[TheDuke990]

Yes, everyone should have their own experiences but don't be too
disappointed, when it doesn't fit your expectations.
Same the other way round. If you like the warmth of Audeze, a HD800 is probably not a perfect match for you.

This should not be a prejudice, it is only my opinion.

 

[zmhaha]

Yes, everyone should have their own experiences but don't be too
disappointed, when it doesn't fit your expectations.
Same the other way round. If you like the warmth of Audeze, a HD800 is probably not a perfect match for you.

This should not be a prejudice, it is only my opinion.

Oddly, I like both warm and bright sound.. but must done right. As for preference, depends on the the mood really..and the stuff I'm doing in the meantime.

 

[kid vic]

To be fair there has also been alot of LCD-4s going up as well. Maybe everyone is jettisoning the warmer sounding planars simultaneously?

 

[TheDuke990]

Oddly, I like both warm and bright sound.. but must done right. As for preference, depends on the the mood really..and the stuff I'm doing in the meantime.

+1

 

[Hoegaardener70]

Got my EMP yesterday, and loving then.
The sound is extremely smooth, and for sure have a mellow flavor. Siblience is entirely absent. Some emphasis on bass. They are not for people who like highly energetic trebles. There is a touch of Utopia's signature in it to me.

I think EMP will complement my Susvara and hd800s well.

Utopia’s signature is ... to be full of energy, incredibly dynamic and a bit on the bright side (less than the HD800s but a similar direction). I find the empyrean totally on the other end of the spectrum.

 

[Phronesis]

People are talking about brightness and detail, but for me the first thing I evaluate is how realistic acoustic instruments sound. To my ears, the HD800S, Clear, LCD-3, and LCD-i4 do very well in that regard, whereas the LCD-4 had some problems with cymbals and Z1R has big problems with many acoustic instruments. I found the Utopia to be good in that regard, but slightly artificially bright. How does the Empyrean do in that regard?

 

[ken6217]

I found that the sound of the Empyrean is greatly influenced based on the cable. Using the Forza Noir HPC mk2 copper cable the sound is warm and easy too listen, but is detailed as well. Using the Norne Silvergarde S3 silver cable it is much more detailed, airy, but not as much meat on the bones sound.

I think anyone wanting a more lively sound, may want to try a silver cable.

Also my DAC and CD Transport is very resolving and so I do get plenty of detail but at the same time a very smooth sound due to the Empyrean.

 

[Filleri]

How does the Empyrean compare to Focal Clear in terms of sound quality and comfort. Both seem to be praised for their balance of sound. I happen to be familiar with the Clear, since my friend owns one.

 

[cscales]

That sounds like addiction. I do actually often see people in head-fi talking about saving up for expensive gear. I agree with you - if expensive gear is a financial stretch, best to stick to gear one can comfortably afford. A headphone and DAC/amp that sound really good can be had for less than $1K. Meze's own 99 Classics for $300 is very good and more than adequate for enjoyment of music with high fidelity.

...unless you go to your local shop one day to listen to the LCD2 (affordable) and "accidentally" listen to the Utopia (never mind) that happens to be on the table next to it.

You can't put the Genie back in the bottle...

 

[Hoegaardener70]

...unless you go to your local shop one day to listen to the LCD2 (affordable) and "accidentally" listen to the Utopia (never mind) that happens to be on the table next to it.

Or going to a shop to buy the Clear. Then you ask to listen to the Utopia to ensure yourself you made that sensible affordable decision, and that they are waaaay overpriced. Only to leave with the Utopias.

 

[Phronesis]

...unless you go to your local shop one day to listen to the LCD2 (affordable) and "accidentally" listen to the Utopia (never mind) that happens to be on the table next to it.

You can't put the Genie back in the bottle...

Or going to a shop to buy the Clear. Then you ask to listen to the Utopia to ensure yourself you made that sensible affordable decision, and that they are waaaay overpriced. Only to leave with the Utopias.

I spent a lot of time comparing the Clear and Utopia in my home, and wound up slightly preferring the Clear overall. Regarding LCD-3 versus Clear, I can prefer either, depending on the track and how my ears/brain are working at the time. For me, the track is a very big factor, and I've yet to find a headphone that I prefer over other headphones for all tracks.

 

[Hoegaardener70]

I spent a lot of time comparing the Clear and Utopia in my home, and wound up slightly preferring the Clear overall. Regarding LCD-3 versus Clear, I can prefer either, depending on the track and how my ears/brain are working at the time. For me, the track is a very big factor, and I've yet to find a headphone that I prefer over other headphones for all tracks.

I do not want to digress too much from the Empyrean thread, but the Utopias in my ears just rule for classical music. For an allrounder, the Clear wins. And may be the Empyrean, from my 30min session with them. They are less lively and dynamic than the Utopias, but definitely more relaxed.

 

[Phronesis]

I do not want to digress too much from the Empyrean thread, but the Utopias in my ears just rule for classical music. For an allrounder, the Clear wins. And may be the Empyrean, from my 30min session with them. They are less lively and dynamic than the Utopias, but definitely more relaxed.

Makes sense to me for classical. I like the HD800S for classical as well, the added detail and touch of brightness help discern what's going on with all of those instruments.

 

[PJDubyaM]

Spent plenty more time with mine now. Been pink noising them when not actively listening to them; must have 50+ hours (combined) on them. Don’t have the depth of experience as the majority of you, I’m sure, but these are the first headphones I’ve listened to (inc. my custom Kaiser Encores) where I’m not listening to music on headphones; rather, the music is just whisking itself into existence inside my head. Love them.

 

[Scorpion1611]

The Empyreans look great with the Mojo/Poly. How do you find the sound from the mojo?. Are you using Roon with the Poly? I did have a mojo a while back with the Oppo PM3, must confess I wasn’t keen on the pairing. I don’t think it was the mojo at fault and I should have auditioned other headphones with it before selling it. I am intrigued by this 2GO for the Hugo 2 as that could really make the Hugo2 quite compelling, especially with Roon. Add an Empyrean to that set up is very tempting. Wish I could hear them, long time to wait for a Canjam in London.