HEDDphone Two impressions and reviews

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by zottel, Jan 26, 2024.

  1. zottel

    zottel Friend

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    I'm starting this thread now that I have an impression of the headphone, after roughly 20h of listening. I'll come back to this thread (or whatever the major thread about the HEDDphone Two is then) in a month or two with a proper review.

    Chain: Roon -> HQPlayer -> iFi Zen Stream (USB) -> Meier Corda Daccord FF -> Meier Jazz FF -> HEDDphone Two

    Caveats:
    • The headphone might not be completely broken in yet. After about 5h, I didn't hear strong changes anymore, but it might still be in the process of becoming a little smoother.
    • This is honeymoon phase. :)
    Impressions:
    • Great neutral voicing leaning mid-forward. Everything sounds extremely real, no perceived dips or bumps anywhere. Not a bright headphone, far away from a Hifiman, e.g., but at least to my ears not dark, either.
    • The often talked-about missing extension in the sub-bass is a non-issue to me. With break-in (possibly mainly mental in this case), more sub bass showed up. I don't have an issue with Royals by Lorde now which I mentioned as an example in a profile post, it sounds perfectly good without EQ. It requires songs like Broken by Hidden Orchestra that go really deep for me to even notice that something is missing. Although I do have some electronica in my library, there are very few songs where EQing more sub bass in even makes a difference. That EQ'd sub is much cleaner and better controlled than that of the Clear Mg.
    • Very detailed, but not in your face detailed. Less "I never heard this before" than "I never heard it like this before". It's all about timbre and plankton, which is the main feature for me. Very, very nuanced.
    • Rather unforgiving of mediocre recording quality. Not in the sense that the sound becomes unlistenable, but definitely meh. Easier to enjoy with other headphones.
    • Lots of punch, rather more than less than the Clear Mg.
    • Very good separation and layering, perfect placement.
    • Small stage, but very 3D. The first headphone for me where I could perceive instruments clearly behind each other, not only next to each other. Where the material has it, the stage goes out quite a bit, but it never becomes huge. Sphere-shaped.
    • Best male voices I ever heard. Also best female voices, but the difference isn't as large there.
    • I loved it most with prog like Polyphia (What a punch! What great detail!) and "romantic" sounds like an ocean of strings or a choir, especially if well-recoded, where all the plankton is just breathtaking.
    • Not exactly harsh, but the transients are really shoved into your ears. The Clear Mg sounds soft in comparison. This doesn't sound bad, not harsh, not metallic or anything like that, it's just strong. Hard to explain. I guess that might be too much for some.
    • Comfort is meh. The clamp force is too much for my taste, even in the lightest setting of the HEDDband. Hurts after a while when wearing glasses. Airtight seal which leads to sweat in my ears, and I'm hearing my own pulse when the music is quiet. Eating while listening isn't fun. Like a closed-back, but leaks sound in both directions. It's still possible to listen for long hours, but less clamp force would definitely be nice. I hope it will reduce over time. (I think it might already have, or I got used to it a bit, but it's still far from comfortable.)
    • Breaking the seal adds bass. I wonder how it would sound with perforated pads?
    • It's not as hard to drive as I had thought from the reviews. I get roughly the same volume from the Clear Mg at 11:30, the HD650 at 1:00 and the HEDDphone Two at 1:30. Comfortable listening volume at low gain on my Jazz FF, and HQPlayer has already removed 3 dB. Probably won't be fun from a phone, but it's not extremely hard to drive, either. Easily enough headroom for EQ.
    Comparisons to Clear Mg and HD650:
    • HD650 is the darkest/warmest of the bunch with the largest amount of bass (mid bass hump).
    • Clear Mg has this mids dip that pushes voices to the back of the mix, not so the other two.
    • HEDD features the most even FR where nothing stands out or is pushed back.
    • In direct comparison, the Clear Mg almost sounds delicate and soft, with comparatively rounded transients and a more laid-back feeling in general. (I would never have called the Clear Mg delicate or soft before I heard the HEDDphone.)
    • The HEDDphone has the best controlled bass of the three by quite a margin.
    • With some groovy music, the Clear Mg evokes more emotion in me than the HEDDphone does. This is only certain songs, and I’m not sure about the reason. Slight V in Clear Mg? Unforgiving HEDDphone? For most music, though, the two are similar in that regard.
    • Resolution: HD650 < Clear Mg << HEDDphone Two
    • Punch: HD650 <<< Clear Mg < HEDDphone Two
    Will I keep it? Yes. Probably. I'm not 100% sure because this is a large sum for me, and I wonder if the improvements over the Clear Mg are worth the money. Yes, it's quite a step up, but it takes very good recordings for the HEDDphone Two to really leap ahead of the Clear Mg. It's a different presentation and could be a nice complement, but it's also € 2000. Fortunately, as I ordered directly at HEDD audio, I have a 100 days return window, so I have quite some time to think it over.

    Ok. This post has become much longer than originally intended. Maybe I won't write another review after all. :) Depends on if I change my mind on some of the aspects.
     
