[DPogster]

IMO the best closed headphones in the market are the MHP1000 with the Prime as a closed second BUT at about half the price so it is a great deal.

I've never had an opportunity to hear the Mac headphone so I can not comment on them and will take your word for how well they perform (much swag given your equipment) but just out of curiousity, why purchase the Prime if you already own the MHP1000 which is your #1 aesthetic, comfort, etc?

 

[musicman59]

Musicman, the gear in your sig made me feel dizzy.

Good gawd man, that is some fine gear you have.  Is there any point to contrasting the Primes to the SR-009's? Or even the modded HE-6?

IMO the SR-009 well amplified (whcih I don't consider mine at that level) are really hard to beat or the HE-6 also well amplifed are IMO better than the Prime but the Prime do not required an expensive amp to really shine. I have them for my nightstand rig driven by a Violectric V200 and sound very good.

 

[DPogster]

Has anyone, who has the Alpha Prime's, tried the Ether yet. I would be interested in a comparison/ contrast of these cans. I really wished I could had been to CanJam, to try the Ether. Oh well going to listen to some Green Jelly .

The primes do so many things right for a closed can and the performance and sound signature of the prime is close to the Ether but being an open design, the Ether has a wider and more spacious soundstage. My reference open back is the hd800 and I went to CanJam specifically to see If the Ether would dethrone it. Unfortunately for me the performance of both cans were too close to call. In my opinion the Ether has great instrument seperation, good soundstage (better than prime but not as good as hd800 but very close), with good frequency response from top to bottom. The Ether sound is more laid back than the Hd800 (on the hd800 the treble does sometimes get hot for me on some recordings) but not dark. Both the 800 and Ether have controlled and tight bass which shows up when needed but does not dominate the sound. None of these headphones (prime included) are bass monsters and sound signature is more neutral than anything else but the bass does show up when called for. I liked the Ether and imo it does perform at a higher level than the prime (which is my reference closed) but the phones are closer in performance than you would expect. Now, you must remember that I heard these during a meet environment in arguably the loudest room at CanJam and I suspect the Ether will sound even better when auditioned in a proper, quiet environment. Also, the Ether is a very comfortable and lightweight phone which can be worn for hours on end with better clamping force than the hd800. I hope this helped.

Happy listening.

Edited for spelling errors and stuff.

 

[musicman59]

I've never had an opportunity to hear the Mac headphone so I can not comment on them and will take your word for how well they perform (much swag given your equipment) but just out of curiousity, why purchase the Prime if you already own the MHP1000 which is your #1 aesthetic, comfort, etc?

I use the MHP1000 in my main headphones rig with either the WA5-LE or the MHA100. That rig is in a rack at the corner of the bedrrom with a leather chair next to it. The primes are in my nightstand rig with a Violectric V200 and a squeezeboc Duet streaming from my iMac and the digital output of it feeding the internal DAC of the V200. A simnple system but the Prime sound very good out of the V200.

IMO the MHP1000 are more comfortable than the Primes mainly becuase of being significantly lighter.

 

[longbowbbs]

Has anyone, who has the Alpha Prime's, tried the Ether yet. I would be interested in a comparison/ contrast of these cans. I really wished I could had been to CanJam, to try the Ether. Oh well going to listen to some Green Jelly .

The Ether is open and has a greater soundstage. The Primes are my personal closed reference. I am waffling ordering the Ether's (Other things already o the budget pipeline!) They are complimentary to each other IMO.

 

[DPogster]

I use the MHP1000 in my main headphones rig with either the WA5-LE or the MHA100. That rig is in a rack at the corner of the bedrrom with a leather chair next to it. The primes are in my nightstand rig with a Violectric V200 and a squeezeboc Duet streaming from my iMac and the digital output of it feeding the internal DAC of the V200. A simnple system but the Prime sound very good out of the V200.

IMO the MHP1000 are more comfortable than the Primes mainly becuase of being significantly lighter.

Nice, thanks for the response. Gotta say, kinda jealous at the moment. Maybe one day I'll get to hear the mhp1000 but a little bit outa my price point :mad:. Enjoy your prime when you get it .

