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tg123
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How much does the Gold ribbon cost? Where did you buy it from?
TAOBAO GOLDPLANAR GL850 + GL1000 + GL1200
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John Massaria
Member of the Trade: JM Audio Editions/Headphone Modifications
I asked for it and they accomidated me- I also brought up the fact that Taobao includes both for same $ and drop is $200 with only one ribbon. Ask Linsoul how much the difference would be but they probably knew I was doing review and sent it for free
tg123
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Was it hard to install the gold ribbons? Does it come with instructions in English?
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John Massaria
Member of the Trade: JM Audio Editions/Headphone Modifications
nah they are ez just make sure you put them in so the space is in front - remove them and install them same way for each side- the top slider needs no tools btw
John Massaria
Member of the Trade: JM Audio Editions/Headphone Modifications
silver and gold
Left is gold with wider spaced ribbon
Sound is fuller with the gold ribbon and more warm romantic and satisfying for me over the stock silver ribbon which is slightly uptight and detailed with limited but tight bass frequencies
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John Massaria
Member of the Trade: JM Audio Editions/Headphone Modifications
when I missed it... I can say when changing the ribbons out BE VERY VERY VERY VERY CAREFUL I JUST DAMAGED THE SILVER ONES (I was checking them out and well drinking wine and I messed one up when taking out of box)- now I need to order two new silver ones- totally my fault! I am so bad. But I do like the gold ones better...
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bluesaint
500+ Head-Fier
yeah, they are flimsy plastic, and easy to mess up, also whatever you do, don't subject them to dust either. I wore gloves, hair cover, and mask when handling them
tg123
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Which pads are you using with the gold ribbons?
buffer
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Posted as a comment under the review, but figured I would place my initial impressions here where folks are more likely to see it. forgive me for the doublepost, though I did make a couple of changes here.
Hi,
Thought I would give some initial impressions of the GL1200. I ordered mine from Linsoul and it was shipped from China and took a couple of weeks to receive. I paid retail, and requested a price match but they would not. Unfortunate, given they are cheaper on Drop but sometimes you win and sometime you lose. This will not color my impression of the headphone. The headphone came with 2 sets of pads and did not include the gold ribbons. As for the pads, I quickly switched to the velour pads before doing serious listening or comparisons so all comments will be based upon use of the velour pads. Switching the pads was easy as they are attached with velcro. Not sure I like that method for long-term durability but I had no problems changing the pads.
I have many amplifiers but wanted something small and light. I purchased a 100 watt BA20 Fosi Amp with tone controls. It sounded quite good but I had the treble control and the bass control up. The treble control was boosted significantly more than the bass control to get what I felt was neutral sound. The GL1200 sounded promising. I knew, however, that the little amplifier was completely inadequate. It simply lacked sufficient current and seemed to clip a little, even at lower volumes - especially when midbass was required. I was interested to see whether I would like the GL1200 without tone controls when properly amped. My Pass X150 was missing the fuse cap and fuse so shout out to PASS Labs, a wonderful company with wonderful support - they willingly sent me what I needed without any trouble,
Equipment
So here is the equipment I am using. Pass Labs X150 amplifier, Adcom GFP-750 preamplifier, and of course the speaker adapter box that comes with the GL1200 headphones. I use the iFi Bluetooth DAC to receive music from Youtube, Tidal, etc.
Music preferences
I listen to a variety - pop, classic rock, symphonic metal, orchestrial, dance music, and easy-listenng. I use Youtube and Tidal, primarily,
So how does the GL1200 sound?
I had seen the Zeos review and also the review from @Resolve so I didn't know what to expect. @Resolve pretty much said the sound was warm, muffled, in need of EQ and not that impressive. Zeos said they were amazing and rivaled the newer Orpheus. So which would be the case? I don't have an Orpheus so I cannot say but here is what I did hear.
