Verum Audio - Exciting high performance DIY planar

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

  1. Ryanr1987

    Ryanr1987 Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Nov 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    234
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    UK
    I find the Verum very amp dependent more so than many other phones I've tried. Verum can come across bright on some amps, dark on others, it has a very snappy sound. It can sound lean next to say my LCD-2F but that headphone is a full bodied phone, more lush, a flavour phone. Verum reminds me of the HD600 with better bass articulation, lack of decay.


    Verum is one headphone I can listen to and not hear it favouring anything, it is fantastic in all areas. I do slightly favour my LCD-2F only because I like a lush colouration, resolution, speed are comparable.
     
  2. Paprikaspice

    Paprikaspice New

    Joined:
    May 26, 2020
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    1
    Location:
    USA
    Do they come with perforated pads or solid angled pads? I thought the stock pads were perforated.
     
  3. xzackly7

    xzackly7 Guest

    I thought that it would come with perforated leather earpads, but I received an earpad that reminds me of a fostex TH610 stock pad with a taller ear opening. Solid, angled to be thinner in the front.
     
  4. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    14,134
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    India
    That made me raise my right eyebrow. As far as I could possibly raise it.
     
  5. Jerry

    Jerry Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,042
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Asia
    Only cause of the bass ;)
     
  6. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    14,134
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    India
    Oh... Ok then, consider the left eyebrow to have been lifted high :D
     
  7. Lilithnova

    Lilithnova New

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2020
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    1
    Location:
    China
    What version is your Verum 1? mk2? The picture showed on verum audio store reveals the the mk2 version goes with perforated pads.
     
  8. Garuspik

    Garuspik Tovarisch Ukrainian Terminator MOT - Verum

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    May 6, 2018
    Likes Received:
    3,316
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Ukraine
    Maybe accidentally shipped solid leather pad. Same shape and materials, but without holes. I'm still experimenting with pads :) And still can't find one to rule them all.
     
  9. xzackly7

    xzackly7 Guest

    It's no problem. I'm not sure if I will keep them at this point anyway so no need to worry about sending me any. I think an HD6XX will just go better for me here sadly. I don't think I was ready for how a planar sounds. Music is too speedy and has zero decay, really throws me for a loop, I don't seem to be able to get used to it. Vocals aren't portrayed to my liking either. Design and comfort: 8.5/10. Stock Cable: 4/10. Stock angled leather solid pads: 8.5/10, they are pretty good pads. Sound for me: 6.5/10 for my tastes. I find myself wanting to reach for my ER2XR over these a lot.
     
  10. Garuspik

    Garuspik Tovarisch Ukrainian Terminator MOT - Verum

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    May 6, 2018
    Likes Received:
    3,316
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Ukraine
    Everybody has it's own tastes
    Usually this is a selling point of good planar. Especially on some busy or fast music (fast metal, classisc with big orhestra etc). Even during blast beat you can hear every single hit very distinctly.
    By the way, what type of music you like?
     
  11. Roderick

    Roderick Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2018
    Likes Received:
    208
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Finland
    I think @xzackly7 and I have similar preferences regarding bass. I think it has to do with sheer amount of air being pushed by the diaphgram. Some dynamic headphones, especially ones with a lot of pistonic movement like fostex and focal tend to be particularly good at creating that allmost visceral sensation.

    I don't feel Verum's bass is at all lacking in dynamics compared to other planars but strenght of planars is more in extension and defination than on viscerality/dynamics/impact. This might come as a surprise to someone with less ecperience with planars as people often speak so highly about planar bass.
     
  12. xzackly7

    xzackly7 Guest

    I agree 100% maybe if I stopped critically listening for a bit and just sat back for a day with them I could be accustomed to it, but its really quite a shock to hear planar bass over dynamic bass. The subbass can come across as too clean and not boomy enough, if that makes sense. Its super good technically speaking, but that doesn't translate 100% to more enjoyment all the time.

    And @Garuspik I enjoy Rock, EDM and KPop mainly. I'm still waiting on that hart audio cable to arrive anyway, so I wont consider selling them for another month or so. That'll just give me time to figure out what I wanna do. Hoping the cable fixes the audio cut out issues, because if I turned around and wanted to sell I feel that this would detract from the price.
     
  13. Garuspik

    Garuspik Tovarisch Ukrainian Terminator MOT - Verum

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    May 6, 2018
    Likes Received:
    3,316
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Ukraine
    @Roderick Imho, it's not about ability to move the air (square of Verum 1 driver is ~ 3 times bigger in comparison with Focal clear). But almost all dynamic drivers has raise in midbass and lacks subbass. Indeed, that combination can be preferable.

    Lets compare Focal Clear and Verum 1:
    upload_2020-6-29_18-13-20.png

    As all good headphones should be they have simillar tonal balance except bass. Clear has +3db in 100-200 hz region in comparison with 1 khz. Verum 1 is dead flat till infrabass.
     
