[mordicai]

My upgrade from Ether C 1.1 to Ether Flow (open) is on the way from Hawaii to the land of sheep and hobbits. Customs duties have been pre-paid and it should reach me tomorrow or the day after that.

Really looking forward to getting this headphone. I found the Ether C 1.1. generally good, but a little on the thin / bass-lite side of the equation. Leapt at the upgrade path to the open Flow. If it can address the issues I had with the Ether C 1.1 it will be a fantastic headphone.
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Picked up my upgrade on Friday. You will not be disappointed.

 

[buke9]

Can I ask your thinking on the choice of upgrade from Ether C to Flow open?

I found that I really didn't need the extra isolation of the C, so went with the open version. It is a more expensive upgrade path, but I was thinking that the open would  have a somewhat better SQ than the closed version. Not really sure that is true, just a generalization that closed designs tend to struggle to match the SQ of the open designs. YMMV.

I just liked the Open Flows better. Closed backs are better for me but not a priority. I heard both the open and closed Flows in Chicago but to be honest the C Flows had the wrong size dampening material in them so it wasn't a fair fight. All of my other headphones are open so I loved the Ethers from the first time I heard the prototypes but decided the C's would make my wife a little more happy. Well she has dealt with both and I'm going for what I want. I just liked the Flows better than the C's and C Flows.

 

[kellte2]

Some brief thoughts after a week of ownership.  Having never owned the Ethers, I can still confidently say that the Ether C Flows are far from bass-lite.  FWIW, I'm using them with a Creative X7 and upgraded Sparkos Labs op-amps - a relatively humble set-up by HF standards.  They're not basshead levels (nor should they be), but they have more than adequate impact and depth to provide a richness in body to many different music genres.  When the source material calls for impact, it is there.  Listening to tracks by Kendrick Lamar, Big Sean, and various modern/pop R&B provides sparkle up top with "fun" on the lower end of the register.  I've dabbled in some well recorded jazz (appreciated the earlier call out to Paquito D'Rivera) and the headphones adapt well to the detail retrieval, imaging and clarity needed to produce a realistic/live sounding headphone for jazz.  Again, the full spectrum is well balanced with no particular range standing out or missing.  My biggest subjective takeaway is that listening to these gives you the impression of how the music was supposed to sound, and it is unlike any piece of audio gear that I have ever owned in the past.
 
Other notes: I'm treble sensitive, and I would never accuse these of being hot in the upper range.  My quintessential experience with hot treble came from the DT990, and without being overly dramatic, music sounded metallic and bordering on abrasive out of them.  This hasn't been my experience with the Ether C Flow.  
 
Lastly, I have also put in some dedicated gaming time with them over the weekend (hence the Creative X7).  These represent a massive step up from my K702 Annies in the gaming realm.  Detail retrieval is top notch, positional accuracy is excellent (and it will probably improve as they burn-in) and they're "fun" due to the deep bass extension.  Expensive set-up for gaming only, but paired with my love for music, the gaming use will prove to be incredibly satisfying.
 
They're expensive, yes, but I find them to be exactly what I wanted and worth the money (again, subjective).

 

[TonyNewman]

Picked up my upgraded Flows about 2 hours ago. Right out of the box these sound quite good. Already I noticing much better bass presence than the Ether C 1.1.
 
That thin type of sound that irritated me with the Ether C (and HD800/HD800S) is gone. There is some meat and body in the Ether Flow.
 
Looking forward to putting 200 hours on these and then driving direct from my DAC. That might be the bomb.

 

[scanspeakman1]

Still waiting for my upgraded Ether to be cleared by customs. Can not wait to listen to them!

Scanspeakman

 

[nnotis]

I signed up for the upgrade the first day Dan added it to his site. I never got the follow up email he sent out to all those who added themselves to the list. Should I assume I never got added then?

 

[mrspeakers]

I signed up for the upgrade the first day Dan added it to his site. I never got the follow up email he sent out to all those who added themselves to the list. Should I assume I never got added then?

If you didn't get the email check your spam folder, if you still didn't drop me a note and I'll add you to the list.

 

[Delayeed]

Any recommendations on good/cheap balanced cables for the Ether C/Flow C? Weight and lowest microphonics possible are priority. The Norne stuff is way too expensive for me atm (385$) for a Zoetic due to shipping and taxes to Europe.

 

[AxelCloris]

  Any recommendations on good/cheap balanced cables for the Ether C/Flow C? Weight and lowest microphonics possible are priority. The Norne stuff is way too expensive for me atm (385$) for a Zoetic due to shipping and taxes to Europe.

The DUM cable that's included.

 

[chengdigger]

Delayeed if you don't mind not having your cables washed in nano-aligned virgin druid tears, SurfCables and zynsonix have some sane, afordable and high quality options. The former trends to be a cheaper/faster the latter more/better options... I'd guess they could come in cheaper than the respectable dum cable.

 

[Rowethren]

  Any recommendations on good/cheap balanced cables for the Ether C/Flow C? Weight and lowest microphonics possible are priority. The Norne stuff is way too expensive for me atm (385$) for a Zoetic due to shipping and taxes to Europe.

 
Forzaaudioworks? Based in Poland so won't be any additional tax within the EU and have some of his cables, all nice build quality and the price is very reasonable! 

 

[Middy]

I have thier cable for my Ethers. Just a lovely made cable...

 

[vinakro]

Is anyone else who got an upgrade still waiting on tracking details?

I have yet to receive anything of the sort.

 

[Delayeed]

   
Forzaaudioworks? Based in Poland so won't be any additional tax within the EU and have some of his cables, all nice build quality and the price is very reasonable! 

Wow very nice! Will consider. Also Blue Dragon from Moon Audio seems tempting. 

 

[RCBinTN]

  Picked up my upgraded Flows about 2 hours ago. Right out of the box these sound quite good. Already I noticing much better bass presence than the Ether C 1.1.
 
That thin type of sound that irritated me with the Ether C (and HD800/HD800S) is gone. There is some meat and body in the Ether Flow.
 
Looking forward to putting 200 hours on these and then driving direct from my DAC. That might be the bomb.

 
I noticed the same thing - the Flow sound great out of the box.  I've got around 100 hours now - and with each listening they sound better.  The sound stage is getting deeper all the time.  Fantastic mids/voices and treble.  Just love 'em.
 

RCBinTN