Drop Ether CX Review (Closed Planar Headphone)

[Jave]

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisac2dj-mrspeakers-ether-c-closed-back-headphone

Sorry about that. Really useful post, and a great argument for proofreading.
Hopefully this will be a bit more informative.

This is the Ether C (not CX nor C Flow)

 

[Dmitri]

This is the Ether C (not CX nor C Flow)

Well my “helpful” post gets less helpful by the minute.
Sorry all, Mea Culpa.

 

[Jave]

Finally managed to "fix" the headphones. Just fixed the glasses' arms at a certain angle and bent them in such a way they will sit flush against the skin.

 

[dixter]

curious how these compare to the Audeze LCD-XC anyone have any insight...

 

[edahl]

I looked back and found the answer... CX should not use the ETHER pads, you get a 6K spike and it borks the upper midrange.

Comparing the two CX is smoother in the midrange while C Flow has more bass power, lower distortion, throws a deeper soundstage, and is more revealing. Both handle EQ with ease, C Flow needs a little more up top while CX needs more below.

Oratory's measured response for C Flow looks pretty much like what I'd post and he got a near ruler flat response with the PEQ so go there if you want to see vs the CX data Amir has posted.

One thing that is fun with ETHER C Flow is THD, which is even lower than CX. Here're two plots, brown is the CX at 104dB at 1Khz. This maps pretty well to Amir.

ETHER CX THD, 104dB @1Khz
View attachment 138982

ETHER CX THD, 104dB @1Khz
View attachment 138981

The lower THD is the Flow tech working, though as you see it was improving on something that was already pretty good...

Anyhow, stick with the CX pads on the CX and if you want to fiddle with the sound use the tuning inserts or EQ.

Regarding this @Dan Clark , does DCA sell replacement pads (and headband parts) for the CX?

 

[Malaj]

I tried increasing the clamping force and bought new ear pads (the ones I currently use, which are firmer), but even now I get less bass than HD650...
I might try new glasses. I am not even sure I get as much bass as on the HD650 even without glasses. This is very weird and frustrating.

Late answer but the simple solution is follow dan clarks advice and put the scalms above the earpads! And then have a relaxed posture if you hunch over a keyboard they might fall off if you have badly designed nose pieces but my glasses is fine even for that. Otherwise use as thin scalms as possible of course.

 

[Dan Clark]

Regarding this @Dan Clark , does DCA sell replacement pads (and headband parts) for the CX?

Not currently but it's easy to add to the website. We'll do so next week.

 

[edahl]

Not currently but it's easy to add to the website. We'll do so next week.

Found an excellent deal on a used pair but it slipped through my fingers. Excellent to know that it's there when I eventually manage to pick one up, thank you!

 

[Kyle / MrHeeHo]

Not currently but it's easy to add to the website. We'll do so next week.

was this ever done?

 

[Dan Clark]

was this ever done?

Ack, no sorry. We needed to get a photo done and the guy who takes the pics Was out…

 

[Dan Clark]

was this ever done?

ETHER flat ear pads

ETHER flat ear pads work with all ETHER headphones.

danclarkaudio.com

 

[edahl]

ETHER flat ear pads

ETHER flat ear pads work with all ETHER headphones.

danclarkaudio.com

Appreciate it! The detail text could use a slight update

however MrSpeakers does not warranty fit or performance

Stumbled upon a used pair with channel matching I didn't think possible. Certainly lends credence to your commitment to channel matching.

 

[Dan Clark]

Appreciate it! The detail text could use a slight update

Stumbled upon a used pair with channel matching I didn't think possible. Certainly lends credence to your commitment to channel matching.

Klippel was a great investment for us…

 

[edahl]

MRSPEAKERS ETHER CX CLOSED HEADPHONES on Holdiay sale for $749 now

Baha the timing, I just bought a used pair for 780. Albeit with prefect channel matching, extras and personal EQ, BUT STILL I was expecting this for black Friday lol

 

[edahl]

Baha the timing, I just bought a used pair for 780. Albeit with prefect channel matching, extras and personal EQ, BUT STILL I was expecting this for black Friday lol

These arrived today. Man are they comfy and man are they clean. They need a bit of EQ to really sing, but then they sing like a champ.

 

[Snoopy]

Audiophiles LOVE quirkyness to headphones. Every headphone with a huge flaw is one they love, and the ones that actually hit good responses along the Harmon line are ones they find "boring". I'm convinced most popular experts are just bs at this point.

I get that feeling alot when reading on Reddit or headfi..
Suddenly a thread pops up where a whole group of people is Shitting on how certain well measuring and we'll reviewed headphones sound.

Only to hype something new (or obscure).

 

[Dan Clark]

I get that feeling alot when reading on Reddit or headfi..
Suddenly a thread pops up where a whole group of people is Shitting on how certain well measuring and we'll reviewed headphones sound.

Only to hype something new (or obscure).

Hey, all us manufacturers have to do to keep some people happy is add extra distortion, oops, I mean "detail," and a random frequency response that sounds awesome with one genre! Easy!

 

[kwerkee]

This or ÆON 2 Noire ?

 

[Bernard23]

How do these compare to the aeon xt closed and open? I'm pretty set on some DC phones, but I don't know which way to jump!!

 

[guzkiy]

I wonder how this compares to Hifiman HE6se. Amir had a review on those and they had similar distortion and frequency response. Any subjective opinions of people who heard both?

I have both Drop Ether CX and HE6SE v2 (for now). I compared both equalized as suggested in this forum.
In my subjective opinion, Drop Ether CX sound more neutral (equal boring for some) and is more even across the spectrum. Sound stage seems to be a tiny bit better. The details may be a tad better but not sure about that (have not done enough listening/comparing yet). Definitely easier to drive than HE6se v2.
HE6se v2 on the other hand sound a bit colored to me and that is nice especially with guitar music (more appealing for some people, my other half loves how they sound). I hear some colored/uneven response somewhere in HE6se v2 in compare to Ether and that tilts my preference to Ether.