[musicday]

Thank you for UK stock update Dan, but the distributor here told me a completely different story.
He said they are expecting stock in 3 weeks

His last order went out, He has a second order in place. We do not say we are s hipping unless we are shipping. If that is sold out he's telling you when the next batch arrives.

Thank you kind, that makes sense.

 

[NWRain]

I finally received my C Flows after a long wait.  The team at Mr. Speakers must be hard at work because mine were built on October 25^th, and I received them on 28^th.  The C Flow are different from the original C model I had the opportunity to listen to 5 months ago.  The original was unique, but I hesitate to say that the Flow is automatically better.
This is the first planar magnetic that I’ve owned since the LCD2 pre-fazor that I owned in 2009.  The Ether is pleasantly light for a planar headphone.
 
I don’t own a quality DAC or amp, so I can’t offer any quality sound impressions. The headphones are efficient, and can run off an iPhone to a decent volume level.
 
The only other possible concern is with the carbon fiber.  I haven’t owned any carbon fiber goods before.  I see white flecks of something that looks like lint above the weave.  Is this normal?  Can you polish them out?
 
Left
http://imgur.com/Hkc4OkO
Right
http://imgur.com/zg0DASM

 

[doraymon]

I finally received my C Flows after a long wait.  The team at Mr. Speakers must be hard at work because mine were built on October 25^th, and I received them on 28^th.  The C Flow are different from the original C model I had the opportunity to listen to 5 months ago.  The original was unique, but I hesitate to say that the Flow is automatically better.
This is the first planar magnetic that I’ve owned since the LCD2 pre-fazor that I owned in 2009.  The Ether is pleasantly light for a planar headphone.

I don’t own a quality DAC or amp, so I can’t offer any quality sound impressions. The headphones are efficient, and can run off an iPhone to a decent volume level.

The only other possible concern is with the carbon fiber.  I haven’t owned any carbon fiber goods before.  I see white flecks of something that looks like lint above the weave.  Is this normal?  Can you polish them out?

Left
http://imgur.com/Hkc4OkO
Right
http://imgur.com/zg0DASM

Mmmmh, I would be bothered as well after spending 1.8k $.
Do they look superficial or it's something deep in the coating?

 

[LunaC]

Thank you for your answer.

On the DFR, I just decided to use it again with the EtherC on a MBP and I need to revise my answer. The power is greater on it than the Iphone, so they are obviously controlling the volume or current draw for the portable device.

 

[ChrisIsAwesome]

Left
http://imgur.com/Hkc4OkO

That looks like a manufacturing defect to me, a quality control issue. There shouldn't be any particles in the resin. I doubt you could polished them out without wearing down to the fibers.

 

[atsq17]

  My Either Flows have about 120 hours on them and I am enjoying them a lot. They tick a lot of boxes. The only issue I have is that the tonality is somewhat bright to my ears. I think this headphones needs careful pairing (unless you are a treble head).
 
Interesting that Tyll is using a 430HA - that is quite a warm amp IMHO - much warmer than the other amps I have owned (Aurlaic Taurus and V281).
 
Is anyone pairing this headphone with an Auralic Taurus or GS-X Mk2? I would struggle to see that pairing working well.
 
Very interested in what others think on this (Ether Flow being a little bright).

 
I have both the V281 and Taurus with my Ether Flow and I actually prefer the Taurus. I am most definitely not a treble head but while it sounds great from the V281, the Taurus sounds more neutral and "right" in an A-B. If you don't compare them both are great. I find that if I use certain laptops or DACs, things can get bright. This leads me to believe that it's noise that we are picking up as "treble" or brightness. 
 
My test was as follows:
 
Test 1:
 
Unchanging Constants in Test: Ether Flow, Taurus, Curious USB, Crystal Ultra Silver XLR cables, Gumby DAC
Variables Changed: Macbook Pro Retina to Lenovo X260 with dual battery (both are powered to mains)
 
Macbook Pro - Ether Flow was bright and songs with high freq treble seemed bright and borderline uncomfortable. 
Lenovo X260 - Ether Flow was just about right. Probably 1 or 2 points leaning towards bright. 
 
