EnigmAcoustics Dharma D1000 Hybrid Electrostatic Stereo Headphones

Manufacturer's Product Description:

Details
There’s something undeniably magic about electrostatics. Whether it’s loudspeakers or headphones, their ability to resolve inner detail, to reproduce music with immediacy, transparency,and focus is unparalleled. Utilizing an almost massless thin film membrane, they have long been regarded as the Holy Grail, and what they do as magic.

ENIGMAcoustics came into existence with that belief. And as a company devoted to electrostatic design, ENIGMAcoustics made a statement right out of the gate with the groundbreaking Sopranino electrostatic super tweeter. Its design, built around the patented SBESL™ (Self-Biased Electrostatic) technology, eliminates the need for an external AC connection to provide a polarizing voltage.

SBESL™ Technology

The patented SBESL™ technology is implemented as a miniaturized work of art in the Dharma hybrid electrostatic stereo headphone. The result, not unexpectedly, is high frequency response that extends to 50kHz, and sweet, nuanced, sound that will take your breath away. Augmenting the electrostatic HF element for lower frequencies is a 50mm Wagami paper based dynamic driver, which provides not only bass extension to 15 HZ, but palpably impactful mid bass as well. The Dharma D1000 transitions seamlessly to DHARMA’s electrostatic tweeter with a phase coherent first order slope.

Lightweight & Comfortable

At 380 grams, DHARMA is comfortable. It is also an ergonomic and stylish design featuring a high-grade aluminum alloy housing and sound that will envelope the listener in nothing less than electrostatic serenity.

Frequency response 15–50 kH

Nominal impedance 26 Ohms

THD Less than 0.3% (1 kHz, 1mW)

Sensitivity 95 dB (1 kHz, 1mW)

Configuration Around the ear, open back.

Standard plug ¼” (6.3 mm) stereo

Weight 380 g (without cable)

Cable length 3 meters

*ENIGMAcoustics reserves the right to change specifications at any time without prior written notice.

MSRP: $1,190.00
*Optional Cable options

 

One missing piece of information is that the dynamic driver is NOT crossed over at any frequency. Nobody knows the frequency response of the dynamic alone. The tweeter has a high pass filter somewhere at 10KHz to 12KHz and only complements the dynamic driver, akin to a super tweeter in a speaker setup.

 

I spoke with Todd the Vinyl Junkie and he had sold all his first shipment but was taking ordered that would go out at the end of the month. I am on the loaner tour but may just go ahead and buy this site unseen/unheard, which I almost never do.

 

Very interested in these. Very. Loaner tour?

 

I'm quite friendly... ;D
Thanks.

 

Canadians are very interested in this as well. I'm willing to absorb the import taxes and customs/duties, as long as labeled as "training equipment" when sending, which can be refunded once it returns to the US.

I can also pick it up in person and return it in person to somebody in Seattle/North Washington area, to avoid shipping AND customs/taxes all together. And then share it to the Vancouver Friends, before sending it East to other Canadians interested.

 

This headphone definitely interests me quite a bit too. Reviews so far seem to be quite good in that no one has really hated on them too much, which is unusual. I would love to hear these things!

 

I was able to briefly audition these on my setup (Gungnir Multibit->Mjolnir2) at the San Diego meet. They sounded quite nice in the mids and highs, good clarity, not harsh. I could not hear anything I perceived to be a discontinuity between the electrostat and dynamic portions. The bass is elevated higher than neutral. Not as much as TH900 but not as clean/tight either.

The build quality is quite impressive - they have a nice solid, weighty feel to them but are comfortable and not too heavy on the head.

TBH I was kind of looking for a reason to buy these as I think the concept is cool, I like the build quality/aesthetics, and the price is not bad. But the bass was not really working for me, it was a little too much for my main listening, and when I feel like being a basshead I would just use my TH900. Also I didn't feel like they did anything better than my (modded) HD800.

Later I looked up the measurements on Innerfidelity. I was surprised to see the FR did not really show much elevated bass, but the bass distortion is approaching 10% (!). Maybe that is what I was hearing.

 

I received my set today, and have been listening for the past three hours. So far so good imo. I noticed the crossover for about the first 30 minutes, but then my brain got accustomed to it after an hour or so. It sounds more coherent than the version I heard at Canjam imo. Very nice so far.

 

Pretty. How's the bass?

 

They're pretty good for an open can. I've only had them for a few days now, so I think I do need to listen to them for at least another week or two to really get a feel for them though. I can say quantity-wise, it is less than the Th-900, but still very rich & full. It does get slightly grainy at high volumes while the treble remains crystal clear all the way.

 

Could we put a "Vegan" (Or as I like to call them, because I hate being too lazy to call them Vegan,) / "Microsuede" Earpad on thesm ?
(without a lot resizing to make them fit)

 

I did just that with the lambskins. The Audeze pads do fit (tho a bit "loose") and love what it did for the sound. I also tried HM5 thick pleather, ZMF cowhide and HM5 angled - liked the ZMF as well but love the Audeze.