Lily Audio Genesis One Headphone Review

[Robbo99999]

They are clearly inspired by the HD8XX chassis design and while I don’t own one I have tried it on, the ergonomics are very similar. The G1 is under 300 grams, have a contour in the rear of the cups for a better seal and from memory, they are as deep if not deeper internally, pads are also slimmer. There’s some more minor things but those of the primary changes between the two hp chassis.

Interesting, HD800(s) has the biggest earcups I've ever experienced, and technically it's a better headphone than the one in this review - and certainly if you use it with EQ. Ha, it even harks back to 2009! Yep, just wanted to ask that question because I don't think I've seen a headphone with more space for ears than the HD800(s). I mean, essentially that is the only thing going for the headphone in the review here (Lily Audio Genesis), it doesn't have any other good features.

 

[Robbo99999]

The sensitivity chart will be harder to read from now on

Yep, don't include it!

 

[Robbo99999]

Hi Amir and the ASR community. It's Tony from Lily Audio here. First, a sincere thank you for your analysis of the Genesis One. We value detailed objective feedback. I would like to clarify that the measured unit belongs to our very first production run. Since that initial batch, we have made tuning revisions to improve the ear gain response. Specifically, as of the 2nd batch, we added internal damping to the driver to tame the treble peaks (ref: KS update #16). We are supporting all original backers by retrofitting this fix.
Given that the product has evolved, I would love to send you a unit that reflects our current tuning for updated measurements. Thanks!

Hello Tony. Welcome to ASR! And thanks for the offer. Would be happy to test a new sample. Please start a "conversation" with me and we can organize the shipment.

Well that's fantastic!

 

[kemmler3D]

I totally get why that looks wild. Seeing a 4–12dB variance on a graph in that 2–6 kHz region is definitely alarming, and on a normal headphone, it absolutely would wreck the stereo image. But the Genesis One is a bit of a special case due to its design. It has massive ear cups designed specifically for maximum openness and soundstage. The catch is that huge ear cups almost always measure pretty ugly on graphs. Measuring treble is tricky for us because of all the reflections and cancellations inside a large cup and the measurement rig. If the headphone shifts on the dummy head, the treble response curve changes drastically. This isn't really an issue with smaller headphones.
To get a "true" treble measurement, you have to reposition the headphones multiple times and average the graphs out. Unfortunately doing this for every single unit on the production line is not feasible. Because treble measurements on rigs vary a lot, we focus our strict channel matching on the bass and mids, where the numbers are stable. For the treble, we check the general trend line rather than stressing over individual peaks and dips. Hope that sheds some light on why the graphs look so chaotic compared to how they actually sound!

Thanks for the reasonable response, and hopefully we'll see measurements more in line with your intended outcome on the second round.

 

[jdoe]

There is another similar product with same transducer type: Flatvox GB. It has a special form of driver (as seen here:

Spoiler: Flatvox GB review on youtube

) with different zones in order to suppress standing waves and reduce distortion. Maybe someone already auditioned and can provide more details about the sound. Creator advertises these headphone as "indestructible" due to the fact, that membrane is made of hard material.

 

[tonyng]

@tonyng


View attachment 532917

The schematic above fixes the 2.5kHz peaking and has the adjustable treble selector.
Will fit in your box (just looked at the kickstarter post).

It lowers the impedance above 1kHz to roughly 100ohm.

Inductor must be able to handle 100mA or so, low resistance is not needed at all so can be small in size for instance BOURNS RLB9012-472KL
Cap should be rated > 50V (say... KEMET R82EC3470Z370J)
Resistors R1 and R2 around 1W.

Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. We will test it and share the result soon.

 

[solderdude]

There is another similar product with same transducer type: Flatvox GB. It has a special form of driver (as seen here:

Spoiler: Flatvox GB review on youtube

) with different zones in order to suppress standing waves and reduce distortion. Maybe someone already auditioned and can provide more details about the sound. Creator advertises these headphone as "indestructible" due to the fact, that membrane is made of hard material.

Doesn't seem to have proper tonality. The Genesis One (with filter) will have better tonality.

110dB/V and 24ohm suggests the driver is not capacitive and probably is just a different type of dynamic driver.

 

[Maiky76]

Specs:
View attachment 532570

Here are some thoughts about the EQ.
Please report your findings, positive or negative!

Note that since the data was not provided the score are only (good) approximations from scanned graphs.

Notes about the EQ design:

• The average L/R is used to calculate the score.
• The resolution is 12 points per octave interpolated from the raw data (provided by @amirm)
• A Genetic Algorithm is used to optimize the EQ.
• The EQ Score is designed to MAXIMIZE the Score WHILE fitting the Harman target curve (and other constraints) with a fixed complexity.
  This will avoid weird results if one only optimizes for the Score, start your journey here or there.
  There is a presentation by S. Olive here.
  It will probably flatten the Error regression doing so, the tonal balance should be therefore more neutral.
• The EQs are starting point and may require tuning (certainly at LF and maybe at HF).
• The range around and above 10kHz is usually not EQed unless smooth enough to do so.
• I am using PEQ (PK) as from my experience the definition is more consistent across different DSP/platform implementations than shelves.
• With some HP/amp combo, the boosts and preamp gain (loss of Dynamic range) need to be carefully considered to avoid issues with, amongst other things, too low a Max SPL or damaging your device. You have beed warned.
• Not all units of the same product are made equal. The EQ is based on the measurements of a single unit. YMMV with regard to the very unit you are trying this EQ on.
• I sometimes use variations of the Harman curve for some reasons. See rational here and here
• NOTE: the score then calculated is not comparable to the scores derived from the default Harman target curve if not otherwise noted.