    Last edited: Feb 6, 2024
  2. zottel

    zottel Friend

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    More thoughts three weeks later:
    • It has become more pleasant and less unforgiving than I thought at first. I think something in the treble must have evened out. Less-than-perfect recordings are clearly detectable, but not bothersome.
    • Sub bass is roughly at Clear Mg levels with a bass shelf at 30 Hz, +6 dB, Q 1, so that it reaches +6 dB at roughly 20 Hz or so? To my ears, the effects of this EQ nearly aren’t audible at all in 99% of the music I listen to, but there are a few songs with exceptional rumble down very low where this helps to bring back what I’m used to.
    • As I’m getting used to the sheer spades of detail, the distance between Clear Mg and HEDD2 in this regard seems ever greater to me. Timbre is just delicious and spot on, everything sounds correct and lifelike, especially noticeable to me with strings, winds, and voices.
    • I got used to the clamp force. I don’t think it reduced over time.
    • Definitely a keeper. Actually, I’m thinking about selling the Clear Mg. :)
     
    Last edited: Feb 17, 2024
  3. penguins

    penguins Friend, formerly known as fp627

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    Heard the HEDDphone two for about 15-20 minutes today. Do not consider these impressions to be particularly authoritative given the short listening time.

    Verdict: These are really good. If it fits your head and you have enough amp, I can recommend them.

    EDIT: DAC was Yggdrasil GS, Amp (that I enjoyed) was chacha's EC UL

    Positives:
    - I went in thinking I'd just listen out of curiosity for ~5 minutes before doing whatever and then eating. Ended up listening for 15-20 until it was time to go eat. A few members here who know how I listen will know that this doesn't happen often for me.
    - Thinking of a lot of other $2-3k options, I think these are very competitive at $2k. I personally like the sound a lot more than many other headphones I've heard in this approximate price range.
    - Very good, full, rich bass with great separation (within the bass region), layering, bass resolution, texturing, and both macro and micro detail. One of the best bass to mids transitions I've heard in a headphone before. I almost don't know what to say about the mids other than "they just were", with nothing drawing any particular attention to itself in anyway aside from it was good. Same full sound as the bass without being congested or bloated at all. Highs were not annoying at all aside from cymbals being weird (see negatives). No sibilance or harshness anywhere.
    - Great resolution overall.
    - Full rich sound, minimal planar plasticity. And by minimal - if I wasn't listening for it, I only noticed it here and there, not like how it's always there with a lot of other planars.
    - Aside from the strap (separate from the frame), great build quality.
    - I found the earpads comfortable.

    Negatives:
    - Comfort - I have the ridge on the top of my head and the majority of the weight / pressure was there with all of the weight distributed through a relatively small headband / strap into the top of my head. There doesn't seem to be any way to not have it this way. Adjustments didn't help. On some headphones with circular or oval cups/pads, I can tilt the headphone back and forth to help with this but it's not possible with these square pads. The top of my head hurt a little bit after my 20 minute session. Very unfortunate because if it wasn't for this, I would strongly consider finding a way to run these off of some kind of small speaker amp + pre combo later this year.
    - Given the great build quality and great work on the carbon fiber frame and everything else, I have no idea what happened with the strap. Good materials, clean execution, but the concept / implementation feels like a garage science project IMO.
    - I don't like too much mid bass hammer. It had just a little too much for my preferences, but not bothersome by any means. Would probably be less or gone on a less powerful amp (but said amp still needs to be powerful enough to make this headphone good).
    - Cymbals were really weird and I have no other way to describe it. It doesn't sound like there's a dip (localized or wider over a few thousand Hz) in the 8-12k region either but I'm not totally sure.

    Other:
    - Sounded like it had a relatively neutral FR to me other than maybe something somewhere around 9k and up is going on. Like most planars, not a lot of "air" in the sound.
    - Even with my big head, I think the strap was set to about a medium size setting. However, as mentioned, the headband on top was still a problem for me.
    - Needs a lot of power for a HP. Not good without a lot of power to the point where I would say for the same money, you'd have a much better time with a different non power hungry headphone if you don't have (or don't want to acquire) the power to drive this. Personally, if I were to get one, I'd use a low-ish power speaker amp and a pre to drive this.
     
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2024
  4. ilikebananafudge_

    ilikebananafudge_ Friend

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    What amplifier(s) did you try it with?
     
    • Agreed, ditto, +1 Agreed, ditto, +1 x 1
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  5. penguins

    penguins Friend, formerly known as fp627

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    edited post for amp info.
     
  6. ChaChaRealSmooth

    ChaChaRealSmooth SBAF's Mr. Bean

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    Intro
    *A huge thank you to HEDD Audio directly for being able to make this happen for us.

    PXL_20240302_013406945.jpg


    I've always been at least a little bit skeptical of products that come out and receive glowing reviews/massive hype from outside of SBAF (and sometimes even within SBAF). After all, one can only hear so much gear that is supposedly "the best thing ever" before the phrase gets worn out and one acquires a sense of jadedness. Now I don't think the Heddphone 2 is completely immune to this; I don't think it's the best thing ever. However, what I do think is that it's a legit headphone with some very strong sonic strengths (and a sonic weakness, along with a few system considerations one must consider) that I could actually recommend to someone even with its $2k price.

    Sonics

    Let's start with the strengths. The Heddphone 2 has incredibly good transients and microdynamics, especially in the nuances of the transients, potentially the best in class. The microdynamics and nuance in the transients are at least on par with the ZMF Verite and OG Focal Utopia I have, and may be better depending on chain/synergy. When the music calls for a squarer, more sharp transient, the Heddphone 2 delivers. When the music needs more roundedness, the Heddphone 2 delivers. This is coupled with very good delineation and decay; the decay doesn't sound truncated along the lines of the Klipsch HP-3.

    On top of this, the sense of tactility and ability to separate/play and differentiate individual notes in the bass to mids is quite spectacular. Each note is given its space and weight accordingly in a fashion that isn't dissimilar to the Raal SR1a. I don't think the Heddphone 2 is better than the SR1a in this area, but it's quite close between them. As @penguins said, one of the best bass to mids transitions I've ever heard, and in those areas very clean-sounding with no real drawbacks. The bass in particular has fantastic pitch differentiation and shows the same great transient behavior noted above. Awesomesauce for sure.

