[eric65]

Any idea when ?

Hi.

Normally for the end of the year 2017.
Pierre Paya promised me to lend me one (Odin mk3) as soon as it is ready; and generally Pierre (In France) receives in first the first copies in production of the new products made by Kennerton.

 

[bmichels]

Hi.

Normally for the end of the year 2017.
Pierre Paya promised me to lend me one (Odin mk3) as soon as it is ready; and generally Pierre (In France) receives in first the first copies in production of the new products made by Kennerton.

Great. So let us know when you receive them .

Once pierre provided me an ODIN (mk1) for testing. I liked the sound, but I found them so Unconfortable (HEAVY !!) that I gave up...

 

[eric65]

Great. So let us know when you receive them .

Once pierre provided me an ODIN (mk1) for testing. I liked the sound, but I found them so Unconfortable (HEAVY !!) that I gave up...

Sebbs on HCFR, also,

But all (*) those who are not dead crushed under the weight of the Odin are very satisfied by the sound of this (heavy) headphone.

A question of natural selection?

More seriously, once the headphones are well adjusted and the neck resting on the back of the sofa (or armchair), I can listen without discomfort, and with lots of pleasure, my Odin for several hours, without problems (music or blu-ray for my home-cinema).

(*) (for example; Superfred21, dub, agnostic1er, R one (g g), kéké26, Ithilienrp, Arcamera ..., to name a few)

EDIT : read also this quote of rawitat (Ithilienrp on head-fi)
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/kennerton-vali-exclusive-massdrop-edition/talk/1692928?mode=guest_open
Read, also (in French): http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/post179270826.html#p179270826

 

[Whitigir]

I will chime in here regarding Sony Signature series. Though, I have not heard the wm1A, but I can share what I found with WM1Z and TA-ZH1ES and Z1R

If you hear the Walkman connecting into ZH1ES out of Z1R Balanced (4.4mm) with upgraded cables. Yes, the sound quality seems to have suffered in comparison to straight out listening to WM1Z (4.4mm), and flame me all you want, but that is because the stock Digital out Cables that comes inside the ZH1ES is not good enough. The same as Pha-3 and it stock WM cables.

I tried this way with upgraded WM digital cables NWH10, and it was much better. However, I lost the function to charge the Walkman while connected. Then I turned around to use the Zx2 Dock cradle and Upgraded USB cables. The TA-ZH1ES will show it superiorities over the WM1Z/A, period.

"Why don't Sony offer new Cradle Dock for WM1Z like ZX2 ?"

I have no doubts that people can tell right away the differences between WM1Z/A. However, the WM1Z is capable of so much more if you do an upgrade to it internal wires. Instead of using Kimber wires, go with some other upgraded materials and witness what WM1Z can potentially bring to the table.

All in all, I am just saying that Sony signature series are worthy of being high-end products. It may not be super expensive, or super high-end, but it quality is good enough that even upgrading the cables all around it will bring observable improvements. Therefore, if you love Sony products, and have any doubts, these products are capable of so much more with upgraded cables all around (USB cables, headphones cables, powercord)

**Sony** if you are reading this, please, in the future, include good stock digital USB WM cables to your DAC/AMP. Just because the performances are real, and the Popularity to just specially make these cables are not high, and people generally can not find good enough cables for your WM port. It may be the little thing in the chains but will obstruct your sale figures.

 

[third_eye]

CanJam London 2017 was great fun and our biggest London event to date! Many thanks to all of the Exhibitors and Attendees, many of whom traveled great distances to be at the event. And special thanks to all of the wonderful Volunteer Event Staff who helped us with the Registration Desk. We're looking forward to 2018 and stay tuned for updates!

 

[purk]

I will chime in here regarding Sony Signature series. Though, I have not heard the wm1A, but I can share what I found with WM1Z and TA-ZH1ES and Z1R

If you hear the Walkman connecting into ZH1ES out of Z1R Balanced (4.4mm) with upgraded cables. Yes, the sound quality seems to have suffered in comparison to straight out listening to WM1Z (4.4mm), and flame me all you want, but that is because the stock Digital out Cables that comes inside the ZH1ES is not good enough. The same as Pha-3 and it stock WM cables.

