E3 has finally arrived.
Trigger warning - subjectivism.
The fit
Fit and comfort are very nice from the get-go on my head. Clamping is stronger for me than HD800s and a bit lower than HD600. HD800s is a bit too loose for my taste, so I prefer the clamping on the E3. The headband is a bit stiff, but over time I can see it conforming and softening. I have a complete seal and my ears are in the center of the cups.
The sound
In one word - clear. What I mean is best explained with a comparison between HD800s and E3. HD800s are EQed (Oratory Harman EQ) and E3 are not EQed.
HD800s reproduces all that is in the music, but with it being an open-back, all the various sounds in my room mask the detail and I find myself increasing the volume. On the other hand, E3 lowers the noise floor of the room and the tiny details and quieter background parts in the music are perceived clearly. I don't have to "look" for them. The result is listening at a lower volume is more pleasurable with E3.
Having seen the measurements first, I had a preconceived notion of how E3 will sound. I was thinking the ear gain part of the freaquancy range would be shouty. But it isn't - the tonality is balanced and smooth. If I were to change anything about the response, it would be a minimal -1dB shelf above 5-6kHz - haven't tried it yet. This sort of proves to me that measured FR is a must to have, but in actual listening, E3 sounds different from what I thought it would sound like just by looking at the FR.
With both of them tuned to Harman tonality is similar, but the presentation of the sound is quite different. The thing that stands out is the layering on the E3 and the overall sense of clarity. EQed HD800s is still a great headphone and won't be going anywhere anytime.
Closed-back??
How is this a closed-back headphone? To me, the spatial cues in the music are presented perfectly - something I couldn't believe a closed-back could do. There is no hint of boominess or any other nasty stereotypes assigned to closed-backs (mind you, I have NOT heard a lot of closed-backs). HD800s are wider, but it doesn't matter, E3 is almost there for me. I don't get forward projection or 3D sound on any of them.
Lastly, the isolation isn't on par with truly isolating headphones, this is a minor issue for me.
Anyways, great job
@Dan Clark!