ETHER 2

I just looked at the price. We really have lost our minds. Hell that was long ago. YRMV.

 

The search continued for a Better HD650 today.

I spent a fair bit of time (a couple of hours) with the Ether 2 at TSAV today, and some time with the ZMF Aeolus, Audeze LCD 3, Audeze LCD MX4, and Sony MDR-Z7M2.

From first listen, I was about ready to just snap up the Ether 2s and walk out with them. Great first impressions, lovely bass and no obvious annoyances. They're light as hell as well. I brought my DAC with me and only used their Phonitor X since I knew what the combo sounded like.

What stopped me primarily from buying them today was some fatiguing tonal crunchiness in the treble region. A great example is the snare hits on Daft Punk - Doin' it Right. Every hit of the snare bothered me with a bright, swooshy crunch (exaggerated description). It also exhibited a bit of sibilance from a few other tracks, but I failed to note which ones. The LCD 3 actually had the same issue with Doin' it Right for me.

It is important to note that I did use it through a solid state amp the entire time. I found it pleasing enough overall that I plan to go back and try it with some tubes. Maybe a Liquid Platinum with Amperex tubes or something along those lines.

The LCD MX4 was better than I expected but not worth the asking price (even at the <$2000 B-Stock price). The Aeolus was tonally quite good but lost some of the detail and felt a bit hollow and blanketed compared to the others. The LCD 3 was okay but I think I liked the Ether 2 better and they're not substantially different. I didn't let myself hear the ZMF Verite because I didn't want to love something out of budget. The new Z7M2 is much better than the old one.

One worry I had was the earpad hole size. The official measurements I found somewhere showed them to be appreciably smaller than the HD650 interior, but that was only barely the case. My ears touched a little on the top and bottom (they also touch the HD650s), but it was particularly bothersome and the upcoming pads are supposed to be slightly bigger, which should be perfect.

Unless I can find a good way to tame that little bit of extra brightness, it would be hard for me to spend the money on the Ether 2s despite liking them quite a bit.

 

From listening to the Verums with the perforated pads while writing a review for them that's soon to be posted, I'd say that for me, the Verums turn bright and congested at a certain loudness when using pads that create a vacuum seal like the stock pads. The perforated leather pads got rid of most brightness for me, and made the bass faster and punchier sounding at the cost of some rumble/extension. This might be something that applies to all planars, since I remember reading same impressions about the LCD-2C with velour pads.

 

Wait...so are you saying Marv shouldn't give his honest opinion about this headphone because of some personal issue you had with him in the past?

You should definitely try the Suede pads. The ear hole size is bigger and the treble is better behaved. Very lush with those pads.

 

That could make these my perfect next headphone, then. I'll try to sit on my hands until those pads are ready.

 

Sounds to me like those were with the Universe pads, I'd also recommend taking a listen with the Verite pads if you get a chance....very different IMO.

That being said the Ether 2 is probably the best headphone I've heard from Mr. Speakers yet IMO. Those other pads do sound promising...good luck!

 

Can confirm at least the above.

I also prefer Jot (latest revision) to Lyr 3 but that's likely because of preference and/or what I am seeking for.
And I like both Jot and Lyr 3 over THX by a meaningfully huge margin. Note that I seem to be more generous toward Jotenheim's treble with any headphones than the average sbaf.

So, to me nexus and rag2 might be interesting to try once they are released, let alone I'm super desiring to hear SJr.. (damn, totally teased)

 

I've been thinking about the amp pairing as well for the Ether 2. I've come to the conclusion that even though the Liquid Platinum powers it effortlessly, I feel that the LP is holding it back in the speed department. The Verite on a push-pull amp sounds faster than the Ether 2 with the Liquid Platinum. Thinking along the lines of adding an amp like the Rag or Rag 2.

Imagine the Ether 2 out of a ECP Ravenwood.

 

Whenever I've gotten this or that headphone, intended to overcome this or that negative characteristic--it never seems to happen. Fixing what's wrong becomes an expensive tail-chase.

It's like when you try on shoes, a pair you love the look of, price is right, everything peachy--except they pinch a little here or there. And you tell yourself, "It's leather--it'll break in." Sorry. It never does.

 

I'd stick with big SS amps over ECP for planars considering the 5 ohm OI on the ECP wasting a lot of power into low impedance planars like the Ether

P.S: I own the LP and Verums and holy crap if it doesn't get bloody hot with the 8ohms of the Verum, way hotter than driving 650s. I guess thats what happens when your amp is not rated for 8 ohms on the spec sheet. With these low impedance cans, speaker amps are gonna do great, like @purr1n preferring the speaker out of the Studio Jr to the headphone out for the Ether 2.

 

Sounds like dan should included MrSpeaker doggie treats. I use them with the TH900 with great results to tame the treble.

Secret’s out now!

 

Not sure if there's slight unit variation with Ether2s or if I'm just used to treble happy headphones. I did own the likes of original HE-400, Denon D2000, HE-560, HD800, and Aeon Open over the years.

Anyways, subjectively I can't find much of a spike in the Ether2's treble, very hard to find any sibilance with it either. I am using the Ether2 balanced with the Jotunheim, but I'm pondering whether to upgrade its balanced dac to the multibit dac for use with the Ether2. Thoughts?