[heliosphann]

I swapped an open for a closed.
It came with 2 sets of pads.. One with angled cushion and one flat. Are these the Universe and Auteur pads as mentioned on the zmf website?

I tried verite perforated and it doesn't go well with closed. Will it be the same effect with all perforated variants?

The flatter one should be the Universe. Angled should be Auteur.

And yes, perforated pads aren't going to sound well with the Verite Closed.

 

[znev777]

I swapped an open for a closed.
It came with 2 sets of pads.. One with angled cushion and one flat. Are these the Universe and Auteur pads as mentioned on the zmf website?

I tried verite perforated and it doesn't go well with closed. Will it be the same effect with all perforated variants?

Yeah perf pads on closed cans are a nono. The flatter pads are the universe pads which have more impact, and the angled pads are the auteur pads which have a larger soundstage and maybe more treble presence. Enjoy!

 

[Roasty]

Thanks a lot, guys! Much appreciated. At present, am enjoying the Auteur pads more than the Universe ones. Will try a swap after a while and see if my tastes change.

 

[TheHighlander]

Any comparisions between Monokeypod x Ironwood? Sound differences ?

 

[Hoegaardener70]

Any comparisions between Monokeypod x Ironwood? Sound differences ?

Would also love to hear more on this.

 

[teknorob23]

Cant offer any wood to wood comparisons yet, but i have been giving my Stellia's one last listen back to back with my monkey pod VCs before they go.

After some initial A/B'ing sessions with the two pairs, i've spent the last month or so listening solely to the VC's, but coming back to the Stellias over the last few days, i have to say when it comes to performance and enjoyment it is comparatively a much closer run thing and is really more a question of preferences rather one being objectively superior of inferior than the other

The two headphones couldn't be more different from one another, almost in every way, from they look to the way the sit on your head and of course to how they sound. When i consider their respective TOTL price tags it comes as some relief that i find they perform at similar very high level, so if i could afford to i would keep both.

To my ears and for my preferences, the highlight/ benefits of one over the other are (listening direct out of hugo2 and via hugo2 with FA Euforia Tube amp, VCs with the stock pads and both using a 22awg 4 core Neotech UPOCC Silver Cable).

Both pairs are very good at everything. The VC's have richer, warmer (side of neutral), fuller, slightly darker but still highly detailed and super musical natural presentation, whereas the Stellias are closer to being tonally neutral, more forward, brighter, precise super dynamic, but musical way of doing things.

VC Pros:

• Almost mistakable for an open back - Height, width and depth of sound stage are incredible
• Visceral impact across the whole frequency range (except sometimes with the mids)
• Seperation and layering
• Lovely full bass plenty impact and quantity
• Airiness at the top
• Super comfortable

VC Cons:

• Mids can sound a little recessed
• Marginally less detailed, but superior seperation within a bigger stage provides better real world resolution. ie i can here more of the detail more of the time
• Massive on the head (but not heavy)
• Dont shoot me and this is entirely a personal preference, but i prefer the machined cutting edge feel of the stellia's over the artisanal finish of the VCs

Stellia Pros:

• Overall Clarity and resolution (but only just)
• Bass detail
• Stunning mids especially in vocals and guitars with which i prefer the crunch and texture
• Speed and dynamism (but only just)
• Cutting edge design and use of material, compact less obtrusive on the head

Stellia Cons:

• Relatively shallow 2D staging/
• Cutting edge design and use of materials are slightly fragile in real world usage.
• Linear bass (goes deep but lacks the kick of the VCs)
• ginger.

A lot of these findings or at least the pattern, is similar to those that i found with the Utopia's versus the LCD4z, they just did things very differently, pleasing my preference slightly more in certain areas, and i loved them both.

This exercise has confirmed three things in my mind at least: One, these two pairs of headphones are for my money the best CBs ive heard as of today, by some distance and are right up there with the best HPs i've heard of any type. Second this process has re-affirmed that i am susceptible to new toy syndrome, having on arrival of the VCs, dropped the Stellia's like a stone, convinced they were vastly inferior, only to find a month or so later that they're level of performance to my ears at least is pretty even, and finally that i prefer listening to my music through the VCs.

