ETA Mini S Review (Follow-Up to Mini C)

This is the a main advantage of semi open cans vs fully open configurations it seems. Kinda figured this'd be the case with how the FR is sculpted but thanks for the confirmation! Jeebus, any other semi-open headphones, or headphones in general, with similarly low resonant frequencies off the top of your head?

Meant to poke nose into this but got distracted. How likely is it that the material and geometry of the headphones might instead be amplifying specific frequency ranges, sympathetic resonances and whatnot?

 

IME, this can be adjusted on the driver level (at least with our drivers) in any acoustic config by changing the degree and placement of airflow on the driver's frame itself and is unrelated to openness or closedness, though I suppose the 'sweet spot' for this parameter often has an interplay based on those other factors. If you put the S cups and pads on the C without any other adjustment and did a similar measurement for example, the C's bass peak would be centered even lower due to how the driver is treated... but you'd also have leaner upper bass / low mids.

You're probably right, I was reading some of Tyll's old measurements of other headphones and saw similar behavior regarding bumps over 0dB of attenuation. Just wasn't sure with such haphazard first-time testing methods.

 

These arrived yesterday. I’m very, very impressed thus far. They look great and are extremely comfortable.

To my ears, the all important midrange is the focus here. Tidy, cohesive, detailed...pulls all the information out while arranging it in a tight musical package. Bass is solid, powerful and underpins that lovely midrange perfectly. The treble does its job by polishing that midrange and letting it breathe, but without being intrusive, yet still letting fine detail through. Very hard to pull off but that’s what I’m hearing here.

There’s also a sense of confidence in the sound, easy free flowing dynamics and rhythm. Like an actual event.

Bravo ETA! You have created something truly wonderful here.

 

I wanted to clarify that when I said “tight musical package”, I was not alluding to a lack of soundstage or space. That is all there as per the recording, due to what my ears are telling me are perfectly matched drivers.

 

hmm... I really don't know how to read these graphs, but they're indicating that the Mini S is providing a fair amount of isolation? Mine seem pretty open as far as both isolation and leakage go. That is, they don't seem to attenuate outside noise significantly better/differently than my ZMFs or HD650, and the leakage is in the same ballpark as well.

This isn't a complaint since I didn't get these for isolation (and virtually all of my headphones are open-back), but I also figured it might be good for folks to know that they don't really provide much in the way of isolation (at least, not in my experience).

 

I would have never guessed at the HD6XX cuts 15 db from 5K up as subjectively it seems less than that...

 

It's from the opposite side of the EARS rig so there's nothing really striking the outside mesh of the 6XX directly. Makes sense IMO, the EARS rig is pretty dense through the box

 

Interesting to take a look at these graphs (it's nice to see comparative graphs).. and, I certainly don't doubt that the HD650 provides less isolation..... and, yes, you probably are correct that this is a difference in expectations. I suppose my threshold for "adequate isolation" would be along the lines of: Am I able to conduct a conversation with someone at normal volume without music playing while wearing these headphones? If yes, then they probably don't isolate as well as I'd want for a headphone where isolation is desired..... and, this is also coming from someone who used to use Sony WH-H900N (the poor man's WH1000XM2), Aeon Closed, and V-Moda M-100 for isolation (yea... it's been a while since I've purchased closed-back headphones as I generally don't need/want them).

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you're looking to buy headphones with good isolation, these are probably not the best option (or IMO, not even a "good" option). But they are very nice headphones in general.. I do like them!

 

FWIW, the Closed was designed with passive isolation in mind. Any more seal and the drivers start to show tonal issues that couldn't be remedied with damping adjustment. Marv's last post above was with the Closed compared to the Senns, not the Semi.

On the Semi, the closedness wasn't really meant to be a selling feature, but rather I felt the degree of pressure play is closer to 'critical damping' in terms of optimizing the behavior of the driver to my tastes. Isolation wasn't taken into consideration in terms of the airflow layout, but if it's enough I'd call it a 'happy accident'.

If isolation is important, I'd suggest the C every time. I could use the C in most public settings (subway, coffee shop, small gym) short of an airplane where the only real isolation options are ANC or IEMs. The S may be enough isolation for a bedroom or office (drowning out air conditioner noise or a TV show being played the next room over), but not much more for me.

Edit - a lot of this probably depends on your listening level too! Bleed should be considered as much as isolation.

 

I totally missed the C vs S in Marv’s graph. Yes, I totally agree that the Mini C does a good job isolating. The Mini S, not so much. Perhaps, that’s where the wires got crossed. Or maybe I just demand more isolation when I want it.

 

I've been using the ETAMini S for a week or so now and feel like I have a decent enough grasp on their abilities to say a little bit about them

I've used them on a few systems and believe that they do take on the character of each system.

Cullen DL3 - > Cullen GCHA
MHDT Havana -> Vali 2+
SFD-1 -> Vali 2+ / ECP T3

I feel like ETA has really found a sweet spot with this headphone. It hits most of my interests while commiting the least amount of sins. Great tone, timbre, resolution, imaging. They have transients around the ZMF lineup level since they mostly are all similarly semi-open. One thing I really enjoy about the Mini S is the bass extension with a good amount of punch with a slight mid-bass boost. I find the mids excellent and the treble extended, but not overly airy and without any listening fatigue.

I honestly feel like these could take the place of my Senn HD600 / Focal Clear as the goto headphone for serious relaxation listening. The Audeze LCD-R is my headphone for a more intense and focused listen.

I've described to Ev that I feel like the Mini S is like a Koss PortaPro / KSC-35 that has grown up into a proper full-size headphone. Almost like the Sennheiser PX100 grew up to be the HD650 (if that makes sense - it's a compliment and not a comparison in any way other than how simple the little headphones can just be put on and you'll instantly be transported to "Yes, this is how music is supposed to sound"

Other Semi-Opens that I've heard are the ZMF Lineup, DT880, HP-3, Nighthawk, and probably a few others that aren't remarkable. I'd say the Mini S hangs with all of them and surpasses most of them and I feel is a better total package than all of them.

Well done ETA. I hope the future is bright for you all.

 

How's the music bleed on the Mini S? Would it disturb colleagues in the office? I know the Mini C would be better in this regard but it seems that tonally the S might be more up my alley.

 

When I wake up in the morning and they are still producing music and laying on my bed next to me, they are generally quieter than my open backs. I do notice that they have an isolating effect while wearing them, but luckily they don't sound cuppy or stuffy like most closed backs.

 

As many of you may recall, I really loved the Mini Open. And then I switched to the Mini C because I needed a closed back, and while it was probably the best closed back I had heard, and had its own strengths, I did miss the Mini Open. The good news is that when I tried the Mini S, it became clear it was providing the articulation and tonal accuracy of the C with slam more akin to the Open. Being semi open really seems to have resulted in a best of both worlds scenario.

I compared this back to back with an HD650 KISS modded, and tonally the two sounded extremely similar. The S was more extended on the top, had more slam, and faster transients. The nice thing is that the power requirements of the S are minuscule compared to the 650, so I can get all that good sound out of modest gear. For example, it's a great combo with a Fulla e.

Unless you need closed backs, I'd say the Mini S is the one to get. And it is absolutely worth getting. Just a great pleasure to listen to!