Taking some time out on the evening of the first day the Year of the Tiger to enjoy some excellent music on the MS 3.2 off the M30 with Roon. 
MYSPHERE 3.1-UNIQUE in SOUND&DESIGN&BUILD QUALITY
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Halimj7
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I really enjoy my 3.1. Thank you for your work! What happened to the stand for Mysphere that was showcased a while back?
Easy morning listening with the MS 3.2. Always enjoy Trijntje Oosterhuis’ interpretation of Burt Bacharach classics.
hrklg01
Member of the Trade: Mysphere
AKG K1000 developer
@Halimj7
The stand for MYSPHERE 3 is ready developed, but we could not manage to get the material for reasonable cost which allow a proper sales price. It's a pity!
The stand for MYSPHERE 3 is ready developed, but we could not manage to get the material for reasonable cost which allow a proper sales price. It's a pity!
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No worries @hrklg01. The cost of materials and logistics is insane right now. Perhaps when inflation is more under control, you can revisit the issue. We will be patiently waiting.@Halimj7
The stand for MYSPHERE 3 is ready developed, but we could not manage to get the material for reasonable cost which allow a proper sales price. It's a pity!
Here is my take on an equalizer setting for the Mysphere 3.2.
It was created over a period of three months.
I started with some measurements.
Through a lot of little tweaks and version comparisons by ear, with all kinds of music, I ended up with the setting below.
Made for the RME ADI-2 (DAC or Pro), but can be used on other systems too.
For me RME ADI-2 Pro / DAC and Mysphere is a dream-team.
Important to know:
My listening levels are between -30 and -40 dBr with ADI-2 Pro’s Auto Reference Level on.
The resulting Peak Voltage level is about -8 dBu = 300 mV = 0.9 mW, with typical pop music track.
With more dynamic mixes the figures are -2 dBu = 600 mV = 3.5 mW Peak.
The resulting Sound Pressure Level is in the range of 65 dB LEQ, measured at ear entrance.
So this setting is made to be used at ear-healthy, moderate loudness levels.
Vocals in the music are at about peoples normal talking level.
I use the Bass- (B-) Pads, but due to some distance to the ear there is only neglectable bass-boost, compared with removed pads.
I position the Mysphere 3.2‘s driver’s center a little bit higher than my ear entrance.
The drivers are angled by 28° (Cut a plastic card as angle measure).
I can just put my little finger between the drivers and the edge of my pinnae.
By shifting the drivers up and down one can change that signature quite some, up = lighter-, down = fuller sound signature.
Similar applies to the driver’s angling.
In my multiple measurements I found, the midrange sound signature is quite consistent with various positions.
The EQ uses a 27 Hz Hi-Pass (low cut) Filter with high Q.
This boosts the bass and removes sub-lows that can overdrive [not exactly, read one post below for an explanation] Mysphere without producing sound level.
The Treble Shelve Band is not used (Gain = 0 dB), frequency and Q are pre-set to adjust treble to taste.
Band 5 and Treble Band settings can be swapped if one needs more detailed tweaks.
green: Mysphere 3.2 Raw,
orange: RME ADI-2 Pro EQ,
blue: Reference
The result:
Mysphere 3.2 Raw, EQed with RME ADI-2 Pro,
blue: Reference
It was created over a period of three months.
I started with some measurements.
Through a lot of little tweaks and version comparisons by ear, with all kinds of music, I ended up with the setting below.
Made for the RME ADI-2 (DAC or Pro), but can be used on other systems too.
For me RME ADI-2 Pro / DAC and Mysphere is a dream-team.
Important to know:
My listening levels are between -30 and -40 dBr with ADI-2 Pro’s Auto Reference Level on.
The resulting Peak Voltage level is about -8 dBu = 300 mV = 0.9 mW, with typical pop music track.
With more dynamic mixes the figures are -2 dBu = 600 mV = 3.5 mW Peak.
The resulting Sound Pressure Level is in the range of 65 dB LEQ, measured at ear entrance.
