[PATB]

Congrats to the Ether design and production team for a world class headphone: looks gorgeous, very comfy to wear, and TOTL sound.  I think the pricing is fair.
 
As to sound, I am not an audiophile and have only a balanced HD650, balanced RS1, and a Stax SR009 for direct comparison.  The Ether is definitely nowhere close to the HD650 and RS1 in terms of sound

.  Compared to the SR009, the Ether is slower, less airy, and has less treble extension. But you don't notice these without direct A/B side to side.  My guess is that the Ether is very close to the Stax Omega II Mk1 (cant say for sure as I sold mine 10 years ago, and I only briefly heard another one three weeks ago). 
 
My take on the Ether?  I don't mind having this as my only headphone.

 

[conquerator2]

You hardly notice shortcomings of good headphones until you do proper ABs

 

[wahsmoh]

not as edgy on the mids and highs compared with the hd800, airier compared with the alpha dogs

I felt the same when I heard them. Ethers are just more coherent sounding than Alpha Dogs but the ADs get the tone,mids, bass, highs right for me. Ethers are also faster and should have slightly more neutral bass than Alpha Dog but just as extended.

 

[Alamei]

  Tyll's got some numbers up.
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/MrSpeakersEther.pdf

For those of you who own these headphones, how noticeable is that 7-8KHz dip in the FR?

 

[gonzfi]

Congrats to the Ether design and production team for a world class headphone: looks gorgeous, very comfy to wear, and TOTL sound.  I think the pricing is fair.

As to sound, I am not an audiophile and have only a balanced HD650, balanced RS1, and a Stax SR009 for direct comparison.  The Ether is definitely nowhere close to the HD650 and RS1 in terms of sound .  Compared to the SR009, the Ether is slower, less airy, and has less treble extension. But you don't notice these without direct A/B side to side.  My guess is that the Ether is very close to the Stax Omega II Mk1 (cant say for sure as I sold mine 10 years ago, and I only briefly heard another one three weeks ago). 

My take on the Ether?  I don't mind having this as my only headphone.

There is something in your post which makes me think you are an audiophile but I can't quite put my finger on what it is...

 

[TonyNewman]

There is something in your post which makes me think you are an audiophile but I can't quite put my finger on what it is...

 
This bit kinda sealed the deal for me "... I am not an audiophile and have only a balanced HD650, balanced RS1, and a Stax SR009..." that's an awful lot of headphone firepower for a non-audiophile to have laying around

 

[money4me247]

 
For those of you who own these headphones, how noticeable is that 7-8KHz dip in the FR?

upper treble measurements are hardly ever truly accurate. can get a ton of variation in that region from simultaneous measurements. just something to note if doing measurement-based comparisons/research.

 

[David Aldrich]

Breath of fresh air as compared to my Beyerdynamic T-70s (why did I even buy those things?)
 
I haven't noticed anything in mine that stick out as a problem to the overall fantastic signature.
 

 
For those of you who own these headphones, how noticeable is that 7-8KHz dip in the FR?

 

[tedevang]

Got my ETHERs a couple weeks ago and was curious if anyone has tube recommendations for a Schiit Lyr 2 amp? I just have the stock tubes at the moment.

 

[AxelCloris]

My ETHER has arrived! Now to let it sit on the ol' desktop rig and cook for a bit. They're impressive straight from the box, but I know that they sound better after several days of play time.

 

[digitalzed]

  My ETHER has arrived! Now to let it sit on the ol' desktop rig and cook for a bit. They're impressive straight from the box, but I know that they sound better after several days of play time.

Congrats Brian.

 

[Hardwired]

  Got my ETHERs a couple weeks ago and was curious if anyone has tube recommendations for a Schiit Lyr 2 amp? I just have the stock tubes at the moment.

 
If you like accurate and analytical, I like the Telefunken sound, and the Philips Miniwatt SQ tubes are close and cost a bit less. If you like a warmer, more relaxed sound you might go the Amperex or Mullard direction. There are a couple of threads in the Headphone Amp (full-size) forum that has hundreds of pages of tube discussion for the Lyr. That's where I got started tracking down tubes and more tubes. We need a smoking wallet icon for that kind of discussion.  
 
I'm just a beginner and some of those guys have spent a lot of time at it. They discuss various years of manufacture, label colors, "getter" shape and color, etc. Evidently they all sound different and everyone has their own favorites. Good luck, 

 

 

[FiftyPercentLG]

...

 

[MattTCG]

  Got my ETHERs a couple weeks ago and was curious if anyone has tube recommendations for a Schiit Lyr 2 amp? I just have the stock tubes at the moment.

 
 

   
If you like accurate and analytical, I like the Telefunken sound, and the Philips Miniwatt SQ tubes are close and cost a bit less. If you like a warmer, more relaxed sound you might go the Amperex or Mullard direction. There are a couple of threads in the Headphone Amp (full-size) forum that has hundreds of pages of tube discussion for the Lyr. That's where I got started tracking down tubes and more tubes. We need a smoking wallet icon for that kind of discussion.  
 
I'm just a beginner and some of those guys have spent a lot of time at it. They discuss various years of manufacture, label colors, "getter" shape and color, etc. Evidently they all sound different and everyone has their own favorites. Good luck, 

 

 
The miniwatts are my favorites. Wonderfully neutral and the tonality is spot on. 

 

[tedevang]

   
If you like accurate and analytical, I like the Telefunken sound, and the Philips Miniwatt SQ tubes are close and cost a bit less. If you like a warmer, more relaxed sound you might go the Amperex or Mullard direction. There are a couple of threads in the Headphone Amp (full-size) forum that has hundreds of pages of tube discussion for the Lyr. That's where I got started tracking down tubes and more tubes. We need a smoking wallet icon for that kind of discussion.  
 
I'm just a beginner and some of those guys have spent a lot of time at it. They discuss various years of manufacture, label colors, "getter" shape and color, etc. Evidently they all sound different and everyone has their own favorites. Good luck, 

 

 

   
 
 
The miniwatts are my favorites. Wonderfully neutral and the tonality is spot on. 

 
Thanks - decisions, decisions. I may go with the Miniwatt tubes - I see they are approx $200/pair on Tubedepot. Any experience with Genalex Gold Lions? I have a Liquid Carbon on order too so probably best to get a tube sound that contrasts a bit with the LC. ETHER sounds great and I've only put about 30 hrs on them so far.