Mysphere 3.1 and 3.2

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by Zhanming057, Mar 1, 2019.

  1. ogodei

    ogodei MOT: Austin AudioWorks

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    Sorry, I was idly wondering how you increased the bass without changing the driver tuning. I'm presuming wave guides wouldn't work on frequencies that low, I'm guessing you've created a cavity in the middle of a thin open-cell foam pad of some kind, a little like the B&O U70 pads. Since the pad will go against the ear you then get a little pressurization & bass loading.

    All speculation on my part.
     
  2. Heinz Renner

    Heinz Renner MOT: Mysphere

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    No, we just use the dynamic pressure (or ram pressure named) of the driver as it offer huge pumped air volume.
    It's just the same as all other headphones with front cushions are working.
    The difference in detail is, that we managed it limit the effect on the lower frequencies only.
     
  3. ogodei

    ogodei MOT: Austin AudioWorks

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    I think we mean the same thing. I'm just having trouble expressing myself as usual. :)
     
  4. Heinz Renner

    Heinz Renner MOT: Mysphere

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    Don't worry, what I wanted to say the most cannot understand ... the expression in my language is "STAUDRUCK".
    This effect we use with this new upcoming cushion.
    And there are no cavities or something like this, because this would be a kind of resonator and that's exactly what we want to avoid as it would influence the speed of the driver (the impulse response would be negatively influenced).
    BR heinz
     
  5. james444

    james444 Mad IEM modding wizard level 99

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    Sounds like it may be a similar effect to the one used in pressure zone microphones:

    https://studylib.net/doc/7812371/boundarymicsstudy
     
  6. Heinz Renner

    Heinz Renner MOT: Mysphere

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    Basically yes!
    A boundary microphone receive sound pressure vertical to the plate (wall, foor a.s.o.) with +6dB compared to the sound coming in parallel to the boundary.
     
  7. allegro

    allegro Friend

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    Sorry for the noise but I have also been noticing this lately on other posts, just seeing one image tag but no image wondering if it is a forum bug. If you click the image icon and insert a proper URL ending in .jpg when prompted images should always insert ... unless there could be a problem with non-standard formats like imgur defaults to.
     
  8. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    It's like RAAL Requisite SR1a approach with the cushion against the ear. Not a full open baffle, but a baffle where only one side is open. Their "secret" to ensuing that bass doesn't drop like a rock. Actually an ingenious method and IMO absolutely necessary to avoid K1000 type of drop off in the lows.

    It's more like going from full space to half space loading with speakers; how pro monitors have switches to adjust baffle step compensation depending upon if they are placed on a desk, wall, or corner.
     
  9. ogodei

    ogodei MOT: Austin AudioWorks

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    Ok, that I get. The boundary study document was very interesting, particularly the head-function microphone setups, but I didn't immediately see how it mapped here.
     
  10. Heinz Renner

    Heinz Renner MOT: Mysphere

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  11. Heinz Renner

    Heinz Renner MOT: Mysphere

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    Finally - the year 2019 is going to an end!
    I want to wish everybody here a pleasant and successful and healthiness new year 2020!

    As I found some time this holidays at home and following requests from you, I measured the frequency responses of a MYSPHERE 3.2 using the following front cushions:
    "N-cushion" = the standard type
    "T-cushion" = the more transparent type
    "B-cushion" = the prototype of the Bass enhancing type of cushion
    I did this on my private simple ARTA measurement tool with a simplified artificial head suing ear compensation - just for comparison reason:

    https://www.head-fi.org/threads/mysphere-3-1-faqs.857940/page-5


    ALL the BEST!
    Yours heinz
     
  12. m17xr2b

    m17xr2b Friend

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    To share my thoughts on MySphere 3.1 with the standard pads. I appreciate this is another very niche headphone few here will get so I'll be brief.

    - utopia and above level of clarity without sizzle or metallic coloration, I find it quite addicting how clear instruments are, the lack of earpad coloration certainty has a big impact here. The background is black, everything else with pads is grey. It's quite unusual to have this level of transparancy without a tilt towards the high end frequency.