Test 2: 
 
Unchanging Constants in Test: Ether Flow, Taurus, Curious USB, Crystal Ultra Silver XLR cables, LH Labs Pulse Infinity with LPS4
Changed: Macbook Pro Retina to Lenovo X260 with dual battery (both are powered to mains)
 
Macbook Pro - Ether Flow was just about right. Probably 1 or 2 points leaning towards bright. 
Lenovo X260 - Perfection
 
After this test I sold my Gumby DAC as the system had a better synergy with the Pulse
I now use the V281 with my modded HD800 at work. 

 

[hola]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[TonyNewman]

   
I have both the V281 and Taurus with my Ether Flow and I actually prefer the Taurus. I am most definitely not a treble head but while it sounds great from the V281, the Taurus sounds more neutral and "right" in an A-B. If you don't compare them both are great. I find that if I use certain laptops or DACs, things can get bright. This leads me to believe that it's noise that we are picking up as "treble" or brightness. 
 
My test was as follows:
 
Test 1:
 
Unchanging Constants in Test: Ether Flow, Taurus, Curious USB, Crystal Ultra Silver XLR cables, Gumby DAC
Variables Changed: Macbook Pro Retina to Lenovo X260 with dual battery (both are powered to mains)
 
Macbook Pro - Ether Flow was bright and songs with high freq treble seemed bright and borderline uncomfortable. 
Lenovo X260 - Ether Flow was just about right. Probably 1 or 2 points leaning towards bright. 
 
Test 2: 
 
Unchanging Constants in Test: Ether Flow, Taurus, Curious USB, Crystal Ultra Silver XLR cables, LH Labs Pulse Infinity with LPS4
Changed: Macbook Pro Retina to Lenovo X260 with dual battery (both are powered to mains)
 
Macbook Pro - Ether Flow was just about right. Probably 1 or 2 points leaning towards bright. 
Lenovo X260 - Perfection
 
After this test I sold my Gumby DAC as the system had a better synergy with the Pulse
I now use the V281 with my modded HD800 at work. 

 
Thanks for that. After a bunch more hours on my Flows the treble has smoothed out and is now rather nice.
 
I am running both the Ether Flows and Utopias direct from my Bricasti DAC - sans head amp - and am enjoying both immensely. For me, the best head amp is no head amp. YMMV.

 

[kellte2]

Mmmmh, I would be bothered as well after spending 1.8k $.
Do they look superficial or it's something deep in the coating?

Looks extremely minor, but contact Dan if it bothers you. I would suggest using a fingernail to wipe across the surface, as I had some similar looking debris on the surface that dislodged after gently using my fingernail. The resin surface is quite hard.

In my experience, small "blemishes" are not worth a return. I've been down that road many times and almost every time, without fail, the replacement will have either a similar issue or something else. Nothing is perfect, and this has been something that I've struggled with - especially when spending a lot of money on something. The sound won't change based on a minor imperfection. Use them in good health.

 

[Bambule]

Thanks for that. After a bunch more hours on my Flows the treble has smoothed out and is now rather nice.

I am running both the Ether Flows and Utopias direct from my Bricasti DAC - sans head amp - and am enjoying both immensely. For me, the best head amp is no head amp. YMMV.

As you own both the ether flow and the Utopia, and it seems you find both really good, could you compare them? What is good about the flow, what about the Utopia? Is there something the flow does better as the so called best of the best utopia?

 

[TonyNewman]

As you own both the ether flow and the Utopia, and it seems you find both really good, could you compare them? What is good about the flow, what about the Utopia? Is there something the flow does better as the so called best of the best utopia?

 
Want to put a lot more hours on both cans before getting into that in detail.
 