 

[john57]

When the previous poster stated that the  "hd800 the treble does sometimes get hot for me on some recordings" I find that is happens more with the HD800 I tried and did not like it. It seems that the Ether could suit my needs better than the HD800. I did not find for me that the soundstage of the HD800 is anything spectacular as compared to my Primes. I am glad that Dan Clark was at the last RMAF otherwise I would have not brought the Prime. It seems that CanJam might skip Denver, not enough Head Fiers. 

 

[longbowbbs]

  When the previous poster stated that the  "hd800 the treble does sometimes get hot for me on some recordings" I find that is happens more with the HD800 I tried and did not like it. It seems that the Ether could suit my needs better than the HD800. I did not find for me that the soundstage of the HD800 is anything spectacular as compared to my Primes. I am glad that Dan Clark was at the last RMAF otherwise I would have not brought the Prime. It seems that CanJam will skipping Denver, not enough Head Fiers. 

CanJam will be in Denver at RMAF as usual Oct 2-4, 2015.

 

[reddog]

Thanks for your comprehensive impressions on the Prime and Ether, it is very much appreciated.

 

[reddog]

CanJam will be in Denver at RMAF as usual Oct 2-4, 2015.

I truly want to attend, but my mother is too ill, to leave for the weekend. I just love Colorado, and to attend CanJam there would almost be a heavenly experience.

 

[jk47]

The primes do so many things right for a closed can and the performance and sound signature of the prime is close to the Ether but being an open design, the Ether has a wider and more spacious soundstage. My reference open back is the hd800 and I went to CanJam specifically to see If the Ether would dethrone it. Unfortunately for me the performance of both cans were too close to call. In my opinion the Ether has great instrument seperation, good soundstage (better than prime but not as good as hd800 but very close), with good frequency response from top to bottom. The Ether sound is more laid back than the Hd800 (on the hd800 the treble does sometimes get hot for me on some recordings) but not dark. Both the 800 and Ether have controlled and tight bass which shows up when needed but does not dominate the sound. None of these headphones (prime included) are bass monsters and sound signature is more neutral than anything else but the bass does show up when called for. I liked the Ether and imo it does perform at a higher level than the prime (which is my reference closed) but the phones are closer in performance than you would expect. Now, you must remember that I heard these during a meet environment in arguably the loudest room at CanJam and I suspect the Ether will sound even better when auditioned in a proper, quiet environment. Also, the Ether is a very comfortable and lightweight phone which can be worn for hours on end with better clamping force than the hd800. I hope this helped.

Happy listening.

Edited for spelling errors and stuff.

aside from the primes, i have the hd800 and the k812.  i consider those 2 open-back phones neutral, and i don't experience any excessive brightness from either one. [that is likely a function of my music - classical or jazz - and/or my nos metrum hex dac run to a metrum aurix amp.]  i experience the primes as not quite neutral, but somewhat warm.  do the ethers share this warm signature? [assuming you agree that the primes are a bit warm]

 

[longbowbbs]

 

CanJam will be in Denver at RMAF as usual Oct 2-4, 2015.

I truly want to attend, but my mother is too ill, to leave for the weekend. I just love Colorado, and to attend CanJam there would almost be a heavenly experience.

Sorry to hear about your Mother. I have had a chance to attend two CanJam's now. They are a terrific experience. Highly recommended.

 

[Douger333]

I truly want to attend, but my mother is too ill, to leave for the weekend. I just love Colorado, and to attend CanJam there would almost be a heavenly experience.

Hey Reddog, best wishes for your mother and prayers for both of you!

 

[reddog]

Hey Reddog, best wishes for your mother and prayers for both of you!

Thanks it be appreciated.

 

[dusk]

OK. So I pulled the trigger on a Vinnie Rossi LIO with RVC tubestage/headphone amp that I will want to test the Primes with.  I have decided that the Primes will be my reference work cans.. as that's where I do almost all of my headphone listening.  (I have to have closed.. xcs are 2x the price and are really heavy...... primes just check off so many boxes).  I can get a little crazy with dacs/amps.. and was thinking about also grabbing a hugo 2qute DAC and either a gold/crimson/glass so I can do a pretty serious test.  
 
Have any of you had any experience with this or similar setup with the primes? Is there anything else I should add to my shortlist to check out at the level?  And.. where an I even demo a cavalli that isn't a meet?