[Chodi]

  Thank you. That leaves me wondering whether Beyerdynamic changed the tuning of the drivers besides the cable. Otherwise the changes must have come from the difference in cable--which seem to be quite a lot. Have we had any official information about this edition from Beyer?

Just a comment that might shed some light on this sound change. A few weeks ago I had occasion to order a new set of ear pads for my T1's from Beyer. To my surprise they were slightly different from the original pads even though they were the direct replacement. The first thing I noticed was a slightly warmer sound and a wider sound stage. The ear opening on these pads are a little smaller than the original. The material is similar but feels a little firmer. I re-terminated my T1's to balanced xlr some time ago so that is the only way I use them with my Auralic Taurus. I think the small change in the pads accounts for some of this perceived difference with this special edition.    

 

[marshallmole]

  Just a comment that might shed some light on this sound change. A few weeks ago I had occasion to order a new set of ear pads for my T1's from Beyer. To my surprise they were slightly different from the original pads even though they were the direct replacement. The first thing I noticed was a slightly warmer sound and a wider sound stage. The ear opening on these pads are a little smaller than the original. The material is similar but feels a little firmer. I re-terminated my T1's to balanced xlr some time ago so that is the only way I use them with my Auralic Taurus. I think the small change in the pads accounts for some of this perceived difference with this special edition.    

Thank you. That might explain at least part of the change. 

 

[MrEleventy]

They're $850 at Buysonic.

 

[Mozartaudio]

Any rumors of a new Beyerdynamic flagship? Maybe with a bigger Tesla driver? 

 

[xaval]

  Just a comment that might shed some light on this sound change. A few weeks ago I had occasion to order a new set of ear pads for my T1's from Beyer. To my surprise they were slightly different from the original pads even though they were the direct replacement. The first thing I noticed was a slightly warmer sound and a wider sound stage. The ear opening on these pads are a little smaller than the original. The material is similar but feels a little firmer. I re-terminated my T1's to balanced xlr some time ago so that is the only way I use them with my Auralic Taurus. I think the small change in the pads accounts for some of this perceived difference with this special edition.    

Can you share the parts number? This is interesting.

 

[Chodi]

  Can you share the parts number? This is interesting.

EDT990VB
 
Link:  http://north-america.beyerdynamic.com/shop/hah/spare-parts.html

 

[upstateguy]

  After a week with the limited edition T1, I can say that it is a definite improvement over the original, there is a sweetness to the overall tone which is enticing and a pleasure to the ears. I also have HE500 and K701 and before the cardas cabled T1 joined the stable, the original T1 was only a small revelation after a session with the others, now the difference is quite noticable.The bass line is more comfortably noticable, the vocals have an added degree of fullness and instrument separation more 3 D.

 
 

  I was comparing both SE into SPL Phonitor, I tried the balanced connector of the revised T1 into Bryston HP1 and it was a wider soundstage and fuller which is normal for balanced connection

 
 

  The Cardas Clear Light cable cost around US$350-400 if brought separately and made a difference to the sound, I was told by the local dealer that the drivers are hand picked but essentially the same. Hong Kong has 50 of the total 600 units made this way

 
Good luck believing that an expensive wire, that doesn't alter the resistance or capacitance, changes the sound.

 
Elias Gwinn, one of the engineers at Benchmark, wrote some interesting posts in 2010 about how balanced does nothing for headphones.  You might want to read them.
 
The essence of what he said was, "The result of balanced headphones is less damping factor, more distortion, and more noise. Also, balanced headphones configurations offer no real benefits, to boot." 

 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

(http://www.amb.org/forum/benchmark-engineer-on-balanced-v-unbalanced-headphone-amps-t326.html)

 

[Chodi]

   
 
 
 
 
Good luck believing that an expensive wire, that doesn't alter the resistance or capacitance, changes the sound.

 
Elias Gwinn, one of the engineers at Benchmark, wrote some interesting posts in 2010 about how balanced does nothing for headphones.  You might want to read them.
 
The essence of what he said was, "The result of balanced headphones is less damping factor, more distortion, and more noise. Also, balanced headphones configurations offer no real benefits, to boot." 

 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

(http://www.amb.org/forum/benchmark-engineer-on-balanced-v-unbalanced-headphone-amps-t326.html)

I love it when one persons tech opinion contradicts the entire industry. Since all Stax headphones are balanced does that invalidate the Stax 009? Honestly this type of techno opinion is the opposite of thousands of other opinions over decades. They are entitled to their comments but you might note that they also produce balanced equipment for sale.  