    Its detail and resolve is definitely quite high up there as well. I think it edges out the Focal Clear and sits in the territory of the ZMF Verite/Atrium in this area, but then again, I use very different amps for Focals than I do for the Heddphone 2, so this might be contingent more upon the upstream components. But saying it's worse than JAR600 here is incorrect; Heddphone 2 has more plankton than JAR600 and clearly plays with the big boys in this sandbox.

    Thankfully, the Heddphone 2 accomplishes all this without having any frickin' nasties or oddities in the perceived FR, at least to my ears. Overall, to me the Heddphone 2 sounds full-bodied and actually slightly warm overall (sort of in-between the HD600 and HD650 without the midbass hump and no upper mid heat). I didn't look at measurements until recently (well after I was familiar with how the Heddphone 2 sounded to me and after I already knew what my opinion on its sound was like), and while I do think the 10k treble hill shown in some measurements is real, I also think it's better to think of the Heddphone 2 as having a very wide, shallow dip from the upper mids to the mid treble. For those of you who use ZMFs, think of the Atrium or Auteur Closed, but with a wider, shallower dip. The measurements also show the bass tapering off starting around 60 Hz; I think that if you come from flat measuring planars you might notice this, but as someone who loves and uses dynamics all the time, I did not notice any lack of bass presence in the Heddphone 2. And if it really bothers you, I suspect the Heddphone 2 will easily take to EQ here as the lows that are present sound clean with good pitch differentiation.

    Now let's discuss the parts that aren't good, but not bad. If you are a macrodynamic slam whore, the Heddphone 2 is not the right headphone for you. Out of the right chain, it will slam, but it won't be that modded HE-6 out of a speaker amp. I actually think the macrodynamic slam is overall on par with the JAR600, with the caveat that the Heddphone 2 is much cleaner in the lows. So basically, not amazing, but not bad.

    Another note here would be the timbre. The timbre isn't bad, but it ever so slightly leans on the side of being plasticky/overly smooth. This is not my preference, but it is worth noting that it is nothing like the glossy smooth cheap bad Hifimans. And really, it is very slight; I only really noticed on certain songs, and probably only noticed because I'm entrenched in team dynamic (which all dynamic drivers exhibit some sort of grain, including the mighty Utopia). I would also say that even though I noticed, it was not a showstopper for me even though I don't prefer this type of sound.

    Staging is also a bit of a mixed bag. It definitely stages quite wide but I didn't hear very much depth in the headstage. That being said, no 2/3-blob weirdness or anything off-putting, and I suck at evaluating headstage anyhow. But I'd say take the JAR mod HD600/650 stage, and stretch it sideways a lot, but not to the point of the HD800. Imaging though is precise within the stage and while the direction is not laser-like like it is with Focals, it is not that far behind.

    Also, if you like the open-baffle like nature of a Focal or SR1a, just run away. The Heddphone 2 is more like Audezes where the earpads, driver, and your head make a seal. Funny enough, the Heddphone 2 also crinkles a bit when putting it on. That being said, they're definitely open back and everyone else around you will hear what you're listening to, and you can hear some things going on around you.

    The only real weakness and complaint I had about the Heddphone 2 is its treble presentation. It's not bright as I've stated before, nor do I detect strange ringing, but metallic percussion in particular has a strange quality to it that I can't really put my finger on. It's almost like the shimmer of cymbals (especially the ride and crash cymbals) are emphasized over the body of the sound, almost like the cymbal itself is moving too much air. I'm not really sure how to describe this quality. I ultimately think that this may be the Heddphone 2's biggest downfall and will potentially be a dealbreaker depending on listener preference (this didn't really bother me, but I can definitely see how this could get on people's nerves). Weirdly though, the other aspects of the treble presentation were fine and didn't share this quality nearly to the same degree; the metallic percussion was the most affected.

    Overall, I would have to say the Heddphone 2's sonics are impressive. If anything, I think the biggest compliment to the Heddphone 2's sound is that it doesn't really draw much attention to itself. This isn't one of those pieces of gear that screams at you "LISTEN AT HOW RESOLVING I AM" or anything like that. If the metallic percussion presentation doesn't bother you, then the Heddphone 2 will melt away in the background. This was one of those pieces of gear where I found it very difficult to put down and actually focus on critically listening.

    Amp Synergy

    Unfortunately I won't go into too much detail here simply because I don't have on-hand some amps that I suspect would be good with Heddphone 2, but I'll still make mention of them and what I used.

    I had the most success running the Heddphone 2 from the one-off EC Ultralinear, and it wasn't bad out of the OG Liquid Carbon and Magni Piety. I suspect that the Heddphone 2 would be good with the Pietus and the MJ3, but can't say for sure. The one thing I will say though is the Heddphone 2 is quite inefficient and needs some cranking of poteniometers/attenuators in order to get to listening levels and it also responds positively to more power. Simply put, it was awful out of the Starlett. If you're considering getting one, make sure that your amp has the juice, or be prepared to go amp hunting.

    Comfort & Miscellaneous Notes

    I definitely think the ergonomics could use some more improving. It is to my knowledge that the current ergonomics is a vast improvement over the original and I believe it just looking at the original's design and reading how much it weighs. That being said, the Heddphone 2 isn't massively uncomfortable, but I found it hard to wear for long periods of time because the pad on top would put a hot and sore spot on the top of my head where it makes contact. I actually kind of wish the pad was a little bit thinner, more flexible, and wider so that it would sit on a larger surface area of my head. And this is after I watched the video to learn how the adjustment system works. That being said though, the ear pads are quite comfortable and I had no issues there.

