Yes I got mine from them too but it was before they filed for bankruptcy. Not sure I'd risk it now.
QUAD ERA-1 Thread
- Thread starter FastAndClean
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Lohb
Headphoneus Supremus
Anyone get some head-time with Brainwavz Alara ? Are they a generally similar level of technical ability to Era-1 ?
What pads do most of you like, the hybrid's or the perf leather?
Chris Kaoss
Headphoneus Supremus
Bc i'm sensitive to heat i prefer the cool touch of the leather ones.
And the inner diameter of the hybrids is a tad smaller which bothers me too.
I can't stand the hybrids for long and like the sound of the leather earpads more.
And the inner diameter of the hybrids is a tad smaller which bothers me too.
I can't stand the hybrids for long and like the sound of the leather earpads more.
The Jester
1000+ Head-Fier
Another vote for the leather pads here …
And another
mobbaddict
Headphoneus Supremus
I prefer the sound quality with the hybrid pads, even if it's a bit on the bright side for my tastes.
@ Bob Ley I like the leather ones. Bit more space, sparkle and heft than the hybrids for me.
astromaddie
Head-Fier
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Similar but not the same level of sound quality. As far as I can tell, it's the OEM ERA-1 drivers without the Quad tuning, because they have similar treble (though a little lacking body in the highs), and notably worse bass (less of it, muddier). I spent some time with both side by side demoing songs to decide if it was worth buying the ERA-1 for extra and ultimately decided it was hands-down worth it. I compared them about a year ago but I can try to answer any questions you have.
I feel like the Quads would have been I bigger success if it wasn't for the Alara. There was so many similarities between them and I understand why a lot of people hesitated buying the Quads when they were so much more expensive. Still people discuss whether the two models are in fact the same headphone. Never heard the Alara but I'm glad I bought the Quads since they seem to be the better sounding.
phthora
Headphoneus Supremus
The existence of the Alara didn't bother me much personally. I've heard enough pad changes, cup changes, grill changes, dampening changes to know that having the same transducers doesn't necessarily mean much. However, I do see your point. People are always looking for a way to get the same thing, but cheaper, and there are reviewers like Zeos out there to feed them tales like the one about how the HD58X is exactly the same as the HD660S if you remove the foam.
But, I can explain exactly why I did hesitate to buy the Quads.
- First and foremost was price. At $800 MSRP, there are many options for great headphones and most of them are better known/reviewed/discussed than the Quads.
- Building on that, the relative lack of press on these, coupled with Crin's lukewarm review did not inspire confidence.
- Nor did the fact that this is the first headphone from a speaker company accompanied by lots of speculation about how involved Quad was in designing these.
- Speaking of design, while I liked that aesthetics of these headphones, I was uncertain about build quality, mostly in regards to the plastic yokes.
Well, I bought them for a great price used and I can say this:
- The Quads compete with the very best headphones under $1k. For those curious, I'd list those as Ananda, LCD-2C, LCD-2F, Elex, and the ERA-1. They all have excellent traits and minor disadvantages, but choosing among those five comes down to preference and priorities.
- Crin's description of the ERA-1 as a "nothing headphone," average in all regards, is just an example of his tendency to prefer one specific type of sound signature over any other and to put a huge emphasis on that preferred tonality. Personally, I would say the ERA-1 is a fantastic warmish all-rounder that couples great dynamic driver impact with great planar speed in a way that hardly any other headphones have managed to do. The sound is very well balanced and cohesive, while also delivering lots of detail and resolution. In any one area of sound, you can find one of the other four aforementioned headphones that beats the ERA-1, but the ERA-1 commits the fewest sonic sins and remains at least near the top in just about every category. Truly a 'nothing wrong headphone.'
- I'm still wary when non-headphone audio companies pop out a one-off headphone, but I am no longer wary about Quad pushing into this market. I hope the ERA-1 was successful enough to warrant an ERA-2. I'd be very interested to hear that.
- Time will tell, but the plastic yokes look and feel very robust in hand and the fit and finish of the rest of the headphone seems very solid. Not Audeze solid, but I have no concerns about the longevity of my used pair after getting them in hand.
The Jester
1000+ Head-Fier
Well put,
Even if the transducers look the same has Quad asked for batches containing any design changes ?, Plenty of quality speaker companies buy in their drivers either off the shelf or modded to their request, in the end implementation is the key to a great result, listening at Hifi shows is only a rough guide, as is any A/B test with other headphones and what is used to drive them, instead just put them on for an hour and play through some favourite tracks, don’t be surprised if that hour turns into hours …
Even if the transducers look the same has Quad asked for batches containing any design changes ?, Plenty of quality speaker companies buy in their drivers either off the shelf or modded to their request, in the end implementation is the key to a great result, listening at Hifi shows is only a rough guide, as is any A/B test with other headphones and what is used to drive them, instead just put them on for an hour and play through some favourite tracks, don’t be surprised if that hour turns into hours …
Mhog55
Headphoneus Supremus
Love my Quads. Can you provide a brief breakdown / comparison between the Quad and the Elex? The Elex has always intrigued me.
Mhog55
Headphoneus Supremus
I've owned both. I find the Quad has better transparency, resolution, and dynamics. It's been a while though.
phthora
Headphoneus Supremus
You got it.
The Quads have deeper sub-bass extension, better bass detail/texture, and sound overall warmer than the Elex (but this has more to do with the mids and treble). The Elex wins on bass impact, but the Quads do an excellent job for a planar. By comparison, the Elex sounds a bit woolly and a bit boomy, but that's really only in comparison. The Elex does have pretty crisp and well-extended bass for a dynamic driver at that price-point.
Both headphones have very detailed and well separated mids, but the Quads pull ahead here. The Elex has a more natural tone, by which I mean a more linear mids section and one that balances better with the treble and bass. The Quads, I find, have a dip around 2.5khz that can make the mids and especially the vocals sound somewhat muted and occasionally muffled. Most of the time I EQ in about 4db there to give back some vibrancy. The Elex just has that vibrancy already, though occasionally it comes off as a bit aggressive sounding with, to my ears, a bit of a rise around that same 2-2.5khz area. In addition, the upper mids can show some glare on the Elex, causing things like electric guitars to blend together and sound strident or biting at times, especially in busier tracks. The Quads are less aggressively tuned there and also have faster drivers, so no glare. Definitely a more subtle presentation. In short, the Elex can get a little excessive, whereas the Quads can be too reserved.
In treble, that tendency is the same. The Elex has some peaks that both give a sense of detail and occasionally come off as abrasive, while the Quads have much more even sounding treble that seems slightly polite at first. With the Elex, cymbals can gain some sizzle and brass can gain some squeak. On the right tracks, the Elex sounds exciting and detailed and energetic, but they are more difficult headphones to pair with genres. That might sound very negative, but really these fairly tolerable issues. The treble on the Quads sounds more even and smoother, letting cymbals be heard without any tizzy or harsh edge to them. The treble on the Quads is much more like a HiFiMan than an Audeze. In other words, detailed and light without being overly accentuated.
Soundstage width and imaging are roughly equal, and both are easier than average to pair with an amp.
Here's the short version. The more I listened to the Elex, the more I realized that this initially exciting, intense headphone is a little too sloppy and unrestrained in areas. The more I listened to the Quads, the more I realized that this initially safely tuned middle-of-the-roader has some real resolution, depth, and finesse. Both great headphones, but one needs a bit of taming and the other a bit of coaxing.
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