[MattTCG]

  I have a pair of C flows, I'm the 2nd owner. They sound very good for a closed headphone with incredible speed and linearity. Perhaps bordering on boring... except that no other headphones closed really hit sub-bass through mids to highs without experiencing a fault or a dip somewhere like these do. I was impressed with the technical level of these headphones initially but became more attached to them as they began to burn in longer. Currently only at 100 hours (I received them at low hours, they still smell like fresh leather).
They do sound pretty amazing out of tubes, but sadly my best tubes are all burned out/microphonic. I'm running them through a lyr 2 LIIST at this moment. Sounds very, very good.
My only complaint is that while I wouldn't say I have big ears, my ears stand out a bit and sadly my left ear begins to hurt pretty bad after an hour or two wearing these phones. My right ear is slightly more padded and I don't get any discomfort at all there. Hopefully this won't be the case with the electrostat pads I ordered to try on them. I need to stuff something under the backside of the left ear though, lol (to be fair the pads have like a 2mm difference in width, maybe and that small amount just happened to be close enough to my ear).
Honestly I don't really need the isolation and the reason I went for closed was mostly for novelty (and owning a large number of open cans and little to no closed ones). I find the isolation good, but in hindsight I'd probably go for the open because sub-bass can fatigue my ears. Probably why I'll be running tubes that emphasize mids over bass/treble (most of them, ;D) soon. RIP my beloved amperex tubes.
I can't compare them to he-500 as I honestly haven't heard that pair. I can compare them to 400i though and a slew of dynamics if you want.
The ether c flow though is definitely a top-tier contender for best closed headphone, for sure.

 
I'm thinking that with a pair of tubes and the new e-pads, you'd be pretty happy. If you agree, pm me and I'll send you a set of decent tubes. The e-pads make a pretty significant difference with the open version but I haven't tried with the closed. Would be interesting though. 

 

[kellte2]

I have a pair of C flows, I'm the 2nd owner. They sound very good for a closed headphone with incredible speed and linearity. Perhaps bordering on boring... except that no other headphones closed really hit sub-bass through mids to highs without experiencing a fault or a dip somewhere like these do. I was impressed with the technical level of these headphones initially but became more attached to them as they began to burn in longer. Currently only at 100 hours (I received them at low hours, they still smell like fresh leather).
They do sound pretty amazing out of tubes, but sadly my best tubes are all burned out/microphonic. I'm running them through a lyr 2 LIIST at this moment. Sounds very, very good.
My only complaint is that while I wouldn't say I have big ears, my ears stand out a bit and sadly my left ear begins to hurt pretty bad after an hour or two wearing these phones. My right ear is slightly more padded and I don't get any discomfort at all there. Hopefully this won't be the case with the electrostat pads I ordered to try on them. I need to stuff something under the backside of the left ear though, lol (to be fair the pads have like a 2mm difference in width, maybe and that small amount just happened to be close enough to my ear).
Honestly I don't really need the isolation and the reason I went for closed was mostly for novelty (and owning a large number of open cans and little to no closed ones). I find the isolation good, but in hindsight I'd probably go for the open because sub-bass can fatigue my ears. Probably why I'll be running tubes that emphasize mids over bass/treble (most of them, ;D) soon. RIP my beloved amperex tubes.
I can't compare them to he-500 as I honestly haven't heard that pair. I can compare them to 400i though and a slew of dynamics if you want.
The ether c flow though is definitely a top-tier contender for best closed headphone, for sure.

 


looking forward to your e-pad thoughts with the ECF. After a full burn-in, I am over the moon with the cans. Made the 7 year wait for the latest Jamiroquai album totally worth it, but if the soundstage could be expanded without losing the full range frequency response, then I might be pulling the trigger for new pads sooner than expected.

 

[Uzuzu]

Okay I will post my thoughts once the pads arrive. Hopefully by tomorrow, they left Cali days ago and I'm West Coast. I've always enjoyed pads with wide openings far more than others that are not. Kind of like th600/900 pads (my favorite pad except they fall apart so easy). I have a tarnished pair of those on my 400i and it changed the headphone into something amazing.