    Speaking of the adjustment system, I get why it's designed the way it is and it is interesting that clamp can be adjusted, but frankly speaking the system isn't very intuitive. That being said, I'm not sure what else they could do to make it more intuitive without giving up the clamp adjustment.

    All that being said, I do like the build quality. It doesn't feel nor look cheap in any way (nor should it at its price).

    The Heddphone 2 comes very well accessorized from the factory. They give you a carrying case with a space for cables, both SE and XLR cables with basically all the adapters and terminations to use with any modern device, and a set of spare pads. While one could argue the carrying case is of dubious value given that the majority of owners probably won't be carrying around an open back headphone, it's not a bad thing to have for storage purposes.

    Conclusion

    I can definitely recommend the Heddphone 2 and personally like it a lot. I can think of a few who would hate this comparison, but Heddphone 2 is kind of what I wish planars would be (or maybe I should say these are electromagnetic accordions). Sonically, it does a lot to compete with headphones in its price range, and I could comfortably recommend it over headphones in its price range depending on what someone prioritizes in their listening.
     
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    Last edited: Mar 2, 2024
  7. zottel

    zottel Friend

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    I tested a few amps with the HEDDphone Two at the World of Headphones fair today. I had hoped there would be more opportunities, but most headphones were just powered by A&K DAPs.

    Meet conditions, of course, so take this with a grain of salt.

    • Zähl HM1. This was actually the worst sound I ever heard from this headphone. And they had it at HEDD’s booth. :) To my ears, it sounded totally unnatural, very digital, not enjoyable at all. Maybe the Chord Qutest that fed it played a role, too? I never heard a Chord DAC before, so I don’t know how they sound, just a guess. Anyway, I didn’t like this combination at all.
    • SPL Phonitor xe, fed by its builtin DAC: Much better, but still a bit on the analytical side. As far as I could compare from memory, I think it had a slightly better grip on the HEDD’s drivers than my Meier Jazz FF, leading to a slightly fuller bass especially in the deep regions. I prefer the Meier’s smoother and more musical sound, though.
    • Some unknown MalValve amp, fed by an extremely expensive looking turntable: Don’t know which amp model, it looked like a Headamp Three, but had headphone jacks at the front? EDIT: Just saw on the homepage that jacks at the front are available as an option, so yes, it was a Headamp Three. Anyway, I liked the sound a lot, musical, very analog, of course, detailed, a good synergy to my ears. I didn’t like the crackling from the vinyl record. :p
    • Feliks Euforia fed by an A&K DAP: Nicely musical, but smoothed over. I found that much of the wonderful detail was missing, especially in the mids where it sounded quite muddy to me. Not a good combination.
    • Austrian Audio Full Score one fed by an A&K DAP: I liked that combination. In fact, it reminded me a lot of my Jazz FF: Similar musicality and detail, possibly a little more authority? From memory, it’s impossible for me to tell if one has advantages over the other, this would require A/B tests in a much more quiet setting. But I did like the synergy.
    Bottom line: To play out its full strength, the HEDDphone Two requires some power and an amplifier that can deliver detail. For the rest, I’m not sure if it doesn’t play well with too analytical sources or if I only found out that I don’t like too “technical” sound. :) I do have the impression, though, that the HEDD benefits from some musicality.
     
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2024
  8. lcmusiclover

    lcmusiclover Friend

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    I really appreciate the loaner. I’ll probs end up w/ 3 posts. This one is called.

    Heddphone One meets Two

    First, I hadn’t read any of the above posts, but apparently I’m an outlier. And that’s probably because I’m coming from about five hours A/B comparing Heddphone One & Heddphone Two (H1 & H2 from now on).

    Chain is

    local FLAC on Volumio Primo coax out ==> mScaler/TT2 ==> 1/4 inch outs
    local FLAC on Volumio Primo coax out ==> Audio-gd Master 11 ==> XLR outs

    Both systems have dual outs, H2 needs 2 clicks less juice. Both have ample power for the Hedds. I only listened to the TT2 chain long enough to determine that I prefer both versions from the Master 11.

    The thing is, what I value in H1 is its impact and ‘immediacy’ if you will. And that feels slightly tamed in H2. Specific examples: the long second ‘City’ section of ‘City, Country, City’ from World is a Ghetto has some very sharp percussion strikes which could be kettle drums. They are just not nearly as sharp from H2 as H1. Saxophone on that track doesn’t wail as demandingly. Neko Case’s vocal on ‘At Last’ loses some of its bite. Neil/Crazy Horse material loses some of that ‘Godfather of Grunge’ feel. ‘Aja’ (whole album) leans slightly towards ‘elevator music’. And some of these (esp. the drum thing) are surprisingly noticeable.

    I’d guess at least some of that comes from H1’s brighter signature. I wouldn’t call H2 ‘warm’, but warmer than H1 by a little or by a bit more, depending on the track.

    Another significant difference is the imaging/headstage. I think a couple others mentioned that H2 varies its image with different material. I agree. Sometimes it feels as enveloping as Empyrean, but without the smear/blur. ‘Hand of God’ by Emma Ruth Rundle really has that in spades.

    It always seems pretty intimate but can produce good depth with tremendous separation. I prefer Xfade 1 from my TT2 — same as my HEKse. I’d give it a ‘B’ on my image test track, Van Morrison ‘Sweet Thing’. H1 is more like a ‘C’ by comparison.