These headphones sound great. Comparible to my Final Audio D8000/Pro, the Susvara, and the Abyss. They reveal things in music that did not catch my attention with other headphones. They seem to have a wide soundstage. They are well balanced tonally (and in terms of left-right channel balance too for that matter). I must admit to not looking to see how low in bass they go. If anything, I might say they have slightly elevated upper midbass, but if so, only mildly. I felt the headphone had an appropriate amount of punch and did so in a natural way. I do not feel like the midbass creeps into the midrange at all. I also like that the lower midrange doesn't seem boosted in any way. Lower midrange is not lacking, but I notice many 'audiophile' headphones artifically boost lower midrange. These do not. Upper midrange may sound slightly relaxed on some music, but that could be a function of the Pass X150 or the songs I have heard thus far. I like neutral to bright sound and I do not feel the upper mids to be lacking or warm. I think the upper mids are fairly neutral, just not exagerated like some other headphones. The overall sound is natural and coherent and very pleasing to me. Clarity is also very good, and while I do sometimes here things hidden from other headphones, I would say clarity and detail may not be quite as good as some other flagships such as Susvara, Final Audio, or Abyss, but extremely close to them. The GL1200 may also fall slightly behind a little in terms of dynamics, but they do have really good dynamics and I don't feel any significant sense of compression on well recorded music. Vocals are neither forward or recessed, just present. They don't strike me as a stand-out attribute of the headphone, but again, they are natural and match many other flagships. In other words, I don't find them lacking in any way, but I would probably like just a slight bit more upfront or open vocal to cater to my preference of having a slightly forward vocal. Also, I would note that I do not have that many hours on these headphones, so they might change or ...well you know about brain burn-in too.
Ergonomics and some other thoughts
The headphones are big, but comfortable and feel relatively light. Clamping force is fine - not overy loose but not overly tight. They generally do not creek or squeak, but I wouldn't put build quality with the very best. And if I do move my head suddenly I can on occassion here a creek, but not bothersome in the least. I do really like the cable provided as it is light and flexible. I hear no microphonics andit appears to be a cable I could use with other headphones too. I also very much appreciate the nice case that comes with the headphones.
Conclusion
These headphones are holding up to the very best and I am impressed with their performance, regardless of, but especially in light of their price - although it is less of a bargain if you have to go out and buy equipment to properly amp the headphones. Also, I am using the setup as I type these impressions to run my Susvara. The interface box provided with the GL1200 works nicely to allow me to use the X150 to power the Susvara and that's a feature I appreciate. Keep in mind the speaker box only allows for a balanced headphone connection.
So my impressions of the GL1200 are very positive. I didn't form a solid impression on timbre or imaging yet, but I would say these headphones sound natural and relatively transparent. The fact that these, on first blush, compete against the best is surprising to me. After more listening (and keep in mind I have not done direct comparisons to the other flagships), will I hold the opinion that they are competitive? I shall see. Again, keep in mind these are only initial impressions and this is not a formal review. But there is a down side worth mentioning that will not change. While I like the GL1200 as much and maybe even slighty more in some respects than some of the aforementioned flagships, the GL1200 requires a massive system and those flagships provide equal or slightly better sound quality from conventional headphone amplifiers. Even the Susvara, for example, can run with my GS-X Mk2 or Woo WA5LE, or my THX AAA789 amplifier. I could pretty much transport any of these headphones to a friend's house for their listening pleasure. This is not really possible with the GL1200.
Hi,
Thought I would give some initial impressions of the GL1200. I ordered mine from Linsoul and it was shipped from China and took a couple of weeks to receive. I paid retail, and requested a price match but they would not. Unfortunate, given they are cheaper on Drop but sometimes you win and sometime you lose. This will not color my impression of the headphone. The headphone came with 2 sets of pads and did not include the gold ribbons. As for the pads, I quickly switched to the velour pads before doing serious listening or comparisons so all comments will be based upon use of the velour pads. Switching the pads was easy as they are attached with velcro. Not sure I like that method for long-term durability but I had no problems changing the pads.
I have many amplifiers but wanted something small and light. I purchased a 100 watt BA20 Fosi Amp with tone controls. It sounded quite good but I had the treble control and the bass control up. The treble control was boosted significantly more than the bass control to get what I felt was neutral sound. The GL1200 sounded promising. I knew, however, that the little amplifier was completely inadequate. It simply lacked sufficient current and seemed to clip a little, even at lower volumes - especially when midbass was required. I was interested to see whether I would like the GL1200 without tone controls when properly amped. My Pass X150 was missing the fuse cap and fuse so shout out to PASS Labs, a wonderful company with wonderful support - they willingly sent me what I needed without any trouble,
Equipment
So here is the equipment I am using. Pass Labs X150 amplifier, Adcom GFP-750 preamplifier, and of course the speaker adapter box that comes with the GL1200 headphones. I use the iFi Bluetooth DAC to receive music from Youtube, Tidal, etc.
