[MannerPylon]

Got my Flows in hand! Well... in box. Now I get to watch the clock and wait until I can leave to run home to listen

 

[RCBinTN]

  A few things about unboxing and first impressions. 
 
*the box and packing have got a nice upgrade and look quite slick and professional now, befitting a totl flagship product
 
*the DUM cable is no longer KINKY!!  YES!!!  This is now a very usable and well behaved cable (thanks for this Dan). 
 
*even with no "burn in" these impress right out of the box. I guess it's been about a month since I had flow in house. Man did I miss them. 

 
Thanks, Matt.  How do you plan to break them in?  Wait for the new cable and break-in together?  I have a Wywires Platinum cable for the Ether so need to break in both the HP's and the cable.
 
Cheers,
RCB

 

[MattTCG]

Bass heavy music played at 80-90 db with some pink noise stuff thrown in should break them in well. I like to use my fiio e10k with bass boost on for burning in. 

 

[MannerPylon]

Initial impressions with the Flows with the DUM cable and zero burn-in are still pretty excellent. Definitely much more engaging than my HD800, but with a smaller soundstage.
 
One initial non-sonic observation: WOW these are light. Having my primary experience with planar being older HiFiMan models these are ridiculously light and super comfy. Not worryingly light or anything, construction looks solid, but I did have the initial thought when you expect everything substantial you buy to be heavy.
 
Also noticed that of all the open HPs I've used, these change the least when you put your hands up to cover the cups. Not neccesarily a point for or against it but found it interesting.
 
Would've taken pics of the unboxing but I went for generic packaging to get it shipped faster.

 

[figaro69]

subscribed

 

[Maxx134]

CLASH OF THE TITANS...



All have pure silver cables..



Time to listen...
I am scared..

 

[x RELIC x]

CLASH OF THE TITANS...



All have pure silver cables..



Time to listen...
I am scared..

The HE1000 was high on my list before I purchased the Flow (and later the Utopia). Interested in your thoughts!

 

[Maxx134]

CLASH OF THE TITANS...



All have pure silver cables..



Time to listen...
I am scared..

The HE1000 was high on my list before I purchased the Flow (and later the Utopia). Interested in your thoughts!

Do you have an hd800 moded to use as frame of reference?

 

[x RELIC x]

Do you have an hd800 moded to use as frame of reference?

That is one thing I've passed on in my purchases, so sadly no.

 

[Maxx134]

Preliminary observations..


Resolution detail and realism is right up there "neck and neck" with the two other TOTL cans (which are cheating because they are modded) and not a step down...

Signature is very liquid.
Bass is very present.
Focus is very clear.
Realism is high.
These will even make your dull recordings sound more alive

Realistic trebles
Realistic mids.
A bit of lower bass emphasis which is impressive in its articulation.

Notice I haven't mentioned what I am very picky about ,
Which is soundstage.

Reason being that I am used to the to other TOTL cans (HEK & HD800) which have the largest soundstage or any headphones.
So I must put things in perspective.

The depth of field is excellent as you can hear greater depth than an LCD-X.

The image height is actually quite excellent as it has a nice LArGE soundfied.

Soundstage width is good too.

I was anticipating more distance, and greater staging comparable to HD800 & HEK,
but these Flow have you sit in the audience a few rows closer than those two..
Probably more like the LCD-X in terms of soundstage proximity...

The strengths of the "Flow",
is the very "alive" soundfied it produces.
Everything sounds more immediate and with more energy or presence while simultaneously having an utter smooth liquidity in signature...

 

[x RELIC x]

^ Thanks! Pretty much what I'm hearing as well early on. Going to run them a bit before sharing my impressions, but thanks for yours!

 

[Maxx134]

Yeah those initial impressions were straight out of the box with ZERO burn in..

We can expect micro improvements with burn in, but essentially the main signature and presentation will be the same..

Usually from planars, the bass improves as also the detailing,
But it is already highly detailed, not just average, but well above almost at the HD800 level,
so it hard to imagine how much better it can get..

 

[x RELIC x]

....

so it hard to imagine how much better it can get..

I have some idea... :wink_face:

 

[emptymt]

Yeah those initial impressions were straight out of the box with ZERO burn in..

We can expect micro improvements with burn in, but essentially the main signature and presentation will be the same..

Usually from planars, the bass improves as also the detailing,
But it is already highly detailed, not just average, but well above almost at the HD800 level,
so it hard to imagine how much better it can get..

would you still try to mod this if it's that good? haha

 

[MattTCG]

Preliminary observations..


Resolution detail and realism is right up there "neck and neck" with the two other TOTL cans (which are cheating because they are modded) and not a step down...

Signature is very liquid.
Bass is very present.
Focus is very clear.
Realism is high.
These will even make your dull recordings sound more alive

Realistic trebles
Realistic mids.
A bit of lower bass emphasis which is impressive in its articulation.

Notice I haven't mentioned what I am very picky about ,
Which is soundstage.

Reason being that I am used to the to other TOTL cans (HEK & HD800) which have the largest soundstage or any headphones.
So I must put things in perspective.

The depth of field is excellent as you can hear greater depth than an LCD-X.

The image height is actually quite excellent as it has a nice LArGE soundfied.

Soundstage width is good too.

I was anticipating more distance, and greater staging comparable to HD800 & HEK,
but these Flow have you sit in the audience a few rows closer than those two..
Probably more like the LCD-X in terms of soundstage proximity...

The strengths of the "Flow",
is the very "alive" soundfied it produces.
Everything sounds more immediate and with more energy or presence while simultaneously having an utter smooth liquidity in signature...

 
Your last statement really nails it for me. It's the sense of realism or being "alive" as you put it that really gets me and puts the engagement factor through the roof.