So, the
3 Americans decided to pay their Russian friend a visit..
This is Part 2 of my all-woodie shootout. This time, it involves the (new)
Kennerton Gjallarhorn GH50 going against the
Audeze LCD-XC, the
Klipsch Heritage HP-3, and the
ZMF Vérité Closed. You can read
Part 1 here.
As usual, some pre-review notes:
- All of them were tested with their stock cables.
- My source is the usual, a Schiit Gungnir Multibit and a Schiit Mjolnir 2.
- I used an eclectic selection of tracks (75% EDM, 25% Pop and Rock).
- No modifications were made to any of the 4 headphones.
This is going to be a stellar fight, so let's get to it!
Bass
As usual, we start with the most important category, bass (I am a basshead, after all).
Audeze LCD-XC: The LCD-XC has very clean and well-sculpted bass. In comparison with the rest of the headphones in this list, it almost appears anemic in the first 10-15 seconds of use. Of course, it is not bass shy, but its lows are certainly not as profound or as prominent as the rest of the lineup. It retains a slightly-elevated mid-bass hump, which provides the headphone with a degree of authority in its lows. It also has the fastest transients with the shortest decay; the beats do not linger. In the grand scheme of things, the LCD-XC has clean, punchy bass with very good extension into the sub-bass regions.
However, the sub-bass, whilst decently extended, are not as tangible as the other 3; the rumble is neither as impactful or substantial. Moreover, in comparison with the lows on the dynamic-driver-based headphones, the texture of the lows on the LCD-XC aren't as enthralling or as engaging.
Kennerton Gjallarhorn GH50: Picking up from where it previously left off, the Kennerton enters this shootout with the scars of battle from its previous fight; and boy, did it make an excellent account of itself. The lows are powerful, with very good impact; it has boosted bass, but not egregiously so. Thus, the entire presentation is controlled yet prominent. The lows are punchy with very good impact, and the texture is ethereal; IMO, you'll be hard-pressed to find lows that sound so sweet in the headphone world. In tandem with its mid-bass performance, the sub-bass is well-extended, with tactile and solid rumble that is very addictive. The speed of the bass on the Gjallarhorn is surprisingly good, trading blows with the LCD-XC in this aspect. It lags by a bit, though, but this is not a demerit in any way; some of us actually prefer bass that has a longer decay.
The Gjallarhorn has a mesmerizing bass presentation that has few flaws. It can sound a little boomy at times, but never bloated. Hence, it avoids any unwanted congestion in its lows; similarly, it avoids bleeding too much into the lower midrange.
Klipsch Heritage HP-3: The Heritage HP-3 is a slight outlier in this bunch; it is a semi-open headphone, as opposed to the fully sealed headphones in contention. Nevertheless, it functions akin to a closed-back, so this justifies its inclusion in a closed-back shootout.
The Klipsch offers the heaviest lows in this shootout. The mid-bass elevation is sizeable, as is its punch and impact, which are both prominent and potent. The bass presentation is thick and well-rounded, with decent sub-bass rumble and extension. If you're looking for some heavy bass, the HP-3 does not disappoint in the quantity department.
However, the bass on the Klipsch can be too thick for its own good; this severely affects detail retrieval. The layering in the bass similarly suffers, so you may not enjoy the articulation provided by the other 3 headphones.
ZMF Vérité Closed: The ZMF flagship comes into the shootout with its laser sight locked on to the Gjallarhorn. Can it claim another victim? Well, not exactly.
Along with the Gjallarhorn, the Vérité Closed offers the best texture in its lows. It is really something else, blending a healthy mid-bass boost with a powerful sub-bass region to afford a sweet, addictive presentation. The mid-bass hump is not as obvious here, but it really does come in handy when your track requires an injection of lows. What pushes the ZMF over the Kennerton is the layering; here, the Vérité Closed does an effortless job of separating the many coats of bass in the lower registers. Articulation and detail is also top-notch, and you won't be found wanting more, especially for audiophiles of the basshead persuasion.