Music preferences
I listen to a variety - pop, classic rock, symphonic metal, orchestrial, dance music, and easy-listenng. I use Youtube and Tidal, primarily,
So how does the GL1200 sound?
I had seen the Zeos review and also the review from @Resolve so I didn't know what to expect. @Resolve pretty much said the sound was warm, muffled, in need of EQ and not that impressive. Zeos said they were amazing and rivaled the newer Orpheus. So which would be the case? I don't have an Orpheus so I cannot say but here is what I did hear.
These headphones sound great. Comparible to my Final Audio D8000/Pro, the Susvara, and the Abyss. They reveal things in music that did not catch my attention with other headphones. They seem to have a wide soundstage. They are well balanced tonally (and in terms of left-right channel balance too for that matter). I must admit to not looking to see how low in bass they go. If anything, I might say they have slightly elevated upper midbass, but if so, only mildly. I felt the headphone had an appropriate amount of punch and did so in a natural way. I do not feel like the midbass creeps into the midrange at all. I also like that the lower midrange doesn't seem boosted in any way. Lower midrange is not lacking, but I notice many 'audiophile' headphones artifically boost lower midrange. These do not. Upper midrange may sound slightly relaxed on some music, but that could be a function of the Pass X150 or the songs I have heard thus far. I like neutral to bright sound and I do not feel the upper mids to be lacking or warm. I think the upper mids are fairly neutral, just not exagerated like some other headphones. The overall sound is natural and coherent and very pleasing to me. Clarity is also very good, and while I do sometimes here things hidden from other headphones, I would say clarity and detail may not be quite as good as some other flagships such as Susvara, Final Audio, or Abyss, but extremely close to them. The GL1200 may also fall slightly behind a little in terms of dynamics, but they do have really good dynamics and I don't feel any significant sense of compression on well recorded music. Vocals are neither forward or recessed, just present. They don't strike me as a stand-out attribute of the headphone, but again, they are natural and match many other flagships. In other words, I don't find them lacking in any way, but I would probably like just a slight bit more upfront or open vocal to cater to my preference of having a slightly forward vocal. Also, I would note that I do not have that many hours on these headphones, so they might change or ...well you know about brain burn-in too.
Ergonomics and some other thoughts
The headphones are big, but comfortable and feel relatively light. Clamping force is fine - not overy loose but not overly tight. They generally do not creek or squeak, but I wouldn't put build quality with the very best. And if I do move my head suddenly I can on occassion here a creek, but not bothersome in the least. I do really like the cable provided as it is light and flexible. I hear no microphonics andit appears to be a cable I could use with other headphones too. I also very much appreciate the nice case that comes with the headphones.
Conclusion
These headphones are holding up to the very best and I am impressed with their performance, regardless of, but especially in light of their price - although it is less of a bargain if you have to go out and buy equipment to properly amp the headphones. Also, I am using the setup as I type these impressions to run my Susvara. The interface box provided with the GL1200 works nicely to allow me to use the X150 to power the Susvara and that's a feature I appreciate. Keep in mind the speaker box only allows for a balanced headphone connection.
So my impressions of the GL1200 are very positive. I didn't form a solid impression on timbre or imaging yet, but I would say these headphones sound natural and relatively transparent. The fact that these, on first blush, compete against the best is surprising to me. After more listening (and keep in mind I have not done direct comparisons to the other flagships), will I hold the opinion that they are competitive? I shall see. Again, keep in mind these are only initial impressions and this is not a formal review. But there is a down side worth mentioning that will not change. While I like the GL1200 as much and maybe even slighty more in some respects than some of the aforementioned flagships, the GL1200 requires a massive system and those flagships provide equal or slightly better sound quality from conventional headphone amplifiers. Even the Susvara, for example, can run with my GS-X Mk2 or Woo WA5LE, or my THX AAA789 amplifier. I could pretty much transport any of these headphones to a friend's house for their listening pleasure. This is not really possible with the GL1200.
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heavyharmonies
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Most of the complaints I see are more regarding all the "baggage" that these headphones require more so than the sound they emit. It's taking the Stax/Koss ESP-950 baggage portability annoyance factor and now also strapping a 30-80lb speaker amp to your back. Definitely not going to cater to the portable/mobile crowd... but how many people using Stax, Raal, etc. are regularly doing listening portably anyway, as opposed to having a dedicated listening rig?
