[sheldaze]

I came to this thread not specifically looking for closed headphones, but as a person who is interested in planar magnetic technology at a reasonable cost. To that end, all the new, lower cost planars seem to be closed. So here I am!

I've heard planars at shows, headphone meets, and way too loud speaker stores (listened to the Audeze LCD-2, LCD-3, LCD-X, EL-8 closed, HifiMan HE-400i, HE-560). The LCD-2, LCD-3, and HD-560 seemed nice, but I'm still left curious why all the buzz regarding planars? I've yet to have a chance to listen at home, in a quiet controlled environment.

I feel that Tyll @ InnerFidelity tends to be picky in what he reviews, but he also tends to be thorough in giving each new headphone a chance for a review. He recently tasked another reviewer to write up something on the HE-560 because it was not to his taste. In this Head-Fi thread and elsewhere, I've read good things about HE-560 and similarly good things about the closed Mr. Speakers headphones. But my question is why no love from Tyll for Mr. Speakers? As it's been said, Tyll tends to like a warmer headphone and will not review something he thinks would result in a bad review. However in July 2014, Tyll said he would likely review the Alpha Dog and Mad Dog. Yet I've seen nothing.

As much as I'd love a deal, and the Mr. Speakers are on sale, I'm just hesitant to buy something that hasn't warranted the Tyll thorough review. On the cheap, I'd be much more inclined to try the Oppo PM-3 or wait for a review of the HiFiMan HE-400s. Any thoughts on why he would skip the Mr. Speakers headphones? Do they have a forward treble?

 

[Music Alchemist]

  I came to this thread not specifically looking for closed headphones, but as a person who is interested in planar magnetic technology at a reasonable cost. To that end, all the new, lower cost planars seem to be closed. So here I am!

I've heard planars at shows, headphone meets, and way too loud speaker stores (listened to the Audeze LCD-2, LCD-3, LCD-X, EL-8 closed, HifiMan HE-400i, HE-560). The LCD-2, LCD-3, and HD-560 seemed nice, but I'm still left curious why all the buzz regarding planars? I've yet to have a chance to listen at home, in a quiet controlled environment.

I feel that Tyll @ InnerFidelity tends to be picky in what he reviews, but he also tends to be thorough in giving each new headphone a chance for a review. He recently tasked another reviewer to write up something on the HE-560 because it was not to his taste. In this Head-Fi thread and elsewhere, I've read good things about HE-560 and similarly good things about the closed Mr. Speakers headphones. But my question is why no love from Tyll for Mr. Speakers? As it's been said, Tyll tends to like a warmer headphone and will not review something he thinks would result in a bad review. However in July 2014, Tyll said he would likely review the Alpha Dog and Mad Dog. Yet I've seen nothing.

As much as I'd love a deal, and the Mr. Speakers are on sale, I'm just hesitant to buy something that hasn't warranted the Tyll thorough review. On the cheap, I'd be much more inclined to try the Oppo PM-3 or wait for a review of the HiFiMan HE-400s. Any thoughts on why he would skip the Mr. Speakers headphones? Do they have a forward treble?

 
He's working on it.
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/quick-note-readers
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/big-sound-2015-and-so-it-begins

 

[sheldaze]

Not looking at the Ether, but the Mad Dog and Alpha Dog review he mentions in the link below:
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/innerfidelity-july-2014-update

 

[Kursah]

I am getting ready to sell my coveted HE-400's and just returned the PM-3's. Both are being lost because of some bills I got and I don't live in a place where open backs can be enjoyed anymore. So my loss, someone else's gain.
 