So this setting is made to be used at ear-healthy, moderate loudness levels.
Vocals in the music are at about peoples normal talking level.
I use the Bass- (B-) Pads, but due to some distance to the ear there is only neglectable bass-boost, compared with removed pads.
I position the Mysphere 3.2‘s driver’s center a little bit higher than my ear entrance.
The drivers are angled by 28° (Cut a plastic card as angle measure).
I can just put my little finger between the drivers and the edge of my pinnae.
By shifting the drivers up and down one can change that signature quite some, up = lighter-, down = fuller sound signature.
Similar applies to the driver’s angling.
In my multiple measurements I found, the midrange sound signature is quite consistent with various positions.
The EQ uses a 27 Hz Hi-Pass (low cut) Filter with high Q.
This boosts the bass and removes sub-lows that can overdrive [not exactly, read one post below for an explanation] Mysphere without producing sound level.
The Treble Shelve Band is not used (Gain = 0 dB), frequency and Q are pre-set to adjust treble to taste.
Band 5 and Treble Band settings can be swapped if one needs more detailed tweaks.
| RME ADI-2 | EQ for | Mysphere 3.2 | w. B-Pad | ||
| Band | Gain dB | F Hz | Q | Shape | |
| B/Bass | +6.0 | 110 | 0.7 | B-shelf | |
| 1 | n.a. | 27 | 1.6 | HP-Filter | |
| 2 | -7.5 | 2.3k | 1.7 | Peak | |
| 3 | +6.0 | 2.7k | 2.8 | Peak | |
| 4 | -3.5 | 4.9k | 2.9 | Peak | |
| 5 | +6,0 | 4.2k | 1.2 | Hi-shelf | |
| T/Treble | 0.0 | 4.2k | 0.8 | Hi-shelf | adjust to taste |
green: Mysphere 3.2 Raw,
orange: RME ADI-2 Pro EQ,
blue: Reference
The result:
Mysphere 3.2 Raw, EQed with RME ADI-2 Pro,
blue: Reference
Last edited:
hrklg01
Member of the Trade: Mysphere
AKG K1000 developer
@KaiSc
1st - thank you very much for sharing your very interesting EQ adjustments - it's nice for many to play with of course to change individually the sound signature.
2nd - you described very well how - let's say critical - the adjustments of the MY>SPHERE 3 to the ear pinna are. It's true any it's very similar to placing speakers in a listening room an take your listener place. Most traditional headphones does not show that much this effect. But once individuals found the right adjustment, it's quite easy to find it fast again and again, as the brain remember very well the small pressure points of the head-bow on the skin of the head.
3rd - your statement, as far as I understood it - "sub-lows that can overdrive Mysphere" is technically not correct! Because physics enable a dynamic driver the highest excursion only at the fundamental resonance frequency and stay on that level below. Over the resonance the excursion decrease by the square of the frequency.
So what you experience audible that the bass is let me say better, it anyway true. But the root cause is not the excursion, it is the unnecessary sub-bass (rumble) frequencies cause distortions in the audible area, because the distance between the membrane and the ear entrance is varying fast with these low frequencies. It's causing so called intermodulation distortions. Traditional front closed headphones does not show this effect that much, mainly because the membrane excursion is much smaller.
However, your way to overcome the problem with a sharp high pass at about half of the fundamental resonance is of sure very good and the bass is audible "cleaner".
4th - All audible frequencies above 1kHz of the MYSPHERE 3 are depending on the listener ears and the reflections in front of the pinna. Therefore also all measurements are showing this reflections on the artificial and human ears. The MYSPHERE 3 itself is almost totally linear, the rest are reflections and the human brain correct it so that the human believe the sound has at all frequencies the same sound pressure.
Individual adjustments are of course always fine and welcome, but it will stay individual different.
5th - the placement of the driver center little above the ear entrance point if for at least 80% of the users of MYSPHERE 3 true. Honestly I do not know why, but it is my experience that it's so.
