I wanted a portable hifi. I'm reviewing the ETA model S and model C.
https://www.etaheadphones.com/headphonesI'm at the end of my headphone/portable HiFi system journey (at least for the next few years). I thought I'd review the ETA headphones. I am most satisfied with the model 'S' version. The 'C' is also great, but the S is my sound.
I'm using the ifi iDSD signature DAC. It is very detailed.
Specs:
ETA headphones S and C versions:
The S(semi-open) and C(closed) models have the same specifications:
Magnet: NdFeB Neodymium N52 (~1.48T)
Voice Coil: Copper Clad Alumium
Impedance: 32 ohms
Sensitivity: 100dB/mW
Diaphragm 50mm ; metal casings, with graphene diaphragm, polyurethane suspension
Wiring: Copper
Chassis: 30% Carbon Fiber Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol
Wiring: CopperConnector: Dual-Entry 3.5mm
The key difference between them is the cups being ported (open) or not (closed).
Sources used during 2 months:
Samsung S9 using Flac files on Onkyo app
Pixel using Amazon HD app
Foobar on a desktop PC playing flac files
Hidizs DH-80s amp DAC (used with C model only)
Vi amp DAC (used with S and C) - PC playing Foobar
ifi iDSD Signature amp DAC (used with S and C) - Foobar and Onkyo/Samsung
Cables used:
Inexpensive/no-name single ended
Ninja cable balanced 4.4mm cable
https://www.audiophileninja.com/Music used:
Dave Matthews Live at Radio City Music Hall
Beck Morning Phase and Mellow Gold
Alice in Chains Unplugged – MTV
Foo Fighters – Echoes, Silence, Patience, & Grace
Billy Strings – Home
Radiohead - Various
Goal: I wanted to get a portable system that gave me a taste of what my large/main hi-fi system sounds like when I have a few minutes to listen and can’t go to the sound room and isolate myself completely.. or when I travel and need to listen to music to get to sleep. I wanted to have an immersive experience thanks to the inclusion of details, intimacy, and impact without intrusions of fatigue, etched details, and forward-ness. I wanted a detailed and relaxed sound, but was willing to sacrifice the overall dynamics. I just wanted to be satisfied without being annoyed at the same time… and I wanted a little ‘wow’ too. ?? I tend to listen at low volume but like to crank it a little on occasion.
Functional goals: I wanted light weight/low overall bulk, somewhat robust (non-fragile), and comfortable to wear. I plan to use my phone headphone jack directly.
References: I own Sennheiser Momentum on-ear (too bass heavy, mids recessed, and uncomfortable), ADL 118 and 128. The 128's were my previous reference. They broke at the hinge, no longer made, used some putty epoxy to fix (poorly). I use 1More Quad IEM's, a little rolled off but pretty natural and only issues of 'omission' and not any of 'commission' when it comes to details and presentation. I've listened to Sennheisser HD750's (too forward/tipped up sounding for me), other Sennheisers, and even some Audeze over the years. The Sennheisers open back's wouldn't work for my family, too loud for everyone in the room, and not isolating enough for me. The Audeze were too heavy.
I was looking at Aeon's but decided to try ETA because they didn't 'need' an external amp.
The journey had started...
Early September....
I ordered the C model because I thought this is what I would need around my family at night; more isolation.
For fun, I ordered the Hidizs DH-80s which uses a Sabre DAC. It has a 4.4mm balanced output. I wanted to see what the balanced output was like, and compare my phone to a reasonable modern DAC/amp.
I bought a Ninja cables 4.4 to dual 3.5mm cable for this purpose. ETA recommends the Ninja brand.
My initial notes with this combination (I wrote to ETA):
Sounds pretty good right out of the box... not sure how much break-in they need.
Nicely voiced, very natural and not overly anything. Not much imaging/spacial stuff going on at this point, but that may change when my brain breaks in and adjusts to the sound tricks...
Tom replied that the design goal was to get a frequency response without many flaws, and I agreed that it was pretty solid… but it seemed a little ‘tight’ sounding to me… not sure how to explain it. I thought these would be great with classical. I’m not a huge classical fan, though and never really tested this. But the overall impression is balanced and cohesive. Nothing stood out; but I was still letting them break in.
In this and other testing, I have found the Onkyo HF app playing Flac files on the Samsung S9 to be the best sounding portable setup so I used that for most of my listening.
There was something I didn't like. I know I didn't like the voice of the Hidizs dac so I sold it. In some ways it was technically better than the sound straight out of my phone but it wasn’t ‘my sound’. I typically don’t like Sabre dac’s… I wish I’d paid closer attention to the type of chip when I bought it.
Up to this point, I’d only tried smart phones and 1 DAC. So, I started experimenting with my Light Harmonics Vi DAC, with a PC running Foobar. (this is what I use in my sound room/main hifi) In setting up my DAC I also turned on my main rig to compare the ETA C to the main system directly. I played Alice in Chains unplugged; Rooster and Over Now. Bass is textured and detailed in these recordings and the layers of other instruments are just sublime. The main rig elegantly extracts all details and the emotion of the playing really comes through. Listening on the C version wasn't as fulfilling.
The Vi DAC is pretty neutral and the comparison really helped me isolate that I didn't like the way the bass was being presented with the headphones nor the way the nasal quality they added to Layne Staley’s voice. I realized it’s probably not fair to compare 10’s of thousands worth of gear and acoustic treatment in a custom made, purpose-built room to $500 headphones connected to my DAC. But here I was, doing just that.
I wrote to Tom and told him they were too 'tipped up' and/or forward in the mids. I needed something more relaxed/laid-back sounding and w/ more bass. I also still wasn't getting much imaging. He suggested trying the “S” model.. and/or maybe switching the cushions on the C version to something different.