The rumble on the Vérité Closed is a rung below the Gjallarhorn, though - the Kennerton is innately supreme in its ability to generate strong sub-bass that thunders and growls like a refined beast. The ZMF also lags slightly behind the Gjallarhorn in terms of speed; it's not
slow, though, in the grand scheme of things.
Winner: The
Gjallarhorn and the
Vérité Closed share the spoils for this category. The Vérité Closed is probably a touch more articulate in its presentation, but the Gjallarhorn is far more engaging with a great balance of technical strengths and sheer presence.
Midrange
Audeze LCD-XC: The Audeze has a slightly warm presentation, with a midrange that is clean and clear. As a whole, its component parts help to forge a midrange that is well-defined, free from bloom, and teeming with detail. The midrange on display is one of the best illustrated, with good articulation and control. Instruments and vocals have good presence (in general), and are well separated.
Sadly, the LCD-XC also has an interesting (read: weird) quirk in its midrange. The lower-mids are scooped relative to the upper-midrange, resulting in male vocals losing a degree of authority; in contrast, female vocals are a lot more prominent. This is especially obvious in tracks that have both male and female voices; the ladies sound closer to you, whilst the gents are several steps behind.
Kennerton Gjallarhorn GH50: The Gjallarhorn has a midrange section that has good weight, is sufficient lush, and is well-rounded. Compared to the LCD-XC, the Kennerton presents vocals with greater impact and command; this is true for both vocals and instruments. I also enjoy the timbre on the Gjallarhorn; vocals sound very natural and engaging.
However, in contrast with the other LCD-XC and the Vérité Closed, the Gjallarhorn struggles a little with articulation and detail. In a vacuum, it'll be a challenge to define its resolving capabilities (or lack thereof); however, if you're in a shootout with the aforementioned 2 headphones, any foibles can be discerned easily.
Klipsch Heritage HP-3: As with its bass profile, the Klipsch has thick, luscious mids that are weighty and full. The texture of the mids are particularly good here; the HP-3 brings a lot of life to vocals. Male voices are rendered exceptionally well - you'll hear a sense of vigor and passion that is rivalled by few in the closed-back headphone sphere. Naturally, they sound very organic, too.
Things are not all good with the Klipsch, though. There is a persistent bloom to its sound, resulting in a diffuse-sounding midrange presentation. Clarity is also a miss on the Klipsch; the other 3 headphones are more adept at reproducing instruments and voices with better definition.
ZMF Vérité Closed: We close the midrange battle with the star of the show. With a slight warmth and fullness to its tone, the ZMF is an effortless champ at producing a thoroughly-engaging midrange that is chock-full of detail. The Vérité Closed is easily the most engaging headphone in this comparison in terms of the midrange presentation. Its vocals are sweet yet clear; the sound is rich yet well-resolved.
There is little to fault the Vérité Closed in this component, really. Of all of the (closed) headphones that I've tested, none can best the ZMF at producing alluring vocals.
Winner: The
Vérité Closed, obviously. If you want vocals to sound at its absolute best, and you value detail, clarity, presence, and texture, the ZMF is the can for the job. You'll be hard-pressed to find a closed-back headphone that reproduces a midrange that performs on a similar level to the Vérité Closed.
Treble
And things start to get contentious...
Audeze LCD-XC: The Audeze has a measured but clear treble presentation; it has good control over the entire spectrum. There are no stray peaks, thus, its highs are neither harsh nor strident. It retains a small measure of energy, though, which balances the ever-so-slightly elevated mid-bass. There is also very good extension into the upper regions To it all off, the LCD-XC has a relatively airy treble region.
On the other hand, the Audeze is lacking sparkle and fine grain in its highs. It is not dark, as opposed to the Gjallarhorn, but it doesn't have a bright and stellar treble presentation either.