    H1 & H2 are close to a tie on the Deadphone test. Neither can dethrone Auteur, but they both outperform any other planars I’ve owned or heard. H2 might have a slight edge due to better imaging, or H1 might take the lead due to the way it faithfully brings out Jerry’s clangy guitar.

    To be clear, I’m not saying these are bad — they’re not. They’re very technically competent with well-balanced tonality delivering an engaging and revealing look at the music. I like them very much for a lot of my favorite music. They do vocals very well, they have very coherent imaging and they’re darn enjoyable to listen to.

    Just saying they don’t replace H1 in my quiver. For me, the headstage advantage doesn’t overcome the immediacy deficit.

    To reveal where I think these fit in my quiver, next post title: Hedd into the Expanse

    P.S. Guess I should mention the huge wearability/comfort upgrade. Unlike most improvements in audio, this really is night-and-day.
     
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2024
  9. lcmusiclover

    lcmusiclover Friend

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    So, Hedd into the Expanse

    tl;dr: Color me surprised — Expanse is closer to H1 than H2. H2 is competitive but Expanse is better to my ears. 2X better? Definitely not!

    Same chain as last post, Master 11 ==> cans via front XLR out. Expanse seems to want 2 1/2 clicks more juice, I stuck with 2.

    I hear four areas where I prefer Expanse: headstage, sub-bass, highs, tonality. I’ll talk about H2/Expanse comparo and add H1/Expanse notes as needed.

    Headstage: Expanse is somewhat more open, and really opens up on some tracks. On other tracks there’s very little difference. Overall, the main difference is in depth. It’s not that the Expanse is much deeper, but rather that Expanse does a better job of isolating/localizing sounds front-to-back. Not a huge difference but quite noticeable on tracks like Loreena McKennitt’s ‘Night Ride Across the Caucasus’. But on Ambrosia’s ‘Nice, Nice, very Nice’, I literally hear no difference.

    Headstage is the biggest H1/Expanse difference.

    Sub-bass: About a minute into ‘Heaven’ by Emma Ruth Rundle there's percussion which kicks in. It’s clearly heavier from Expanse. Same w/ the beginning of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Chain’. And quite noticeable on London Grammar’s ‘Hey Now’ which has a lot of sub-bass without much mid-bass to mask the difference. But honestly, on most tracks I would barely notice.

    H1 ‘Hey Now’ bass extends well, but loses timbre. H1 ‘Heaven’ percussion isn’t as heavy.

    Highs: This is the biggest difference I hear. As with my H1/H2 comparison, I notice H2 takes some edge off high pitched music — Gretchen Peters, Beth Orton, Marissa Nadler, Joni Mitchell — all lose something on H2 vs Expanse. Another example — guitar on Fleetwood Mac's ‘Woman of a Thousand Dreams’ or ‘The Chain’ loses character. On ‘China Doll’ from Dead Reckoning there’s a keyboard set to ‘harpsichord’, as well as a high pitched acoustic guitar. From Expanse they are almost in a duet w/ Jerry’s vocal, while they're more like accompaniments from H2. I will add that Jerry’s vocal on this track sound excellent from H2 — very emotive. It’s actually a bit thin from Expanse.

    H1 upper mids/highs are close to and frequently more aggressive vs Expanse

    Tonality: Compared to Expanse, I hear H2 as a bit lower-mid+ and treble-. Not hugely so, and not unpleasantly. But a significant difference. Several tracks from All the Roadrunning showcase the difference. Knopfer’s voice isn’t as forceful from Expanse as H2, but Emmylou’s voice loses a bit of her shrill edge from H2 vs fully (I guess it’s not ‘shrill’, but what?) from Expanse. Which do you prefer?

    < brief commercial message > Personally, I prefer Atrium for these tracks, even though it’s not as detailed as these two cans. They handle vocals so convincingly. < /end >

    Expanse tonality is closer to H1 than H2.

    Bottom line, I think H2 is an excellent headphone, but I prefer the H1. And Expanse does everything H2 does, as well or better … at twice the price.
     
  10. DrForBin

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    hello,

    tl;dr: these cans KICK ass! and i hate them for all the wrong reasons.

    the H2 are very, very good. extraordinarily fast, articulate, and impactful.

    the headband solution is brilliant! i would want all 500g+ headphones to implement this design.

    for all the virtues they have... they are still too heavy for me.

    the sub-bass roll-off is tolerable, barely, i wanted mohr!

    again, i ask, why are non-dynamic driver headphones so f'ing heavy?

    i love the noise, the weight hurts me.

    ymmv

    cheers!

    n.b.: if HEDD can produce something about 100g lighter with the same sound, i think i have a kidney to spare.
     
  11. Ksaurav402

    Ksaurav402 Friend

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    Thanks SBAF and HeddAudio for this loaner. I had a good time listening to this headphone and my overall experience is positive.

    Chain - In my Signature except Amp is Mjolnir 3

    Here are my notes -

    Packaging - comes with sturdy case and with all the cables and adapter one would need. Stock cable has that rubbery feel and has some memory. But not bad by any means. Comes with one extra set of ear pads.

    Comfort - heavy but I’m used to heavy headphones. So not an issue for me. Unique way to adjust headband. This unique strap design not only helps in changing height of headband to reduce pressure points from top of the head but also in changing the clamp force. However this headphone requires good seal and by its inherent design will still clamps like HD650 and combined that with the added weight, the clamp feels much stronger even at its most relaxed setting. For normal user, I would say it is not very comfortable headphone and will feel heavy.

