Mr. Speakers Ether

The WA6SE is being serviced currently. I used the all tube ampsandsound Mogwai and the solid state Audeze Deckard. I think the Ethers are picky about what they're plugged into, and maybe those two amps didn't have the right synergy.

 

Double post, please delete this one.

 

If anyone is interested, I'm touring three sets of ear pads for the Ether C. I will include my Velour Brainwavz, the Branwavz hybrids, as well as the cowhide ZMF pads in the pad tour. ZMF shipped the pads today (special thanks to them), so I should get them soon.

If you are interested in trying all sort of alternate pads with your Ether C, send me a PM and I will add you to the tour. Your cost is to post impressions of the ZMF pads and to send the pads to the next person on the list.

 

Massdrop and Mr speakers are going to be taking orders for the Ether closed backs soon for $900 soon. The scheduled ship date isn’t until the end of February 2019 so those who join the drop will have their money tied up for at least 5 months which is a downside but it is half the cost of them at full retail.

I do not know much about them so I am reading up now very quickly as I am on the fence. I also noticed it seems like Mr speakers is only selling refurbished models of the closed backs so I am thinking this might be a last Hoo rah with the ether c model...

Interesting.. New HP will be releasing in this price range around $1000-$1500 within these 5 months.. Was looking at the Focal clears because of the praise they get and the $1100 deal if turned in with any HP or IEM (buy a $10 HP for the trade in makes a good deal)

 

The Massdrop description states the sound on these have been changed. Much smoothing of frequencies. So, not your normal Ether C.

 

Damn it this sounds intriguing but $900 is still a decent chunk of money. Decisions, decisions!!

 

Ether C was an enjoyable headphone with the right tracks... Pretty clean sounding but too mid forward and lean for my tastes. Most comfortable headphone I've ever owned though. Depending on what MD has accomplished with tuning these could be a winner.

 

I owned the Ether C flow for a year, and agree about the ergonomics. So comfy, but alas just a bit to thin sounding. The connectors were also my favorite so far out of any headphone.... sold them when I got upgrade-itus. I do miss them a bit.

 

I tried the Ether with the MrSpeakers flat pads, I think the electrostatic pads. I recall them being a bit more robust in the lower ranges.

Edit - spotted these https://www.head-fi.org/threads/like-new-mrspeakers-ether-c-flat-earpads.889644/

I’m not sure what other pads fit?

Take my comments cautiously - I like the Ether C v1.1 quite a bit. I seem to get a good seal with the stock pads. I use either a Vali2 or a Liquid Crimson.

After spending a week with the tour Auteurs, I certainly notice the “polite” bass of the Ether C in comparison. Not necessarily bad, but polite.

 

If that line is being reexamined I'd make the drive to Calabasas and loan you my Ether Flows, for science. Having heard among others LCD4, Utopia, Bill's HD800, and having owned Teak Auters, I'm still an EFlow proponent.

 

Sounds like @BillOhio needs to find an HE6 ASAP!

But seriously, you should come over sometime and hear what I've got in the stable.

Edit: also open to drive to Calabasas. Occasion for micro-meet?

 

It'd be very cool to hear the HE6 on some good gear. Re inviting ourselves over to Marvey's I'm not sure on that one especially considering his recent health. I might offer to host something though, and am down the street here in Glendale.

 

I'd offer to host too, I have a lot of empty space in this apartment... but maybe that wouldn't be the best idea given I have no furniture!

If a micro-meet happens I'd lend you my GFA-555 and M22B for a couple days in advance to get warmed up before listening. It makes a massive difference. The GFA in particular takes *forever*.

You could probably run the Ether off the GFA too if you were feeling ambitions. The LCD-2's play with it just fine, save for a little buzz. Hum-X would fix it. And I always use SYS somewhere in the chain as a protection of sorts and to provide further usable potentiometer range.

Anyway, the Ethers. I've always felt their tonal presentation approaches the aesthetic of a few STAX headphones I've heard at various shows. Definitely an energetic phone, got that breathy, glossy quality to the treble. I'd be curious about how they respond to amping and pad rolling as mentioned earlier.

 

I know the ether c need power to drive since their sensitivity is only 92 db but with them being only 23 ohms is it hard to find an amp to synergize with that low of impedence but still needs POWAHH to push them. Seems like most planars are at least around 50 ohms and this is half of that

 

I just want the dampening material and pads that come with the Ether CX. I'm assuming everything else is the same as my Ether C "1.1"

 

Hmm, interesting. Not enough for me to splash down $900 but.. interesting. I am sporting the regular user addition of toilet paper and EQ It did help get these to a sound I quite like, though stock it wasn't half bad.