cooperpwc
Headphoneus Supremus
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- Nov 20, 2006
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Hmmm… I really didn’t expect to like them as much as this. I mostly was obsessed with getting a woodie as well as my need for closed cans to complement my open DT880/600s. But as it turns out….
First a caveat that I have only had the Darths for one evening. They are however fully burned in thanks to Skylab. And I did listen to them for about 5 hours with a wide variety of music. My kit is my Micro DAC and Millett Hybrid, the latter perhaps not the ideal amp for Darths but I think that the overall synergy is still okay.
First of all: BASS. Now I understand this concept of quality bass, as opposed to just quantity. It’s so darn tight. This is especially noticeable by comparison with the leathered DT880/600s which produce a goodly amount of enjoyable bass in their own right but it’s enhanced by an acoustic resonance from the leather pads. The Darths by contrast are generating even more bass and its remarkably crisp.
Mids: Yes they are a bit recessed but I really only noticed that for the fist 15 minutes. Then my ear adjusted. (Edit: See my update in post 42 below.) The tonal quality of the mids is excellent. Very smooth and relaxing.
Treble: This was the biggest adjustment from the DT880/600s which are very bright. I had to adjust to a whole different sound signature (which is good; I wanted something different). But what really amazed me was how well the soundstage and imaging of the trebles held up. For a closed can , the Darth V3s produce quite a wonderful world in your head. And while the soundstage isn’t as wide as the DT880s, the soundstage has remarkable vertical depth. (Contrast this with the DT880s where the stage is wide and up high).
Relaxation: Okay, I understand now what Rob was getting at. With the DT880s I am an analytical listener which I love. I believe that me eyes may be moving around in my head as I focus on the details at the extremes of the soundstage. Fun stuff if you’re a weirdo like me. By contrast, the Darths are causing me to take a completely different approach. Relax those eyeballs and calm your brain: It’s all about the music. There isn’t as much extreme detail but the tapestry it weaves is most enjoyable. Lots of smooth tight bass with subtle mid to treble transitions. I was amazed how I got lost in Joe Jackson’s Night & Day II from beginning to end, an album that I had bought at his concert but never laid back and truly enjoyed for its musicality.
Music: The big surprise was how music that I thought that I would prefer on the DT880s sounded so good on the Darths. Joan Osborne’s Relish is an example. Sure it has great soundstage production but on the Darths it wraps you up in the music and rocks. Same for Richard & Linda Thompson; what you lose in one regard, you gain in another. Some music just plain sounds better on the Darths as expected: I never liked guitar distortion on the DT880s – probably the only thing that I don’t like on cans that I otherwise love – and my favourite band Husker Du is sounding better on the Darths than it ever has. This is notable because Zen Arcade has some of the worst production ever badly transitioned to CD. The DT880s won’t forgive that. The Darths pumped up the anaemic bass, added life to Bob Mould’s extreme Minneapolis post-punk guitar work and, ironically, handled his recessed vocals very well. Green Day recorded Brain Stew with the intention that it be listened to on Darth Beyers; that’s the only conclusion that I can reach. Patricia Barber and Gentle Giant both presented extremely well on the Darths. (Regarding the latter, I have the feeling that the Darths are going to rejuvenate my tired 70s collection of ProgRock.) By contrast, Artemis was great for the bass but still sounds better on the leathered DT880/600s which remain the kings of electronica. Beyonce’s B’Day (go ahead and diss me; the song writing is impressive) was a mixed bag. The tight bass of the Darths significantly improved the Roland 808 underbeat which is too loose on the DT880s. But Irreplaceable was perhaps the one song that was disappointing on the Darths. The production is magical on the DT880s and the Darths could not match it.
I still haven’t tested classical where I expect the DT880/600s to continue to rule. My listening to Albert King suggests that electric blues will be music that sounds great on either can with the Darths having a strong edge on heavier material. I still need to listen to more acoustic guitar on the Darth Beyers but my brief listen demonstrates that it is certainly very good: while the DT880/600s remain the acoustic champs, it is again enjoyable in a different way on the Darths.
I’m delighted. Overall the Darths look to become my favourite headphones which is amazing for closed cans that do a very good job (sufficient but not perfect) of shutting out my loud air conditioner. With the Darths it’s all about kicking back and enjoying the music. They are indeed a perfect complement to the open DT880/600s – and in terms of looks, the Wenge just plain rules.
