HEDD Audio HEDDphone D1

[Somafunk]

But yes a bunch of reviews popped out at the same time so there's a big marketing campaign going on with these. Trust in (good) measurements, not what these people are saying.

That’s how product embargo’s work in every commercial industry when bringing new products to market

 

[evanft]

I'm looking forward to trying these out. The measurements seem to confirm the "HD6XX series, but with better bass and smoother treble" assessments, which would make it a real contender. Weight is higher than I would like, but lower than a lot of high-end headphones.

Wish it were closer to $500 than $800, but I guess that's the world we live in.

 

[hifiearspeakers]

These are the best headphones I’ve ever heard at any price. They do so much right and so little wrong. They have sub bass, very punchy mid bass, and details for days. And they have all of that while also sounding smooth and accurate.

They make everything sound good but percussion sounds particularly great. Everyone keeps comparing them to the Sennheiser 600/650/6XX, but I think they sound like the Focal Utopia, but with a larger stage, massively better comfort, and without any harshness or metallic sheen. None of those Sennheisers sound as clean or as punchy.

 

[dfuller]

Sennheiser should buy HEDD

Why?

 

[markanini]

I don't think it's weird that people like it since it has a generally agreeable tuning although a lack of bass. But yes a bunch of reviews popped out at the same time so there's a big marketing campaign going on with these. Trust in (good) measurements, not what these people are saying.

As an example, a bunch of reviewers hyped up Fiio FT1 to the heights of a no-brainer blind-buy. It's impossible to have full insight of possible NDAs, or simple relationship-building driving reviewers to overhype new releases regularly. That makes reviewer consensus unreliable however. ASR showed an average performance in it's class: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/fiio-ft1-headphone-review.66662/ Fiio FT1 is just one headphone among others that were hyped by the review community and soon fell off. Kiwi Ears KE4 is another hyped product that follows this pattern.

 

[hifiearspeakers]

I’m telling you all, as an owner of the D1, these don’t sound in the bass the way it graphs. I own the Sennheiser 600, 650, 505, 550, Focal Clear, ZMF Atrium Open, and used to own the Utopia 2022 version.

These have more mid bass slam than all of them except the Utopia. The Atrium has more overall bass, but not more slam/impact. If you look at Squiglink graphs, these have the same sub bass extension as the Arya Stealth.

The only people that will find these bass light, are bass-heads or those who are trying to power them with something like the Apple dongle. These have amazing bass quantity and quality from my modest Schiit Midgard.

To my ears, the way these present percussion is their best quality, amongst many really good qualities.

 

[Morla]

@hifiearspeakers mine arrived today and I noticed a smell like machineoil or old smoke. Is that the same with your headphone?

 

[listener650]

@hifiearspeakers mine arrived today and I noticed a smell like machineoil or old smoke. Is that the same with your headphone?

Hahahah, when Resolve got his pair one of the first things he told me was that the pads smell like "crushed ladybugs." I am entirely unfamiliar with this smell, and my unit didn't/doesn't have any issues with smell, but maybe HEDD needs to let certain components off-gas a bit more before packing em up?

 

[Morla]

smell like "crushed ladybugs.'

Yes. "ladybugs" describes it well. Thank you

 

[Mnyb]

It is also quite possible the reviewers may actually mean what they say. Seriously though, not everyone lies all of the time.

No many don’t but they do live a fantasy don’t they and it’s entertainment and they like audio gear , but nothing grounds them like a measurement system or controlled test ?
And you can be shilling witlessly without realising it don’t you think ?

If i would open a channel ”Mike’s happy audio” and open boxes that manufacturer for some reasons send me and smile and don’t say anything substantial or make any absurd claims i would still be a tool ?

But anyway i think when you speak publicly and formally you should have better fact checking in general. They actually are influencing people.

My favourite science youtubers have sometimes made videos where they admitted they where wrong in the past and sometimes passed on an urban myth unwittingly.

The internet seems to fast for fact checking its boring and slows things down and your not on the gravy train.

Sorry for being such a downer

anyway i love my HD600 and wonder can anything be better ?
I’m so old that headphones was Sennheiser or nothing ( possibly AKG ) when i was younger . A friend had a pair of jecklin float i had closed back Sennheisers ..

 

[jean-benoit]

question for the owners; can someone compare it to the DT 1990 Pro?

would it be a good upgrade?