 

[BillOhio]

I picked up a pair of Ether Flows this afternoon. Burn in will start tomorrow and I'm challenging myself to not try them on until after 200 hours. While I was at the shop I tried the Ether C non flows out of my DP-X1 and at least from that DAP I much prefer my Beyer T5P Gen2s. Just an observation.

 

[Uzuzu]

Why not listen to them while they burn in while you're at home? I know this is subjective but I think burn-in is a pleasant experience and it helps me understand the nuances of the headphone. These headphones also really open up a lot earlier than 200, mine aren't even there yet but it's bliss.

 

[Sonic Defender]

  Why not listen to them while they burn in while you're at home? I know this is subjective but I think burn-in is a pleasant experience and it helps me understand the nuances of the headphone. These headphones also really open up a lot earlier than 200, mine aren't even there yet but it's bliss.

I agree, and considering that burn-in is quite possibly just your brain adjusting to a new sound signature and not any mechanical changes, why deprive yourself of the time?

 

[Uzuzu]

  I agree, and considering that burn-in is quite possibly just your brain adjusting to a new sound signature and not any mechanical changes, why deprive yourself of the time?

Exactly what I always tell myself. It is so hard to shake off your own mind's bias you really cannot tell. In my case it is especially hard to tell because 90 percent of my headphones are open/semi-open and then going in to use the Ether C Flow it is kind of........ underwhelming. Seemed to get better over time though and open-up but it's hard to tell if that is me getting used to the closed sound or if the headphone "opens up" to say. 

 

[BillOhio]

  Why not listen to them while they burn in while you're at home? I know this is subjective but I think burn-in is a pleasant experience and it helps me understand the nuances of the headphone. These headphones also really open up a lot earlier than 200, mine aren't even there yet but it's bliss.

 
 

  I agree, and considering that burn-in is quite possibly just your brain adjusting to a new sound signature and not any mechanical changes, why deprive yourself of the time?

 
Partly, Having paid $2500 for a pair of headphones* I don't ever want to put those headphones on and hear them sound disappointing  like the Ether Cs from my DAP were disappointing.  ...(*Canadian dollars and this was after a $200+ discount for a new pair through a distributor.) 
 
Also, there's a curiosity of that brain burn in factor. I'm curious what the experience will be if the cans have burned in for 200 hours and my brain has burned in for zero. If the phones continue to sound increasingly better for the first however many hours after I do actually start using them then I'll assume at that point that it's brain burn in. I'm hoping that when I do finally put them on for the first time, they will at that point sound amazing from the 'start'.
 
I like my Beyers quite a bit and it is not at all a hardship to listen to those in the mean time, although and of course I do hope my non portable desk top set up goes up another level once the EFs are added.

 

[Uzuzu]

   
 
 
Partly, Having paid $2500 for a pair of headphones* I don't ever want to put those headphones on and hear them sound disappointing  like the Ether Cs from my DAP were disappointing.  ...(*Canadian dollars and this was after a $200+ discount for a new pair through a distributor.) 
 
Also, there's a curiosity of that brain burn in factor. I'm curious what the experience will be if the cans have burned in for 200 hours and my brain has burned in for zero. If the phones continue to sound increasingly better for the first however many hours after I do actually start using them then I'll assume at that point that it's brain burn in. I'm hoping that when I do finally put them on for the first time, they will at that point sound amazing from the 'start'.
 
I like my Beyers quite a bit and it is not at all a hardship to listen to those in the mean time, although and of course I do hope my non portable desk top set up goes up another level once the EFs are added.

I think then it would be interesting, to give someone a pair of headphones (400+ hours) and tell them that they are new and to make note if they experience "burn in." Hard to pull off reliably and with enough people but it would be interesting to say the least, especially coming from people who've been around enough headphones already.

 

[Uzuzu]

 

 

 

 
Got those Electrostat pads on my C Flows. Pictures to show exactly how they look and their width (comparable to stock maybe slightly thinner by a hair).
 