The HE-400's were an awesome experience, responded to EQ and bass really well. Sounded great out of my FiiO E9, AuneT1 and Denon AVR-1613. The bass needed EQ'd up, a little bump up in the 1K region and then -1-2db in the upper treble regions plus installing the OEM velour pads and they were some of the best sounding headphones I've ever listened to. I'm no audiophile, but this pair made me re-listen to my entire collection, twice over almost two years and it was an enjoyable experience when the background environment allowed me to hear the music. If you need any isolation, these aren't for you. If you don't have an amp, these aren't for you. But they are worth every penny...I'll be sad to sell mine and ship em out...trying to put it off as-long-as possible...The HE-400's are able to pick apart a lot of my music and allow me to hear things and layers I never noticed...the planar speed is something worth hearing at least once in your life...and on a budget these are the ones to go with.
 
The PM-3's were very very very impressive for such a small pair of planars. Even at their largest setting, after an hour I got a headache from the clamping force, but the pads were comfy and the seal allowed for very good bass. Not HE-400 levels, but surprisingly good none-the-less. These have a warmer and less critical sound compared to the HE-400s, they are smoother overall. That is good and bad. They are easy easy easy to power and EQ, they respond well, are light, very well built, very nice and you don't doubt the quality or value. If you need something more portable and you can get over the clamping force, buy these now. I consider myself a basshead (well sorta) and these mostly suited my needs with a bassy EQ. 
 
I miss both cans, and have returned to my JVC HA-RX700s with HM5 pads...which are still damn good but not HE-400 or PM-3 good.

 

[asdfg]

I don't know why you actually described i as 'bad' 

 it's an industry developed for a long long time.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Not looking at the Ether, but the Mad Dog and Alpha Dog review he mentions in the link below:
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/innerfidelity-july-2014-update

 
Ah, I see. Well, there are countless other reviews and impressions out there to give you an idea of whether you might like them. What I do is trade headphones rather frequently, since that's the easiest way to get my hands on various headphones without spending much money at all.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

  As much as I'd love a deal, and the Mr. Speakers are on sale, I'm just hesitant to buy something that hasn't warranted the Tyll thorough review. On the cheap, I'd be much more inclined to try the Oppo PM-3 or wait for a review of the HiFiMan HE-400s. Any thoughts on why he would skip the Mr. Speakers headphones? Do they have a forward treble?

 
Audition if you can. Don't wait for reviews/reviewers. Also a matter of personal taste. Some reviewers steer clear of certain gear, because of personal prefs and simple tact.

 

[gelocks]

As much as I'd love a deal, and the Mr. Speakers are on sale, I'm just hesitant to buy something that hasn't warranted the Tyll thorough review. On the cheap, I'd be much more inclined to try the Oppo PM-3 or wait for a review of the HiFiMan HE-400s. Any thoughts on why he would skip the Mr. Speakers headphones? Do they have a forward treble?
 

 
Why would you want Tyll to review them?! Maybe he just doesn't like them. Will that mean that you won't like them as well?!
MrSpeakers accepts returns as far as I'm concerned (not sure if he stopped doing this due to the "sale" he is doing...), so just try them!
I enjoyed both the Mad Dogs and the Alpha Dogs. Power hungry though, and a bit subdued up-top. Sold them both.

 

[sheldaze]

   
Why would you want Tyll to review them?! Maybe he just doesn't like them. Will that mean that you won't like them as well?!
MrSpeakers accepts returns as far as I'm concerned (not sure if he stopped doing this due to the "sale" he is doing...), so just try them!
I enjoyed both the Mad Dogs and the Alpha Dogs. Power hungry though, and a bit subdued up-top. Sold them both.

I like the honesty and thoroughness of his reviews. At minimum though, I'd like to hear a few of the dislikes. That I hear you say "subdued up-top" tells me this headphone is definitely headed in the right direction for me.
 
I don't know the full rules regarding the Mr. Speakers sale. They state 15-day policy, no questions (plus restocking fee) only for full-price items. It specifically says sale items cannot be returned, but this seems like a special case - an end of life sale. I'd simply have to ask.

 

[chowmein83]

  I came to this thread not specifically looking for closed headphones, but as a person who is interested in planar magnetic technology at a reasonable cost. To that end, all the new, lower cost planars seem to be closed. So here I am!