 

[Cakensaur]

General consensus around these parts are that if I cannot afford a WA2 its better to get a WA3? 
I was think valhalla 2 but I really want that tubeyness that a Woo would give.

 

[upstateguy]

  I love it when one persons tech opinion contradicts the entire industry. Since all Stax headphones are balanced does that invalidate the Stax 009? Honestly this type of techno opinion is the opposite of thousands of other opinions over decades. They are entitled to their comments but you might note that they also produce balanced equipment for sale.  

 
Let's not to get into an off topic Stax debate in the T1 thread, but I think the "Stax system" is sufficiently different from all the other headphones including the T1, not to apply to this discussion. 
 
Regarding "the entire industry", if you follow the dollar you will see who seems to be promoting balanced. 
 
What we have, "over decades" are nothing more than, unsupported claims of differences, that people believe they've heard.
 
The only thing I know is, Producing balanced equipment for sale is usually relative to the need for long cable runs or fad buying by people who are willing to spend money on something that doesn't seem to have any scientific supporting data behind it.
 
I've never seen any concrete data supporting "cables" or "balanced".  
 
So, if you have access to any supporting data for "cables" or "balanced" let's continue this discussion in the "Testing audiophile claims and myths", thread and not here...............  I'd love to change my position.

 

 

[upstateguy]

  General consensus around these parts are that if I cannot afford a WA2 its better to get a WA3? 
I was think valhalla 2 but I really want that tubeyness that a Woo would give.

FWIW my Woo3 is not very tubey sounding, relative to a Darkvoice 336SE for instance.

 

[JamieMcC]

  General consensus around these parts are that if I cannot afford a WA2 its better to get a WA3? 
I was think valhalla 2 but I really want that tubeyness that a Woo would give.

Consider the OTL Bottlehead Crack and with the money you save hot rod the hell out of it. Add some reference tubes with the T1's its a epic combination. It doesn't get much better unless you have deep pockets.
 

 

 

[jelt2359]

   
Let's not to get into an off topic Stax debate in the T1 thread, but I think the "Stax system" is sufficiently different from all the other headphones including the T1, not to apply to this discussion. 
 
Regarding "the entire industry", if you follow the dollar you will see who seems to be promoting balanced. 
 
What we have, "over decades" are nothing more than, unsupported claims of differences, that people believe they've heard.
 
The only thing I know is, Producing balanced equipment for sale is usually relative to the need for long cable runs or fad buying by people who are willing to spend money on something that doesn't seem to have any scientific supporting data behind it.
 
I've never seen any concrete data supporting "cables" or "balanced".  
 
So, if you have access to any supporting data for "cables" or "balanced" let's continue this discussion in the "Testing audiophile claims and myths", thread and not here...............  I'd love to change my position.

 

 
That's such a depressing thread. I happen to think sight is as important as sound (food is another good example of this, would never want to eat without seeing) in this hobby. It's not that I'm not scientific in approach, but man it's just a hobby.
 
That being said, I can tell differences- as you can- between certain equipment, like apparently with your WA3 and Darkvoice. Perhaps it's just a case of volume matching. Perhaps it's even a matter of making the sound worse with balanced. But well, it certainly sounds different. Notice I said different- not better. I think it's more about taste than anything else. Again, food. There's no universal 'best food'- all a matter of tastes...

 

[upstateguy]

   
That's such a depressing thread. I happen to think sight is as important as sound (food is another good example of this, would never want to eat without seeing) in this hobby. It's not that I'm not scientific in approach, but man it's just a hobby.
 
That being said, I can tell differences- as you can- between certain equipment, like apparently with your WA3 and Darkvoice. Perhaps it's just a case of volume matching. Perhaps it's even a matter of making the sound worse with balanced. But well, it certainly sounds different. Notice I said different- not better. I think it's more about taste than anything else. Again, food. There's no universal 'best food'- all a matter of tastes...

PMing off topic discussion to you.

 

[Loquah]

Agree that we should not get into a debate here about balanced / unbalanced, but suggest considering the recent article at innerfidelity.com about damping factor and output impedance before believing one engineer's slightly narrow opinion on a topic.

He is correct in a number of ways, but is not considering other aspects such as those in the article at Inner Fidelity, different amp designs that can create a balanced HP output, etc.