As you can probably tell, i had some really important work i should have been doing this afternoon

 

[chrisdrop]

Cant offer any wood to wood comparisons yet, but i have been giving my Stellia's one last listen back to back with my monkey pod VCs before they go.

After some initial A/B'ing sessions with the two pairs, i've spent the last month or so listening solely to the VC's, but coming back to the Stellias over the last few days, i have to say when it comes to performance and enjoyment it is comparatively a much closer run thing and is really more a question of preferences rather one being objectively superior of inferior than the other

The two headphones couldn't be more different from one another, almost in every way, from they look to the way the sit on your head and of course to how they sound. When i consider their respective TOTL price tags it comes as some relief that i find they perform at similar very high level, so if i could afford to i would keep both.

To my ears and for my preferences, the highlight/ benefits of one over the other are (listening direct out of hugo2 and via hugo2 with FA Euforia Tube amp, VCs with the stock pads and both using a 22awg 4 core Neotech UPOCC Silver Cable).

Both pairs are very good at everything. The VC's have richer, warmer (side of neutral), fuller, slightly darker but still highly detailed and super musical natural presentation, whereas the Stellias are closer to being tonally neutral, more forward, brighter, precise super dynamic, but musical way of doing things.

VC Pros:

• Almost mistakable for an open back - Height, width and depth of sound stage are incredible
• Visceral impact across the whole frequency range (except sometimes with the mids)
• Seperation and layering
• Lovely full bass plenty impact and quantity
• Airiness at the top
• Super comfortable

VC Cons:

• Mids can sound a little recessed
• Marginally less detailed, but superior seperation within a bigger stage provides better real world resolution. ie i can here more of the detail more of the time
• Massive on the head (but not heavy)
• Dont shoot me and this is entirely a personal preference, but i prefer the machined cutting edge feel of the stellia's over the artisanal finish of the VCs

Stellia Pros:

• Overall Clarity and resolution (but only just)
• Bass detail
• Stunning mids especially in vocals and guitars with which i prefer the crunch and texture
• Speed and dynamism (but only just)
• Cutting edge design and use of material, compact less obtrusive on the head

Stellia Cons:

• Relatively shallow 2D staging/
• Cutting edge design and use of materials are slightly fragile in real world usage.
• Linear bass (goes deep but lacks the kick of the VCs)
• ginger.

A lot of these findings or at least the pattern, is similar to those that i found with the Utopia's versus the LCD4z, they just did things very differently, pleasing my preference slightly more in certain areas, and i loved them both.

This exercise has confirmed three things in my mind at least: One, these two pairs of headphones are for my money the best CBs ive heard as of today, by some distance and are right up there with the best HPs i've heard of any type. Second this process has re-affirmed that i am susceptible to new toy syndrome, having on arrival of the VCs, dropped the Stellia's like a stone, convinced they were vastly inferior, only to find a month or so later that they're level of performance to my ears at least is pretty even, and finally that i prefer listening to my music through the VCs.

As you can probably tell, i had some really important work i should have been doing this afternoon

Great breakdown/ compare/ contrast.
Also - lovely pix.
Happy listening...

 

[Hoegaardener70]

Cant offer any wood to wood comparisons yet, but i have been giving my Stellia's one last listen back to back with my monkey pod VCs before they go.

Hi Teknorob23, great write up . Could you also shortly comment on the isolation / sound leakage? I remember you writing at one point that the VC are more isolating than the Stellia. Still the same impression? Thanks!

 

[jinxy245]

Dont shoot me and this is entirely a personal preference, but i prefer the machined cutting edge feel of the stellia's over the artisanal finish of the VCs

cummon no worries there, we all have differing aesthetic preferences. You're allowed your opinion even if you're wrong I disagree.

 

[teknorob23]

Hi Teknorob23, great write up . Could you also shortly comment on the isolation / sound leakage? I remember you writing at one point that the VC are more isolating than the Stellia. Still the same impression? Thanks!

