[warrenpchi]

Pairing with different amps, changing pads, switching the mesh, rolling cables... it never occurred to me that I could change everything just by wearing them backwards.

Y'all might laugh but I know some of you just went to try this yourselves!

 

[goldwerger]

Pairing with different amps, changing pads, switching the mesh, rolling cables... it never occurred to me that I could change everything just by wearing them backwards.



Y'all might laugh but I know some of you just went to try this yourselves!

Next.. upside down!

 

[Alenotta]

Next.. upside down!

That is the LTD MRI safe version.

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Reading this post and knowing we both own the same amp and a pair of VC's, has just solidified my thoughts on the Caldera being my next headphone purchase. I absolutely love the lifelike instrument timbre with my VC's, but I could always use a bit more low end impact and separation. I can't wait to hear what the Caldera can do, and thanks for the info!

I'm at the opposite side. Currently own Caldera and thinking to acquire VC. Never a fan of closed back headphone before, but I think I need one (for occasional need of isolation). Tried VC for multiple times, I think I always prefer BE2 leather pad with them, but sometimes Universe leather also work well.

 

[Monsterzero]

Reading this post and knowing we both own the same amp and a pair of VC's, has just solidified my thoughts on the Caldera being my next headphone purchase. I absolutely love the lifelike instrument timbre with my VC's, but I could always use a bit more low end impact and separation. I can't wait to hear what the Caldera can do, and thanks for the info!

You may want to try to get your ears on the Atrium closed if it's more bass you seek. In my Caldera review I said that the bass is pretty neutral with perhaps a small mid bass bump, and I still feel that way, but when going for the AC to the Caldera, the Caldera comes off sounding bass light in comparison..... actually now that I think about it, all of my headphones sound bass light next to the AC

 

[DAPpower]

I'm at the opposite side. Currently own Caldera and thinking to acquire VC. Never a fan of closed back headphone before, but I think I need one (for occasional need of isolation). Tried VC for multiple times, I think I always prefer BE2 leather pad with them, but sometimes Universe leather also work well.

I think many revere the Auteur Hybrid pads for the VC, it seems to have the balance of both a wider soundstage while still retaining dynamics and depth of the Universe Lambskins. The Auteur Hybrids were my favorite pads on the VC, I think you should give them a try.

Personally I wanted to love the VC (I've had various LTD Camphor Burls and an epoxy edition but all of them have me too much ear pressure fatigue. I realize that I can't wear closed backs for too long, my ears need to breathe.
That being said, if you don't mind the extra pressure from a vented headphone like the VC, they're definitely top 3 in the best closed back list.

 

[Alenotta]

You may want to try to get your ears on the Atrium closed if it's more bass you seek. In my Caldera review I said that the bass is pretty neutral with perhaps a small mid bass bump, and I still feel that way, but when going for the AC to the Caldera, the Caldera comes off sounding bass light in comparison..... actually now that I think about it, all of my headphones sound bass light next to the AC

Yeah the bass on the Caldera isn't elevated. I just went back and forth between it and the VC again. The VC on H impedance has more heft in some ways. With the Caldera you're taking the detail slider and turning it up a ton. Where the VC emphasizes upper mids the Caldera sparkles with upper treble. The VC has excellent soundstage that is deep. VC has an extremely natural instrument tone, but Caldera has a more visceral tactile feel to it. Caldera has a more layered stereo focused image. The Caldera really is transparent to the tube flavor and dimension on the HA-300 mkii as well. The Caldera Closed will be pretty crazy for bass. heads I'm sure. The bass is very linear.

 

[Alenotta]

Pairing with different amps, changing pads, switching the mesh, rolling cables... it never occurred to me that I could change everything just by wearing them backwards.

Funny enough today I was listening to them for a couple hours and something just sounded off. I took them off to go do something and when I came back and looked at them I realized the pads were backwards. Anyway, not a good sound to roll your pads backwards fyi.

 

[heliosphann]

Funny enough today I was listening to them for a couple hours and something just sounded off. I took them off to go do something and when I came back and looked at them I realized the pads were backwards. Anyway, not a good sound to roll your pads backwards fyi.

I hate when you start listening to a song you've heard many times and notice it sounds strange. Then you realize the channels are swapped because you put the cable on backwards.

 

[jlbrach]

that has happened to me when I attached the cable backwards right into left etc and all of a sudden said to myself something is wrong lol

 

[goldwerger]

or the headphone cable is in the wrong amp...

 

[Zachik]

I hate when you start listening to a song you've heard many times and notice it sounds strange. Then you realize the channels are swapped because you put the cable on backwards.

Never happened to me! Ever!!!
(that is my story, and I am sticking to it )

 

[normie610]

or the headphone cable is in the wrong amp...

or the headphone cable is on the wrong headphone

 

[Karnicopia]

I have really been enjoying the Caldera out of my Hugo2go. I was a bit surprised by this as the Hugo isn't a warm tonality but I still really dig the sound. I think the detail and clarity are really important to me with the Caldera because I do tend to prefer these out of solid state even though I was planning to use tubes with them. I haven't done too much with pad rolling and haven't had too much time to listen to HP recently but I still really enjoy the stock pads on these. Hopefully soon I'll be able to test out more things with them pads and tubes but for now I've just been really enjoying them.

I'm a huge fan of the Verite Open those have been my favorite headphones up to now and I love the Caldera for a lot of the same reasons and this almost feels like a bit of a refinement on the Verite Open. Caldera doesn't have as much bass quantity and the treble is smoother, more detailed and slightly faster but I still love that edginess of the open for techno which is one of my favorite genres. I think the Caldera is my overall favorite but it's really close and there are still significant things that I listen to where the Verite Open is still my favorite like techno. Both of these really seem to combine things I appreciate musically in a way that other HP really haven't captured. I thought I may have a highlander scenario with these where I keep only one but for now leaning toward keeping them because I still appreciate both sounds.

Thought I would post another picture and this is again in direct light so more reddish than they normally appear (Kingswood) but I wanted to get a good picture of the grain as I really love the look of it.

 

[DAPpower]

I have really been enjoying the Caldera out of my Hugo2go. I was a bit surprised by this as the Hugo isn't a warm tonality but I still really dig the sound. I think the detail and clarity are really important to me with the Caldera because I do tend to prefer these out of solid state even though I was planning to use tubes with them. I haven't done too much with pad rolling and haven't had too much time to listen to HP recently but I still really enjoy the stock pads on these. Hopefully soon I'll be able to test out more things with them pads and tubes but for now I've just been really enjoying them.

I'm a huge fan of the Verite Open those have been my favorite headphones up to now and I love the Caldera for a lot of the same reasons and this almost feels like a bit of a refinement on the Verite Open. Caldera doesn't have as much bass quantity and the treble is smoother, more detailed and slightly faster but I still love that edginess of the open for techno which is one of my favorite genres. I think the Caldera is my overall favorite but it's really close and there are still significant things that I listen to where the Verite Open is still my favorite like techno. Both of these really seem to combine things I appreciate musically in a way that other HP really haven't captured. I thought I may have a highlander scenario with these where I keep only one but for now leaning toward keeping them because I still appreciate both sounds.

Thought I would post another picture and this is again in direct light so more reddish than they normally appear (Kingswood) but I wanted to get a good picture of the grain as I really love the look of it.

Sexy looking cans btw.

One of these days I hope the VO or the AO will have an LTD with jade green with 24k color gold hardware.

Oh God what can't we have the option to select the wood/color as well as the metal hardware