is my subjective take again as an owner of Empyrean and previous owner of HD800 and HD800S.

Detail is exactly the same there is no way to hear something on the 800 that you won't hear with the Empyrean.
No way.
But it is different presentation.
At the Empyrean the details are shoved back behind other layers you need to concentrate to dig deep in it.
Like for example in a concert were although you are first row you can't hear extra details unless you pay extra attention.
You hear the music as a whole.

With the Sennheiser the details are served at your face with a rather annoying manner , with fake presentation and annoyingly bad tonality and timbre.
The headphone first presents details and then plays the music.

This is common among TOTL headphones to justify the price tag.
There is a fashion that we need more and more detail we need to hear the musicians scratching their nose.

If you like your coffee served that way then buy the 800 or the utopia.
If you like it the other way go for the Empyrean or something from Audeze etc.

All the above are purely subjective and not open to further discussion.

 

[Chris Kaoss]

All of this questions have been asked hundreds of times with equal answers all subjective as you understand.

Here is my subjective take again as an owner of Empyrean and previous owner of HD800 and HD800S.

Detail is exactly the same there is no way to hear something on the 800 that you won't hear with the Empyrean.
No way.
But it is different presentation.
At the Empyrean the details are shoved back behind other layers you need to concentrate to dig deep in it.
Like for example in a concert were although you are first row you can't hear extra details unless you pay extra attention.
You hear the music as a whole.

With the Sennheiser the details are served at your face with a rather annoying manner , with fake presentation and annoyingly bad tonality and timbre.
The headphone first presents details and then plays the music.

This is common among TOTL headphones to justify the price tag.
There is a fashion that we need more and more detail we need to hear the musicians scratching their nose.

If you like your coffee served that way then buy the 800 or the utopia.
If you like it the other way go for the Empyrean or something from Audeze etc.

All the above are purely subjective and not open to further discussion.

Out of my heart (and ears), written well on here.
Thank you.

 

[bagwell359]

Detail is exactly the same there is no way to hear something on the 800 that you won't hear with the Empyrean. No way.

Small nit, I did hear some homogenization on the Emp in the treble on complex pieces.

With the Sennheiser the details are served at your face with a rather annoying manner, with fake presentation and annoyingly bad tonality and timbre.
The headphone first presents details and then plays the music.

Probably the best short accurate description I've read on these. Estats often fall into a similar category with detail first.

If you like it the other way go for the Empyrean or something from Audeze etc.

The main split with audiophiles is always the same. Digital v Analog, tube vs SS. Anything split the difference with cans? Everyone has a different list.

 

[Slim1970]

All of this questions have been asked hundreds of times with equal answers all subjective as you understand.

Here is my subjective take again as an owner of Empyrean and previous owner of HD800 and HD800S.

Detail is exactly the same there is no way to hear something on the 800 that you won't hear with the Empyrean.
No way.
But it is different presentation.
At the Empyrean the details are shoved back behind other layers you need to concentrate to dig deep in it.
Like for example in a concert were although you are first row you can't hear extra details unless you pay extra attention.
You hear the music as a whole.

With the Sennheiser the details are served at your face with a rather annoying manner , with fake presentation and annoyingly bad tonality and timbre.
The headphone first presents details and then plays the music.

This is common among TOTL headphones to justify the price tag.
There is a fashion that we need more and more detail we need to hear the musicians scratching their nose.

If you like your coffee served that way then buy the 800 or the utopia.
If you like it the other way go for the Empyrean or something from Audeze etc.

All the above are purely subjective and not open to further discussion.

Agreed, the Empyrean's definitely has the smoother presentation. It doesn't lack any details or clarity it's just the more musical headphone. The HD800S's have great dynamics with a wide sound space. It just lacks the timbre, tone, bass kick, and the full bodied sound of the Empyrean's.

The HD800S's aren't bad headphones. What they are somewhat genre specific ones. They excel at acoustic, live, orchestra, and classical music. They have the ability to dissect complex passages with its superb imaging ability that's somewhat better than the Empyrean's to my ears with those music genre's. The Empyrean's I'd take for everything else easily.

 

[Ichos]

Just for extra information I listen solely to classical music , all shorts of it and still find the Empyrean the better headphone.
Can't handle the timbre when it is off.
Listen for example to some blazing natural trumpets with both headphones and let me know about tonality!
Don't care for detail , soundstage or anything else if the headphone is out of tone.
I have been listening to classical concerts all my life plus playing the clarinet so I can easily detect the plastic taste of headphone or a speaker.
But as @bagwell359 has pointed out it's all about preferences.