[zachawry]

Must...go...make...dinner....family....kids....will....starve......
 
But the ETHERs revealing Paul Galbraith playing Bach on specially-constructed 8-string guitar and miced by someone who really knew what they were doing has my butt nailed to this chair.....
 
Curse you Dan!!!

 

[money4me247]

I am not talking about amps...
I am talking about the HE6 in comparison to other headphones.

HE6 is not "lean" and in general it is neutal and impressive.
But in comparison to an LCD, it is the more "lean" can.

Thats what we talkin about.
It has kick,slam, authority,
But the Ether has the body, nuance & clarity to make it more desireable for me.
I dont need a can to puncture my eardrums with dynamics.
Yet some may love that.
On the other flipside, I found the HE1k the softest in this regard(bass slam/punch) yet with loads of low end rumble to still sound impresive.
Ether to me is most balanced I tried yet,
With exception of unkown HE-X.

+1. I think the way audiophile terminology works, it really is most useful in comparative sense.
 
I think almost EVERY headphone will sound lean compared to an Audeze, which typically has a thicker & richer sound signature. Typically, fullness comes from a midbass and lower mid range boost. You will see that the Audezes actually measure quite linearly in that region, so really the thickest possible sound that you can get while maintaining a relatively linear response in that region I think. Also, the treble tuning of Audeze's also contributes to that sensation.
 
So yea, the Ether will be leaner if you are using the Audeze as a comparison point, but then again, what headphone will not be leaner compared to the Audeze? Maybe the TH900 and Sony MDR-Z7, but typically that is considered one 'extreme' towards a thicker fuller sound.
 
Ether Open is about as lean as the HE-560 I think and quite similar to the HD800 (slightly thicker I think but not from direct comparisons). The Ether Closed shares that lean and fast type sound as well. A bit more subbass on the Ether Closed compared to the mid-bass focus & punch of the Ether Open. Additional subbass can contribute to a bit increase in fullness. While I wouldn't say that the Ether Closed is "thick," it does have adequate weight and fullness to its bass notes while keeping a leaner and faster presentation style (which I personally prefer). I don't like to hear too much extra reverb and warmth as I feel like is a bit of an extra coloration to the sound, but can be quite pleasing.
 
For the HE-6, typically its bass tightness and bass slam is highly praised. That does tend to give me an impression of relative leanness. Words that indicate no leanness would be words like warmth, thickness, fullness, extra sense of body... etc.
 
Neither the HE-6 or Ether are typically described that way I think. Lean does not equate to lacking slam and/or punch. It is more a term indicating less lower midrange emphasis typically.

 

[Maxx134]

Your rigt.
the HE-6 bass tightness and bass slam is very high, probably the best loudest quality you can get on a planar, seeming limitless..
This is a can I would put with the HD800 for reference quality.

But for musicality, I would place the Ethers ability to give me the movement/feel of the body of air surrounding surrounding the instruments..
Like The motion of the hand pushing the bow on a string..
The little bit extra body and life which I find too quickly lost in HE6,
And too ghostly an image on the HD800...

For the HD800 I went as far as to rubber coat the inside of the pads to gain so small a bass seal improvent that it was in the end futile..

 

[FredrikT92]

I have only heard LCD-3 F with Moon 430HA and Schiit Mjolnir. HE-6 with audeze pads and FirstWatt F6 sounds fuller then LCD-3F to me. I belive the fazor makes them sound thinner. 

 

[m8o]

Boom? Since when? :blink:

I think anyone that hears this doesn't have a good seal. Period.

If I lift the HE1K off my ear somewhat in K1000 style, and thereby change the 'closed box' of the ear cavity to 'free air', the diaphragm will produce super low uncontrolled boom bass. But only then, when the ear pads are not in contact with skin, under some pressure, around the entire circumference.

My experimentation and discovery therein leads me to strongly believe the HE1K has gotten a 'bad rap' in this sense from people that didn't even realize they had an air leak on the ear pad seal around its entire circumference.

 

[conquerator2]

You are correct, though I find the HEK pads to seal much easier to seal properly than the HE560/400i pads.
Even though they are similar in construction, the HEK pads are softer, almost memory foam like and they follow the contour of my ears exemplary, forming a perfect seal.
But we all have different heads and ears and we hear differently 

EDIT: Me neither :O apologies!

