[Allanmarcus]

I have an alternate 1.1 setup that I love. It might seem blasphemous, but please don't knock it unless you try it.

Place the 1.1 black foam over the driver FIRST. Then place the white felt over the black foam. White felt will not fit flush. Just take your finger and press it lightly around the edges of the white felt and it will stay. I am rocking the stock Ether C angled ear pads without any tuning pads placed in them.

This setup carves out a sweet hole in the center of image that vocals fit perfectly into and sound natural and euphonic to my ears. Sub bass is powerful.

I have put together a playlist on Tidal that encapsulates several genres and showcases the strengths of this reverse pad placement. Again, this is my opinion and preference. I am sharing this because I feel some may like the sonic alterations, especially with rock/metal/hip-hop.




http://tidal.com/playlist/f37fa3ba-be98-4b0e-a925-bf9c6cdbb090

 
For those old enough to remember this, I can't help but shake the feeling we discussed this before
 

 

[bytor33]

Interesting, I've been wondering for a while now if the order of the pads/foam make a difference but didn't want to go through the trouble of removing the ear pads again. Thanks for your report iffgb, have you tried any other unorthodox combinations that have worked well?

 

[iffgb]

I have tried about all combinations. I even bought the ether open ear pads. In the end this reverse 1.1 pad placement has been the first time I truly fell in love with my Ether C. While all the other arrangements I tried had all the right technical check offs, something was missing to truly make me FEEL the music. I'm getting goosebumps listening to my collection. Can't say this enough, I LOVE this setup. I don't care about any other headphone anymore. This is it for me.

 

[cesupro]

I finally got to hear these headphones at CanJam SoCal last week (after lots of anticipation) - and I should've bought them right then.  But, since I didn't want to sleep on the couch, I figured I'd sell the LCD-XC's first, to appease the wife.  
 
I was amazed how many booths had these C's hooked up to their equipment - I think that, in itself, is high praise.  I made a point to listen to them on as many rigs as I could, and didn't find one I didn't like (a special standout goes to the ampandsound, that sounded so smooooth).  Luckily, the Woo room also had a pair up there that I could listen to on my personal setup (WA7+tp) and it was great.  After reading through this whole thread, I was somewhat surprised to not see the WA7 mentioned much, despite the thought that these pair well with warmer amps... either way, I'm excited for the change.  Now for the hunt...

 

[x RELIC x]

Interesting that Rob Watts has a pair of ETHER C on order. I'd love to read his take on them.

 

[sunneebear]

I have an alternate 1.1 setup that I love. It might seem blasphemous, but please don't knock it unless you try it.

Place the 1.1 black foam over the driver FIRST. Then place the white felt over the black foam. White felt will not fit flush. Just take your finger and press it lightly around the edges of the white felt and it will stay. I am rocking the stock Ether C angled ear pads without any tuning pads placed in them.

This setup carves out a sweet hole in the center of image that vocals fit perfectly into and sound natural and euphonic to my ears. Sub bass is powerful.

I have put together a playlist on Tidal that encapsulates several genres and showcases the strengths of this reverse pad placement. Again, this is my opinion and preference. I am sharing this because I feel some may like the sonic alterations, especially with rock/metal/hip-hop.




http://tidal.com/playlist/f37fa3ba-be98-4b0e-a925-bf9c6cdbb090

 
I just tried your reverse 1.1.  To my ears it seems this mod looses the full imaging quality of the Ether.  Same wide soundstage but imaging is more left, right and center that is why you seem get more center vocal.  I think it is fine with some music but with most of the music I listen to you lose the imaging and placement of the instruments.  Just how my ears here it, hope you don't agree. 

 

[iffgb]

Haha. I think your analysis is accurate. I'm a vocalholic. I still get my wide soundstage and hear instruments panned out, but I understand I'm probably in the minority.