    - obscene capability of layering, regardless of the number of instruments and plane they're in this headphones presents everything in perfect detail without even a hint of strain. There's no blending of anything, it's as if the instruments were rendered alone and then layered one on top of eachother. With most headphones when pushed hard with layers and different sounds some may blend together, not here.

    - with layering comes pin point accuracy, again utopia style with a large stage and without coloration. The soundstage itself is not the biggest, above average and smaller than K1K even yet height, width and depth sound equal resulting in a superb 3D image. Reverberation and directional sound is an absolute pleasure.

    - best transient repose I've heard outside of stats. Quite explosive when it must. The xylophone has been my benchmark here and it sounds lifelike, a good one is extremely hard to reproduce.

    - low end response is terrific on natural bass. I do have to emphasize natural, drums, bass guitars percussion in general is impactful, full with weight. I don't find them light at all as other have said. Synthetic bass and above average volume will distort and be nasty, then again this is the wrong headphone for such thing. Goes surprisingly deep, more so than a HD650 and I've always favored the paddles low end for its real sound.

    - neutral with slighly dark treble in the standard config, can't hear a coloration per say, voices are particularly pleasing and well done, fully textured, no FR issues since I've heard, with as much detail as possible. Planars don't come anywhere close, somewhere in between HD800 and HD650.

    - comfort needs explaining, not having pads is hard to imagine and very, very cool comfort wise long term, just from this point they're the most comfortable HPs I've had. The head bow grips firmly and securely, doesn't dissapear feeling wise but can be fine tuned if needed, I loosen mine just a bit. Will mess up your hairdo by flattening it.

    - superb, at least focal level and above, all the material feel premium, tolerances are tight and the whole thing feel sturdy and built to last.

    -fit, this needs explaining where I think people get it wrong, the typical way for these is wrong with the frame more vertical is wrong, the sound is thing, diffuse and somewhat distant.
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    With the head bow horizontally inclined is how I wear them and how it should be, Torq noticed the same and it's correct as depicted in the manual, the frames should be angled [/spoiler]

    With the headbow horizontaly inclined is how I wear them and how it should be, Torq noticed the same and it's actually correct as depicted in the manual, the frames should be angled
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    The headphone itself might look weird but it leave it to the individual user to customize the stage by adjusting the soundframe height and opening with positioning of the headphone itself. I prefer a slightly forward sound, my pads are opened just to not touch anything and 0.5-1cm above the ear canal.

    Downsides:

    - the cables are good for SQ and I don't feel the need to change them, once they get in a tangle it remains imprinted, average build quality and plugs for price.

    - other pads are expensive and not included

    - synergy...with a Geek Out 2.0 it's thin, bright, sharp and almost painful if detailed, lacks low end fullness, wrong tone.

    With a Sony WM1A, what it was supposed to pair with, it's not sharp, the beautiful transients are no where to be found, soundstage is flat, low end is thin and shy, no microdetail.

    Even if not a hard headphone to amplify with 96dB, I've never came across any outside of power requirements that's this different on amplification provided the same source components are used. Usually there's enhancements of areas but this is transformative going from low end to high end, might as well be different headphones. I can't say the project ember 2.1 is any better even with posh tubes.

    I'm happy I got them and it's a keeper for sure. My modded HD580/690 will still get most of the listening time. MyShpere gives me the reference, neutral technically accurate yet pleasing sound devoid of harshness or flaws I wanted to have with a hardwired HD800 or K1K. In addition, it's the complement I needed to the romantic, rich and enticing old sennheiser sound. Not sure if I could live with just Myshere as the only headphone but I know I can't be without it. Closest experience to speaker sound.
     
    Last edited: Jan 5, 2020
  13. murphythecat

    murphythecat GRU-powered uniformed trumpkin

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  14. Heinz Renner

    Heinz Renner MOT: Mysphere

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    In case you search for reviews of MYSPHERE 3 - justc heck this links below:


    BEHIND MYSPHERE 3
     
  15. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I think he meant very few reports that we trust - that very few senior members, site admins and mods, on SBAF have heard them. Also no measurements here. We are not measurement fascists, but members like to take a look at them so they get an idea how they are voiced. It's just a cultural thing with this site: Do not trust, always verify.