Best regards and thank you again, heinz
1st - thank you very much for sharing your very interesting EQ adjustments - it's nice for many to play with of course to change individually the sound signature.
2nd - you described very well how - let's say critical - the adjustments of the MY>SPHERE 3 to the ear pinna are. It's true any it's very similar to placing speakers in a listening room an take your listener place. Most traditional headphones does not show that much this effect. But once individuals found the right adjustment, it's quite easy to find it fast again and again, as the brain remember very well the small pressure points of the head-bow on the skin of the head.
3rd - your statement, as far as I understood it - "sub-lows that can overdrive Mysphere" is technically not correct! Because physics enable a dynamic driver the highest excursion only at the fundamental resonance frequency and stay on that level below. Over the resonance the excursion decrease by the square of the frequency.
So what you experience audible that the bass is let me say better, it anyway true. But the root cause is not the excursion, it is the unnecessary sub-bass (rumble) frequencies cause distortions in the audible area, because the distance between the membrane and the ear entrance is varying fast with these low frequencies. It's causing so called intermodulation distortions. Traditional front closed headphones does not show this effect that much, mainly because the membrane excursion is much smaller.
However, your way to overcome the problem with a sharp high pass at about half of the fundamental resonance is of sure very good and the bass is audible "cleaner".
4th - All audible frequencies above 1kHz of the MYSPHERE 3 are depending on the listener ears and the reflections in front of the pinna. Therefore also all measurements are showing this reflections on the artificial and human ears. The MYSPHERE 3 itself is almost totally linear, the rest are reflections and the human brain correct it so that the human believe the sound has at all frequencies the same sound pressure.
Individual adjustments are of course always fine and welcome, but it will stay individual different.
5th - the placement of the driver center little above the ear entrance point if for at least 80% of the users of MYSPHERE 3 true. Honestly I do not know why, but it is my experience that it's so.
Best regards and thank you again, heinz
@hrklg01
Thank you for your appreciation!
Your true describtion of the effect I heard - the sub-low frequencies can (inter-)modulate (with) the frequencies above - is exactly what I want to prevent with my choice of the low filter shape.
So it’s basic physical limit, I did not further evaluate.
The driver does at least NOT produce audible ‘hit the mechanical limit”- effects like hard distortions.
As you can see my EQ has 6 dB of boost at 20 Hz, so I still do put some extra load on the drivers there.
Taking away some load in subsonics, audibly increases headroom in the more useful frequency range.
The result is very satisfying when listening at ear-healthy levels.
I tried other LF shapes like a bell curves +9 dB, 40 Hz, Q: 0.9.
With certain music which does not contain subs this smoother shaped boost sounds dryer and warmer, in a positive way.
In average, over various music tracks, the High-Pass version I posted is superior..
The Mysphere 3.2, since I got it 3 month ago, are my favorite headphones, and I have a good choice of other TOTL models at hand.
I’m lucky, the headbow perfectly fits to my headshape.
It automatically “falls” into correct place as soon as I put it on.
It takes a small effort to find your personal optimum driver position(s), up and down and the angle, but rewards with a unique audio experience.
For me EQ is mandatory, but, why not, I have it at hand.
For mobile use, BTW, I use the Qudelix 5K with good results.
Would be interesting to see if the Standard and Transparent Pads ask for a comparable correction.
Here at least, even without pads, I get the same midrange result as with the Bass Pads.
The treble characteristics, finally, changes with the pads removed.
Thank you for your appreciation!
Your true describtion of the effect I heard - the sub-low frequencies can (inter-)modulate (with) the frequencies above - is exactly what I want to prevent with my choice of the low filter shape.
So it’s basic physical limit, I did not further evaluate.
The driver does at least NOT produce audible ‘hit the mechanical limit”- effects like hard distortions.
As you can see my EQ has 6 dB of boost at 20 Hz, so I still do put some extra load on the drivers there.
Taking away some load in subsonics, audibly increases headroom in the more useful frequency range.
The result is very satisfying when listening at ear-healthy levels.