Yes sorry i should have mentioned this. The VC's are way better the leakage and isolation front, in fact they're probably the best performers here out of any CB i've tried

 

[Rowethren]

Should be getting my hybrid pads tomorrow, I will make sure to give some impressions in due course. If I am honest though I will most likely end up using them just for comfort reasons regardless of if they don't sound as good as the leather Auteur pads.

 

[mixman]

Cant offer any wood to wood comparisons yet, but i have been giving my Stellia's one last listen back to back with my monkey pod VCs before they go.

After some initial A/B'ing sessions with the two pairs, i've spent the last month or so listening solely to the VC's, but coming back to the Stellias over the last few days, i have to say when it comes to performance and enjoyment it is comparatively a much closer run thing and is really more a question of preferences rather one being objectively superior of inferior than the other

The two headphones couldn't be more different from one another, almost in every way, from they look to the way the sit on your head and of course to how they sound. When i consider their respective TOTL price tags it comes as some relief that i find they perform at similar very high level, so if i could afford to i would keep both.

To my ears and for my preferences, the highlight/ benefits of one over the other are (listening direct out of hugo2 and via hugo2 with FA Euforia Tube amp, VCs with the stock pads and both using a 22awg 4 core Neotech UPOCC Silver Cable).

Both pairs are very good at everything. The VC's have richer, warmer (side of neutral), fuller, slightly darker but still highly detailed and super musical natural presentation, whereas the Stellias are closer to being tonally neutral, more forward, brighter, precise super dynamic, but musical way of doing things.

VC Pros:

• Almost mistakable for an open back - Height, width and depth of sound stage are incredible
• Visceral impact across the whole frequency range (except sometimes with the mids)
• Seperation and layering
• Lovely full bass plenty impact and quantity
• Airiness at the top
• Super comfortable

VC Cons:

• Mids can sound a little recessed
• Marginally less detailed, but superior seperation within a bigger stage provides better real world resolution. ie i can here more of the detail more of the time
• Massive on the head (but not heavy)
• Dont shoot me and this is entirely a personal preference, but i prefer the machined cutting edge feel of the stellia's over the artisanal finish of the VCs

Stellia Pros:

• Overall Clarity and resolution (but only just)
• Bass detail
• Stunning mids especially in vocals and guitars with which i prefer the crunch and texture
• Speed and dynamism (but only just)
• Cutting edge design and use of material, compact less obtrusive on the head

Stellia Cons:

• Relatively shallow 2D staging/
• Cutting edge design and use of materials are slightly fragile in real world usage.
• Linear bass (goes deep but lacks the kick of the VCs)
• ginger.

A lot of these findings or at least the pattern, is similar to those that i found with the Utopia's versus the LCD4z, they just did things very differently, pleasing my preference slightly more in certain areas, and i loved them both.

This exercise has confirmed three things in my mind at least: One, these two pairs of headphones are for my money the best CBs ive heard as of today, by some distance and are right up there with the best HPs i've heard of any type. Second this process has re-affirmed that i am susceptible to new toy syndrome, having on arrival of the VCs, dropped the Stellia's like a stone, convinced they were vastly inferior, only to find a month or so later that they're level of performance to my ears at least is pretty even, and finally that i prefer listening to my music through the VCs.

As you can probably tell, i had some really important work i should have been doing this afternoon

Excellent write up. The Stellia happens to be my favorite Focal. I also just happen to love the Verite, even though I haven’t heard the VC yet, but I am sure I would love that too!

 

[bryceu]

Well looks like you have to deal with me here now too as I got a pair of VC in the works...

 

[jinxy245]

Well looks like you have to deal with me here now too as I got a pair of VC in the works...

Is that a promise or a threat?
Hey...new voices seem generally appreciated here...looking forward to our impressions.
Edit ...believe it or not, I meant "your impressions" .....lol

 

[bryceu]

In that case it's a promise. Excited to compare VO and VC. I've never owned a CB headphone, but the benefits of a closed, on a headphone that sounds "least closed" is enticing.