Kennerton Gjallarhorn GH50: As mentioned in the previous shootout, the Gjallarhorn has a muted and subdued treble section. Thankfully, it retains good definition and clarity in its highs. Even in the absence of soaring peaks, the Kennerton has highs that are crisp, with a hint of shimmer up top.
However, the highs are still decidedly recessed, so fans of prominent and soaring highs will find the Gjallarhorn severely lacking in this particular aspect; the upper registers sound overly smooth and syrupy, and are found lacking in top-level sparkle and energy.
Klipsch Heritage HP-3: The Klipsch is the brightest headphone of the lot, with a distinctly augmented treble region. The highs have a lot of energy and vibrancy; this is coupled with good technical abilities in the articulation department. As it is a semi-open headphone, the HP-3 naturally has the airiest presentation in its highs.
However, with some prominent treble peaks, the HP-3 has the unfortunate tendency of sounding overly harsh and sharp at times. In fact, it may be sibilant to some; the energy emanating from the treble section may be excessive.
ZMF Vérité Closed: In comparison to the HP-3, the Vérité Closed has a subdued treble region. In contrast to the Gjallarhorn, the ZMF has brighter highs. Thus, it treads the fine line between these 2 treble presentations; it has good control, so the highs never sound strident. There is a serving of fine grain and sparkle in its highs, with decent extension into the upper registers. It is also decently airy, losing only to the HP-3 in this detail.
Alas, whilst adequate quality is on display here, the Vérité Closed is distinctly lacking in prominence and overall energy. The highs aren't as smooth or as velvety as the treble on the Gjallarhorn, so there is a greater semblance of engagement.
Winner: The
LCD-XC wins this round, with a well-represented treble region that has good articulation, detail and vividness.
Technicalities
Audeze LCD-XC: The LCD-XC has very good resolution, producing fine detail with ease. In comparison to the other 3 headphones, the Audeze's clean and cut profile helps to deliver a portrait of top-level clarity; this is made easier by its fine ability to layer the instruments and voices in a distinct manner. Even within crowded tracks, the LCD-XC handily resolves and reproduces minute pieces.
Kennerton Gjallarhorn GH50: In comparison with the other headphones in this shootout, the Gjallarhorn has average-to-decent detail retrieval capabilities. It can resolve nuances and fine elements, but it's a challenge to recognize its ability in this aspect. The Kennerton also handles instrument and voice separation satisfactorily; it is not supremely impressive, but it isn't
terrible either. The great challenge starts from the Gjallarhorn's struggle to separate the components of its cramped stage. Thankfully, the tussle pays off - you'll hear the detail you want; it's just not obtained in a smooth and easy manner.
Klipsch Heritage HP-3: The HP-3 has the most congested sound of the headphones in this shootout; there is very little separation going on in its signature. The persistent bloom or warmth is pervasive; this greatly hampers its ability to produce micro-details. Thus, top-end clarity suffers as a result. With that being said, like the Gjallarhorn, the resolution is there; it is just difficult to spot.
ZMF Vérité Closed: The Vérité Closed completes this section with a marvelous solo performance. Like the LCD-XC before it, the ZMF flagship is a maestro at reproducing fine details and nuances in music, even within complex passages. It trumps the Audeze, though, by having greater inherent talent at separating distinct layers of vocals and instruments; it does with the greatest of ease. The Vérité Closed also handles dynamics with ease, even within busy tracks.
Winner: The
Vérité Closed has the best technical chops in this shootout, followed by the
LCD-XC in close pursuit.
Staging and Imaging
Audeze LCD-XC: With a wide and deep stage, the LCD-XC projects a sufficiently large sound scape. It isn't as wide as the Vérité Closed, but it matches it in sheer depth. There is very even distribution throughout; imaging cues are also superb.
Kennerton Gjallarhorn GH50: The Gjallarhorn has the smallest stage of the 4. It can sound a little cramped at the worst of times, too. Thankfully, it retains a good sense of depth, although, you'd wish for a large stage to begin with. It also has decent-to-good imaging capabilities.
