Verum Audio - Exciting high performance DIY planar

Discussion in 'Headphone Measurements' started by cskippy, May 24, 2018.

  1. bilboda

    bilboda Florida boomer

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    God help me, but I just don't understand electronics, electricity, headphones and amps and audio playback.

    Let me explain, my replacement drivers arrived separately. The first (right) measured 7.1 ohms and now measures 20.1 ohms. The second one (left) is at 7.8 ohms. On the phonitor e there was obvious imbalance thru 3 headphone cables.
    Frustrating but chit, I wasn't going to return them again.

    I've got the Crack pre attenuated with a dual mono passive, so with the dual mono I can balance the channels.
    So I turn on the amp, let it warm up, plug in the headphones and am shocked by balanced headphones!

    How did that happen? I turn the pre all the way down and then increase the volume equally on both channels.
    30 clicks each on the Khozmo pots.
    Sure enough, the Crack is outputting mostly balanced equal volume despite the mismatched resistances.
    If anything, the 20.1 ohm right channel is now a teensy bit louder, confirmed by reducing the volume 2 clicks and getting exact centering of vocals.

    Tube Magic? I am sure there is some science here but I don't know it. The Night Blues mini also has less imbalance.
    But the Crack shines here and the Verums sound marvelous.
    I am using some grossly oversized pads now leaving more of the driver exposed and it helps separation and stage.

    The Crack is now my go to for this phone and it is a keeper. I hate mysteries and confusion but I love what I'm hearing.

    Madeline Peyroux is liquid gold. Thrift store CD discovery
     
  2. Phantaminum

    Phantaminum Friend

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    Verum One Impressions

    Equipment used: PC Tidal HQ/Master --> Eitr --> Gungnir Multibit MB A1 Balanced Out --> Cavalli Liquid Platinum

    Headphones: Verum One, Sennheiser HD650, Hifiman Ananda

    Sub Bass:

    Verum One has that sweet planar bass. Great low end extension with a nice rumble. Does it beat out the Ananda here? Somewhat. Playing Daft Punk - Lose Yourself to Dance, the Ananda has a much stronger low end presence, it rumbles harder, and it feels more palpable. On Distal - Flowers both reach low but I'll toss it up as a tie. The only headphone that has done this track right by me is, surprisingly, the stock Fostex TH-X00. The HD650 is just plain out of its league here.

    Mid Bass:

    The two tracks I used to test out mid bass were DJ Magic Mike - Drop The Bass and Daft Punk - Get Lucky. The Ananda and HD650 have this soft and rounded mid bass presentation in Drop the Bass. The Verum has better attack, weight, and texture on this track. On Get Lucky the bass guitar sounds more prominent on the Verum One but, in my opinion, the Ananda has better texture.

    Mids:

    The Verum One has a sharper attack to instruments compared to both the Ananda and HD650. It still a smooth sound but this is the point where you'll start hearing that this headphone has a brighter signature than the other two. Snares, trumpets, and bongos sound livelier. The twang of a guitar is recreated convincingly on the Ananda with the HD650 and Verum falling slightly behind. The HD650 pulls ahead in both male and female vocals. I keep forgetting just how well the HD 650 does mid range for tracks like Sheryl Crow - Everyday is a Winding Road or John Mayer - Gravity.

    Treble:

    I'll get this out the way right now: The Verum One has sibilance. If you pair it with a neutral/bright amp and the headphone is loud enough, you'll hear that dreaded SSS come across. As I usually listen to them at a moderate volume and pair them with warmer tubes it doesn't bother me. If you have tracks that that are badly mastered, I suggest you skip them. In the same vein as the mids, the treble is livelier and more exciting. The HD650 personally wins out in treble for me while the Ananda and Verum are tied in second place. If you enjoy a more exciting presentation then the Verum One is a good match for you, if you enjoy a more easier presentation of treble then the Ananda is your man.

    Tone/Timbre:


    The HD 650 just eats other headphone's lunch in tone and timbre but I'll put the Verum One right up there with it. Bongos, pianos, trumpets, saxophones, french horns, and other instruments sounds like they're supposed to. Listening to The Cardigans - You're The Storm had me cracking a smile the whole time. Gaspurik did a good job on voicing this headphone.

    Micro/Macro Dynamics:

    The HD 650 has a way with portraying gradients of lower volume notes. You won't miss what's going in the background unless it's a very busy passage. The Verum One are Ananda are ok in micro dynamics. Macro also goes to the HD 650. The HD 650 just does a better job at this and it can be heard in Frank Sinatra's - Fly Me To The Moon. The other two headphones fall slightly behind.

    Speed/Sound Stage/Imaging:

    The Ananda and Verum One kills the HD650 in speed. In songs like Tora - How U Want It both planars just have great note delineation. They both start and stop on a dime while the HD650 feel like that kid that's always trying to catch up to you on a basic bike. One thing I will note is that one some songs the Verum One can sound congested. Fast EDM songs don't fade it but it feels like on tracks with a lot of instruments, all playing at different volumes, taking up all frequencies, the Verum One mushes them together. The Ananda has a much easier time separating out instruments than the other two headphones.

    The sound stage of the Verum One is forward and at times can sound shouty. The HD 650 has a forward sound but on the Cavalli the HD 650 is slightly more neutral. The Ananda has a more laid back sound stage compared to the other two. Verum One has a wider sound stage than the HD650 but nowhere close to the Ananda. The Ananda has much more air between instruments than either of the other two. Both the HD650 and Verum One sound like they throw up bigger images than the Ananda but the Ananda has better placement on its stage.