Late October/early November...
The S model arrived. (along with some alternate cushions) I plugged them into my Pixel 5a's headphone jack and started Amazon HD, Alice in Chains Unplugged again. In the first few seconds of listening to the S, I knew this was the ‘endgame’ solution. All the balance and natural tone I liked about the C but with more bass, mid-bass and still that cohesive top-to-bottom sound. I could imagine a sound stage too. When the bass hit in my test tracks there was also everything else. So I got the texture, the bass, and the vocals had an open and natural quality... so, check, check and check!
About the alternate cushions... I first tried them on the C. They opened the soundstage a bit; they felt bigger and more comfortable on me as well. Not a huge difference but noteworthy. Tom also sent a new cable. It wasn't anything special but it was much smoother sounding than what I had... and made the midrange more natural. Vocals were less forward.
Time for a twist...
A night or so later... I went back to the sound room and compared everything on the Vi DAC. I even brought a friend over to compare. This time we used a couple of songs from Beck (Heart is a Drum and Hell Yes).
Somewhat to my surprise, he instantly preferred the C to the S model. He thought the bass was more naturally presented and thought the S bass was less natural, maybe too much of a good thing.
(For reference, his speakers use high efficiency paper drivers and horns.) He typically likes a lot of guitar and acoustic music but appreciates Beck too.
This wasn’t a long or overly serious listening session. He liked them and would buy them if he were in the market.. but he'd already owned hifiman, ifi amp/dac, etc. and sold it all because he never used it.
Now it's mid-November...
I received the ifi iDSD Signature DAC. This took the headphones and my listening enjoyment to another level. This is a better fit/companion/compliment to these headphones than my Vi DAC… which is saying something.. because the Vi DAC was supposed to be an endgame headphone amp/DAC back in its day. I think the newer DAC’s have caught up to good hifi DAC’s of yester-decade. The Vi is still good, and it feeds all of its neutral detail into a tubed preamp and eloquent beast of a SS amp in my primary system.
Back to comparing again... Now that I have a good synergistic match... Time to compare yet again.
Comparing C with new cups to the S.... It is a similar difference but there’s just more to hear now. More decay, echoes, details, little sounds... The end of Radiohead Dollar & Cents there are strikes to some kind of percussion instrument that trail off forever. Amazing. The C is still a little bit more forward in the mids and the S has more bass. But both sound so good. They both have a cohesive, balanced sound that holds together all the frequencies so they sound 'right'.
The ifi has an ‘xbass’ switch that closes the gap a bit. When I was listening for a song or 2 with the xbass on, I thought I could easily live with the C. When I went back to the S, it just sounded more like ‘my’ sound… so it has a familiar-ness to it. The vocals are natural, clear and open and sound more like what I’m used to in my room. The C had color in the mids where the S had none.
The S digs deeper and has more details in the bass and sub bass. “Hell Yes” had little echoes within decay that I’d never heard.. I could hear the room it was recorded in, and all sorts of things in the little details. I found myself saying “I like your bass, your beat is nice.” I am really enjoying this setup.
One final comparison: the S to my broken ADL 128's. I thought these were pretty good until I got the ETAs. I mean, they're not bad but sound dry and with a weird W curve to the EQ that I'm surprised I ever liked. They're less comfortable as well. It's like the difference between mid-fi and hi-fi. The hinge is so broken... and my attempt at repairing them was not a complete success, but good enough to go back and re-listen and re-confirm. I had to hold them to head to get a good seal.
General thoughts about use:
Throughout all of this, the headphones were always comfortable. They’re light, unobtrusive, and just super easy to live with. I’ve worn some that felt like an anchor on my head… and super hot. These got a little warm but then it somehow dissipated and just felt normal.
On another note, the closed vs. semi-open design did not make a big difference to my family. They could barely hear the semi-open at my normal listening volume.. but they could hear it.. whereas the closed version they could not hear. So if you’re listening to romance novels at work, go with the C.
This was a 2 month journey. In the end, 1 pair of the S version ETA and an ifi DAC are the endgame I was looking for. I’m very pleased. I’m still getting used to the additional detail retrieval from the ifi. That has been a good surprise. It's not like tube love infatuation but it is nice to hear details presented musically. The ifi seems to get a little weird in the high freq area with some quick/transient sounds (like a quick tap on a cymbal).. Like maybe it's ringing on some sounds... My left is ear is more sensitive than my right... so could be happening in both. To be continued on that.. it's not often this happens and I'm still isolating the issue.
In the end..
The ETA offers the option to experiment with different cup-cushions to find a fit, seal, and imaging changes to suit your tastes with these as well.
Different cables made a difference for me.
I did not compare anything to the ninja 4.4 balanced.
I did try the single ended on the phones. I can't say what the big differences are between SE and Balanced.. I didn't listen/experiment with that much.
Overall conclusion:
If you like a very balanced, cohesive, natural sound, these are a great choice (the S or C model, just depends on what you're listening for in music). Compared to what I remember trying over the years, nothing compelled me to buy/keep headphones for any price over $200. Sennheisers I've tried were good but wide open and needed a big amp. The sound was a little colored compared to the ETAs from what I recall... maybe more lush. I did not like the 750's; way too much detail in the top. The ETA's are more balanced sounding.
These remind me of the way my 1More Quad IEM's are voiced.. but are more refined, extended and detailed. They also remind me of my main system; clear and detailed but with some love. So, these fit my house sound.
I was in touch with Tom (the T in ETA) throughout this journey and he was extremely helpful. I think Evan provided some feedback as well. ETA as a company was great to talk to and work with throughout this journey.
Photos here ->
https://photos.app.goo.gl/HaFEQaEg6GS5EZ6Q8
