MrSpeakers ETHER Flow and ETHER C Flow -- Inspired by Electrostatic Headphones

[mrspeakers]

This is my first post and I wanted to say “hi” so… Hi everyone

.....

After this time, I glued baffle vent stickers. The bass was slightly toned down and seemed more precise ... but ... Well, here were the problems started ...

The headphones ceased to deal with some sounds, or rather some distortion started to appear. On some songs (I noted that mainly with rock songs) I started to hear a strange crackling. In the sense of a buzzing, crackling (I do not know how to call it) on the sound of an electric guitar and some vocals.
It's very annoying and audible enough for me to exclude the fact that I have never caught it for the last three months.

I also exclude that something could get into the drivers, because I installed the tunning kit under running kitchen hood with additional lighting. I checked if the problem occurs on both sides by switching cables between left/right, I even tested them with better DacAmp (for exmaple Questyle cma600i) and its still there.

I am going to check the headphones in the previous setting (before installing Tuning kit) but I probably will not be able to apply it again without ordering a new set. That's why I wanted to ask you about your opinion before that. Have you noticed a similar problem in yours C Flow after installing tuning kit?

I would be very grateful if any of you could check if this problem also occurs in your unit.
If you have not noticed anything disturbing, could I ask you to check it out on specific tracks?

I am listening to music from Tidal Master and here are some tracks where problem occurs (I will write in brackets approx. times of songs where I can hear those issues, as an examples):
1. Black Pistol Fire – Yet again (from 01:02 but almost whole song)
2. Kaleo – No good (00:12 – 00:38)
3. Rival Sons – Memphis sun (00:17-00:28)
4. Black Pistol Fire – Hipster Shakes (00:00 – 00:11)
5. The Black Keys - My Mind Is Rambling (from 00:00 – almost whole song)
6. The White Stripes – Blue Orchid (00:13 – 00:16)
7. Little Huricane – Mt. Seniorita (01:12 – 01:20)
8. Rival Sons – Electric Man (02:05 – 02:13)
9. The Doors – Back Door Man (00:52 – 00:58)
10. Rumspringa – Casper (02:43 – 02: 49)

It's weird because in some songs these headphones still offer the best possible quality and I really love them, but I'm a little bit worried that something is wrong with them. I'm afraid I won’t be able to enjoy my music 100%.

I would really, reaaaallyyy appreciate your help.

There is absolutely no way applying the tuning patch to the vent can cause buzz or distortion on both channels, this is literally impossible.

So quick questions:

1) Is it at all volumes?
2) What amp are you using?

 

[Qna89]

There is absolutely no way applying the tuning patch to the vent can cause buzz or distortion on both channels, this is literally impossible.

So quick questions:

1) Is it at all volumes?
2) What amp are you using?

Thank you very much for your interest. I am very grateful.


Regarding your questions:
1. The problem occurs at various volume levels,
2. Unfortunately, at this moment I use only poor Fiio e18 kunlun. I was wondering if it was a matter of amplifier but the problem did not occur before even in connection with Fiio e18 kunlun. I realize that this equipment is “unworthy” of these headphones but I am in the process of choosing a better DacAmp During this listening sessions I was able to check the headphones with the following devices:

• Questyle cma400i with se and xlr cable (one week of tests).
• Questyle cma600i (1 hour of testing only with se cable)

On the above-mentioned devices, the problem still occurred (also on the xlr cable with the Questyle cma400i).

I wonder if this is not the fault of paper decals. Maybe there is a problem with it and it rustles on particular frequencies? That's why I asked other users if the problem occurs with theirs C Flows

I will try to check a few more things this week.

This Wednesday, I will be able to compare my headphones directly with another ether c flow model without tuning kit. Additionally I will connect them with Questyle Golden Reference System. I hope those tests will give me some answers.

If the connection with Questyle Golden Reference System eliminates the problem, I assume that the fault lies on the side of the too weak amplifier.