  14. Roderick

    Roderick Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2018
    Likes Received:
    208
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Finland
    Midbass bump is surely a factor. In most cases it it enough to explain the differences. However I'm not quite ready to give up on that pistonic movement->More perceived air-> more impact,dynamics, viscerality theory.

    Driver size is not the major factor, even amongst planars. Some say Abyss has the most impressive bass of any headphone. It has only 66mm driver. I'm just guessing but but it would seem plausable that diaphgram on Abyss has larger vertical movement of diaphgram than most planars. Focals have only 40mm drivers but bass has more "punch" than most 50mm or larger drivers. It does seem to be quite clear advantage which headphone with flexing edge drivers have compared to ones with fixed edges.

    Think of it like a water, small nozzles will give more pressure on a small area larger ones have same water flow but less pressure. There are undeniable advantages with large drivers but I would not say bass performance is amongst those.

    Like said I don't think Verum has problems with bass but take something like hifiman Ananda for example. It has a huge driver but it is very thin/light weight (propably does not move much either) and thus is unablet produce such pressures needed for a good bass impact. Propably a smaller more rigid driver with more driver excursion would do better.
     
  15. Garuspik

    Garuspik Tovarisch Ukrainian Terminator MOT - Verum

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    May 6, 2018
    Likes Received:
    3,316
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Ukraine
    Agree about Ananda, but try Arya - this thing has much more weight in bass region. Why? ;) Stronger magnets!
     
  16. xzackly7

    xzackly7 Guest

    The main issue is that the bass is so extremely detailed, clean and non-boomy that it sounds weird. Listening to things and hearing every little shift in subbass tone instead of hearing it as a nice smooth rumble is unsettling for me. Too much articulation
     
  17. Ryanr1987

    Ryanr1987 Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Nov 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    234
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    UK
    If you find yourself comparing them religiously, don't. You'll never get to appreciate each phones strengths and chances are you'll favour what you're used to.

    Dynamics do have a lack of decay in comparison where as larger driver planars stopping ability is very apparent. They have snap, I tend to find this better for certain music like say Blink182 or various pop, rock tracks which can sound extremely catchy through a good planar. I like a good dynamic for classical more, the slower decay feels more natural to me.

    I do find myself using certain planars more than I used to, they have a lack of grain that you don't get with dynamic drivers. As much as I have loved the HD650 and consider it the GOAT headphone factoring price performance scalability, timbre going from Verum back to HD650 introduces that gritty 5k peak and just a grain to the sound and lack of snap that I moved away from. It's all preference though and our ears will tell us whats best, just give both a fair shake as you'll not want to be left with doubt!
     
  18. xzackly7

    xzackly7 Guest

    That's a good way of looking at things. I'm still gonna keep trying verum for sure, though getting a 6XX as a complimentary headphone doesn't seem like a terrible idea, just for different genres. 6XX plus Verum = $570, I can't think of a singular headphone at that price point I'd rather have instead of both of those together, so maybe that's the way to go.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 30, 2020
  19. xzackly7

    xzackly7 Guest

    These universe perf suede pads are starting to grow on me, I was using the stock pads for a few days and just switched back. While they need a bit of EQ to be "normal", they delay the speed/attack of the headphone just a bit and soften the impacts slightly. This is nice if you find yourself not wanting ALL of that planar immediacy. You do lose a bit of subbass extension and maybe a pinch of that impact, but so far it seems like a worthy trade.

    You gain a slightly less 3 blob stage-feel, the transition from left and right to the center image is a bit lass gappy. Still 3 blob, but less noticeable to me. Seperation/layering is improved a bit, stage is thrown a little farther out. I'd say you lose some presence around 4khz-5khz compared to stock solid pads. Upper treble is a little more snappy which is welcome, still lacking air above 10khz. I EQ 4-5khz up by 2-3.5db.

    EDIT: Had another set of pads laying around to try. I had some of those DT 177X Dekoni Sheepskins, I was planning on selling those headphones soon but I figured I may as well try the pads for the heck of it. WOW these are really great for vocals, just fantastic presence and clarity on vocals. Less bass impact than the "Eikon clone" stock pads I have and probably slightly less staging, If you want more neutral lower treble, these are it. Upper treble still a bit warm. I believe that these are the pads: https://dekoniaudio.com/product/dek...r-pads-for-beyerdynamic-dt-series-headphones/ Its a shame that they're rather pricey, they give verum a really nice energetic sound. Can't really comment on seperation/imaging with these pads yet.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 1, 2020
  20. Suppa92

    Suppa92 New

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2019
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Location:
    Sri Lanka
    @Garuspik is there any new development/news about Verum 2s? :p;)
     

Share This Page