[wahsmoh]

   
 
 
And this is what really "scares" me and has driven me away from ordering... I keep reading impressions and they vary from end to end! Either they are thin, bright, low bass impact, not at all neutral, etc. Or they are "full-bodied", more "musical", etc.
 
Is it due to the way different people interpret sound?
Is it gear?
Or is it product variation Beyer/AKG style!?
 
Spending $1600-$1700 on a product that can not even best the XCs (to my ears, the Alpha Dogs do VERY well against the XCs and I preferred them over the Audeze's) I don't think it's a good deal... More impressions?! Any other comparisons with other "light-on-bass" dynamic headphones such as the T1s, T5p's, or even "low-end" fare such as Grados and/or Shure SRH940s, etc.? Heck, even against Dan's own Alpha Dogs and/or Mad Dog Pros?
 
 
Thanks.

 
I own the Alpha Dogs and briefly compared them to Ether Cs at the San Diego meet with Dan's setup. Out of the Gumby/Mjolnir 2 stack the Ether C's handily bested my Alpha Dogs. The main difference was slightly more drive and presence with both bass and mids, faster bass as in snappier and quicker, and noticeably more soundstage width and "air" between high frequencies. The Ether C will come off as sounding "bright" if paired with a bright source and if compared to the darker Alpha Dogs. Both have excellent stage depth, but the Alpha Dogs were beat in stage width probably due to the cup shape and larger drivers of Ether C. Also, they don't clamp as hard so getting a good fit and seal is required to experience bass out of the Ether C. Clamp force with Alpha Dogs is stronger and such bass might have more quantity than Ether C based on listening conditions.

 

[bflat]

   
I own the Alpha Dogs and briefly compared them to Ether Cs at the San Diego meet with Dan's setup. Out of the Gumby/Mjolnir 2 stack the Ether C's handily bested my Alpha Dogs. The main difference was slightly more drive and presence with both bass and mids, faster bass as in snappier and quicker, and noticeably more soundstage width and "air" between high frequencies. The Ether C will come off as sounding "bright" if paired with a bright source and if compared to the darker Alpha Dogs. Both have excellent stage depth, but the Alpha Dogs were beat in stage width probably due to the cup shape and larger drivers of Ether C. Also, they don't clamp as hard so getting a good fit and seal is required to experience bass out of the Ether C. Clamp force with Alpha Dogs is stronger and such bass might have more quantity than Ether C based on listening conditions.

Agree! I find rotating the asymmetrical ear pads to better fit each person's head shape can make a good 2-3 dB level of difference for bass. For my head, I find about 1 inch clockwise rotation from stock to be the best fit. This also gets the head band to position perfectly flat on top of my head. Getting just the right fit on my T5P took months LOL.
 
Also, as some others have pointed out, burn in and hearing adjustment also brings out more bass. I started with a modest 3 dB boost from 64 hz on down and after about 20 hours of burn in and 6 hours of listening, I'm down to 1.5 dB. Once I get my balanced cable, I may find I don't need EQ at all. What you will hear for sure is more gradations of bass tone and texture that is not possible with bass heavy headphones. Bass guitar and "real" drums (e.g. not digitally or EQ enhanced) are just spectacular.
 
Just when my audiologists tell me to reduce the amount of high volume listening with my IEMs, Ether C is announced and I couldn't be happier. My aging eardrums are saved!

 

[Synergist969]

  Hello ALL:
 
    Regarding the relatively inconsistent and/or contradictory statements regarding the perceived sonic qualities of the Ether C's...
 
  I received my Ether C's a couple of weeks ago...and initially, (feeding them with a Schiit Audio Yggdrasil D/A signal converted signal, the phones driven by a Schiit Audio Ragnarok, balanced signal/connections), I found them to be somewhat thin in the mid-range, and relatively light in the bass regions.  I also noted that the quality of both the bass and the treble was superb, the bass with great speed/impact, detail and texture, and the treble detailed and airy, without being strident or fatiguing...Please understand, my reference points were the Sennheiser HD-650's, (until about 8 months ago), and then the Audeze LCD-2.2's, (pre-fazor), so that I had come to expect a relatively lush bass and lower to mid-mid-range...However, I was not terribly enamored with that mid-range...still a touch threadbare to MY personal preferences...(being a former French Horn player, I like to hear that lush horn timbre)...
 
  So I elected to break the "C's" with pipe organ music...with limited effect after roughly a week at somewhat higher than normal listening levels...but then switched to Dub-step to utilize its more "insistent" low bass, and for the last couple of days, at significantly higher than normal listening levels...et voila...NOW the "C's" are beginning to come into their own...Now, the mid-range is still not quite so lush as with the HD-650's, or the "ever present" deep bass weight of the LCD 2.2's, however I recognize that these are voiced differently, and therefor the "C's" sonic qualities work wonderfully as an integrated whole...
 