The neat thing about these is for the "old school" who also have dabbled in vintage speakers, amps, receivers. Normally that sort of equipment chain wouldn't affect modern-day headphones, but being able to tailor your listening experience using vintage non-headphone amplification (other than using an onboard headphone jack) opens up a whole new realm of possibilities.
The neat thing about these is for the "old school" who also have dabbled in vintage speakers, amps, receivers. Normally that sort of equipment chain wouldn't affect modern-day headphones, but being able to tailor your listening experience using vintage non-headphone amplification (other than using an onboard headphone jack) opens up a whole new realm of possibilities.
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buffer
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I agree about the possibilities of using various heavy duty audiophile equipment I already have in my possession to drive headphones. For example, the Susvara strapped to 150 watt Pass Labs amp is probably as good as I will hear the Susvara. But then I get to thinking... I live alone in a private residential area and I have several systems with high-end components and some awesome speakers that equal or more likely exceed the capabilities of my best headphones. If I have to use the same heavy equipment, why bother with a headphone? It doesn't feel logical, and yet here I am listening and enjoying headphones.
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John Massaria
Member of the Trade: JM Audio Editions/Headphone Modifications
im using the fake leather ones - I like them better with the Gold ribbons BUT I am going to buy some custom pads from Vespar Audio-
John Massaria
Member of the Trade: JM Audio Editions/Headphone Modifications
they aren't prone to dust sticking to them at all like Electrostatic they aren't charged at all as far as I understand. They are like my Magnepans and not prone to dust like say a Martin Logan Electrostatic or Stax or Sennheiser HE 1, Hifi Jade or the KossESP/ or a Nector Hive etc - those are all prone to hair and dust sticking and adhering to the film driver making snapping noise as they stick to the Mylar of the electrostatic- the ribbons are not at all affected by this BUT you can deform them if you blow on them - they are thin aluminum and from what I gather they are ez to make and replace if you have the right tools- there are tons of DIY microphones and speakers where people replace their own ribbons - its easy but for now I just want GoldPlanar to send me new ones in a matched pair- and have a price for people who want to buy the gold or silver in the future - come on Goldplanar get your ribbons in order here for customer service please... anyway... after I get replacements for my messed up silver one I will play with the damaged ones too see how I can fix em...
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I haven't posted on HeadFi in several years as I became a little disillusioned with the pricing and hype associated with higher end headphones. I became more interested in speakers and it's actually astounding what you can get for the price of, for example, a Focal Utopia or even a Stax set up in the speaker world. Of course, I know speakers do not always fit with a person's lifestyle because of space limitations or family and living situations. Anyway, after seeing the Zeos review of the GoldPlanar 1200, I was curious what users on HeadFi had to say about it and came across John's review, which I thought was as thorough and objective as you can get. No hyperbole, just a fair and honest assessment of the headphones. It was also helpful for me that John seems knowledgeable about speakers, and, like him, I have experience with a wide range of speaker designs - Magnepan, Martin Logan ESL, open baffle, etc. I took the risk of ordering the GoldPlanar 1200 from Carousel, and, fortunately, it was a great experience dealing with the seller on that website (I believe it was the same person that a user on HeadFi dealt with to purchase the 1200) - I ordered last Tuesday, and already received them today. I opted for the Silver model, and it came with the two ribbon sets (the ad on Carousel referenced the two sets). It seems that the gold tinted ones are installed. Here is a photo of the headphones, with the extra ribbon set (silver colored). Man, this is one strange beast of a headphone. I've only had them for a couple of hours now and listened connected with my vintage Pioneer VSX 9900S receiver, a fairly powerful amp (125 watts into 8 ohm). The build quality is okay - sort of reminds me of the early HiFiMan days, but not as bad. I suppose they had to make some compromises in materials to make it reasonably light. The comfort is quite nice, and it's extremely easy to swap pads. I am not sure which pads I prefer. The velour ones seem to offer more mid-range clarity at the expense of some impact in the lower frequencies. The overall sound is very speaker-like and rich, which suits me just fine. I'll check back with further impressions but I thought this headphone was worthy of ending my HeadFi hiatus.
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