[paradoxper]

Coming in? What don’t you like about their ethos? I don’t know anything about them. But, really enjoy the Radiante 1706.

The Valkyria peaked my interest and it happened to be convenient to try out the Radiante and TP while we're at it.

I don't like the closed nature of their spirit/culture -- the resulting network is shady. The Valkyria is €12,000.00 and I know people buying them for under €7,000.00, their Italian forum is just a echo chamber with almost zero comparative references, they rail for the Audio-GD products with zero parity.

They don't ****ing manufacture their own drivers. This is my biggest pet peeve for this industry. If you don't handcraft it yourself, you are a passing hobbyist.

Anyways, my money, my bias, as always.

 

[geoffalter11]

The Valkyria peaked my interest and it happened to be convenient to try out the Radiante and TP while we're at it.

I don't like the closed nature of their spirit/culture -- the resulting network is shady. The Valkyria is €12,000.00 and I know people buying them for under €7,000.00, their Italian forum is just a echo chamber with almost zero comparative references, they rail for the Audio-GD products with zero parity.

They don't ****ing manufacture their own drivers. This is my biggest pet peeve for this industry. If you don't handcraft it yourself, you are a passing hobbyist.

Anyways, my money, my bias, as always.

Makes sense. Thank you for clarifying.

 

[thehutch]

So @geoffalter11 got my Radiante and I got his Stellia. I think we both won on this trade. The Radiante is a very good headphone and it has gotten a bad rap just because the tuning is pretty overwhelming for most. A simple low shelf in Roon and peak here and there in the highs evens it out very nicely with zero distortion. Radiante slams with such force it’s really like nothing I’ve heard before from a headphone.

But I like the Stellia more, purely on the subjective aspects. I like the warm tuning – the midbass hump works perfectly for me. It doesn’t bleed into the mids and still has nice subbass. Stellia also has a really wonderful timbre. I enjoy a big soundstage as much as the next guy – I had an HD820 and it was a blast once EQed. But I think Stellia’s “in your head” stage is really enjoyable because it manages to sound intimate while still being big and epic (I guess because of the midbass hump?).

 

[Barondog]

Kennerton is my favorite brand. I recently sold the Gjallarhorn JM and ordered the new Rognir. I have a hunch it will be the best off all the closed backs mentioned here. I own the Thekk which is my favorite headphone I have ever owned. I currently own the ZMF Verite Open and Hifiman HE1000SE. I have owned in the past Audeze LCD4, Focal Utopia, Focal Stellia, Rosson Rad-0. I have also owned the Kennerton Odin Mk2, Thridi and Wodan. I only like to have one closed back and 2 open backs (Although I currently have 3 open backs). I doubt my Thekk ever is sold and I can not wait to receive my Rognir. It will be shipped next week. Kennerton also has the best customer service that I have ever seen in head-fi. Look at their forum page and you will see that many many people own quite a few Kennerton’s and are customers for life....like me.

I am looking at the Kennerton Magi and Gjallarhorn headphones as well as the Denon 9200. It is almost impossible to find anyone that has owned a pair of Kennertons. If you do not mind I would like your opinion of them. I have a pair of Klipsch HP3 headphones now. They sound great but they leak a little too much and I getting complaints. Did you say you had a pair of ZMF Verites? I thought these were supposed to be the state of the art headphones?

Thanks,
Barondog

 

[geoffalter11]

I am looking at the Kennerton Magi and Gjallarhorn headphones as well as the Denon 9200. It is almost impossible to find anyone that has owned a pair of Kennertons. If you do not mind I would like your opinion of them. I have a pair of Klipsch HP3 headphones now. They sound great but they leak a little too much and I getting complaints. Did you say you had a pair of ZMF Verites? I thought these were supposed to be the state of the art headphones?

Thanks,
Barondog

I owned the LSA-HP2 which is essentially a Gjallarhorn and it was a fantastic headphone. The Radiante is better than all of the headphones you’ve listed. Give it a try.

 

[hotKarl]

Just got the Rognir and it's really amazing. Only other closed back I have is the LCD-2 and it's not even comparable in any aspect. Even compared to any of my open backs, including Aeolus, HE1000 Stealth, Elex, I almost always prefer the Rognir. Really my only complaint is the weak clamping force, but after wearing them for a while I forget about it.