    Also, it is always concerning when Currawong says good for classical music.
     
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2020
  16. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    I have agreed with Amos about 5% of the time max and classical is about 60-90% of my listening in any given week.
     
  17. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    That said, I am sure we will eventually get to them. For high-roller gear, it's usually a member that provides them for measurements, or sometimes a vendor or retailer will provide us with an accommodation. At times, I will make the purchase myself, but never blind. @Zhanming057's compare and contrast with SR1a does have me interested. It's probably lower priority since only the "1%ers" can afford them.
     
  18. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Mysphere incoming from a member!

    I will be busy in the next two to three weeks with a lot of stuff to review. As a reminder, please contribute if you can. I've been putting a lot of energy, good energy into SBAF: https://www.patreon.com/SBAF
     
  19. Zhanming057

    Zhanming057 Friend

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    I sold my own Mysphere 3.2's a while ago to raise funds for a non audio-related purchase, although I am now looking into getting yet another pair and my SO has been enjoying her pair as well. And I think that the retrospective on these cans still yields largely the same conclusion, that while the SR1a's are technically better cans, the Mysphere's are simply more practical for me to live with.

    The downside of the Mysphere is that you get a performance envelope that merely trades blows with top shelf planars and DDs (mostly, much better staging and imaging at the cost of bass extension) but does not exceed that frontier in the way that the SR1a's do. But it's pretty much impossible to listen to the SR1a's while lying down (or even in a reclining chair) without significant modifications to the frame, or to move to another room while listening to the SR1a, use them to test headphone amps, or run them on portable sources for traveling.

    And if you restrict yourself to portable-ish setups (right now I have a SP1000+AMP kit and the Mass Kobo 424), the Mysphere's are simply light years beyond the competition. There's a reason why Ultrasone has managed to maintain some popularity in Asia where apartments in the biggest cities are often too small to accommodate full-size desktop systems, because most high end cans are incredibly power hungry, and the Edition 15 might be the best in class option if you have to run open back cans on an iPhone. The closest competitors in this space are the Focal Utopia which I would argue isn't quite as competent on either portable or price-matched desktop setups, and the ADX5000 which is IMO underrated but nonetheless significantly behind on staging and resolution and not to everyone's taste.

    It's certainly not the case that the Mysphere's can't be the focal point of a $5k or even $10k+ system. But here the limiting factor is that the 3.2 heavily favors solid state amps and people here seem to have a taste for tubes, and the more tube-oriented 3.1 is picky about tube amps. I don't have a lot of experience with the 3.1 but it seems like 2a3 and 845 are the preferred options vs. 300b or KT tubes. The 3.2 on a world-class solid state amp (the Mass Kobo 394 comes to mind or, if you're feeling adventurous, speaker amps, e.g. Pass Labs) is a legit contender to the SR1a, if still a little bass shy and not the ultimate word in resolution.

    In a perfect world I would like to keep both headphones and a single no compromise system that can handle both. But even with the COVID situation and much as I appreciate Danny's work - and I really appreciate him giving me the only pair of SR1a prototypes beside his own pair to do my review - I still can't justify going out and getting a HS1A and a DAC that will do the SR1a's justice for the amount of time I spend on critical listening at my desk. On the other hand, the Mysphere's price tag - and I do have to pay almost all of retail on each pair - is a lot easier to handle for something that I can keep on my head 7-8 hours every day.

    [​IMG]

    Depends on the type. Chamber music and solos will work best but for my taste big orchestras need more bass kick and you have to trade off staging to get bass on the Mysphere. It's possible that the new bass heavy filters may help with that. Other than the bass, the odds are stacked in favor of head mounted speakers for classical music. Imaging is more precise than anything on the other side of the K1000 and that's a huge plus for big ensembles.
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2020

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