I tried other LF shapes like a bell curves +9 dB, 40 Hz, Q: 0.9.
With certain music which does not contain subs this smoother shaped boost sounds dryer and warmer, in a positive way.
In average, over various music tracks, the High-Pass version I posted is superior..
The Mysphere 3.2, since I got it 3 month ago, are my favorite headphones, and I have a good choice of other TOTL models at hand.
I’m lucky, the headbow perfectly fits to my headshape.
It automatically “falls” into correct place as soon as I put it on.
It takes a small effort to find your personal optimum driver position(s), up and down and the angle, but rewards with a unique audio experience.
For me EQ is mandatory, but, why not, I have it at hand.
For mobile use, BTW, I use the Qudelix 5K with good results.
Would be interesting to see if the Standard and Transparent Pads ask for a comparable correction.
Here at least, even without pads, I get the same midrange result as with the Bass Pads.
The treble characteristics, finally, changes with the pads removed.
Last edited:
Hello, Heinz.
I remember back then you wrote that you had planned to make the Mysphere the most reliable product in your career. Have you succeded? How often drivers fail compared to other manufacturers or industry average numbers? Of course, if it's not confidential information.
hrklg01
Member of the Trade: Mysphere
AKG K1000 developer
@qazxsw80
Hello and thank you for interesting question.
In fact, as you can imagine, the fully truth is very difficult if not impossible to say. Just because not having enough serious figures of the market from other producers.
However, as these comments from me are from early days of the MYSPHERE project and looking back now a bit, I can say we succeeded overall. But also I’m not lying to myself as we faced some problems with the membrane fixation to the basket. There was a time period where we had a slight process change implemented which was finally not made perfect.
Consequently, a number of approximately 5% of drivers we had to change, which we did of course under warranty.
I do know numbers of many other manufacturers, just from the big players, which are significant having a much higher return rate for the high tier products especially when production starts.
But honestly, I am not happy about at all after experience in design and manufacturing of drivers over 40 years!
Today luckily the quality is totally settled and in line with the high design claim we set. We do have 0-driver issues and very little numbers about cables.
BR heinz
Hello and thank you for interesting question.
In fact, as you can imagine, the fully truth is very difficult if not impossible to say. Just because not having enough serious figures of the market from other producers.
However, as these comments from me are from early days of the MYSPHERE project and looking back now a bit, I can say we succeeded overall. But also I’m not lying to myself as we faced some problems with the membrane fixation to the basket. There was a time period where we had a slight process change implemented which was finally not made perfect.
Consequently, a number of approximately 5% of drivers we had to change, which we did of course under warranty.
I do know numbers of many other manufacturers, just from the big players, which are significant having a much higher return rate for the high tier products especially when production starts.
But honestly, I am not happy about at all after experience in design and manufacturing of drivers over 40 years!
Today luckily the quality is totally settled and in line with the high design claim we set. We do have 0-driver issues and very little numbers about cables.
BR heinz
@hrklg01 If I may, can I inform you that the Shanling M30 qualifies to be in your hall of fame that can drive the MS 3.2. I know you keep tabs on which amps drive the MS well. With the power amp module, it outputs (in balanced mode) 3.8W @32 ohm. And drives the MS 3.2 very well.
I can feel the tactile timbre of the cello like it’s coming behind me on my right side… and such lovely density.
hrklg01
Member of the Trade: Mysphere
AKG K1000 developer
Yes, that effect is because the enormous acceleration and excursion which the membrane does. This energy enabled by the magnetic force and membrane design is stronger than from any other headphone. The acceleration can be up 2000g!
The MySphere 3.1 has landed! Thanks to Jaben SG and @Uncle Wilson for making it possible. Running it out of the Luxury & Precision P6Pro Obsidian. It is indeed tuned differently from the 3.2. Lovely lovely lovely!
@hrklg01 If our paths ever cross, please allow me to let you listen to the MS 3.1 off a R2R DAP like the Luxury & Precision DAPs. You will be most pleased how sumptuous it sounds.
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