Average L/R match.

I have generated one EQ, the APO config file is attached.

Score no EQ: 71.0
Score Amirm: 86.2
Score with EQ: 96.5

Lily Genesis One APO EQ Score Flat@HF 96000Hz
May182026-143005

Preamp: -2.60 dB

Filter 1: ON PK Fc 203.4 Hz Gain 1.85 dB Q 0.82
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 537.0 Hz Gain -1.35 dB Q 3.17
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 2230.6 Hz Gain -7.00 dB Q 2.96
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 2901.1 Hz Gain -3.45 dB Q 5.00
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 4062.2 Hz Gain 2.73 dB Q 2.29
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 7244.3 Hz Gain 5.92 dB Q 1.16
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 5132.8 Hz Gain -3.42 dB Q 4.38
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 8462.0 Hz Gain -9.83 dB Q 4.99
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 10758.5 Hz Gain -7.21 dB Q 4.96
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 15162.5 Hz Gain -16.36 dB Q 2.10

 

[LTd head]

Here are some thoughts about the EQ.
Please report your findings, positive or negative!

Note that since the data was not provided the score are only (good) approximations from scanned graphs.

Notes about the EQ design:

• The average L/R is used to calculate the score.
• The resolution is 12 points per octave interpolated from the raw data (provided by @amirm)
• A Genetic Algorithm is used to optimize the EQ.
• The EQ Score is designed to MAXIMIZE the Score WHILE fitting the Harman target curve (and other constraints) with a fixed complexity.
  This will avoid weird results if one only optimizes for the Score, start your journey here or there.
  There is a presentation by S. Olive here.
  It will probably flatten the Error regression doing so, the tonal balance should be therefore more neutral.
• The EQs are starting point and may require tuning (certainly at LF and maybe at HF).
• The range around and above 10kHz is usually not EQed unless smooth enough to do so.
• I am using PEQ (PK) as from my experience the definition is more consistent across different DSP/platform implementations than shelves.
• With some HP/amp combo, the boosts and preamp gain (loss of Dynamic range) need to be carefully considered to avoid issues with, amongst other things, too low a Max SPL or damaging your device. You have beed warned.
• Not all units of the same product are made equal. The EQ is based on the measurements of a single unit. YMMV with regard to the very unit you are trying this EQ on.
• I sometimes use variations of the Harman curve for some reasons. See rational here and here
• NOTE: the score then calculated is not comparable to the scores derived from the default Harman target curve if not otherwise noted.

Average L/R match.

I have generated one EQ, the APO config file is attached.

Score no EQ: 71.0
Score Amirm: 86.2
Score with EQ: 96.5

Lily Genesis One APO EQ Score Flat@HF 96000Hz
May182026-143005

Preamp: -2.60 dB

Filter 1: ON PK Fc 203.4 Hz Gain 1.85 dB Q 0.82
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 537.0 Hz Gain -1.35 dB Q 3.17
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 2230.6 Hz Gain -7.00 dB Q 2.96
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 2901.1 Hz Gain -3.45 dB Q 5.00
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 4062.2 Hz Gain 2.73 dB Q 2.29
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 7244.3 Hz Gain 5.92 dB Q 1.16
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 5132.8 Hz Gain -3.42 dB Q 4.38
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 8462.0 Hz Gain -9.83 dB Q 4.99
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 10758.5 Hz Gain -7.21 dB Q 4.96
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 15162.5 Hz Gain -16.36 dB Q 2.10

View attachment 533082

@Maiky76 Thank you for sharing EQ settings on Genesis One! However they slightly differ from my graph (2nd batch).
Still experimenting with EQ, but I found:
250Hz dip: +3 to +4dB to add more body;
2.8kHz -3dB to remove glare;
4.8kHz -3dB and 8kHz -6dB to remove sibiliance.
Maybe you could recommend some settings for my graph?
Thank you in advance!

 

[Maiky76]

@Maiky76 Thank you for sharing EQ settings on Genesis One! However they slightly differ from my graph (2nd batch).
Still experimenting with EQ, but I found:
250Hz dip: +3 to +4dB to add more body;
4.8kHz -3dB and 8kHz -6dB to remove sibiliance.
Maybe you could recommend some settings for my graph?
Thank you in advance!

The data provided by Amirm is very high quality so one can go to town on the EQ for this Headphone...
I don't know what apparatus was used to test the curve you show therefore I can't reuse the Harman research.
I know nothing about batch number...