However, if the problem does not solve and distortions (buzzing?) will not occur in the second model of ether c flow, I assume that my headphones are the problem. In this case, I will remove the tuning kit and check whether the problem still occurs. If so, unfortunately I have to reckon that something has happened to my headphones.

I really don't know. Maybe the problem was there the whole time but I was not able to hear it through earlier idamping material?

As I will compare it, I will post my observations here on the forum.

Maybe you could tell me what should I pay attention to or what to look for? Maybe I did not think about something important?

I would be grateful for any hints or tips

 

[Rowethren]

Maybe you got a hair stuck under the paper when you installed it? I have had hairs on drivers cause similar issues to what you are describing in the past.

 

[Qna89]

Maybe you got a hair stuck under the paper when you installed it? I have had hairs on drivers cause similar issues to what you are describing in the past.

Indeed, it is possible. I thought about it for a moment and I do not exclude it. However, I was very careful when installing the tuning kit. The micro fiber parts could tear from the original damping material when I was taking it off, because it was the only moment when I could not see it from the inside. However, it seems a little unlikely that it happened because this problem occurred on the right and left side of the headphones at the same time.

I will do my listening tests, which I mentioned earlier and I will add my conclusions here.

If it does not explain anything, I will go back to the theory with hair

 

[mrspeakers]

Indeed, it is possible. I thought about it for a moment and I do not exclude it. However, I was very careful when installing the tuning kit. The micro fiber parts could tear from the original damping material when I was taking it off, because it was the only moment when I could not see it from the inside. However, it seems a little unlikely that it happened because this problem occurred on the right and left side of the headphones at the same time.

I will do my listening tests, which I mentioned earlier and I will add my conclusions here.

If it does not explain anything, I will go back to the theory with hair

It does sound like potential contamination. First, make sure the paper is seated flat with no creases or folds, etc. We can send a replacement kit if you want to remove it for inspection. Alternatively if you want us to look at it just send it to us to check out. Contact info@mrspeakers.com to arrange that if you wish.

 

[Qna89]

It does sound like potential contamination. First, make sure the paper is seated flat with no creases or folds, etc. We can send a replacement kit if you want to remove it for inspection. Alternatively if you want us to look at it just send it to us to check out. Contact info@mrspeakers.com to arrange that if you wish.

Thank You very much for the tips and your proposition.

Tomorrow I'll do a comparison and tests which I mentioned in previous post. Will see how it goes. I will also check the paper as You suggested. Maybe I will take pictures of it.

If nothing changes, I will contact You by mail


Thank You again

 

[Bastianpp]

Hello!
Does anyone know for what is the external damper (is a damper?) Is imposible to remove lol

 

[elira]

Hello!
Does anyone know for what is the external damper (is a damper?) Is imposible to remove lol

I would guess to prevent dust from entering the driver.

 

[gunmike1]

I recently bought the Fostex TR-X00 to be my office headphones, but they just weren’t good enough for my tastes. I am used to my Kef LS50W with an SVS SB4000 at home, and it is hard to go from that to a headphone with a midrange that so muted. The X00 has a lot of bass, but it is bloated and a bit slow, which makes the recessed midrange stand out more. I did put some Lawton driver damping on it, which cleaned up the bass some, but it still just isn’t a sound that I can be happy with. That led me to take the jump at the Ether C Flow 1.1 to be my work headphone.

I got my Ether C Flow 1.1 last Thursday. I have about 40 hours on them now, and I’m feeding them from an iPhone with camera cable (tidal hifi and MQA) through an iFi Micro Black Label through the Vivo 1/4” cable. Since the headphones first arrived the bass seems to be more present, and it is very fast and clean. The midrange is right where it should be, and guitars and vocals sound great. There is plenty of detail and air up top, and there isn’t any harshness to it. I do feel like I’d like the bass boosted a little, but it’s probably just a dual matter of letting the headphones burn in more, along with me getting used to not having the overboosted Fostex bass. In Normal mode I can only stand going slightly past 12 o’clock on the Black Label, and in Turbo I’m only able to get a bit past 9 o’clock. Since the amp stays much cooler in normal mode I just leave it in normal rather than turbo. The C Flow is hardly harder to drive than the X00, which is nice. So far so good with the C Flow, I think I’m going to hold on to these.