I tried this way with upgraded WM digital cables NWH10, and it was much better. However, I lost the function to charge the Walkman while connected. Then I turned around to use the Zx2 Dock cradle and Upgraded USB cables. The TA-ZH1ES will show it superiorities over the WM1Z/A, period.

"Why don't Sony offer new Cradle Dock for WM1Z like ZX2 ?"

I have no doubts that people can tell right away the differences between WM1Z/A. However, the WM1Z is capable of so much more if you do an upgrade to it internal wires. Instead of using Kimber wires, go with some other upgraded materials and witness what WM1Z can potentially bring to the table.



All in all, I am just saying that Sony signature series are worthy of being high-end products. It may not be super expensive, or super high-end, but it quality is good enough that even upgrading the cables all around it will bring observable improvements. Therefore, if you love Sony products, and have any doubts, these products are capable of so much more with upgraded cables all around (USB cables, headphones cables, powercord)

**Sony** if you are reading this, please, in the future, include good stock digital USB WM cables to your DAC/AMP. Just because the performances are real, and the Popularity to just specially make these cables are not high, and people generally can not find good enough cables for your WM port. It may be the little thing in the chains but will obstruct your sale figures.

I actually share the same experience as Whitigir. It puzzled me why Sony decided to hamper their top of the line stuffs with cheapo and notoriously bad supplied digital cable especially in the case for ZH1ES and the PHA-3 to a degree. I wish I can say that digital is 0 & 1, but it can definitely get a good better especially in term of texture and transparency. Stock ZH1ES is somewhat muddy with the included cable....same can be said with the PHA-3. With a dedicated dock and high quality USB cable, the ZH1ES does indeed belong in the upper end of the market in my book and I do have some very nice gears to compare the ZH1ES with.

 

[Ultrainferno]

Part 1 of the picture report is now online on HFN. What a nice show this was, I'll for sure be going back next year, unless I do the Singapore show

 

[Jackpot77]

Did anybody listen to the AKG N90Q headphones?

I grabbed a listen to a few tracks through the QP2R at the start of my listening tour on Sunday, so my ears were fresh. Bet impressed with the comfort and fit, and the sound quality was very agreeable.

Noise cancelling was good - not the best I've heard, but it uses a different method to Bose and Sony apparently, and for me there was no noticeable feeling of vacuum or pressure when it was on my head, just a decent reduction in the room noise.

No noticeable peaks or unpleasantness in the frequency response in my brief audition - I would probably categorise then as a reasonably musical presentation in terms of overall sound, but without any immediately noticeable lack of resolution or detail.

Bottom line - I was quite impressed. Not sure if they will deliver enough high end refinement to match the price tag, but the "on head" tuning did make a noticeable improvement to the overall listening experience, and I enjoyed my time with them. If they were a few 100 pounds cheaper on the day I may have picked them up, but at full RRP Of definitely want to do a far more thorough audition.

Hope that helped?

 

[SRKRAM]

I grabbed a listen to a few tracks through the QP2R at the start of my listening tour on Sunday, so my ears were fresh. Bet impressed with the comfort and fit, and the sound quality was very agreeable.

Noise cancelling was good - not the best I've heard, but it uses a different method to Bose and Sony apparently, and for me there was no noticeable feeling of vacuum or pressure when it was on my head, just a decent reduction in the room noise.

No noticeable peaks or unpleasantness in the frequency response in my brief audition - I would probably categorise then as a reasonably musical presentation in terms of overall sound, but without any immediately noticeable lack of resolution or detail.

Bottom line - I was quite impressed. Not sure if they will deliver enough high end refinement to match the price tag, but the "on head" tuning did make a noticeable improvement to the overall listening experience, and I enjoyed my time with them. If they were a few 100 pounds cheaper on the day I may have picked them up, but at full RRP Of definitely want to do a far more thorough audition.

Hope that helped?

Thanks, that was a help. Did you listen via usb or the analogue input? I must confess that curiosity got the better of me and I bought a pair. My thoughts on them are quite aligned with yours. I don't hear any peaks or dips in the frequency response, so in that regard they are very good. They're unlike any other closed cans I've heard in that I don't hear any kind of resonance from the closed cup; they are very open sounding. They also have very tight, punchy and deep bass, that doesn't bleed into the mids at all.

