[ken6217]

I too had not heard of the Empyreans until I saw Darko’s review of them. I am very torn at present, currently I am on a H2 with HD800S’s. I am thinking of upgrading to a Chord TT2 or the Empyreans. Can only afford 1 after selling some gear etc. What is going to be the best upgrade? Love the clarity and precision of the H2/HD800S combination but do want more low end and a fuller sound. Listening to everything from Radiohead to Pearl Jam, Led Zep etc. When laying down this kind of end game money any advice much appreciated.

Headphones or speakers are always the best bang for the buck. Get the headphones.

 

[Scorpion1611]

Thanks for the advice, certainly better bang for buck in this case. Any lucky Empyrean owners tried an Hugo2 to drive these. I know you can’t beat your own ears etc but any feedback would be great.

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

Thanks for the advice, certainly better bang for buck in this case. Any lucky Empyrean owners tried an Hugo2 to drive these. I know you can’t beat your own ears etc but any feedback would be great.

They’re not hard to drive at all. They will sound great out of most any amp, especially something like the Hugo 2.

 

[PJDubyaM]

Sound great to me with Mojo; Hugo 2’s only going to be better!

 

[ufospls2]

I too had not heard of the Empyreans until I saw Darko’s review of them. I am very torn at present, currently I am on a H2 with HD800S’s. I am thinking of upgrading to a Chord TT2 or the Empyreans. Can only afford 1 after selling some gear etc. What is going to be the best upgrade? Love the clarity and precision of the H2/HD800S combination but do want more low end and a fuller sound. Listening to everything from Radiohead to Pearl Jam, Led Zep etc. When laying down this kind of end game money any advice much appreciated.

I'd go for the Empyrean. They are easy to drive, and will do great off the Hugo 2. If you want more low end and a fuller sound, the Empyrean should provide that vs. the HD800S

 

[PhilW]

I too had not heard of the Empyreans until I saw Darko’s review of them. I am very torn at present, currently I am on a H2 with HD800S’s. I am thinking of upgrading to a Chord TT2 or the Empyreans. Can only afford 1 after selling some gear etc. What is going to be the best upgrade? Love the clarity and precision of the H2/HD800S combination but do want more low end and a fuller sound. Listening to everything from Radiohead to Pearl Jam, Led Zep etc. When laying down this kind of end game money any advice much appreciated.

yurp the Empyrean will offer a greater advantage than your current HD800S and H2 combo. The TT2 is good don't get me wrong but the benefits of the Empyrean far outweigh and I work with both so I'm saying from an impartial pov

 

[Scorpion1611]

Thanks all, think I’ve always known headphones and speakers make the most difference. Certainly the best way to craft the sound you want. I’ve been to the dark side with a pair of LCD2’s and then went to light with the HD800’s. I’m looking for that sweet spot right in the middle. It is so easy to get carried away with this hobby/passion we all have. You start doubting every part of your set up, in my case H2>TT2>HMS> ££££££’s. you have to reign it in. Think Empyrean is the way to go with the very capable H2.

 

[Fernando Goñi]

Didn’t know about these until I saw Darko’s Video. I’d been umming and ahhing over a pair of Focal Clears for god-knows-how-long, but along come these and even though they’re twice the price, I pulled the trigger this afternoon without hesitation (and have just now finished reading this whole thread!). Got them from Hifi Headphones just near me in Shoreham (south coast UK). Had a listen in their listening room for about an hour, and they did something that pretty much guarantees I’ll buy a headphone: they made me grin. I don’t have the vocabulary or critical listening skills to tell you exactly why they made me grin, but they made me grin, and that meant I had to give a man a lot of money.

To me, they sound great out of the box (Synology NAS -> Roon -> Chord Mojo+Poly). First test for me was Beirut’s new LP, ‘Gallipoli’. I don’t think this is a well-made album. I’ve listened to it in a few different ways (Bluesound Node -> Peachtree Deepblue 2, Bluesound Powernode 2 -> Kef LS50 (on Kef’s Performance Stands - which really make one hell of a difference!), Sony WH1000XM3 or whatever they’re called), and the Empyreans are the first time the album’s not sounded congested and murky. LS50s got close, but this is ‘different ballgame’ stuff.

Also thrown Marie Davidson’s ‘Working Class Woman’, Tirzah’s ‘Devotion’, Jon Hopkins’ ‘Immunity’, Beth Orton’s ‘Central Reservation’, and a few other bits and pieces at them. Sounded fantastic, the lot of them. Really looking forward to more listening.

Oh, and somewhere many many pages back, someone criticised the look of ZMF’s headphones. I didn’t know about them either, but now I do, and I’m lusting after a pair of Verites! Both beautiful beautiful headphones. And what this stuff looks like does matter. Maybe not to everyone, but to many, and it’s completely okay for it to matter.

Where do you run Roon, on the Synology?

 

[PJDubyaM]

Where do you run Roon, on the Synology?

I’ve got Roon Core running on an always-on PC. Hope to move it out to a Roon Nucleus sometime later this year.

 

[Fernando Goñi]

I’ve got Roon Core running on an always-on PC. Hope to move it out to a Roon Nucleus sometime later this year.

Thanks, I know is off-topic but always look at Roon as the best music management solution with envy as I do not want to use a PC for it

 

[Rowethren]

Bit the bullet and have put in an order for my Meze Empyrean. Should arrive on Saturday! Got a nice empty house for the day to play with them a bit

Does anyone know a good UK based company that would be able to re-terminate my Toxic Cable Silver Widow from Ether Flow to 4pin XLR for the Meze? I can solder fine but I have no experience with Litz cable and would rather not mess it up...

 

[STR-1]

Does anyone know a good UK based company that would be able to re-terminate my Toxic Cable Silver Widow from Ether Flow to 4pin XLR for the Meze? I can solder fine but I have no experience with Litz cable and would rather not mess it up...

Will Toxic not do it for you?

Edit:

Sorry, only just caught up with what has been happening at Toxic Cables and realise now that that is not an option.

 

[ken6217]

Thanks, I know is off-topic but always look at Roon as the best music management solution with envy as I do not want to use a PC for it

If you want something that sounds excellent and not a lot of money, take a look at the Euphony PTS. Sold my Aurender for it. You can also buy a linear power supply that is rather inexpensive and it will take it to the next level.

I don't know where you're located but Arthur, who is a distributor for Violectric and Empyrean, is also the distributor for the Euphony.

 

[koven]

I must say the magnetic pad changing on Empyrean is absolutely brilliant, I wish this was industry standard. I prefer the leather pads for SQ.

 

[Antonio Meze]

Ah I didn't see them on their website. That makes much more sense lol...



That is definitely the best colour combination for me as well. Matches my mountain bike:

If you like that color combo, then here is your next bike: https://enduro-mtb.com/en/first-ride-review-canyon-spectral-2018/ I owned a (red) Spectral and it's a great bike.