Mr. Speakers ETHER Flow Headphone(?) Upgrade(?)

The sound stage of the hd800 still remains king, although the Flow staging is improved. In fact it's improved enough so that I wasn't reaching for the hd800 like I did with the original Ether when it came to recordings where I was looking for a more expansive presentation. If the original Ether had a slightly restrictive sound stage, then the Flow eliminates that issue. Sound stage nuts will still want the hd800.

 

For the mini Mod Maxx134s on the original ether the Flow plate is now flush to the 3D housing so a little playing with Sig could be done with different foam.

http://www.head-fi.org/content/type/61/id/1688599/

 

A Faraday Cage is also known as a Screen Room. Basically, it's a room made of conductive material (often copper screen) and as well grounded as you can get it designed to screen whatever is inside (generally "devices under test") from external fields. We had one when I worked at the CBS TV engineering lab in order to take certain types of sensitive measurements (lots of RF and other sorts of electro-magnetic fields floating around NYC).

It is also something that someone trying to establish measurement "authority" would install in order to call into question other people's measurements. Like, "Well, you know, these guys can't know whether external EMF is affecting the accuracy of their measurements". Actual understanding of what they are doing is strictly optional.

Anyone come to mind? Just askin...

Kevin

 

There is a needed pinch of salt for any opinion. Some as its not your head.... Some the dead sea even though its half price with free hoover attachments...
Sometimes anything on HF can be chased down here and ripped to shreds with the angry MOB... Thats almost as bad as happy clappy bible belt praise.... Mr Tyll is my Switzerland in most cases before purchasing . .

 

I thought the Faraday Cage was a paranoia joke.....

 

Upgrade options may be released Tuesday.... From Dan's lips on HF...

 

I don't see any changes in the interior pad dimensions.
Dan had tested other pads he showed me long ago, so I was expecting a different bigger internal diameter.
I can't tell from pics.

I heard this obscurity but would not use the word veil because to me the details are pushed forward, creating less depth.
I would say the issue was some type of diffusion or reflection problems which the foam aleviated.

I am curious as I do not know this mod.
As far as I know only two others in this site opened the HEK besides me .
Jerg and me modded by the grill, but I would never think of surgical tape.
Why?
Because the pads need to be able to come off to access the driver for modding anyways.
Edit :
Although I hope the new version2 pad fits,
He may be refering to modiing seal or internal characteristics of existing pads.

If he wants to really bring out the details he has no choice but to open and go behind the driver to look for solution like what I did recently and testing.

It is The exact opposite of what I would have done with the original Ether,
Which is to remove the rear felt that is pushing (to my observation ) the details forward in an excessive manner.

I am sure many would like to have a grill mod with their Ethers,
like what is done with many HiFiman models,
But I was unable to gain access to the rear..
It is unknown with the Flow,
but I believe Dan does not design his latest headphones to be opened.

I edited my post for clarity.

 

Hey all,
Upgrade list is up...

http://mrspeakers.com/ether/

scroll down

 

As overwhelmed as Mr. Speakers seems to be for these upgrades, I am not expect much anytime soon.

 

Do you mean that the (C)Flow sounded more balanced overall to you or just bass-wise? Also, what are your thoughts on tonal coherence for both?
Thanks for clarifying!

 

if you can get passed the me me me hey Dan pick me... and be patient its still a cheaper option than a Focal ...Tyll's up coming reviews dependant.....
Dans got a big chunk of buisness sitting there, the dealers will be wanting thier slice first. Ether owners having an option is nice, i couldnt justify a new flow or the lower priced focal. This is a step up in my price range in this hell called Diminishing audio returns... This return i can get passed the wife and bank account...
Szu's art of War states wait patiently by a river and watch the bodies of headphones float by.... Waiting to see which Tyll throws in up stream

 

The hype train for the focal is being fed and pushed super hard. ..
But.
In my mind the Focals are already out of the picture. ..(!)
The Utopia doesn't have the bass,
And the Elear doesn't have the treble,
At least not in amount what should be expected from TOTL...

This I determined from "reading between the lines"
Also nether of them Focal will compete in Soundstage to both the HEK & HD800..

Reading more clues, my assumptions are that the new Ether Flow will not reach that rather large level of Soundstage as well,
Only because Dan tuned it that way.
Yet it stands to eclipse the Focals and my code-x.

Only the new HEK V2 remains a possibility to supercede the Ether Flow. .

 

I think its pointless analyzing reviews this closely and drawing a conclusion. The only thing that makes sense is to audition the new releases.

 

You have a good point.
It was too much trouble to do as well as
analyzing in detail the construction for clues..

 

Some are saying the utopia with the Elear pads give the utopia a nice bass boost and retail the clarity.

 

Guess I'm going to have to measure it too.

 

@Tyll Hertsens

You commented that you had trouble getting the Ether Flow to seal on your measurement rig. Did the Ether have this problem as well?

I'm concerned because I've seen so much disparity in the Ether bass extension measurements between a number of sources.

Your Ether measurements for bass extension look far better than the SBAF ones though Hands measurements look more like yours.

 

From the CJ London seems to be a positive for the Flow. Gutted I couldn't get down and play with kit....

 

Ether flow at Canjam London sounded really nice. Bass present, well extended, smooth crystal clear recessed mids, treble extended with no jaggered peaks.

The Cavalli tube amp (yet unreleased) probably helped. The Hugo DAC probaby didn't.
Music on the Ether flow doesn't grab me as much as a good dynamic though. A bit too polite.
Live orchestral music is never this polite but punchy, full of grit and texture so to speak.

OTOH the Ether flow C (through CAvalli Liquid Carbon) has barely any bass and the treble is too piercing on top.
No way I can live with it even for free!
Reminds me of my old Beyerdynamic DT660!