    Sound Impression -

    Bass - Sub bass lacking and you will feel wanting for more rumble and impact. Doesn’t go deep. However there is nice touch of mid bass which gives some satisfaction in bass. For past few days I was listening to Atrium and Bokeh and hence lack of sub bass, rumble and impact is far more apparent. Bass out of Atrium is more textured and impactful.

    Mids - Star of the show for this headphone. Slight touch of mid bass gives rich tonality and then in the presence region there is just enough energy for vocals to shine. I mean the presence and lower mids are tastefully done. Excellent mids for vocals. No complaint. Female and male vocals will shine here.

    Treble - Safe treble. In my set up it has enough energy in lower and mid treble to keep things interesting and then there is shimmer in air region. I wouldn’t have wanted any more treble. I guess some air is added to make it sound wide. In bright setup though this headphone can sound bright as it’s not a dark headphone by any means just that treble is well behaved.

    Head-stage - good width. Touch less or equal to Atrium. Atrium is more deep. Separation is good. One thing I noticed, instruments seem bigger and grander in Atrium as compared to Hedd. May be due to more bass. But overall staging is good. Good precise and localised imaging. Not outstanding. Layering is better in Atrium.

    Dynamics - lacks macro due to bass impact but decent energy in treble and in presence region will give good micro-dynamics. Pair it with good DAC and tons of information will come.

    Speed - Fast and agile. Atrium feels slower and romantic in comparison.

    Overall it’s a safe headphone as it does most things right and it feels as if someone has paid great deal of attention in tuning it. Even the strap system is something new. It does have good mids and above avg treble. No nastiness , just that if some impact in bass could be added it would be a complete package.
     
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2024
  12. dubharmonic

    dubharmonic Friend

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    Many thanks to HEDD for the chance to demo these!

    [​IMG]

    HEDD’s second release presents a sound signature that prioritizes safety over audacity, achieving a dependable but unexciting auditory experience. The approach avoids errors but simultaneously forsakes any elements of thrill. Additionally, the frequency response appears slightly subdued at both ends, hinting at a conservative engineering choice that may limit the full spectrum of sound. A bit more sub bass and air would have helped to fill out the presentation.

    Version 2 offers substantial comfort, and its weight proves to be inconsequential. It is evident that the design team has taken user feedback from their last headphone to heart, implementing meaningful enhancements that reflect a responsive and thoughtful approach to product development. The build quality is exceptional!
     
  13. Ksaurav402

    Ksaurav402 Friend

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    I had exact same takeaway, a safe headphone that has taken safety first approach. Nothing bad but nothing great as well.
     
  14. lithium

    lithium Almost "Made"

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    Given hedd's pro origins - I wonder if its their pro-oriented sound signature. It must be great to also have a pro-audio division, it can be blamed for everything!
     
  15. Jinxy245

    Jinxy245 Vegan Puss

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    Thanks once again to SBAF and Hedd Audio for organizing this loaner. I heard the 1st Heddphone at CanJam a few years ago, and I remember being somewhat impressed. Since then I've been itching to get ears on them again, but it never came to pass. I missed listening to the Heddphone 2 at the last CanJam, so when the loaner opportunity presented itself I couldn't resist, and I'm glad I did.

    I use my HP PC as a source playing mostly FLAC & MP3 from JRiver or Music Bee to a Gustard U12 to switch to coaxial out to my Bifrost 2. My amps are an ifi Pro iCAN (1st gen) and ZMF Pendant (also 1st gen). After the 1st couple of hours of messing around, I found a clear preference for the Pendant and did the majority of my listening from that amp. I didn't try any other amps, so I really can't speak to how demanding these are. Volume was maybe a little higher than I usually would with my ZMFs; maybe between 7:00 & 8:00 out of the low tap instead of about 7 even.

    Comfort for me is okay. I can definitely listen for a while, but the clamp does take a bit of a toll. The old jawline pressure gets a bit irritating. A simple 2 minuet break rectifies it, but I do need those breaks. Edit: Adjusting the strap mitigates the clamp quite a bit, more than I thought. They are more tolerable for longer listening sessions, but I still wouldn't call them comfy.

    Build quality is really good IMO, it feels solid and although it is fairly heavy at 550g, the weight doesn't bother me. I am comfortable with ZMFs, and I find the weight usually isn't as important as the combination of all the design elements, so YMMV.

    I am a fan of the look of the cups. There's something about the look of the driver through the grill that simply appeals to me but I'm not a big fan of the rubbery cable included with the Hedd. I am nit picking because it's not microphonic and seems perfectly adequate overall, but the rubber just feels cheap to me.

    I never got used to the crinkle. Anytime you adjust the pressure of the ear-cups, the driver does audibly flex & crinkle. There's no getting around it, it's perfectly normal, but I did find it a bit annoying.

    Upon 1st listen in my system I noted there was definitely some things this Heddphone gets right. The 1st thing I noticed is a decent amount of detail that didn't feel forced or pushed in my face...or I guess my ears. I'm not always a fan of "speed" but the Hedd is pretty snappy.

    The bass was surprisingly pleasant. I was afraid the roll off I've read about might be bothersome, but I haven't found it distracting at all. Looking at some graphs, it seems the roll-off is similar in nature to to the ETA Ada or the RD-X (@rhythmdevils modded Audeze LCD-X) which didn't bother me me either. Not the 1st choice for organ music or EDM, but definitely good for most music. Very pleasant mid bass, great texture & definition.