I've heard planars at shows, headphone meets, and way too loud speaker stores (listened to the Audeze LCD-2, LCD-3, LCD-X, EL-8 closed, HifiMan HE-400i, HE-560). The LCD-2, LCD-3, and HD-560 seemed nice, but I'm still left curious why all the buzz regarding planars? I've yet to have a chance to listen at home, in a quiet controlled environment.

I feel that Tyll @ InnerFidelity tends to be picky in what he reviews, but he also tends to be thorough in giving each new headphone a chance for a review. He recently tasked another reviewer to write up something on the HE-560 because it was not to his taste. In this Head-Fi thread and elsewhere, I've read good things about HE-560 and similarly good things about the closed Mr. Speakers headphones. But my question is why no love from Tyll for Mr. Speakers? As it's been said, Tyll tends to like a warmer headphone and will not review something he thinks would result in a bad review. However in July 2014, Tyll said he would likely review the Alpha Dog and Mad Dog. Yet I've seen nothing.

As much as I'd love a deal, and the Mr. Speakers are on sale, I'm just hesitant to buy something that hasn't warranted the Tyll thorough review. On the cheap, I'd be much more inclined to try the Oppo PM-3 or wait for a review of the HiFiMan HE-400s. Any thoughts on why he would skip the Mr. Speakers headphones? Do they have a forward treble?

 
For me, planars can do certain things that I have found even the best dynamic headphones cannot do. One is the bass response. Yes, you have dynamic headphones out there that can actually extend decently low and actually hit decently hard in the bass (such as both the Sennhesier HD700 and HD800 in my experience, despite what others may have said). However, I have found that the best planars can extend even lower (for example, see anything from Hifiman HE-400 and up) and pretty much every planar I have listened to (whether from Audeze, Hifiman, Oppo, or any of the T50RP mods) have this certain "solid" quality to the bass that dynamic headphones cannot match.
 
Another thing that I find planars to do well that dynamics don't do as well is texture. Dynamic headphones, even the best like the HD800, sound somewhat "dry" compared to any of the planars that I have listened to. I simply feel that planar magnetic headphones give instruments more life, and that they can make you hear the tiny things (or perhaps give the music some kind of special flavor, but I don't mean that the headphones are purposefully coloring the music) that makes it feel like you are that much closer to the music. It's kind of hard thing to explain, actually.
 
As for why Tyll hasn't reviewed anything from Mr. Speakers, I'm honestly not sure. I'm quite sure that the Alpha Dog wouldn't be his cup of tea (from when I listened to them, they seemed to be tuned for more treble and don't have anything really resembling a warm signature) but the Mad Dog would be something up his alley (it has a warmer signature, but yet with just enough sparkle in the treble sound it doesn't sound extremely warm).
 
Hope this helps! If you want, I can give you more detailed impressions of the PM-3 (but not the HE-400s, sorry, since I haven't been able to hear those).

 

[Music Alchemist]

  For me, planars can do certain things that I have found even the best dynamic headphones cannot do. One is the bass response. Yes, you have dynamic headphones out there that can actually extend decently low and actually hit decently hard in the bass (such as both the Sennhesier HD700 and HD800 in my experience, despite what others may have said). However, I have found that the best planars can extend even lower (for example, see anything from Hifiman HE-400 and up) and pretty much every planar I have listened to (whether from Audeze, Hifiman, Oppo, or any of the T50RP mods) have this certain "solid" quality to the bass that dynamic headphones cannot match.
 
Another thing that I find planars to do well that dynamics don't do as well is texture. Dynamic headphones, even the best like the HD800, sound somewhat "dry" compared to any of the planars that I have listened to. I simply feel that planar magnetic headphones give instruments more life, and that they can make you hear the tiny things (or perhaps give the music some kind of special flavor, but I don't mean that the headphones are purposefully coloring the music) that makes it feel like you are that much closer to the music. It's kind of hard thing to explain, actually.

