Verum Audio - Exciting high performance DIY planar

Yeah it is 3.5mm indeed. I may get a hart audio cable made for it. I actually swapped the L and R sides on the cable and I can actually get it to cut out on either side if I tug on the cable a certain way. Not imbalance, just actually cut out for a second. If I don't touch it, its fine, but tugging on the cables a bit can make the sound cut out. Easier to make the right cut out than the left. Will need to try another cable to confirm. Maybe bad female jack termination, idk. If I get a replacement cable made, does it have to be dual Mono with one black ring on it too?

 

Dual mono same as the new hifiman.

 

Thanks.

 

Do they not have a label stating Do not tug on the cable, as this can lead to audio cutoutal?

 

Haha. It happened to me without tugging on it before, that was just what I did to try and reproduce the issue as it really happens intermittently. I could listen for a whole hour with no issue, then right side goes in and out intermittently for a few seconds. I'm gonna work on getting a new cable from hart audio. Possibly right angle as well so it doesnt strain the jacks so much.

 

The guy from Hart Audio contacted me today and can make a custom right angle cable he said. I'm gonna go ahead and get that and report back in a few weeks on it.

A few more impressions from 3rd day listening:

I understand these a lot better today, the honeymoon period has started to wear off, so to speak, so I feel that I can speak about them a bit better. The main glaring flaw that I've come to notice is that the bass lacks dynamics. Its a bit one note, it has great speed, extension, detail, and pretty good slam, but I think it struggles to play changes in the pitch of the bass tone being played, so everything sounds like a thump. Same goes for subbass, it is very extended, but doesn't seem to change volume much when the song calls for it. Overall presentation comes off as slightly "dry" if I had to describe it. Think Beyerdynamic bass

ZMF Uni Perf Suede pads: Bass comes down a notch and not as impactful, mids are similar between stock solids and these. I originally thought these had too much treble, but as I adjusted I discovered that they're still a warm sound with these on it. Stage increases a decent amount, reaching farther left and farther right. I'd say these are slightly darker than the solid pads. Fixable with EQ if you like the soundstage.

The good: Vocals seem very very clear and decently naturall, very detailed, you can hear every breath so clearly. Mids are the absolute highlight of these, they are pretty detailed here imo and are more forward than your typical audeze mids. Soundstage isn't huge, but its acceptable and doesnt detract from the experience. Bass goes low, I mean really low, there's plenty of rumble here. These are quite speedy headphones, decay is very fast. Detail is more than acceptable, I have no frame of reference besides my trusty ER2XR, and I'd say it beats it slightly here. Layering and seperation are good, nothing crazy oustanding, but just good. These are great relaxing cans honestly, just laying back in a chair and enjoying the music is amazing. The only time the negative things I mentioned get to you are when you're sitting down and listening specifically for them and picking apart the sound. It isn't the most "emotional" sound, I feel that it ends up coming out kinda of sterile personally, if the bass had better dynamicism to it I feel that it would go a long way. I'm gonna sit on these for a bit and see if I end up wanting to sell them and get something else, or if it keeps growing on me.

 

What amp are you using?

 

He is using a JDS Atom.

 

Should be nice budget pairing. @xzackly7 - want to try eq?

 

I see a lot of recommendations for schiit Magni, but which version plays better with Verum: 3+ or Heresy? Any gain preference?

 

I was playing around with EQ some yesterday with the zmf pads. The main things I found that increased the "engaging" and "lively" factors is having the the vocals more forward by increasing 1.5-2.2khz by 2-3db. Then do 5.3khz-7.5khz by 2-2.5db, and a bit more air added above 10khz. This takes your focus off of the bit of unnatural bass imo and makes it grab your attention more, I no longer feel like a spectator watching my music play out around me, it feels like I'm right in the middle of it with vocals in my face, having a personal experience. What type of sound you like is your choice, I guess my preference leads me towards more of a bright/neutral tonality that keeps me locked in and focused.

Part of this is because I listen to a lot of female vocals and enjoy extra presence in the areas that those fall in. The bass still can come off as unnaturally fast with unrealistic decay to the notes, but with this EQ it takes my focus off the bass and allows it to take more of a back seat. Imo because the subbass is so quick, there's some odd tones that come out and it can sound wonky.

I may be one who just doesn't prefer planar bass, but if this bass had a little more dynamicism to it, it would definitely help. Treble is more in line with my preference with this EQ and it actually pretty enjoyable. So mids and highs = fixable, bass is not.

 

I'll give you eq profile soon that will add your desired dynamism

https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets - this guy ( Oratory1990) made very good job for EQ according to harman curve many headphones, including Verum 1.

Here is particular preset for Verum 1: https://www.dropbox.com/s/q8iu78en5rvjkmg/Verum One (leather earpads).pdf?dl=0

also please use parametric EQ (not usual band EQ). For example this one: https://sourceforge.net/projects/equalizerapo/files/latest/download

 

I'll give them a try. I do wish I had your perforated pads that you were including there for a while, I'm a big fan of perforated on these over solid.

 

I just applied. Its a pretty decent EQ but I find that it doesn't fully fix all my issues with it. Sound still isnt the MOST natural thing, the bass is good technicality wise but lacks the feel and naturalness of a dynamic driver sadly. Its cool when you first hear it but its weird to me still. Listening to them a bit longer reveals more and more flaws to me. Of course its all really clear still but the whole presentation is still a bit sterile even with any eq. It can become more lively with it, but never seems to bring music alive as easily as my ER2XRs that I compare to. I will of course continue to listen for another month/two before deciding on whether I am keeping them or not. I feel that my personal tastes would be better served with a simple HD650. It's a good headphone build wise and comfort wise, just doesn't fulfill my tastes completely.

 

There is debate whether dynamism is intrinsically linked to FR; some say that adding bass volume is enough to give impression of more slam and that headstage is also attributable merely to 6kHz peak.

Not going to offer opinions but if EQ didn't solve your concerns perhaps changing upstream components (at your own pace) will help remedy areas you feel dissatisfied with?

 

Source gear would probably help a little. I'm totally not trying to bash this headphone, I think that I am just really used to how Dynamic Drivers sound and this being my first planar I'm really keying in on the differences/faults of it compared to what I'm used to hearing.

 

Sterile would probably be the last word I would use to describe the Verum. Some planars are. But the Verum flows, especially in the mids. It's the only planar I know that can make my HD600 rather obsolete.

 

@xzackly7 - do you have experience with any other planar headphones?

 

I would say it's still a lively sound, but I believe what I'm experiencing is getting used to the instantaneous decay of a planar. I don't particularly like how some genres that utilize female vocals sound, the vocals just ended up coming across more un-emotional than I'm used to. Genres like EDM and Rock really benefit from the speed and it's pretty fun to hear those genres actually, but I enjoy KPop also and I find the decay to be un-welcome on that genre as the vocals don't sound quite right to my ears. It may be a case of needing a complimentary headphone to cover the gaps. Once again, no experience with planars prior to this. My frame of reference for female vocals and music in general is my trusty ER2XRs.