 

[Lifer]

question for the owners; can someone compare it to the DT 1990 Pro?

would it be a good upgrade?

And Focal Clear MG please
Thanks

 

[Bow_Wazoo]

How quickly does mechanical clipping occur at high volumes?

 

[Morla]

How quickly does mechanical clipping occur at high volumes?

What's that? If you don't mind

 

[oleg87]

How quickly does mechanical clipping occur at high volumes?

There was a distortion graph linked somewhere around the first page - it was still exceptionally clean at 115dB. Don’t think there’s much to worry about there.

 

[Bow_Wazoo]

What's that? If you don't mind

Are you serious?!

 

[Morla]

Are you serious?!

yes, I wasn't aware that happens. Lack of experience with headphones.

 

[Lifer]

I received the Hedd D1 yesterday and have been doing A/B comparison with my HD6XX since then.

In a nutshell: Is it a better HD6XX ? Sometimes, maybe most of the times. Is it a 2-3x the price better ? No, i think it should be priced around 400-500€.

Few preliminary notes:
- Cable is maybe the best I experienced in this hobby. The case is great too.
- Build quality, serviceability and 5 years warranty are great.
- Comfort is good, but i find my HD6XX more comfortable.
- Very neutral, and very natural timber, even more than the HD6XX. I kept thinking if I was to listen the piece live, that's how it would sound. Most natural headphones I heard to date.
- More separation and more 3D stage, instead of the HD6XX wall of sound. Which I think is what makes it more natural to me. Less 3 blobs effect, but not huge soundstage either.
- Bass extend lower, and is "quicker" than the HD6XX. So there is this feeling of more attack. But it doesn't necessarily punch harder.
- More revealing in the treble without sounding harsh of fatiguing to my ears. It's less relax than the HD6XX though.
==> Overall it removes a bit this HD6XX "veil" while keeping timber and improve on the dynamic and bass.

Which brings us to the issue of this headset. It removes the veil of the HD6XX!
The more I try different headphones, the more I think this veil is what brings this "lushness" to voices.
So while I prefer the Hedd D1 for instrumental music by maybe 10%, as soon as there is voice, especially female, I prefer the HD6XX by 30% (if that makes sense).
And even with instrumental, it's not that I am dying to use the D1 instead of the HD6XX. It's simply not enough of an upgrade.

I don't see the Hedd D1 being able to replace completely my HD6XX. And I start to believe it is simply not possible to have both more separation (which is what i was looking for) and the voice lushness in one pair of headphones. Next one I want to try is the Focal Clear MG. If this doesn't do the trick, I'll give up on trying to upgrade the HD6XX.
I could see it becoming a reference in the professional world though.

Testing is still ongoing and I may change my opinion in the future.

 

[Morla]

@Lifer would you mind sharing your test songs and specifically maybe timecode to what you pay attention to specifically in it?

 

[Lifer]

@Lifer would you mind sharing your test songs and specifically maybe timecode to what you pay attention to specifically in it?

Here are a few. The YouTube version is horrible but I linked them for reference.

Hans Zimmer - Prague Intro (5:30-8:00): I listen for neutrality and separation. For example at around 6:30 with the Hedd D1 i can easily picture the bass guitar and the keyboard as two different layers/musicians. At 6:55 at the climax and where it becomes very busy, it's easier to separate the different instruments with the Hedd D1 compared to the more blurry, in your face, wall of sound from the HD6XX.
Ibrahim Maalouf - True Story (00:00 - 1:20): Timber,neutrality, separation. I listen if i can clearly picture each musician as they enter the piece and going crescendo. + if the cymbals sound natural.
Hans Zimmer - Now We are Free: Neutrality, bass and female vocal
Ibrahim Maalouf - Again: Timber of the piano + attack of each note
Pink Floyd - Time: At the beginning I listen for bass quality and soundstage. At around 2:15 the snaredrum timber and attack. Then Male Vocal. At 3:45 the electric guitar attack.
Miwako Okuda - Shizuku (00:00-02:20): Female vocal
Jeff Beck with Imogen Heap: Female vocal mainly, but also overal neutrality, attack and separation.
Dire Straits - News: Male Vocal overal neutrality, attack and separation.
Ezra Collective - God Gave Me Feet For Dancing: Female vocal + overal neutrality and separation.
Adele - Skyfall: Female Vocal + separation + timber of the instruments