 

[MyPants]

Quick thoughts on the 1.1 Kit.

Background details first: I recently purchased a set of Ether C Flows from a local hifi shop. It was their demo unit which they said they'd had for about a year. I discovered later that the certificate of authenticity dates it to early 2016 (oddly enough, well before the Flow's August '16 release) and Mr. Speakers weren't able to confirm its actual ship date (although they could confirm that they're authentic), so I'm not sure which pads are on it.

All that said, I installed the 1.1 kit and was impressed with the improved detail. However, I missed the bass response they had without the baffles and ended up removing the baffles. I've settled into this configuration and mostly use the white felt. The other tuning pads can be really rewarding with good recordings but to my ears they can be a bit intense. I'm considering ordering a second kit so I'll have two full sets of baffles and can do a better A/B test of the bass. It may also be worth ordering a set of the new pads to compare against whatever's on them currently. Perhaps I have the old pads and would find baffles+new pads to be ideal.

 

[cobyatch]

Quick thoughts on the 1.1 Kit.

Background details first: I recently purchased a set of Ether C Flows from a local hifi shop. It was their demo unit which they said they'd had for about a year. I discovered later that the certificate of authenticity dates it to early 2016 (oddly enough, well before the Flow's August '16 release) and Mr. Speakers weren't able to confirm its actual ship date (although they could confirm that they're authentic), so I'm not sure which pads are on it.

All that said, I installed the 1.1 kit and was impressed with the improved detail. However, I missed the bass response they had without the baffles and ended up removing the baffles. I've settled into this configuration and mostly use the white felt. The other tuning pads can be really rewarding with good recordings but to my ears they can be a bit intense. I'm considering ordering a second kit so I'll have two full sets of baffles and can do a better A/B test of the bass. It may also be worth ordering a set of the new pads to compare against whatever's on them currently. Perhaps I have the old pads and would find baffles+new pads to be ideal.

I had the exact same feeling you have when I first received my pair. They had the 1.1 tuning kit already installed but came with the old pads. Bass was very lacking and although removing the baffles helped a bit, the overall sound was thin, very boring, and lifeless. I was literally forcing myself to figure out why these were considered so great.

The new pads really transformed the sound, bringing much color, detail, and soundstage that were definitely missing. Even with the baffles on I have no qualms about the bass, it's absolutely perfect. With the white filters it adds just the right amount of warmth to satisfy my needs. I was literally on the verge of selling them, but so glad I didn't because they're my top headphone right now.

I think the easiest way to tell if you have the old or new pads is how much the pads squish. I would compare the old pads to a sponge, whereas the new pads are firm like marshmallows.

 

[mrspeakers]

The newer pads add 3-4 dB below 55Hz....

 

[sbradley02]

Will the new ETHER 2 pads make their way to the C?

 

[mrspeakers]

Will the new ETHER 2 pads make their way to the C?

Eventually. We're designing an adaptor plate to replace the earpad mounting ring ETHER and ETHER Flow use, then they'll be compatible. It'll be an affordable part that takes 6 screws to install and will also be reversable. It'll be a few months...

 

[kid vic]

Eventually. We're designing an adaptor plate to replace the earpad mounting ring ETHER and ETHER Flow use, then they'll be compatible. It'll be an affordable part that takes 6 screws to install and will also be reversable. It'll be a few months...

Are the Alpha Pads compatible with the Ether Flow and 1.1 kit? Also, between the upgraded Ether Flow angled pads and the Alpha Pads which will have better bass and soundstaging (Alpha pads look thicker)?

Edited to add this quote from the Ether CX thread, hope Dan can clarify the above with this.

Yes, those are compatible. You get a firmer pad, sonic changes are not huge as the ear hole is similar, you do potentially get a little more bass, and perhaps a little more lower treble, but this varies by ear shape.