Missincat – Piu Vicino
IE 900 – Pro has tighter yet more punchy bass, bass blooms less into vocals, treble sounds more defined, more space between instruments and vocals, blacker background. Subtle but audible improvement going Pro.
Z1R – Much less pronounced differences. What’s obvious is that Z1R is a step up over the IE 900 with either amp/DAC. Stage might be very slightly wider on Pro, but there’s hardly anything in it with this track. Tie.
Lana Del Rey – Yosemite
Z1R – Pro is slightly more neutral by comparison, especially audible in guitar strums that have slightly longer decay and fullness with Gryphon, and are clearer and more defined with Pro. Details are slightly more apparent on Pro, though still there with Gryphon. The added space/blackness makes it easier to pick out very subtle details and stage depth cues with Pro.
IE 900 – larger stage and darker background of the Pro is more apparent here. Vocals are set slightly further back and more distinct from the instruments with the Pro, with a slightly warmer, longer decay with Gryphon. Pro’s extra resolution is more apparent here too.
Kristin Hersh – Your Ghost
IE 900 – this brighter recording touches on the IE 900’s treble lift and sounds a touch too bright on Gryphon, though still fairly well controlled. Pro’s added resolution, fuller notes, and faster decay create a bigger sense of space, with less treble bloom and tighter control of the bass as well. Sounds fuller and more natural on Pro.
Z1R – much, much closer here, with hardly any audible difference between Gryphon and Pro on this track. Ever so slightly darker background on Pro, but splitting hairs.
MADE IN HEIGHTS – Hord D’Ouevre
Z1R – the differences here lean more towards the slightly warmer, more musical tonality of the Gryphon compared to the slightly more resolving, more clinical sound of the Pro. Ever so slightly more detail in the Pro, but the wider spacing and blacker background doesn’t work in its favour, with Gryphon being more engaging and satisfying while not losing much by way of detail or resolution.
IE 900 – much closer with this track, and the Gryphon’s slightly added warm and slightly narrower stage compared to Pro actually suits this track better, making it more engaging as with the Z1R. This is one track where clean, tight and wide doesn’t always work better.
Max Richter – Winter 1
IE 900 – extra resolution, wider stage and blacker background of the Pro are all apparent here. Sharper, faster rendition of the strings, tighter control of the bass, and more detail that helps distinguish between string sections favours Pro, though Gryphon’s warmer, more cohesive and relaxed presentation might be preferable to some. Chances are classical music fans will prefer Pro with the IE 900.
Z1R – another tight contest, with Gryphon proving a match for the Pro despite the inherent power and resolution advantage of the latter. The sound also has a smoothness and fluidity with Gryphon that belies the more neutral and clinical approach of the Pro. With Z1R it’s more a case of tonal preference to technical ability between the two.
James Gillespie – What You Do
Z1R – Gryphon has a touch more punch and natural decay with the opening drum hits on this track, while Pro is more incisive and tighter with a larger space and darker background. Vocal decay is more apparent with Gryphon, while Pro sounds closer to a studio recording, with every vocal nuance and detail captured, but in a less organic way. Pro is clearly a better technical performer, though that doesn’t guarantee a preference for one over the other.
IE 900 – while details are slightly behind with Gryphon, the ever so slightly warmer tonality and smaller stage work well with this track and its sparse electronic instruments and effects. Vocals also sound a touch fuller with Gryphon, albeit less nuanced, and the longer decay tends to have some sounds overlapping (in a good way, I think) compared to Pro’s more clinical separation. Gryphon has a more elevated initial punch and a longer decay on the opening drums, whereas Pro is more textured and incisive.
Brandi Carlile – The Story
IE 900 – Natural vocals and real instruments highlight the differences in technical ability here, with Pro separating out vocals from instruments a bit better here, and bringing added depth and detail (realism) to the vocals. Pro’s precision and larger/blacker stage are also more akin to a studio recording, whereas Gryphon’s slightly looser, warmer presentation is closer to what I’d imagine this track to sound like live.
Z1R – another photo finish with this track. Literally can’t separate Pro and Gryphon here. Maybe a touch more drums weight with Gryphon, tighter and more defined on Pro, but it’s splitting hairs really.
Bon Jovi – Runaway
MDR – Pro has slightly wider staging, better separation between vocals and instruments, and more focus on microdetails, like reverb. It’s not night-and-day but it is audible. Tonality is much more even between the two with the MDR.
Bread – Guitar Man
MDR – superb remastered hi-res recording really shows the quality of the headphone, and with both Pro and Gryphon. Pro is very slightly wider, with a touch more detail, but it’s a really close contest with this track.
Bjork – Hunter
MDR – Intro electronic drumbeat is ever so slightly punchier and more incisive with the Pro. Vocals are a hair smoother and more forward on Gryphon. Stage is wider on Pro, but still wide with Gryphon. More breathing room between instruments on Pro, but again only by very close comparison. Outstanding track for these headphones.