Kennerton Vali - Open back Dynamic headphones

Kennerton Vali


Driver Unit 50 mm
Frequency Response 10-28000 Hz
Sensitivity 100 dB
Impedance 32 Ohm
Maximum Input Power 500 mW
Cord length 2 m detachable 4-pin mini XLR OFC cable (3.5 mm)

Soon to be out in the wild. below are my impressions vs the HD650.

 

Wanted to get some impressions off of my chest about these vs the HD650's I initially called them a super HD650 but while they have some similarities they are a bit different and that may not be appropriate. Still can be called that for some reasons since it is a stronger sounding headphone. I thought it would be okay to post an early comparison here since there are a lot of fans of the HD650 here. I really like the 650 and find it and the HE-4 to represent true values in price to performance.

Pros:

• Bass is more solid and a little deeper than the Senn
• Images have clearer placements and defined positions
• Soundstage is more spacious
• Faster attack
• Dynamics are a lot more dramatic. It has plenty of attack. This is about as punchy as I have ever heard an open back dynamic.
• midrange is really natural and full even more so than the HD650,
• Not etchy or brash sounding
• Treble is not bright but there still with a smooth sound and a tendency to sound kind of vibrant on certain songs. At first I thought HD650 to have rougher treble.
• Very euphonic and musical with an even rounder, juicier, tonality
• Less grainy than the HD650

Cons

• Build is very awkward and requires a resetting of the headphone adjustment almost every time. HD650 is tons more comfortable
• HD650 has a more neutral midrange and is less colored
• Vocals can have too much reverb at times and my modded HD650 can sound more open despite being a lot less spacious. I am thinking the housing is the cause.
• There is a cavernous quality to the sound a la DX1000 al beit with the full and lush mids means having an amp or dac with extra lower mids will be a bit much.
• Slower decay of the notes it sounds like... or it can just be the reverb... I dunno yet

Draws and similarities with the above amp (trafomatic head 2 amp / cayin iDAC-6(loaner))

• possibly equal microdynamics ( or the low level fluctuations in response)
• both trade off areas of balance with the HD650 so far sounding more drab in the treble and the midrange sounding over-developed on the Vali
• mid bass presence similar but HD650 slower and a little more, Vali has more sub bass

Preference from the time with them both goes to the Vali. Actually I really want this headphone.

 

I would love to listen to this headphone. I would take a more musical HD650 over an analytical HD650.

 

looks sweet, do you think they are worth its pricetag?

 

Intrigued. "Worth the price tag" is a relative term as so many headphones cost a small fortune and sound like junk. So when something comes along and performs well price and value is a secondary conversation. This $1000 headphone is being compared to a headphone you can usually buy new for around $350. I can see low z planars being more versatile than hd650's in certain situations and amp pairings.

 

YES

Let me put it in perspective with some honest subjectivity since answering "worth the price tag" requires that.

1. The HD650 in todays market is IMO along with the Hifiman HE-4, and THX00 a rare bargain for some of the things you get from them. It practically has my favorite balance of any headphone. I would simply like a hair line less midbass, more subbass, even more musicality, speed, attack and for the lower treble to sound less grainy and rough. The Vali does all of the above yet not without it's own problems.
2. I am comparing it to the HD650 because some including myself have called it a super HD650. I also felt free to divulge my sentiments here because this community appreciates what the HD650 can do. BUT you know how DR. Jeckyl loses a bit of his intelligence when he becomes Mr. Hyde but gains height, stature, image size, power, emotion, and strength .... Well that is the case here and almost as dramatic except only a little less intelligence in the decay of the notes not being dry enough, and it sounding 79% open back whereas the (modded)HD650 sounds 85% and the HD800S sounds 95% open back, Stax 009 100%(from memory). The lack of grain though is a relief coming from the 650.
3. However, in todays market and prices of headphones the Vali starting price beats the heck out of just about any open back for emotional engagement, fluidity, and punchiness. I would take it over the any open back under 1000usd MSRP I have heard and for my tastes (Subjective!!!!) since those factors are more important to me.

In todays market it is not a bargain but fairly priced. Its tuning is hella rare though and it will be impossible to find an open back more fluid, punchy, and spacious that brings instruments close but casts decently far images. Also impossible to find another one not tuned so thin and bright. I really do think though that there is some ringing or reverb that is a bit too much and needs to be cleaned up to earn my unwarranted recommendation. I would have to start the recommendation sentence as "Awesome headphone if you ....." I loved the DX1000 and didn't mind its cavernous effect, this is a little different in that regards but I suspect someone who didn't mind that about the DX1000 would appreciate these.

