[maggie17fan]

Yep, here is what it looks like with mine.

Thanks.

 

[cosplayerkyo]

Yep, here is what it looks like with mine.

Ah thank you!

 

[DuncanDirkDick]

Did anyone upgrade from the Empyrean? The muddy mids are a downer indeed. When I say muddy, I mean muddy for a headphone in the 3000$ ballpark. Happy for suggestions. Really like the treble, bass could be faster and mids more structured. It's hard to find the balance between structure and meat I'd like to hear.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Did anyone upgrade from the Empyrean? The muddy mids are a downer indeed. When I say muddy, I mean muddy for a headphone in the 3000$ ballpark. Happy for suggestions. Really like the treble, bass could be faster and mids more structured. It's hard to find the balance between structure and meat I'd like to hear.

I'm not sure what you mean here. The Empyrean has probably the best midrange of all headphones in the world.
It has its weaknesses but the midrange is usually the strong Part together with the full bodied sound signature.

Susvara is also known for very good mids, so probably worth a try.

 

[vkenz]

Muddy or best mids it looks to be confusing. Can we be more specific? Maybe the muddy mids is really just a recorded mud? No headphones can turn a mud sound into best sounds.

 

[branislav]

Did anyone upgrade from the Empyrean? The muddy mids are a downer indeed. When I say muddy, I mean muddy for a headphone in the 3000$ ballpark. Happy for suggestions. Really like the treble, bass could be faster and mids more structured. It's hard to find the balance between structure and meat I'd like to hear.

I agree with others. Mids may be one of the best out there, so before "upgrading", it might be wise to take a look at the rest of your system.

 

[jonathan c]

@branislav has a valid point. The Empyreans are sensitive to the gear which feeds them. The Empyreans, to my ears, work best with the HeadAmp GS-X mini (of my six h/p amplifiers). The mini “accelerates” the Empyreans, puts sinews into the bass, and “sculpts” the midrange and treble. The Empyreans also thrive on silver (or palladium/silver) h/p cables: the frequency range seems to be extended.

 

[k3kz]

The only thing that annoyed me with regards to the mids is the mid-bass/upper-bass hump that tends to bleed into/shroud the midrange (to my ears) on some recordings. I like the mids otherwise, and I have found that the mid-bass annoyance has largely subsided. If that's due to getting used to, amping/cabling or if it does actually come down to burn-in, i cannot say.
The Empy will probably not offer the utmost detail in any frequency range, perhaps that is something that puts some ppl off too.

From what I read the Susvara sounds like a really good upgrade from the Empyrean, only not in terms of build I guess? Ppl describe it as very detailed, but still lush and not analytical.

 

[moemoney]

The only thing that annoyed me with regards to the mids is the mid-bass/upper-bass hump that tends to bleed into/shroud the midrange (to my ears) on some recordings. I like the mids otherwise, and I have found that the mid-bass annoyance has largely subsided. If that's due to getting used to, amping/cabling or if it does actually come down to burn-in, i cannot say.
The Empy will probably not offer the utmost detail in any frequency range, perhaps that is something that puts some ppl off too.

From what I read the Susvara sounds like a really good upgrade from the Empyrean, only not in terms of build I guess? Ppl describe it as very detailed, but still lush and not analytical.

I have to agree with a lot of what you say regarding that midbass hump it did bother me as well, but after burn-in it seems to have gone. As far as detail goes I think it’s a very detailed headphones it’s just that it’s balanced and no one frequency sticks out. I don’t have the Susvara but I do have the HEKse and that’s a very addicting headphone especially in the midrange.

 

[DuncanDirkDick]

The only thing that annoyed me with regards to the mids is the mid-bass/upper-bass hump that tends to bleed into/shroud the midrange (to my ears) on some recordings. I like the mids otherwise, and I have found that the mid-bass annoyance has largely subsided. If that's due to getting used to, amping/cabling or if it does actually come down to burn-in, i cannot say.
The Empy will probably not offer the utmost detail in any frequency range, perhaps that is something that puts some ppl off too.

From what I read the Susvara sounds like a really good upgrade from the Empyrean, only not in terms of build I guess? Ppl describe it as very detailed, but still lush and not analytical.

You put that way better than I did. That's what I mean. I'm not going to spend more than a Arya worth for a Hifiman. The build quality and QC is just subpar.

 

[k3kz]

You put that way better than I did. That's what I mean. I'm not going to spend more than a Arya worth for a Hifiman. The build quality and QC is just subpar.

Well as I said, that problem mostly seems to have gone away. My Emp is running for 1.5yrs now and is driven by a TT2 through a silver cable fwiw

/e: oh and also: Some folks seem to believe that the issues (soggy/boomy mid-bass) have to do with the pads being too large and roomy, lots of resonance. Which is why those same folks seem to wait eagerly for the upcoming alternate pads which are supposed to combat this issue.

If they are ever available, that is - development has been ongoing for more than a year now i think?

BTW my number1 test track for this issue is Fink - Looking Too Closely. In the intro, at 1:05, a second guitar kicks in (that the sound engineers admittedly gave a VERY fat sound). This highlights the exact problematic frequencies. On some gear that has this issue, it is barely possible to identify this as a guitar, it is just mud and boom and might as well be synth bass. On gear that has no such problems, it clearly stands out as a guitar.
Handy little test for midbass overemphasis on any gear for me

 

[PortableMusic]

from my personal point of view, taking into account build quality, as well as doing well over the entire spectrum, rather than being very good at, say, merely the bass, etc., i find the Empyreans to have struck a good balanced ground where it excels in virtually all aspects.

if some folks find the "virtually" part insufficient, and want another headphone that excels in one singular aspect, yet with lower performance in other area(s), that's of course their choice. for me, i don't want a pair of headphones that can only do one thing well. that wouldn't work for me, ymmv of course.

 

[DuncanDirkDick]

I think build quality is exceptional and I didn't own anything that came even close. And I would agree that the Empyrean does way more right, than it does wrong. It is a very fine allrounder and a very good headphone overall. But I'm still missing a precise bass-to-mid region in combination with that beautiful treble. Maybe that's one reason I've built my own speakers years ago.

 

[Kevintj604]

You put that way better than I did. That's what I mean. I'm not going to spend more than a Arya worth for a Hifiman. The build quality and QC is just subpar.

I "upgraded" from the Empyrean and I'll be totally honest with you I'll be trying to find another set for my collection at some point this year. I've since had four other headphones with my gear and none of them can do what the Empy's can. That being said I just got a ZMF Aeolus and these are the best I've tried with the smooth ease of listening like the Empyrean.

For my ears I think the Focal Clear has better sparkle and perceived resolution and detail than the Empyrean but i'm sure saying that in this thread is pretty taboo and not many others would agree with me here.

I will say that along with the others here I belive the Empyrean to be the best sub bass headphones i've ever tried even though on certain sources and genres they can appear soggy/muddy. I also think they are the best at midrange with all of the genres I listen to being an effortless and never fatiguing listen like the Clear sometimes gives me.

If you're looking for an upgrade the only path upwards would be the Abyss 1266 which for my wallet is ludacris.

If I were you i'd keep the Empyrean and buy something else to compliment your collection.

 

[Ichos]

I sold my Clears the next day I bought the Empyrean.
They are great , don't get me wrong, but compared they sound like a battery powered radio speaker.