First thing I'm going to say before going any further, is that Dan should offer upon sale which pad to choose. Given how I'm pretty darned sure I prefer this pad over stock, I'm only imagining Dan right now rolling in a bed of cash and kissing these things with dollar signs in his eyes. But I digress.
 
My initial impressions... bass presence doesn't feel so close to the ear.  
Extension into bass though remains deep but it loses some impact. Like the smallest pinch of it. Completely acceptable and IMHO, preferred.
Actually I was praying that was the case. Besides opening up what felt to me like a slightly-too-intimate lower end, I don't feel that congestion. Definitely opens up this headphone in an instantly noticeable way.
There may be something going on in the lower mids different than before but I'm not sure. Need somebody with the stuff to take measurements to do so if they got a pair and can.
I will be keeping these on the headphones though.
 
They smell plastic though, like chinese-plastic where my stock pads smelled like fine leather. I think that may be due to their packaging, however (please wear off).
Because of what MrSpeakers claim on their site I tried them in different positions on the ear. They sound horrible back or front and aren't comfortable that way, I don't know why they would advertise that. Just put them on with your ear in the middle and they sound great.

 

[buke9]

I agree, and considering that burn-in is quite possibly just your brain adjusting to a new sound signature and not any mechanical changes, why deprive yourself of the time?

I can't about the Flow C but with my Ether C's there was quite a difference between New and after 200 hours of burn in with bassie music played fairly loud as Dan suggested he only recommended 150 IIRC but it got better after 200 and I was coming from Alpha Dogs so no brain thing about closed . I'm not one who usually believes in burn in but with the C' s it did make a big difference to me YMMV and also on the Yggy but I think that was more coming up to temperature.

 

[BillOhio]

 200 hours of burn in with bassie music played fairly loud 

I have Pearl Jam's greatest hits on a loop with my Mjo2 volume at about 10:00. The phones sitting on my desk with the foam separator between the cups are giving off almost as much noise as a small clock radio snooze alarm. Since I'm burning in Ether Flows, I started the burn in with Even Flow... cause that's how clever I am after a couple of beers.

 

[kellte2]

Got those Electrostat pads on my C Flows. Pictures to show exactly how they look and their width (comparable to stock maybe slightly thinner by a hair).

First thing I'm going to say before going any further, is that Dan should offer upon sale which pad to choose. Given how I'm pretty darned sure I prefer this pad over stock, I'm only imagining Dan right now rolling in a bed of cash and kissing these things with dollar signs in his eyes. But I digress.

My initial impressions... bass presence doesn't feel so close to the ear.  
Extension into bass though remains deep but it loses some impact. Like the smallest pinch of it. Completely acceptable and IMHO, preferred.
Actually I was praying that was the case. Besides opening up what felt to me like a slightly-too-intimate lower end, I don't feel that congestion. Definitely opens up this headphone in an instantly noticeable way.
There may be something going on in the lower mids different than before but I'm not sure. Need somebody with the stuff to take measurements to do so if they got a pair and can.
I will be keeping these on the headphones though.

They smell plastic though, like chinese-plastic where my stock pads smelled like fine leather. I think that may be due to their packaging, however (please wear off).
Because of what MrSpeakers claim on their site I tried them in different positions on the ear. They sound horrible back or front and aren't comfortable that way, I don't know why they would advertise that. Just put them on with your ear in the middle and they sound great.

Awesome write up. Reaching for my wallet. One last thing: how is the isolation?

 

[buke9]

I have Pearl Jam's greatest hits on a loop with my Mjo2 volume at about 10:00. The phones sitting on my desk with the foam separator between the cups are giving off almost as much noise as a small clock radio snooze alarm. Since I'm burning in Ether Flows, I started the burn in with Even Flow... cause that's how clever I am after a couple of beers.

Oh dark grin he can't help when he's happy he looks insane .

 

[BillOhio]

Oh dark grin he can't help when he's happy he looks insane .