 
The JVC HA-SZ2000 is more or less unanimously regarded as the ultimate basshead headphone. It can reportedly hit harder in the bass than any other headphone, and it's dynamic. As you know, I owned the HD 700 and auditioned the HD 800. Neither of them had anything noteworthy in terms of bass, when I heard them, and I heard the HD 800 from a MOON Neo 430HA and Sennheiser HDVD 800. In fact, the bass sounded pretty weak to me, even with bass-heavy songs. I wonder what made them have stronger bass for you. I agree about the texture of planars.

 

[goldenSHK]

   
The JVC HA-SZ2000 is more or less unanimously regarded as the ultimate basshead headphone. It can reportedly hit harder in the bass than any other headphone, and it's dynamic. As you know, I owned the HD 700 and auditioned the HD 800. Neither of them had anything noteworthy in terms of bass, when I heard them, and I heard the HD 800 from a MOON Neo 430HA and Sennheiser HDVD 800. In fact, the bass sounded pretty weak to me, even with bass-heavy songs. I wonder what made them have stronger bass for you. I agree about the texture of planars.

I don't think he means the quantity of the bass. Obviously, the SZ2000s have the most bass out of any headphone I know of. But they do by really giving it up at the expensive of the highs and mids. I think he meant that planars have the deepest and thickest bass while still somehow sounding normal and balanced in sound signature. I kind of agree, especially with the HE-6.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  I don't think he means the quantity of the bass. Obviously, the SZ2000s have the most bass out of any headphone I know of. But they do by really giving it up at the expensive of the highs and mids. I think he meant that planars have the deepest and thickest bass while still somehow sounding normal and balanced in sound signature. I kind of agree, especially with the HE-6.

 
He was talking about how hard they hit in the bass. That's pretty specific. But yeah, planars are pretty sweet. Still not impressed enough by the most expensive ones to buy them anytime soon, so I'm focusing on electrostats for now.

 

[Fearless1]

   
The JVC HA-SZ2000 is more or less unanimously regarded as the ultimate basshead headphone. It can reportedly hit harder in the bass than any other headphone, and it's dynamic. As you know, I owned the HD 700 and auditioned the HD 800. Neither of them had anything noteworthy in terms of bass, when I heard them, and I heard the HD 800 from a MOON Neo 430HA and Sennheiser HDVD 800. In fact, the bass sounded pretty weak to me, even with bass-heavy songs. I wonder what made them have stronger bass for you. I agree about the texture of planars.

The SZ2000 sounds like listing to music through a blanket, all they do well is bass.  They remind me of a 16 year old kid who gets two 15" subs for his car and does nothing to the front speakers.
 
The HD-800 has some of the fastest, crisp bass I have yet to hear (often times chill inducing), they are a bit bright, but nothing like you repeatedly  say over and over. 
 
You have to adjust your ears to their sound before you can give an accurate description of them.  I often get home from work (sometimes late-night)  and  think I have my home theater system on when I power up my gear  while wearing the HD800. (subwoofer engaged)

 

[Music Alchemist]

  The SZ2000 sounds like listing to music through a blanket, all they do well is bass.  They remind me of a 16 year old kid who gets two 15" subs for his car and does nothing to the front speakers.
 
The HD-800 has some of the fastest, crisp bass I have yet to hear (often times chill inducing), they are a bit bright, but nothing like you repeatedly  say over and over. 
 
You have to adjust your ears to their sound before you can give an accurate description of them.  I often get home from work (sometimes late-night)  and  think I have my home theater system on when I power up my gear  while wearing the HD800. (subwoofer engaged)

 
Well, most SZ2K owners use EQ with it to either boost the bass or get a more accurate FR. It's not an audiophile headphone, that's for sure.
 
My research indicates that different HD 800s have different frequency responses, so it's likely that the one I heard had worse treble peaks than yours. My best friend is an HD 800 nut and does not experience painful brightness with his either. I would like to hear the HD 800 on a system that is able to get the type of bass you describe...but I've already heard it on those two high-end amp/DACs, so I don't know what to do about that. I could always try modifying it (like many do), using EQ, etc.