    Like others I did find the mids to be quite engaging. Borders on overwhelming for me, but that's more track dependent and there's a lot to like here. Never quite shouty, but I found certain recordings...intense. Somewhere around the upper-mids/lower highs transition there's an audible rise that bugs me with some hot recordings (Oz Noy "Blue Balls" featuring Warren Haynes is a good example).

    Highs are not my area of expertise, but they do strike me as subdued overall. Others have used the word "safe" regarding the Heddphone 2's tuning, and with the highs I'd say that is definitely the case. Not quite rolled, but hardly emphasized. For me that's a good thing, but obviously YMMV here.

    Unfortunately I did hear the odd timbre that others have mentioned with cymbals and the like. I did find that tubes helped a bit, and again I think it is track dependent, but it's there and it's noticeable to my ears. Splash cymbals are maybe too splashy? I think "Dream On" is a good example, there's some nice cymbal work there and it didn't sound natural to me.

    Edit: I'm guessing these aren't the same pair @zottel had or I've gotten used to the treble. IDK if there's brain burn in or driver burn in here, but I'm not hearing the same issue anymore. Cymbals now sound maybe a little brittle, but not artificial. I'll be quite curious about impressions others have down the road.

    Head stage sounded rather intimate overall. I didn't hear it as too wide, but it didn't sound constricted to me either. Not expansive height nor depth either but I didn't find it distracting, I only really took notice when I was listening for it. My headstage mantra is "If it doesn't call attention to itself, it's a good stage". I do love the expansive sound of some headphones, but it's not a deal breaker for me.

    In the end, I'm mixed about the Heddphone 2. I started somewhat enthusiastic, but got bogged down with some sonic oddities. After a while those oddities did seem to dissipate and I was drawn in the more I listened. It's still not the most comfortable headphone I've ever worn, and it does crinkle. Weight wasn't an issue for me, but it is heavy. There's definitely some stiff competition in this price range, but I've come away from this loaner feeling like the Heddphone 2 can hold it's own with a lot of what's out there.
     
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  16. Ksorota

    Ksorota Friend

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    I wanted to extend my thanks to @SBAF and @Hedd for putting this loaner together.

    I have been contemplating the review of these Heddphones for a bit of time. Since they are no longer in my posessions, everything that i am putting down is basesd on my memory and notes during listening.

    TL:DR version:

    Heddphone 2 is a experience headphone to me. I found them very enjoyable for listening, and of gernally good comfort. I do not think they are a single headphone to rule them all, but fit in a variation or escapade type of can to own.


    Review:

    The Heddphone 2 is an engaging listen. The speed and detail retrieval are excellent. When listening to Jazz, I could hear every note, and pickup on those subtle changes of rhythm or intensity easily. I think the tuning was fairly neutral, but punchy and aggressive enough to keep focus on the music.

    Sidenote: My reference headphone is a modified LCD-X – Gungnir D/S Unison to Mjolnir 1.

    I listened to a lot of pop and electronic music and the Heddphone 2 had no trouble creating enjoyment through fast paced beats and drum machine hits. The bass was nice and punchy but, as others have said, does not extend to those subterranean levels that make you feel good or those electrifying highs that walk the thin line of joy and pain. The Heddphone is composed and complacent. It welcomes you in to witness detail and speed but forgoes the need to frighten your senses.

    Separation is well defined and projects across a linear plane with smooth transition around the head. The stage is mostly planar but does wrap a bit around the back of the head and slightly below. I get more vertical stage with the LCD-X, but it is not a drastic difference.

    The build is quite nice, its solid feeling and the headphone adjustment works well. It takes a bit of time to adjust to “perfect” but once it is locked in you never have to worry about it again. Weight was not a bother for me, rather par for the course for many of the headphones that are out there.

    The crinkle that others have mentioned also did not bother me. I could hear it when I tried, but it is not something I would have even discussed if not talked about by others.

    These headphones sounded much better on my MJ1 than they did on the Valhalla 2. Valhalla 2 had even less bass extension and warmth. The MJ1 came across as dynamic, punchy and just plain good.

    To be critical, I think the presentation is a bit dry and clinical at times to straight. I do not consider myself a detail craving listener. I much prefer the experience when those extra levels of stage width/height, deep rumbling lows and airy/sparkly treble come together and strike the chord within your soul. My time with the Heddphone 2 was enjoyable, but reinforced my love for the LCD-X. I am convinced that I would like to own as a conditional/experience alternative headphone if I was to grow my collection. I wonder how much of it comes down to system synergy!?

    Thanks again for including me on this loaner.
     
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  17. zottel

    zottel Friend

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  18. lithium

    lithium Almost "Made"

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    I have been fortunate to spend some time with heddphone 2 over the last few days and it has been an interesting experience. Thank you to the moderators and Hedd for the loaner.

    My chain is Pi2AES>Bifrost 2 OG via RCA>XLR outputs> Jot2> balanced output . Unfortunately, system changes and spending some lovely sunny days with family over the long weekend did limit its time in the big rig. All comparisons were primarily with the the Verite' open.

    Initial experience:
    I was initially not enthusiastic at all over the heddphone's presentation. I am a relatively new jazz convert and several jazz classics had very mixed results. I felt the sound was somewhat dull and boring and while spacious, there was no engagement with the music. However, the speed and texture of the bass was evident even on this early experience. I was very close to just passing on the loaner to the next person.

