MYSPHERE 3.1-UNIQUE in SOUND&DESIGN&BUILD QUALITY

[hrklg01]

Nothing is perfect of course.
Due to the physics for totally open headphones/speakers the limit is the moved air volume. Which is the product of moving surface by excursion.
Consequently the distortion increase when these limits are close.
Additionally the kind of problem of the Mysphere is that till this limit the distortions are little. That's why it attack the hearing when it appears. Means the difference is high.
On the end, this headphone isn't designed for bass heavy non natural recordings.

 

[John Buchanan]

Nothing is perfect of course.
Due to the physics for totally open headphones/speakers the limit is the moved air volume. Which is the product of moving surface by excursion.
Consequently the distortion increase when these limits are close.
Additionally the kind of problem of the Mysphere is that till this limit the distortions are little. That's why it attack the hearing when it appears. Means the difference is high.
On the end, this headphone isn't designed for bass heavy non natural recordings.

,,,,and I'm guessing it also wasn't designed to achieve literally deafening sound levels. At sound levels consistent with ear safety, these are fine indeed. Trying to increase the volume on the most open of open headphones, in an extremely noisy environment until you can't hear the environment is like driving a car into a lake and complaining that the car is not waterproof.

 

[hrklg01]

,,,,and I'm guessing it also wasn't designed to achieve literally deafening sound levels. At sound levels consistent with ear safety, these are fine indeed. Trying to increase the volume on the most open of open headphones, in an extremely noisy environment until you can't hear the environment is like driving a car into a lake and complaining that the car is not waterproof.

But, Mysphere 3 is at least water resistant

 

[John Buchanan]

i also said that they have distortion, when listening in a noisy place, have to increase the volume to 70-80% then the distortion appears clearly. i said this in this topic, but was criticized and attacked by mysphere fans.

i also really like myspheres, and they are very unique, but they have a lot of issues and are not perfect!

There are several factors here:
1. Heinz has mentioned some amplifiers can't cope with the back-EMF from the Myspheres. Are your amplifiers on Heinz' list of amplifiers that are appropriate? Are you sure the amplifier wasn't at fault there with a load like the Myspheres?
2. Trying to overcome loud environmental noises with volume is outside the raison-d-etre of open back headphones and really should be considered abuse. If you want to do that, buy a closed back headphone. Or listen only in a quiet environment.

 

[Kiats]

Anyway, I still enjoy the MS 3.1 and 3.2.

 

[FiGuY1017]

I'd be curious what drivers of this quality would drop in a conventional headphone cup, I'm guessing something similar to the ethereal experience of the Ca1a

 

[hrklg01]

Yes, it would become similar to a Ca1a, but with less electric adaptation issues of course.

 

[JuniperFIN]

How do these compare to AKG K1000? When my K1000 eventually dies, is this a good/better upgrade?

 

[hrklg01]

@JuniperFIN
You meant the comparison between the Ca1a and the K1000 ?

 

[JuniperFIN]

@JuniperFIN
You meant the comparison between the Ca1a and the K1000 ?

MYSPHERE 3.1 or 3.2

 

[hrklg01]

As so many people compared the K1K with MYSPHERE 3 it wouldn't make much sense if I do as well.
But I try to summarize a bit:
Sound:
Mysphere: +bass, +speed, +transparency
K1K: +speciality
Wearing & Comfort:
Mysphere: +fixation
K1K: +pressure
both headphones depend much on individual heads
Built quality:
Mysphere: +material duration, water resistant, washable cushions

 

[qazxsw80]

B.T.W.:
The main problem I see for a "real follower" of the K1K is the porblem to get an good solution to wear it with good fixation but without hurts to the human head and skin.
Also RAAL tried, but almost copied the K1K idea only.
If there would any great idea from this community, may be - without promising anything - I'll try to create something new.
BR yours heinz

When you were developing the K1000 have you and other team members considered/tried making those temple pads wider? I mean it seems to me that it is possible to make them at least 50% wider, maybe even twice as wide. I think if the pressure was applied to a wider surface, it would be more comfortable and less painful.

Also over the years I've tried 6 pairs of the K1000 (three of them were mine), and I've noticed that some one of them were much more comfortable. The main difference was the headband that was not as tight on some pairs and also the foam inside the temple pads on some of them was much softer. I don't know was it because of the age and wear or there were some changes in the materials used over the years, but still.
I think if the pads were something like in the picture below and made out of soft memory foam that self-adjusts to the shape of the head, such headphones (or earspeakers) would be much more comfortable. Of course, back in the day in the 80s such foam wasn't widely available, if at all, but now it is.

Anyway, I still enjoy the MS 3.1 and 3.2.

And so do I. Some music sounds exceptionally well on the Mysphere. Better than on any other headphones I've tried.

 

[Jon L]

I mean it seems to me that it is possible to make them at least 50% wider, maybe even twice as wide. I think if the pressure was applied to a wider surface, it would be more comfortable and less painful.
I think if the pads were something like in the picture below and made out of soft memory foam that self-adjusts to the shape of the head, such headphones (or earspeakers) would be much more comfortable. Of course, back in the day in the 80s such foam wasn't widely available, if at all, but now it is.



And so do I. Some music sounds exceptionally well on the Mysphere. Better than on any other headphones I've tried.

A version of K1000 with wider/comfortable pads AND a way to get the drivers even closer to ears would be Killer, something I would buy immediately. I experimented with taking the K1000 driver housing off the headband and placing the driver housing very close to ears, slightly touching the ears, and BASS was incredibly authoritative as well as filling out the midrange/low-mid tonality.

 

[buidoimiennui]

How do these compare to AKG K1000? When my K1000 eventually dies, is this a good/better upgrade?

k1000 has less distortion. k1000 gives a more comfortable feeling of sound, the sound is spread out, not pushed strongly in one direction straight into the ear. The proof is that k1000 is worn a little off the ear, the sound is still very good. mysphere just needs to be off the ear a little and there is almost no bass.

 

[qazxsw80]

How do these compare to AKG K1000? When my K1000 eventually dies, is this a good/better upgrade?

The K1000 can easily outlive you and me. The design and the construction of the headphones is very simple. There are only two weak points - the foam at the back of the driver and the glue that keeps the membrane in place. Both are quite easy to replace. There is nothing else to break. The temple earpads are not available but can be custom-ordered.

k1000 has less distortion. k1000 gives a more comfortable feeling of sound, the sound is spread out, not pushed strongly in one direction straight into the ear. The proof is that k1000 is worn a little off the ear, the sound is still very good. mysphere just needs to be off the ear a little and there is almost no bass.

Well, you are not telling the whole story. While the Mysphere does start to distort at lower volume in lower frequencies than the K1000 (which is also not great in this department), in the rest of the frequency range the overall level of distortion is lower in the Mysphere. The Mysphere sounds "cleaner", more detailed and faster. And subbass with the Mysphere with bass frames (in the fully-closed position) is really nice while the K1000 doesn't have any subbass at all no matter what.

I personally feel that people should not consider the Mysphere to be a replacement of the K1000 and vice versa. They are very different heaphones in terms of sound, each unique in its own way.