Anyways, your EQ does not look too different from the design above (unless you add your EQ on top of what is presented)

250Hz dip: +3 to +4dB to add more body;
Depends on Taste....

If you look at the Graph of the EQ
2.8kHz -3dB to remove glare;
Total EQ function
-7db @2250Hz
-4.5dB @2800Hz

4.8kHz -3dB and 8kHz -6dB to remove sibilance.
-8.5dB @8500Hz

 

[RichieSuganda]

kinda looks like the sony qualia

 

[FTB]

Tough crowd

Yes for such a price I expect better.
We can have better for 150€.

 

[StevenEleven]

Not bad for a ceramic driver and quite an improvement over the early 'X'tal' earpieces .
View attachment 532590
A capacitive headphone but not like an electret/electrostat.
160nF pure capacitive may be a tricky load for some headphone amps especially with 75dB/V, most headphones range between 100-115dBV.
Even the least sensitive headphone around (85dB/V) plays twice as loud.
For those that wonder ... this is the (also piezo electric) Pioneer SE-700.

In any case it is quite an improvement over the (also piezo-electric) Pioneer SE-300

SE-300

back to Pioneer back to measurements home published: Aug-25-2018 NO SMOOTHING is applied to the shown plots. Most measurement sites have some smoothing applied which ‘irons flat’ sharp peaks and ‘w…

diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com

Well I am not really following this conversation very well but I did have the pioneer se700 for several years in my youth. If I remember correctly one of the swivel things on the headband eventually broke and I moved on. Interesting memory though. I saw the name and then verified the picture and it brought back memories of my affection for them. Headphones were more of a novelty back then, not at all so ubiquitous as they are now.

 

[daniboun]

What I read from their site... Aïe aïe )))

CrystalCore™ Technology | Experience Precision Sound—Shop Now — Lily Audio

Discover Lily Audio's CrystalCore™ Technology, a groundbreaking piezoelectric headphone driver architecture offering exceptional speed, detail, and immersive sound quality. Learn more today.

www.lilyaudio.com

01
Controlled, articulate treble

02
Extended and physically engaging bass

03
Coherent behavior across the full frequency range

 

[plumpudding2]

Anyone knowledgable knows whether it's a good idea to connect this baby to an electrostatic energiser? Save for the bias voltage it seems to be roughly similar in impedance and sensitivity to estats, which are also a purely capacitive load.

 

[solderdude]

NOT a good idea I'm afraid.

These amps for electrostats are not designed to drive 160nF loads and have a higher output voltage than needed for ceramic drivers.
An electrostatic headphone has a capacitance of around 100pF so this headphone is 1500x higher in capacitance.
Also an electrostat is around 60dB/V and this headphone is 75dB/V so 5.6x more sensitive.

Connecting it via a 1:5 transformer might be an idea but this also drastically increases the load capacitance (25x) so the amp will see around 4uF in parallel to the output, thus at 20kHz the impedance will drop to 2 ohm and even then the sensitivity will only be 90dB/V (where as most headphones are between 100 and 115dB/V)
I don't think many amps, other than a speaker amp will like this (with a series resistance of a few ohm).

Nah... best to use a (Class AB) speaker amp + series resistor or a headphone amp that can provide 20V (higher than 1W rated in 300ohm) or higher and has a high-gain setting.

This is a special headphone driver that is in-between electrostats and dynamics in sensitivity and has a 1000x higher capacitance.

 

[RetroStereo]

If they truly get it sorted out. It could be a really nice HP; however, as it is, I really don't see the point.

 

[solderdude]

@AetherDrive send me his Genesis One for review (much appreciated).
This is NOT the same version as reviewed by Amir (which was a proto-type).
full review:

Genesis One

back to Lily Audioback to measurementshome published: June-10-2026 NO SMOOTHING is applied to the shown plots. Most measurement sites have some smoothing applied which ‘irons flat’ sharp peaks and …

diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com

The frequency response differs from the one Amir measured.
(horizontal line = tonally balanced)

Yes... that seems a bit messy in the treble BUT the plot below is closer as to how we hear it.

This headphone thus requires a different filter as proposed for the proto-type.

It requires quite a bit of voltage to drive and have been enjoying its sound (through the filter) on a 200W amp.
That regularly showed peaks of 50W (20V) at 'active listening levels).

 

[flitcroft]

This is NOT the same version as reviewed by Amir (which was a proto-type).

Amir reviewed my headphones. They are a production pair purchased through Kickstarter. The difference between the two versions is a felt insert that Lily Audio retrofitted into later models.

 

[tonyng]

Amir reviewed my headphones. They are a production pair purchased through Kickstarter. The difference between the two versions is a felt insert that Lily Audio retrofitted into later models.

View attachment 537966

To clarify, the retrofit refers specifically to the damping rubber added to the driver inside the housing to fix 2-3 kHz peaks. Separately, our new dust filter now includes a bonus piece of acoustic filtration material from Saati. This is our latest update. It was found to smooths out the upper treble above 8 kHz a bit.