OT, The Ether pads and overall comfort is still second to none IMO

 

[m8o]

Agreed. And, To tell the truth, I didn't realize I was in the Ether thread. All, Pardon my off topic tangent.

 

[dogrelata]

Hi,
 
I’m looking at the possibility of upgrading my 25 year old Stax Lambda Pro system and have been concentrating on the Stax route thus far but been keeping an eye on this thread as the Ethers look interesting. 
 
In addition to the Lambda Pros, I also have a pair of HD650s with a Cardas cable and driven by a Graham Slee Solo amp.  For the best part of 3 years they’ve been relegated to TV listening duties and I’d never even tried them with the Chordette Qute DAC I upgraded to a couple of weeks ago.  Until last week, that is.  This combo has surprised me a bit.  The 650s aren’t as detailed or delicate as the Lambdas to my ears, and sound a little ‘veiled’ in comparison.  However I’m really enjoying the darker and slightly more forgiving sound, now that I’m becoming accustomed to them again.  On some tracks the Lambdas can be a bit shrill and glary.
 
I like what I’m reading on here about the Ether’s qualities.  However, I’m not sure how they might sound with the Solo, given that a number of contributors have suggested the Ethers might be a bit picky about amps.  I appreciate Solo isn’t necessarily going to be an amp that many are familiar are with, but I’d be interested to hear the thoughts of anybody who has heard the Ethers paired with a Solo.
 
Most of what I listen to would broadly be described as rock/indie.
 
Thanks.  

 

[Maxx134]

Just got my Ethers other day and they are more sensitive than my HD800..

It is right out the box very impressive.
I cant believe how much I like the tunning/signature on these Ethers..

No negatives:
Not dark,
not bright
Not lean,
Not dull,
Not boomy,
Not lacking or exagerrating details,
Not overdone in anything.

One distiction I find of the Ethers, is a lifelike sensation with a very lively presentation.
Dan has made a real winner with these..

I have compared to my HD800..

There are background sounds that were higher pitched on the HD800, and not solid enough to notice much on the HD800,
Yet are more neutral pitched and so more noticeable and solid on the Ethers.


I am really really liking these headphones, but I will wait untill they break in, and also until the "new headphone" phase passes.
As is, they sound lovely and rich right out of the box.

Because of the more natural midrange and solid bass and neutral pitched details, the Ethers are sounding more lifelike(!) to me..


In other words, the Ether is not bright as the HD800 if you are used to an HD800.
The stage is very holographic but not distant like the HD800.

They more neutral, bordering both bright and dark depending on the track.
A very full delicate rich lively sound without darkness or brightness..
The closer more immediate soundstage make it more lively than the HD800.
I would say it has 75% of the HD800 soundstage, yet strange I am prefering this Ether presentation more than the HD800.
I feel it is because of the trait it has to sound more lifelike.

This headphone is a real top "end game" headphone, there is no doubt about it.
I have heard almost all the other top end cans, out there , and I am certain of this.
So far I am wanting to pick these up over my HD800, which I have maximized with mods and amp matching.
The Ether are not obviously "the best" in any particular trait,
But they excell in being "near the top" in so many areas, making them the best all-rounder,
and extremely satisfying ..

 

[mrspeakers]

Hey everyone, just thought I'd drop a note that ETHER just won "Best Buy 2015" from Japan's HiVi magazine.  At this point it's not online, but here's a copy.  They particularly liked the natural tone and that it sounded more like speakers to them.  
 

 

[pippen99]

Congratulations on the above and the Rolling Stone thing.  Great job Dan!!

 

[zachawry]

Dan, I just happen to be a professional Japanese to English translator. If you need a translation of that review, just let me know. 

 

[Jodet]

This forum is slowing way, way down.   Why should the C get all the attention? 
 
Please, Ether owners.... keep the comments coming.  

 

[reddog]

The last few hours, I have been in heaven listening to my ETHER's through my Yggdrasil and Liquid Glass. Frank Zappa's Roxy and Guitar have never sounded so sublime. The bass is perfect, with great slam and impact that never leaks into the mids. And the mids are so sweet yet so textured and revealing. Likewise the highs are perfect, the mico detail is so resolving, and natural sounding. I plan to listen to some Jazz, and see how sounds through this set up.

 

[mrspeakers]

whoops ignore me.