    Post-auditory adjustment: Over the next few sessions, I just listened to it for extended sessions. I didn't overanalyze it and tried it with a wider range of music. Over time, i started to appreciate its presentation of musical content and detail within its somewhat rounded top end. It excelled with electronic music and complex music as it created a sense of space, for instruments to breathe and occupy as distinct entities. The strong suits continued to be a sound which did not fatigue and grew on me over longer sessions. Bass as above is beyond reproach though its more of a controlled tightness, rather than hard hitting bass. Vocals were slightly forward but this very tasteful and enjoyable.

    Limitations :
    - the level of low level detail on certain older recordings does bring out aspects such as tape hiss. This was very low level but could be heard more clearly on the heddphone. It did bother me initially but i got used to it.
    - The heddphone 2 appears to prioritize a spacious presentation a few rows back over punchiness. This might not be to everyone's taste
    - This is not a warm headphone in my experience and I suspect that certain setups will bring out a more dry presentation. I think the warmth of the Jot 2 might have helped my experience.


    Non-Sound notes:
    - The crinkle is irksome but you get used to it and my understanding is that its inherent to this kind of driver.
    - The strap system is interesting and comfortable but I needed to use the smaller head settings, which does make it look like a torture device.
    - Packaging is excellent though felt like coating is a dust magnet.
    - cables are not very sturdy and it appears that one of the cables is already fraying with some disconnected strands, though I could not perceive any sound issues (if not touching the frayed part of the cable).

    Conclusions
    I thought this is an excellent headphone for modern music which while very detailed, doesn't try to scream the "detail" in your face. For my preferences, this would almost be an ideal 2nd headphone because of how different it is from the ZMF presentation( ? coloration). It strikes an excellent balance of space and a precise presentation which took me a while to appreciate.
     
  19. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    Doesn't the Heddphone have essentially a flat impedance curve like most planars? If your load impedance doesn't change, then yeah your frequency response isn't going to change either because the "voltage divider" effect from the amp's high output impedance won't do anything.
     
  20. Tchoupitoulas

    Tchoupitoulas Friend

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    HEDDphone 2 Loaner Impressions

    I’d like to thank @ChaChaRealSmooth, Hedd Audio, and SBAF for making this loaner tour possible. I wasn’t a fan of the original HEDDphone, based on a brief audition at CanJam (from a Chord TT2, I believe). Promising reports here of this second version piqued my interest, and I’m grateful to have been able to hear it away from the yammering CanJam crowds.

    Unfortunately, I only got to hear the HEDD 2 briefly. Our house suffered some recent storm damage, and, without advance notice, the power company cut off our electricity on Saturday afternoon. I did get to spend an hour or two listening to these headphones in the morning, though.

    Chain: Wavedream Edition SE DAC -> Schiit Mjolnir 1 amp -> HEDDphone 2

    I didn’t get chance to try the HEDD 2 from other amps or compare them directly to other headphones. These impressions will have to be brief and a bit vague and general, then, I’m afraid.


    The Bad:
    I’m not a fan of that crinkle. It’d make me nervous if I were to be an owner of these headphones. Audeze issued warnings about pressing down on the pads of its headphones because the seal around the cups was strong enough that pressure could build up and damage the diaphragm. When I put the HEDD 2 on I could hear a crinkle and, a couple of times, I could hear some distortion for a few brief moments afterwards, particularly in the left channel. I don’t know if this is normal but I’d be concerned about the long-term durability of these headphones.

    The headband is too tight and clampy. It looks like a robust steel headband, though, and if this were my unit, I’d try bending it out. The pads are nice and squishy but the clamp force makes wearing glasses less than comfortable. I rested mine on top of the pads, rather than having them inside the pads.


    The Good:
    There’s a lot to like. The tuning is really lovely: neutral in a pleasing, engaging way. It’s neither sterile nor dead. There’s an even balance to the tuning. The bass isn’t particularly strong. The mids are excellent - some may find the lower mids a bit recessed - and the treble is smooth and sweet, although I noticed some oddities with cymbals on a few tracks. Vocals are nicely positioned.

    The sound is quite clean. The tonal weight is interesting: it comes across as light, for the most part. Depending on the music, though, the tonality can seem to be weightier, as though more substantial. I wish I could have explored this further and have gotten a better sense of this.

    Imagining, separation, and layering are all very good, if not excellent. The sound is nicely open and spacious, and it’s free of congestion.

    Macrodynamics are good, surprisingly so given the light tonality. This macrodynamic energy, combined with the snappiness of the transients, makes for an engaging listen, one that’s not too different to the presentation of some estats and faster, lighter orthos, although these aren’t soft-sounding headphones, nor are they ethereal exactly. There’s a decent amount of impact to them, but not much slam. They seem to like power, and the Mjolnir 1 is beefy amp.


    The ok:
    There could have been a bit more treble air at times.

    More significantly, the resolution is limited. It seems as though the resolving qualities are somewhat truncated, as if musical information is cut off at a certain point. I don’t want to overstate this, and my usual headphones are exceptionally resolving (SR1a, RD-4z), and it should be noted that the HEDD 2 are in the same kind of resolving ballpark as similarly priced headphones such as the Ether 2, the Vérité, etc.. Detail fiends, however, be warned.


    Conclusion
    There’s much to like about these headphones. I’d recommend them to folks with a $2k budget who are looking for a pair of headphones that are fast and snappy, that have a nice light tonality, that have an excellent, fairly neutral tuning, and aren’t too bothered about bass emphasis. These might be best for music with acoustic instruments. I’d have needed more time with them to tell. I wish I’d been able to hear them for longer!

    I wish I could have compared them with an ETA 02.

    Thanks again for the opportunity to check them out, I really appreciate it.
     

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