 

Got the Vali loaner unit yesterday. While I feel it's a great offering, it's suffers from recessed mids that really hold this phone back from being a major contender. Bass is fantastic & well textured. They image really well. Soundstage is only average. This is I believe a pre-Production unit so hopefully kennerton will work on this before they go into production

 

There's been so many headphones that have been called a super HD650 to fail the long haul. I've personally heard this way to many times and been disappointed.

No disrespect to you at all OP but I've heard this from so many folks that I've lost excitement whenever someone mentions "Super HD650" "HD650 on Steroids" It just ends up being a disappointment. I've actually red reports as well as one just above me that it(Vali)has recessed mids, kind of like a soft V shaped headphone. The HD650 is the most grainless headphone I've ever heard without sounding too smooth. If the Vali is even smoother than the HD650 than too much midbass and a dominated treble would be my first thought.

If I get the chance to hear them I will certainly do so but I'm going to wait to see what the mass opinion of the Vali before I go out of my way.

 

Recessed mids!!! What the hell??

I definitely am not really interested in defending a headphone. But that is opposite of what I hear.

Edit: had too much rambling and was a but uncalled for.

 

Not saying I trust that graph either but at least there is a visual.

Edit: no need to ramble on w more impressionz.

 

How much are they paying you to promote these headphones? The graphs a little roller coaster with a possible weird colouration to voices but I don't know where the measurements are from.

 

Screw you

If you read my posts it's clearly pointing out that positives and negatives. I mentioned that I don't trust the graphs from that data base. I will update the post with the website. The only thing I am defending is that it's mid-range is far from recessed. Because it's not. I wanted to show some points of reference.

Just because you are the first owner of a product and actually like it means you are shilling? Let your guard down I'm very honest about what I think.



I do hear the mid range as colored by the way. It is actually rich, with some extra decay and has a peak that I think causes some slight fatigue for my ears. But it is a very tone driven headphone.

 

Your aggressiveness at defending the product reminds of the behaviour I've seen over at headfi. Relax I'm only pulling your leg about being paid. If the other chap finds they have recessed mids then that's his experience. Again that's the type of behavior that I expect from headfi to immediately jump on someone's impressions if they don't agree with your own.

I'm popping to my local dealer soon if they have them in I'll compare them to my LCD-2 which is around the same price as the Vali. The company hasn't had a great start with their magister which sounded pretty shite IMO.

 

I understand, I was a bit aggressive as well. I toned it down.

Edit again and update:

@Ray I must offer an apology as well as to @Ryanr1987

So after a meet and with the plethora of gear there I was able to recalibrate. Lessons I learned:

1. No man in isolation is worth trusting. We all have different gear, all have different tracks we use to test that reveal different flaws, and we all at times mess up in our judgement of gear.

2. I pooped the stick on this headphone and can now see where the midrange is recessed. When someone's opinion of something is sooooo far from mine I really need to dig deeper to find out why instead of respond from my moment of shock.

Publicly I state that I am sorry and hope @Ray isn't too turned off in sharing early opinions.

Reassessment of the Vali
Most of my opinion of them still stands with the exception of a crucial part of its frequency balance. After the Vali I will be able to hear it better to identify it.

Midrange: The upper midrange sounds a bit withdrawn. The thickness in the lower midrange, bass warmth, relatively ill-extended treble, and euphonic sound on some recordings make the midrange sound really full. On complex music some of the midrange gets swamped by the extra decay and there is not enough projection in the upper midrange to make instruments clearly pop through even though this headphone is very dynamic. Quieter songs, especially acoustic music with simple vocal runs, aren't as effected as much. While I was in disbelief of the Vali having a recessed midrange, I was still under the perception that the HD650 had more upper mids while the Valis lower mids were over developed. I would expect rock music to suffer the most from this. So there is a lushness at times and a withdrawn presence at others. The overall sound is forward but the balance is a bit recessed.

My impressions of the bass remain as well as the dynamics. The Elear sounds less romantic and its bass isnt as solid but its spaciousness makes the Vali sound a little congested even though the separation on the Vali is very good as well.

 

These are on Massdrop right now for 699.99