They are quite detailed sounding. Not at detailed as my T1.2s, but more than my Elears. I haven't done much listening yet, with them having such an agreeable frequency response, punchy and deep bass, good levels of detail, and the convenience of a built-in DAC I can see them getting a lot of head time. Physically, with the rotary volume control, they remind me of my Plantronics Backbeat pros, but the sound quality is in a completely different league.

I picked up a pair for a good price, and although they do offer a lot for the money, I'm a bit worried about their longevity with things like the built-in batteries to go wrong.

 

[Jackpot77]

Thanks, that was a help. Did you listen via usb or the analogue input? I must confess that curiosity got the better of me and I bought a pair. My thoughts on them are quite aligned with yours. I don't hear any peaks or dips in the frequency response, so in that regard they are very good. They're unlike any other closed cans I've heard in that I don't hear any kind of resonance from the closed cup; they are very open sounding. They also have very tight, punchy and deep bass, that doesn't bleed into the mids at all.

They are quite detailed sounding. Not at detailed as my T1.2s, but more than my Elears. I haven't done much listening yet, with them having such an agreeable frequency response, punchy and deep bass, good levels of detail, and the convenience of a built-in DAC I can see them getting a lot of head time. Physically, with the rotary volume control, they remind me of my Plantronics Backbeat pros, but the sound quality is in a completely different league.

I picked up a pair for a good price, and although they do offer a lot for the money, I'm a bit worried about their longevity with things like the built-in batteries to go wrong.

I tried them with the normal output from the QP2R - can't remember if it was a balanced or single ended cable though.

I wasn't sure where to place the detail, si is interesting to hear you think they are more detailed than the Elear, as I've just picked up a pair of those. I'm much more of an IEM guy, so my own benchmark for over ears is the Audioquest Nighthawk. I think the N90Q is an interesting proposition, especially with the built in DAC and NC, so as long as the batteries are replaceable, I'm sure they will last a while.

 

[purk]

Wow! That was hectic but fun. I got to meet some folks I’ve wanted to meet for a long time in Jack and Dean Vang of Empire Ears, and Eric Chong of Effect Audio. I’ve been chatting with these guys on HeadFi and Facebook for a while. It’s great to finally meet these lovely people and purveyors of excellent audio. I also got to meet the brains behind Sony’s flagship MDR-Z1R and the WM1Z and WM1A, Naotaka Tsunoda and Tomoaki Sato. They were extremely attentive hosts, and generous with their time and explanation of their tech. Another fantastic meeting was the one I had with Misha Kucherenko of Stereo Pravda. Both the SB7 and Misha were revelations. I talked with Misha for a long while.

Sony
It was such a pleasure to meet and speak with the brains behind the Sony MDR-Z1R (Naotaka Tsunoda) and WM1A and WM1Z (Tomoaki Sato). They were incredibly gracious hosts who explained everything as clearly as they could with an obvious love for their work. I wish I was as happy in my job as they are in theirs.

I tried out several things at Sony, first up, the Sony MDR-Z1R flagship headphone out of the TA-ZH1ES DAC/Amp—they should give it a code name, that name is a mouthful. The signal chain was Sony NW-WM1Z to TA-ZH1ES to MDR-Z1R. I put on Dire Straits – Money for Nothing, Michael Jackson – Beat It, Norah Jones – Feelin the Same Way (music selection wasn’t bad on their players). These were my observations:

• Upper guitars are sharp
• Mark Knopfler has some vocal texture smoothed away, vocals a bit soft
• Mids are forward
• Strong centre focus to the stage with edges not as evenly populated with sound
• Michael Jackson’s voice on Beat It was slightly veiled (this might be the recording as it was from SACD, original vinyl is miles better)
• Dynamics on Beat It felt a bit crushed (again, might be recording)
• On Norah Jones – Feelin the Same Way vocals are better but there is some added breathiness that I’ve never really heard and I’m not sure should be there. I’ve listened to the track on a lot of headphones and it is a breathy track due to Norah’s vocal style, but not this breathy.
• Overall, the mids have less solidity than I’m used to on this combo.
• The MDR-Z1R is one of the most comfortable headphones I’ve tried, I still give the edge to the Susvara, but this is pretty great.
• The Kimber Cable that comes with it is very flexible and looks fabulous.