First a caveat that I have only had the Darths for one evening. They are however fully burned in thanks to Skylab. And I did listen to them for about 5 hours with a wide variety of music. My kit is my Micro DAC and Millett Hybrid, the latter perhaps not the ideal amp for Darths but I think that the overall synergy is still okay.
First of all: BASS. Now I understand this concept of quality bass, as opposed to just quantity. It’s so darn tight. This is especially noticeable by comparison with the leathered DT880/600s which produce a goodly amount of enjoyable bass in their own right but it’s enhanced by an acoustic resonance from the leather pads. The Darths by contrast are generating even more bass and its remarkably crisp.
Mids: Yes they are a bit recessed but I really only noticed that for the fist 15 minutes. Then my ear adjusted. (Edit: See my update in post 42 below.) The tonal quality of the mids is excellent. Very smooth and relaxing.
Treble: This was the biggest adjustment from the DT880/600s which are very bright. I had to adjust to a whole different sound signature (which is good; I wanted something different). But what really amazed me was how well the soundstage and imaging of the trebles held up. For a closed can , the Darth V3s produce quite a wonderful world in your head. And while the soundstage isn’t as wide as the DT880s, the soundstage has remarkable vertical depth. (Contrast this with the DT880s where the stage is wide and up high).
Relaxation: Okay, I understand now what Rob was getting at. With the DT880s I am an analytical listener which I love. I believe that me eyes may be moving around in my head as I focus on the details at the extremes of the soundstage. Fun stuff if you’re a weirdo like me. By contrast, the Darths are causing me to take a completely different approach. Relax those eyeballs and calm your brain: It’s all about the music. There isn’t as much extreme detail but the tapestry it weaves is most enjoyable. Lots of smooth tight bass with subtle mid to treble transitions. I was amazed how I got lost in Joe Jackson’s Night & Day II from beginning to end, an album that I had bought at his concert but never laid back and truly enjoyed for its musicality.
Music: The big surprise was how music that I thought that I would prefer on the DT880s sounded so good on the Darths. Joan Osborne’s Relish is an example. Sure it has great soundstage production but on the Darths it wraps you up in the music and rocks. Same for Richard & Linda Thompson; what you lose in one regard, you gain in another. Some music just plain sounds better on the Darths as expected: I never liked guitar distortion on the DT880s – probably the only thing that I don’t like on cans that I otherwise love – and my favourite band Husker Du is sounding better on the Darths than it ever has. This is notable because Zen Arcade has some of the worst production ever badly transitioned to CD. The DT880s won’t forgive that. The Darths pumped up the anaemic bass, added life to Bob Mould’s extreme Minneapolis post-punk guitar work and, ironically, handled his recessed vocals very well. Green Day recorded Brain Stew with the intention that it be listened to on Darth Beyers; that’s the only conclusion that I can reach. Patricia Barber and Gentle Giant both presented extremely well on the Darths. (Regarding the latter, I have the feeling that the Darths are going to rejuvenate my tired 70s collection of ProgRock.) By contrast, Artemis was great for the bass but still sounds better on the leathered DT880/600s which remain the kings of electronica. Beyonce’s B’Day (go ahead and diss me; the song writing is impressive) was a mixed bag. The tight bass of the Darths significantly improved the Roland 808 underbeat which is too loose on the DT880s. But Irreplaceable was perhaps the one song that was disappointing on the Darths. The production is magical on the DT880s and the Darths could not match it.
I still haven’t tested classical where I expect the DT880/600s to continue to rule. My listening to Albert King suggests that electric blues will be music that sounds great on either can with the Darths having a strong edge on heavier material. I still need to listen to more acoustic guitar on the Darth Beyers but my brief listen demonstrates that it is certainly very good: while the DT880/600s remain the acoustic champs, it is again enjoyable in a different way on the Darths.
I’m delighted. Overall the Darths look to become my favourite headphones which is amazing for closed cans that do a very good job (sufficient but not perfect) of shutting out my loud air conditioner. With the Darths it’s all about kicking back and enjoying the music. They are indeed a perfect complement to the open DT880/600s – and in terms of looks, the Wenge just plain rules.