  I DO wonder how one might determine what is the highest "safe" level at which they can be driven, (at what frequencies), in order to "optimally" break them in, and what, if any additional sonic changes/improvements I might experience.  
 
  Yes, everyone's perception/expectations differ to some degree...however, I am interested in hearing about others' experiences regarding break-in of these cans...

 

[MrBucket]

I went to the NYC Head-Fi meet today, and Dan had a new  filter system for the Ether C and regular Ether.  They are felt rectangles that fit in the ear holes of the pads.  There are black ones that are good for -1dB at 1khz and up (this is what Dan told me), and then there are white ones which are -3dB.  I tried a set of the white ones in the Ether C and they sounded so amazing I ordered one.  Should have it in a few weeks.  Finally found a closed headphone that sounds good to me, plus its so light for a planar.  

 

[Synergist969]

  MUSIC to my ears...sign me up for orders for both the white AND the black felt filters...kind of wonder if Dan knew this listener desire might be coming, or did a little recent testing to provide for those of us who loved everything about his Ether/C's except for that slightly flattened mid-range...
 
  I for one, am thrilled, and will put in a pre-order if available...sealed-design, audio nirvana is nigh...  

 
P.S. Thank you for letting us know, MrBucket!  

 

[mrspeakers]

Yes, there is kit that comes with ETHER C (it's not for ETHER), it started shipping Friday.

More will follow including some measurements, but it's a super easy way to dial the tone of the headphones, no tools, no small parts, allows for 4 distinct turnings, is compatible with all Cs and will be shipped no charge to current owners.

 

[x RELIC x]

Yes, there is kit that comes with ETHER C (it's not for ETHER), it started shipping Friday.

More will follow including some measurements, but it's a super easy way to dial the tone of the headphones, no tools, no small parts, allows for 4 distinct turnings, is compatible with all Cs and will be shipped no charge to current owners.

That is extremely awesome!! Send them my way Dan!!

 

[goldendarko]

Nice, do current Ether C owners need to register for it or anything?

 

[MattTCG]

I've been using the kit this afternoon. IMO it's pretty monumental to be tweak the frequency on a true flagship. Does it really work? Heck yeah!! I've been rocking a single black on each side. It sounds too damn good to change right now. Remember that other worldly bass from the lcd2 pre-fazor...

...yummy. 

 

[NZtechfreak]

Wow, epic!

 

[Synergist969]

  Dear Dan:
 
    Firstly, Thank you!...
 
  A little clarification please...?...Must we, as Ether C purchasers/owners, place an order/request with Mr. Speakers to obtain the "Kit"/felt disc filters, (both white and black), or is the kit simply already set to be delivered to those who have already purchased the Ether C's?...and, need we send any confirmation regarding to what address the kit should be delivered?
 
Again, Thank You!

 

[hemtmaker]

  Dear Dan:

    Firstly, Thank you!...

  A little clarification please...?...Must we, as Ether C purchasers/owners, place an order/request with Mr. Speakers to obtain the "Kit"/felt disc filters, (both white and black), or is the kit simply already set to be delivered to those who have already purchased the Ether C's?...and, need we send any confirmation regarding to what address the kit should be delivered?

Again, Thank You!

+1 I got mine through an authorized reseller in Australia

 

[Synergist969]

  Sadly, despite living in one of the tourism capitals of the world, (Orlando, Florida, U.S.A.), high-end/brick and mortar audio stores available to the consumer are for all intents and purposes non-existent, (unless we are talking about a few home-installation oriented audio-video enterprises "by appointment only")...so that I cannot just walk into a high-end audio center and purchase/pick-up high-end audio equipment, including headphones and/or accessories thereof...and I will have to depend on Mr. Speakers I believe...

 

[money4me247]

Yes, there is kit that comes with ETHER C (it's not for ETHER), it started shipping Friday.

More will follow including some measurements, but it's a super easy way to dial the tone of the headphones, no tools, no small parts, allows for 4 distinct turnings, is compatible with all Cs and will be shipped no charge to current owners.

Would love to hear more information on this kit!

 

[Khragon]

I've been using the kit this afternoon. IMO it's pretty monumental to be tweak the frequency on a true flagship. Does it really work? Heck yeah!! I've been rocking a single black on each side. It sounds too damn good to change right now. Remember that other worldly bass from the lcd2 pre-fazor...:veryevil: ...yummy. 

Nah... Can't be. Any undesirable effect? Bass bleed into the mid? Ether C already have reputation for recessed mid, hopefully these adapter will improve it too along with the bass.