I also tried the WM1Z and the W1MA with the MDR-Z1R, both sounded more solid than the TA-ZH1ES, so I have to conclude that the TA-ZH1ES may be a weak point here. I didn’t have opportunity to test the Walkmans with any headphone other than the Z1R, as I only had my Noble Encore with a Double Helix Cables Symbiote SP v3 Elite 2.5mm balanced cable on hand and no 3.5mm adaptor—D’oh!




[quote/]

The ZH1ES and Z1R is just too much of a good thing IMO. The amp itself is very lush, warm, and a little soft around the edge. These traits are just a little too much for a bassy heavy headphones such as the Z1R. Pairing the ZH1ES with the HD800 and you will have a much better experience. Personally, I would only pair the Z1R with solidstate amp such as the GS-X MKII to tighten up the sound a bit. I asked myself that question too when I listened to the ZH1ES and Z1R together for the very first time. BTW, the ZH1ES is also quite a great match with the Utopia. Oh, the stock WM USB digital out cable to the ZH1ES is also the weakest link in that chain.

 

[paul2qute]

How does the Hifiman Susvara compare to the focal utopia?

 

[SRKRAM]

I tried them with the normal output from the QP2R - can't remember if it was a balanced or single ended cable though.

I wasn't sure where to place the detail, si is interesting to hear you think they are more detailed than the Elear, as I've just picked up a pair of those. I'm much more of an IEM guy, so my own benchmark for over ears is the Audioquest Nighthawk. I think the N90Q is an interesting proposition, especially with the built in DAC and NC, so as long as the batteries are replaceable, I'm sure they will last a while.

They don't support balanced, so it must have been single-ended. I'm surprised that people say the Elears are very detailed, because I don't find them so. Perhaps it's because of their midrande dip. For example, at the beginning of DaftPunk Within there are some sounds which on some headphones I can hear, while on the T1s I can hear the sounds and the acoustics of the room. With the Elears I don't hear the sounds at all.

 

[astrostar59]

Hi.

When listening to these headphones, having owned both a Stax SR-009, an Audeze LCD3F and a Kennerton Odin (mk1 and mk2), well I can say that I sold the Stax SR-009 (amplified by an Audiovalve Luminare) because I got bored with it (in the long run); this headphone is certainly more technical, but too ethereal, lacking matter and life (not euphonic enough).

To be continued ....

I haven't heard the Luminare, but have read quite some polarising views about that amp, wether it's multi use and topology are getting to a level of (for example) a BHSE I don't know. Have you heard the 009 and BHSE? I know personal tastes come into this a lot, but the Odin was dark and coloured in my book. I felt I was missing too much information, like it was a midrange 2 way speaker as apposed to full range flagship? It is very hard IMO to find one headphone that does it all. The LCD4 with the GSX and Utopia out of the Felix tube amp were very good, but then going back to the BHSE and 009s at the same demo and tracks, I was not wanting to sell my 009s. Rather, I would in an ideal world, have both for the fun of it, and enjoy the variation and sonic traits. I believe almost any system we can find has strengths and weaknesses. It never seems to be 'wire with gain'.

 

[Piotr Michalak]

Impressions from Canjam 2017
Is it a baby LCD-4? I don't think so... it shares the same (again my opinion) forgiving, polite presentation the LCD-4 has, similar detail retrieval but to my ears I found the low frequency response and mids to be noticeably thicker. I suspect similar to how the KSE1500 has an unusually weighty presentation in the low frequencies compared to most electrostatic headphones due to the effect of minturisation and the interaction with ear canals it is a similar effect comparing the i4 to it's headphone brother. Nevertheless it has a far more headphone like, open and layered presentation than most IEMs I've experienced and of everything I've been in contact with the only thing I would compare to this particular part of its presentation is the (unfortunately) no longer available Final Audio Design Lab II... which I regret not purchasing earlier in the year despite my misgivings about its lack of subbass response.

I also liked i4 very much. And I do have Final Lab II, and love them - probably will never sell them, ever - and recommend them. The greatest holography one may ever hear, provided they have an upgraded cable and a good source. Strangely enough, they are still available. Final probably made a reprint run or resigned from limiting their production. You may see them in their Japan direct shop and in their print catalogue too.

PS What was funny, when I showed them to the guys at Final stand, they have seen Lab IIs for the first time in their life As they said, there's not much clientele for this in the UK.