For those still on the fence about whether or not to get these, I cannot say how much better they are than anything outside of $15 logitech speakers (used for way too long), bundled-with-PSP on-ear Sony Units (lasted less than a quarter year), Sony MDR7506s (used for over a decade) and Austrian AudioHi-X60s (used for a little over a year, and not-at-all recommended),but I am not even being slightly hyperbolic when I state these things are "absolutely life-changing in several fields".
I just got mine yesterday, and was only able to unpack and test them out just now, but even before I put them on, everything about the package, from the care used in storing things, to the case, to the delightful parple™ cleaning cloth packed within the fancy, frame-worthy certificate of authenticity delighted, and exuded quality.
After wearing them, though, the first impression was that they do not even feel like they're present,by-far being the lightest, most comfortable pair of said technology I've ever used, with neither "pressy", nor "Squeezy"able to even be thought when describing them, and while I've not worn them for even half an hour, much less for the period I started to feel the soreness of my glasses arms pressing into my skull with myHi-X60-s, I cannot imagine they'd at-all become fatiguing, much less unbearable.
How do they sound, though?
I went right into my usual pair of headphone tests, and while it was completely absent on my Hi-X60s$500 phones...no bass response.), I am very pleased to report Colin Moulding's bass-work in XTC's "Mayor of Simpleton" is not only audible, but every note crystal clear.
Moving onto the same band's "King For a Day" I have never been able to so clearly hear the lower-octave vocals Andy contributes to the song as well as I do with these things, everything sounding completely full, present, and detailed, be this lyrics, vocals, or other instruments.
The one that really surprised me,though, was the song I thought was the least well-produced of the lot, specifically "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" off their Nonsvch album.
The song isn't poorer produced than the other two, I just didn't have headphones good enough to accurately portray the insane amounts of depth and nuance found within.
Case in point, not only is some fumbling about present in the gap before the instrumentation starts in, but at least 4 other layers are present to said non-vocal accompaniment than I previously realised, and upon being able to hear for the first time just how drastically - and imperceptibly on anything I've heard it on before - the atmosphere of the song changes on the penultimate verse, I absolutely exploded into an array of tingles and goosebumps that are present just from typing about it.
I'm going to be diving into Talk Talk's"It's My Life" (or maybe just the entirety of The Colour of Spring) after typing this, but to address some other things:
- The user guide does something not seen before and warns of the permanently-damaging dangers of high volumes, something I was very pleased to see, and saddened more companies don't do. I wish it were in a different colour than the rest of the texts to draw attention to it, though.
- I have a feeling these will be of a tolerable volume when plugged into my phone and other 3.5MM jack devices, because, while I needed my interface to be cranked up until things were just audible on both sides, then system volume reduced to6/100, these are still comfortable to my autistic ears at 40 –50/100.
- the 1/4in adapter still screws on, but has a much shorter thread/twist-time, making swapping between plug sizes much faster.
- The cable does not have any perceptible issues, much less sound being present when moved while listening, but can make a sort of ringy thoonk when accidentally bapped, or moved, however the cable is long enough that you can position it so this doesn't happen.
- The cable's also long enough that it doesn't touch the ground, but also doesn't get yanked when turning in my dodgily-designed Ikea budget chair.
- the non-sound-based injury(still-unidentified cause stemming from jaw moving weirdly and crack heard in left side) tinnitus I've been afflicted with for almost 3years at this point is much less perceptible with these on, somehow.
- This may be the result of having 2 intact pads, as opposed to the crumbling ones of my Hi-X60s (I think I've provided enough testimony to illustrate the reasoning for my dissatisfaction with these), but the sound of out-of-headphone things is much quieter.
To conclude, I would absolutely say these are worth the $100 already, but given how much other potential exists for "YEEBUS!" experiences along the lines of the third song, they will absolutely be justifying their cost even more in-time
I may update this, or make a separate post when I get my new audio interface (Going from a UA Volt 176 to SSL 2+ Mk.II), and do some gaming on these, but the first impressions are overwhelmingly positive in every aspect, and I thank both Sir Clark and the employees for being one of the few US companies I'm aware of that genuinely want to make what's best, as opposed to what's most profitable.