I just tried your reverse 1.1.  To my ears it seems this mod looses the full imaging quality of the Ether.  Same wide soundstage but imaging is more left, right and center that is why you seem get more center vocal.  I think it is fine with some music but with most of the music I listen to you lose the imaging and placement of the instruments.  Just how my ears here it, hope you don't agree. 

 

[buke9]

   
For those old enough to remember this, I can't help but shake the feeling we discussed this before
 

One of my favorite episodes.

 

[mscott58]

  One of my favorite episodes.

Totally agree. Might be time to pull that one back out of the storage vault as I feel it's timely again in today's world (unfortunately)...

 

[Stillhart]

   
 
Totally agree, and Ultimae releases albums in 24bit.  I have a couple of AES Dana albums in 24 bit and they are orgasmic.  A great place to start is right here; this was my introduction to this amazing dood: 

http://ultimae.com/product/aes-dana-season-5-ultimae-download-24bit-flac/
 
I would also strongly recommend Seb Taylor, either as a solo artist under this name or with his collective Kaya Project.  Fantastic stuff. 

 
I know this is three weeks old (I bookmarked the discussion because I didn't have time to listen at the time), but damn, this is a great album!  Listening on the Ether C and Liquid Glass and it's really working for me tonight.  
 
Here's a link to stream it for free for those who want to try before you buy.  https://ultimae.bandcamp.com/album/season-5-24bits

 

[x RELIC x]

I know this is three weeks old (I bookmarked the discussion because I didn't have time to listen at the time), but damn, this is a great album!  Listening on the Ether C and Liquid Glass and it's really working for me tonight.  

Here's a link to stream it for free for those who want to try before you buy.  https://ultimae.bandcamp.com/album/season-5-24bits

Remarkable. Purchased.

 

[mrspeakers]

CNet's Steve Guttenberg just did a nice write up of the C. http://www.cnet.com/au/news/take-it-to-the-limit-mrspeakers-ether-c-headphones/

 

[kejar31]

I am torn between the regular Ether and the LCD-X and the Ether C..  Not considering the LCD-XC because it looks to be too heavy. ATM I am leaning towards the EC because I have kids and work half my week in a shared office environment.
 
Has anyone owned the LCD-X and the Ether C at the same time? How do they stack up to one another? Is it worth it to continue to just use my Oppo PM3’s at work and get an open headphone at home when things are quite? (only late at night)
 
Will be making a purchase in May.. If I get the Ether C, I will initially be pairing it with my current dac/amp Oppo HA-2 (and continue to do so at work. Has anyone used this combo, if so how do they pair 

 

[rmoody]

CNet's Steve Guttenberg just did a nice write up of the C. http://www.cnet.com/au/news/take-it-to-the-limit-mrspeakers-ether-c-headphones/

Very nice, plus a plug for the Etherstatic.

 

[Skyyyeman]

CNet's Steve Guttenberg just did a nice write up of the C. http://www.cnet.com/au/news/take-it-to-the-limit-mrspeakers-ether-c-headphones/

Wow, quite amazing comments in comparing the Ether C with the Senn 800S, where he says "When comparing the new Sennheiser HD 800 S open-back headphones, the Ether C was more vibrant and exciting; the HD 800 S was softer, sweeter, and the stereo imaging was bigger and broader than the Ether C's. I also felt it (the Ether C) was more transparent than the HD 800 S; the C's bass was clearer and deeper than the 800 S's."
 
Ok, to say that the Ether C was more vibrant and exciting than the 800S and that the C's bass was clearer and deeper than the S is something that I would have expected.  But to hear that the Ether C was more transparent than the 800S --that's quite a statement and a fine testimonial to the transparency and clarity of the Ether C. I thought that was probably the case but I sold my 800 a long time ago and could only do a mental comparison.
 
Of course the 800S would have larger stereo imaging and soundstage than the C -- as well as every other headphone in the world. But the fact that the comparison could be made and that the C, a closed headphone, was even in contention with the 800S is another fine statement about the C.
 
But we already knew that.