Klipsch Heritage HP-3: The Klipsch has a wide and deep stage; one of the best amongst the 4. It is also sufficiently tall, with very good imaging throughout. The projection of music on the HP-3 is quite grand in that sense, bested only by the Vérité Closed.
ZMF Vérité Closed: The Vérité Closed has the largest stage in all 3 dimensions, with very clear and precise positioning throughout. It projects an impressive sense of scale, as far as closed-back headphones go; this helps to lend a touch of awe to your music.
Winner: The
Vérité Closed, followed by the
HP-3. Both of them have wide and deep stages; for a closed-back headphone (the ZMF), it is very impressive.
Comfort
Audeze LCD-XC: It has comfortable pads, a comfortable headband, and a decent grip. So far, so good. However, it is also godawfully heavy, tipping the scales at nearly 700g! My head and my ears don't experience issues, but my neck cries out for help on occasion. Thankfully, I've grown accustomed to its mass; however, interested parties may wish to reconsider.
Kennerton Gjallarhorn GH50: Let's see? Supremely comfortable pads? Check. Comfortable headband? Check. Light but firm grip?
Check. Unfortunately, the Gjallarhorn has a strong grip; this caused some slight unease around my head after about an hour of use.
Klipsch Heritage HP-3: The Klipsch has a nice, soft headband and a rather light body. However, it also has the strongest grip, and some really small and pretty rigid pads. Thus, it is the most uncomfortable to use of the headphones in this shootout.
ZMF Vérité Closed: Like the Gjallarhorn, the Vérité Closed has the nicest, plushest pads. It also has a comfortable headband, an average grip, and the mass of a light-heavyweight. Hence, it fits all of the requirements of a comfortable headphone.
Winner: The
Vérité Closed. It has all of the positives, and none of the negatives.
Final Thoughts
After the first shootout, I approached the second part with a greater sense of understanding, and thus, appreciation, of the capabilities of the
Kennerton Gjallarhorn, as well as its shortcomings. Thus, I wasn't taken aback this time around with its generally-weaker performances in the treble, staging and technical-related departments. Nevertheless, the Kennerton still reigned supreme in the bass department, with one of the most engaging and well-textured presentations in the world of closed-back headphones. Plus, it still remains a decent-to-good performer in the midrange, especially with its lush and strong vocals.
The
Audeze LCD-XC was a quiet but stellar performer. For too long, I have been slightly dismissive of the Audeze, as its weird tonal imbalance was somewhat disagreeable. After completing this shootout, I have come to better value and respect the LCD-XC for its many strengths. It is a great closed-back planar after all, with a clean and clear signature. Its bass profile was typically planar, but it had some shades of a good dynamic, too - it blends speed and clarity with texture and punch. A good presentation, indeed.
The
Klipsch Heritage HP-3 was very middle-of-the-ground in this comparison. It didn't do anything spectacularly well, but it wasn't appalling in one single aspect either - except for the comfort factor, that is. For too long, I have lauded the HP-3 for its bass capabilities; in this shootout, it didn't best any headphone in this category. In fact, it was probably at the end of the scale as far as the aspects of quality, extension and articulation are concerned. It is still a headphone with a good bass presentation, but it is not the
best. This just goes to show that, in a vacuum, any single headphone may sound fantastic; however, if you do a comparison with its contemporaries, you may find certain facets of its sound poorer (or better) than others.
Lastly, the
Vérité Closed was the clear champion in this shootout. It was the winner in most of the categories, and matched the Gjallarhorn in the overall bass stakes. It is not perfect, though - the treble could certainly use some work; I'd prefer a greater sense of engagement and definition in its highs. With that being said, it has a sublime and powerful midrange that adds a touch of life to any music, particular ones that are vocal-driven. The prominence and authority in the way the Vérité Closed reproduces vocals is truly special, IMO.
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