    Wrapping things up:

    So what do you get for $350 and would I recommend it? You get a headphone that has great low end extension, is clearer, faster, and with similar tone/timbre to the HD650. It displays all the frequencies for you without any dips that I can hear. It has better tone and timbre than the Ananda, with a wider sound stage than the HD650. Solid build and comfortable. I would definitely recommend it as it's a killer headphone for the price. I wouldn't replace my Ananda with the Verum One but we're talking about a headphone that's $350 shipped versus a headphone that's $850 minus tax and shipping. Pair it up with a warmer amp like the Massdrop Cavalli Liquid Carbon and you'll have something that'll put a smile on your face.

    [​IMG]
     
  3. bilboda

    bilboda Florida boomer

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    So I had these ZMF universal angled pads sitting around. The stock pad was generating actual percussion that I could feel.

    After swapping pads, I can see this was the kick drums. not pulsing against my ear now.
    Real difference here. Nice to hear the formerly muffled bass melody,
    It's not just the bass that has improved, everything is better separated and articulated.
    Gregg Allman's growl is back and strong. The phone is much more resolving now.
    Don't know if it is the angle, the perforations or the ZMF foam covering over the driver.
    I think it's the angle myself, thin side up front.

    I am running these for a week solid, music games and video, and may have resolved my higher impedance on the the right side. 2 days to go.
     
  4. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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    @bilboda what version of the universe pads? I have a few lying around.
     
  5. mdr30

    mdr30 Acquaintance

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    Technically this must be a mismatch hard to beat. OTL tube amp which doesn't like low impedances and can't deliver much current, with an 8 ohm planar headphone, pure resistance, that lives on current. Strange.
     
  6. bilboda

    bilboda Florida boomer

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    It does live at the higher end of the volume pot but is very comfortable.

    One day, I will measure the voltages in the Crack with these phones and see what's going on a little better. The bias voltage is not fixed and adapts to what's in the circuit. L and R channels are independent. And it has a very large acceptable range.

    Verum's function well in the Night Blues mini and phonitor e. Imbalance is responding well to tweaks and improving with usage.

    Angle pads make, for me, a huge difference. ZMF universal, perforated, narrow up front. On the Verite, narrow part of pad would be in the back.
     
  7. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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    Nope, towards the front on zmfs too.

    But thanks, I'll try my spare universe perf lamb on the verums when I get a chance.
     
  8. bilboda

    bilboda Florida boomer

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    o_O I got it backwards?
     
  9. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

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    What is the news of @Garuspik and Verum inc these days?
     
  10. Garuspik

    Garuspik Tovarisch Ukrainian Terminator MOT - Verum

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    One small announcement: I've finished all Kickstarter orders and now concentrated on fulfilling orders made through website.
    I'm VERY thankful for your support and ask for a little more patience.
     
  11. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    you don’t may not deserve patience when you have demonstrated being a spiteful butthead to members here.

    (edit: too hasty)
     
    Last edited: Jul 5, 2019
  12. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

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    Did I miss something?
    Last I saw he was giving $250 to cskippy


    Edit: hold on, I may have spoken prematurely

    Edit 2: ok, yeah, that is not ok.
     
    Last edited: Jul 4, 2019
  13. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    You did.
     
  14. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    i wished disease upon no one.
     
  15. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    Tempers are understandably high right now, I'd be f'ing livid too because my immediate family has a history with said disease, and I lost a friend to it at too young an age. I already am f'ing livid.

    The world is burning and we sometimes do absolutely gormless shit without thinking it through. But while sure, stress makes people act differently, there are lines you do not f'ing cross.

    EDIT because this post is still visible after the fact: my pitchforks are down and back in storage, this has been resolved and it's likely someone else that was being a jackass. Some fault to lay on the OG guy as well for not properly vetting perhaps, but not all the vitriol.
     
    Last edited: Jul 9, 2019
  16. gaspasser

    gaspasser Flatulence Maestro

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    No worries. Actually his wonderful gesture and gift to @cskippy was one of the reasons I wanted to support him. He seems like a nice person which is why what he said to me was really strange and off-putting.
     
  17. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    I was shocked to find out that is was @Garuspik who said words that should never be mentioned no matter how much you dislike someone's actions. Being a Member of the Trade changes how you interact with the public as your reputation as a person/business is on the line. I would hope that @Garuspik realizes this and can make a conscious change in how he interacts with customers in the future.
     
  18. Garuspik

    Garuspik Tovarisch Ukrainian Terminator MOT - Verum

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    I'll double this post here also:
    ===========
    Hello, just read this thread and private messages with topic starter and I’m terrified. I’ve recently asked one of my workers to answer pms and emails cause I’m concentrated on assembling of headphones myself. And yes I told him not to make refunds and ask people to wait more cause we’re on a finish line.
    That was a huge mistake to let first year student communicate from this account.
    Sure this was absolutely unacceptable and he is fired.
    I’m over a year on Sbaf and I don’t think I ever told anything offensive.
    =============
     
  19. Dzerh

    Dzerh Friend

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    About Verum-1 pads:
    For me the perforated ones sound cleaner but closer. The original are muddier but more spacious and sometimes sound fuller, for example I like Loreena McKennitt more with these.

    I can live with any set but the perforated sounds like a more versatile for me at this point so likely to be used more often.

    I'm also curious now how some velour pads same high as the original will sound...
     
  20. Ash1412

    Ash1412 Friend

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    Do note that the perforated pads have changed since the original annoucement. I have a pair of recent perforateds and the beta ones are way more angled.
     

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