Klipsch Heritage HP-3 Headphones Preview

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by purr1n, Sep 15, 2017.

  1. PTS

    PTS Friend

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    That's probably true. My ramblings may help someone looking to pair the HP3 with solid state. After visiting Marv, I briefly got to compare the Klipsch HP3 with the ebony Fostex THX00 using a 45 SET tube amp. The HP3 sounded great with the one Diana Krall song I heard. I liked it more than the THX00, which in comparison was more veiled.

    I recently replaced the thrashed Denon earpads. Now just need to replace the raggedy headband, it looks terrible in the photo. I'm guessing Fostex parts will fit.
     
    Last edited: Oct 29, 2017
  2. gbeast

    gbeast Mighty Moral Power Ranger

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    will you have a cable for these?
     
  3. Forza AudioWorks

    Forza AudioWorks MOT: Forza AudioWorks

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    Yes.
     
  4. Ray

    Ray Friend

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  5. Forza AudioWorks

    Forza AudioWorks MOT: Forza AudioWorks

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  6. perkele

    perkele Acquaintance

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    Any thoughts about the sound leakage of these cans? Mah local dealer does not have them for audition, yet.
     
  7. gbeast

    gbeast Mighty Moral Power Ranger

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    Semi open
     
  8. PTS

    PTS Friend

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    If memory serves... they hold in sound rather well, despite the semi open design. No worse than my Denon closed headphones.
     
  9. perkele

    perkele Acquaintance

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    Well if it's even in the ballpark of Denon it may well be new gaming/office champion for me. Gotta audit it thoroughly first. Thanks for your insight.
     
  10. Ringingears

    Ringingears Honorary BFF

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    Very stream of consciousness. Almost all listening was done with the Black Widow V1. The lower impedance didn’t seem to play as nice with the Horizon III. Not surprising as it was designed with higher impedance headphones in mind. DAC was Gungnir Multibit Gen 5. Full disclosure. My preferences lean toward a neutral tuning. But I have enjoyed the TH-900 on certain amps, hence my interest in the HP-3.

    Tried with The Doors first album. HDTracks 24/96. Wow. Treble! There’s treble here. Took a few minutes to adjust. Great vocals of Jim Morrison. Real presence. Right upfront, but not forward. Just right. Sounded like it was mixed like an instrument, which I understand how they wanted it to sound. Heard little bits of guitar I hadn’t noticed before. Electric bass boosted from what I am used to, but clean. No mud here. Listened several times to the entire album. Definitely a V shaped tuning, which is not usually my first choice. Bass doesn’t bleed into lower mids. Treble is even sounding and smooth. Nice balance. Fun. Bassheads I think you will like this tuning. Treble didn’t kick up tinnitus which is minor, usually.

    Next up was Eric Clapton Unplugged. Details in the treble increased over Paradox but perhaps not as smooth, grain of salt here. As I posted in my status, heard an amp feedback I hadn’t caught before on a couple of tracks. Sound had a very real live presence to it. Good sense of recording space. More than usuaI. I use Unplugged to get a sense of instrument accuracy, at least for acoustic guitar, as I’ve been playing one for 50 years or so. Really accurate reproduction of acoustic guitar. Found myself turning up the volume a bit louder than usual. Thinking the HP-3 sounds best at moderate volumes. Low level late night listening wasn’t as good. At this point, I’m starting to think these might be headphones for me. But then.

    The Beatles test. I use these as I have heard them so many times I can hear them in my head. Also, they have been played through every piece of gear I’ve ever owned. Also, if a piece of gear doesn’t work well with Beatles, I pass. My preference. Went with Abbey Road first. Vocals sounded like the mike had been placed 10 feet away. Some recessed mids. Here Comes the Sun, George is now way back in the mix. Same on Dear Prudence (White Album) John sounded like he was singing from another room. Tried Rubber Soul then Revolver. At this point I could hear the V shaped tuning. Not fun on these recordings and Paul’s bass sounded a little muddy. Not what I hear on any of my other cans.

    I listened again over 3 days and at different times of the day. I did a marathon session on a Saturday. The longer I listened the more I liked them. Late Saturday night I was pretty sold on the overall sound. Even on Beatles tracks. But Sunday afternoon, the recessed middle returned. Psychoacoustics at work I suspect.

    Summary. Well made and good looking headphones. Good technicalities. Nice job on the V shaped tuning. I think a lot of folks would really enjoy this headphone. You closet bassheads especially. Just not my cup of tea for $1200. Definitely worth an audition.
     
  11. dmckean44

    dmckean44 In a Sherwood S6040CP relationship

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    My problem with these is they weren't that great with dynamics, they tended to compress all my test tracks so that everything is the same volume. I'm a huge Klipsch fan and run modded KLF-20s and Cornscalas and I expepteced much more. To me all the detail and speed didn't matter since they couldn't even make a kick drum sound like a kick drum. The Atticus is a 10x better can for the same money.
     
  12. gbeast

    gbeast Mighty Moral Power Ranger

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    http://earphiles.org/2017/12/klipsch-heritage-hp-3-review/
     
  13. Don Miller

    Don Miller Banned from FS; never sell me anything

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    Thanks gbeast, Focal Clear review forthcoming, macrodynamics, this could get interesting! Were you able to try the hp3 off the Mogwai SE speaker taps direct or with an adapter with resistor?
    I know what you mean, re: Atticus and HD800 knocking with the Mogwai (esp. your old cork hd800 ;)
     
  14. Jinxy245

    Jinxy245 Vegan Puss

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  15. gbeast

    gbeast Mighty Moral Power Ranger

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    No the speaker taps I got were actually pins instead of banana plugs on accident. I need to get another adapter.

    This Mogwai has 300ohm(pretty high impedance) tap which makes the bass slam on the HD800
     
  16. Jinxy245

    Jinxy245 Vegan Puss

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    Wouldn't the speaker taps be overkill for such an easy to drive headphone like the HP3?
     
  17. Ringingears

    Ringingears Honorary BFF

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  18. AMW1011

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  19. Dr. Higgs

    Dr. Higgs Boson - Member

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    Wow, "v-shaped" looks like an understatement based on those measurements.
     
  20. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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