Klipsch Heritage Headphones

Came across this and remembered your query: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones...pen_back_thx00s_let_me_show_you_them/dlgg5da/

I'd take impressions with a grain of sale (reddit, after all), but apparently certain grilled backs are easily swapped into the X00s, making for a proper open-back biodyna. Also, seems Fostex TH-500RP backs are an easy swap. Might consider getting the cheapo backs if it turns out sourcing 500RP backs alone is unfeasible.

... Or maybe just get the 500RPs and swap its cups with my X00s. Hmm.

Anyway, (sort of) back on topic: looking forward to news on the Klipsch cans! Rather liked the x10i I managed to demo, would be interested to see how these turn out. A bass-lite biodyna would be a novelty.

 

It's interesting to observe how bass is presented in open backs vs closed. I've perceived more initial bass impact on open backs and more of a mid bass emphasis while the isolation / dampening of closed backs slightly softens the slam but allows one to hear much deeper into the sub bass frequencies. I think I prefer the latter but a semi open like the Klipsch could be a nice middle ground since it theoretically gives some airiness with a bit more sub bass extension. Fostex is developing a semi open version of the THX00 and I'm curious if their R&D on the Klipsch cans inspired them to do so.

 

Little update from Head-Fi..

Actual photos with differnt color options:


Top one with dark wood and gold accents is sexy as f**k!

 

Posting this strictly for context. Next time, do us a solid and follow your advice too. Read as: don't multi-quote people while calling their posts "garbage." That notified everyone of your remark.

If you want people to elevate the conversation, start by elevating it. Don't get your digs in first.

 

What the hell are you talking about @Cryptosom? I have never once called anyone's posts "garbage". Go ahead and read all my posts in this thread and find where I said that. If you want to elevate a conversation, make sure you are directing your criticisms at the right person.

 

So when we started the project I can tell you ALMOST everyone inside the company liked the Ebony (the darker finish) over the other finishes. However, once we started to receive physical samples...it has shifted dramatically. On the polls I have conducted to this point, the Walnut finish is actually leading. Its grandma research, but pretty interesting nonetheless...

 

Walnut and maple(?) look cute, like the Olsen twins, but the Ebony...damn, another level, Brianna Frost <3
Please, make them sound bad, I don't have 1k to spend hahahahaha (time to save money I guess )

 

I take back what I said about not wanting a fancy box. I want this box.



Steve, any word on the optional ear pads?

I find myself liking the Walnut finish more and more but Ebony matches my gear the best. Would the optional ear pads for Walnut and Oak be the same color as the stock pads?

 

LOL, Walnut and Oak are the Olsen twins official names...LOL

Sorry, they will sound awesome, save your nickels

 

HAHA, yeah the packaging is gorgeous but truth be told, Vlad (my product dev manager) was the one who pushed for this, I really thought it was a bit excessive, but he beat me down, once I saw the box in person...I was sold. We are still working on the total cost of the packaging, it is expensive, so there is work to be done still.

If we can't hit the target cost, we will go in another direction. The opinion seems to vary, but we are considering including ear pads or balanced cable instead but this package sure does elevate the whole experience in terms of merchandising, out of box experience and overall feel...

 

Personally, I'd prefer a case similar to what the DT1770 came in, or even a hard case like for the ZMF Eikon / Atticus. Functional and protective. The look of the case in the pic above is stellar, but after the initial unboxing what's it good for? I could use it as a display case, but... why? That case is too nice for me to want to use it as a transportation method.

I guess I take a bit more pragmatic look toward boxes and their various functions and designs. (And I'd rather have alternate pads and/or cables.)

Very well done though! I'm very much looking forward to chatting with you at RMAF and hearing these for myself.

For the record - Walnut gets my vote.

 

Sorry if this is a silly question but, is Marv allowed to post his impressions of the Beta prototype as soon as he receives them or does he need to wait until they are for sale to the public?

 

the box is nice but useless IMHO. A carry case with some outer sleeve style packaging would be much better. Something like the Oppo PM2 or Ether case.

Crazy people like us buying the $1000 HP3 don't need a massive wooden box to be impressed. Nobody outside the community is impulse buying the HP3 cause the box looks nice.

Spend the money on a really nice cable that looks and feels fantastic, that would add a daily benefit to the usage experience. Shame other manufacturers like Audeze and Hifiman who supply shit cables with $1500+headphones.

 

I don't mind the wood box, I actually like it but I think it should be smaller. There is a lot of excess space around the headphone, unless the extra space is to accommodate extra pads and cables.

 

When are these possibly launching. What quater of what year?

 

Supposedly they are launching in the next month or so.

After thinking more about it, I think that you should have two separate packages for these headphones (similar to the Oppo PM1 and PM2). I like the look of the wood case but it would probably just end up in my closet never to be seen again unless I loaned them or sold them. Have one package that it fully decked out, the fancy box, the proposed stand, accessory XLR cable and alternative pads for more than 1K. Have a second, more stripped down package with a simple travel case and the alternate pad for 1K or less if possible.

Do you think the headphone itself is worth close to 1K on its own? Please do not add a fancy box and a headphone stand just to reach the 1K price point. My 2 cents.

 

I think that us (crazy enthusiasts) are a really small part of the market, of course we don't care about a fancy beautiful box and want the headphone alone with extra ear pads and a 4 pin xlr cable...BUT, the other part of the market (multiple times more people than us), will care more about the box, for the "premium" experience.

I think that the best decision is to keep the box to have the big part of the market happy, and give the sound signature tuning focused to what the enthusiast market wants, as the enthusiasts really know how a premium product should sound like, I think it is fairer for both parts that way.
PS: Sorry for the awful english, I wish I could explain me better.

 

Just out of curiosity, how big are the pads? I mean, the internal space where the ears will be (don't know the exact name)

 

All three colors are beautiful. The leather headband and pads matching the color of the cups is a very nice touch

Something about beautiful products in different colors that makes me want to collect them all. Apple caught onto this a long time ago with their iMacs and iPods.

The part where the headband joins the cups looks a lot more robust now. That's a plus for me.