Obvious comment would be clarity and punch - the Utopia wins every time. The Flow is a more relaxed listening experience. Both are excellent cans IMHO.
 
I can see myself using the Flow with my tube rig for mellowing out, while the Utopia with the direct drive from the DAC is a much more intense experience.

 

[x RELIC x]

Want to put a lot more hours on both cans before getting into that in detail.

Obvious comment would be clarity and punch - the Utopia wins every time. The Flow is a more relaxed listening experience. Both are excellent cans IMHO.

I can see myself using the Flow with my tube rig for mellowing out, while the Utopia with the direct drive from the DAC is a much more intense experience.

This I would agree with. The Utopia is more than twice as much as the Flow, but perhaps not twice as good, depending on one's preference. The Flow is smooth. The Utopia is incredibly punchy, yet delicate when the recording calls for it. The Utopia seems to have more fine resolution, more low level detail reproduction than the Flow, but not because of tilted up high frequencies for perceived detail (which isn't the case with the Flow either IMO). Again, twice as pricey.

I don't find either to be grainy at all and the Flow actually gets more listening time from me. Not because I think it's technically better but because I actually, literally, stop what I'm doing often when I listen to the Utopia as I get so wrapped up in the music and I can't be a music zombie when working. With the Flow it is a very clean, detailed, smooth listen that I find very enjoyable. I don't pine for the Utopia when I'm listening to the Flow, but then I put on the Utopia and I'm like "WHOAH".

I don't really think either is tonally too bright or too dark. They are both rather balanced to my ears with some slight differences. I've had both for a few months now played through the Chord DAVE, and more recently with the Cavalli Liquid Gold. BTW, I see clearly why MrSpeakers and Cavalli often team up at meets and shows. Great synergy. My wallet is afraid for when the Liquid Tungsten is released.

 

[NWRain]

Looks extremely minor, but contact Dan if it bothers you. I would suggest using a fingernail to wipe across the surface, as I had some similar looking debris on the surface that dislodged after gently using my fingernail. The resin surface is quite hard.

In my experience, small "blemishes" are not worth a return. I've been down that road many times and almost every time, without fail, the replacement will have either a similar issue or something else. Nothing is perfect, and this has been something that I've struggled with - especially when spending a lot of money on something. The sound won't change based on a minor imperfection. Use them in good health.

 
I used a microfiber, and a fingernail.  Whatever it is. It is stuck in the resin.  I think your words are very truthful, but I can't help thinking about it.  I sent the staff at Mr Speakers an email to get their opinion.  I sold off everything of my old rig to help fund the Ether C to start a new headphone setup.
 
Edit: I bought mine from a dealer with a policy of all sales are final, so if I can't get this resolved I won't be able to return it.

 

[musicday]

I finally received my C Flows after a long wait.  The team at Mr. Speakers must be hard at work because mine were built on October 25^th, and I received them on 28^th.  The C Flow are different from the original C model I had the opportunity to listen to 5 months ago.  The original was unique, but I hesitate to say that the Flow is automatically better.
This is the first planar magnetic that I’ve owned since the LCD2 pre-fazor that I owned in 2009.  The Ether is pleasantly light for a planar headphone.

I don’t own a quality DAC or amp, so I can’t offer any quality sound impressions. The headphones are efficient, and can run off an iPhone to a decent volume level.

The only other possible concern is with the carbon fiber.  I haven’t owned any carbon fiber goods before.  I see white flecks of something that looks like lint above the weave.  Is this normal?  Can you polish them out?

Left
http://imgur.com/Hkc4OkO
Right
http://imgur.com/zg0DASM

I understand that they are expensive but great sounding headphones, but that is such a small dot.
Can you really see it unless you look for it?

 

[doraymon]

   
I sold off everything of my old rig to help fund the Ether C to start a new headphone setup.

 
That's exactly what I am doing now...
And I do understand your feelings, it's an OCD I also suffer!