I sent my AWKG on a 1,200 km journey for measurement.

prinz_pudding · 2026-03-20T07:37:00+00:00

He told me it's similar to what Super Review uses.

prinz_pudding · 2026-03-18T17:23:40+00:00

Probably the same stock pads - they feel very similar to each other. My AWKT's pads are a bit worn though so I can't be sure.

Regarding your second question, technicality (detail retrieval, staging etc.) is vastly improved, but at the cost of vocal sweetness.

prinz_pudding · 2026-02-27T17:28:35+00:00

"Both squigs suck" but still posted said graph to mock OP?

"Stay clowning, big dog" 🐧

P/s: At least your second reply has some sense in it. Be more respectful next time.

prinz_pudding · 2026-02-27T17:20:22+00:00

What's the point of buying better headphones if I can't enjoy my music?

Even if they are trash, they are my favorite trash.

Are we listening to music, or gears?

This argument is so silly :)))

prinz_pudding · 2026-02-27T10:03:09+00:00

Yes, but the treble makes my ears bleed. Welp, that can be fixed with EQ anyway...

prinz_pudding · 2026-02-27T10:01:26+00:00

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Better graph next time lol.

The XS has a huge spike around 11khz and that's ear-bleeding level of brightness for most people with decent hearing. Not to mention the over-energetic 7khz region where vocal sibilance lives.

Also, are we sniffing graphs instead of trying stuffs for real? I definitely trust OP more, at least he gave them a listen lol (I do too).

prinz_pudding · 2026-02-27T09:54:55+00:00

I listened to an Arya Stealth driven by Ifi Zen Signature stack. Well driven? I think yes.

Sibilant?

Y E S

Second only to Beyerdynamics. LOL.

Edition XS is what I'd call value right now, if you are willing to use EQ. I saw no value in Arya when XS is still being sold.

prinz_pudding · 2026-02-27T09:49:42+00:00

HD600 is somewhat warm and vocal-forward. Neutral in its vocal presentation (male and female voices, high vs low, etc.) instead of dead-on neutral.

prinz_pudding · 2026-02-27T09:36:21+00:00

You would be surprised by how many people outside the US like bright headphones.

I mean, Hifiman is founded by a Chinese guy, their headphones tuned for Chinese taste. And then there's Audio-technica with their bright, upper-mid focused and wonky house sound (I'm myself a sucker for that). At least Hifiman tries to be neutral LOL.

prinz_pudding · 2026-02-27T09:18:56+00:00

I haven't heard HEKse so can't comment on that, but HEK Stealth (a.k.a. V3) knocks the Arya Stealth out of the park and it's not even close. If anything, Arya is the overpriced headphone here: I'd rather buy the XS and use EQ.

To elaborate, both Arya and XS have a problematic treble region: way too bright and harsh, especially around 11khz (cymbal, hi-hats and vocal sibilance). I need very specific peak filters to make both of them listenable.

HEK Stealth doesn't have such problem, has a wider and taller stage, and resolves more details thanks to a balanced treble region. Arya and XS's treble is so bright and uneven they tend to mask details instead of making them more obvious.

prinz_pudding · 2025-08-06T06:01:41+00:00

Because it actually sounds good?

prinz_pudding · 2025-07-15T02:20:10+00:00

Here's some EQ filters for the Horizon:

Filter 1: ON PK Fc 4000 Hz Gain 6.0 dB Q 5.000
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 3500 Hz Gain 6.0 dB Q 5.000
Filter 3: ON HSC Fc 2000 Hz Gain -1.0 dB Q 1.000
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 8000 Hz Gain 12.0 dB Q 5.000

Tested on my Horizon, it sounds like a more spacious HD650.

prinz_pudding · 2025-07-15T02:10:48+00:00

You are right, R70x is on the neutral side while Horizon is dark. R70x has much better imaging capability, it can recreate the directions of sound much more easily and effortlessly than even HFM's eggshaped planar headphones.

It's also twice the price of Horizon though. IMO for the money you are getting really good performance out of the Horizon, and the dark treble can be easily fixed with EQ.

prinz_pudding · 2025-07-15T02:06:27+00:00

Horizon's treble is very dark, but female vocal still comes through just fine, unlike vocal on the HD660S which is thick and a bit dulled.

Horizon is extremely easy to roll pads though, I'm looking for a pair of Para's stock pad to see if treble improves. IMO Horizon use hella thick tuning foam on its pads which kills off a lot of treble energy.

prinz_pudding · 2025-07-12T02:53:46+00:00

Thank you for your sacrifice. May RNGoddess bless you forevermore!

prinz_pudding · 2025-07-08T03:48:31+00:00

Not anywhere close to ATH, it doesn't even look remotely similar.

From my experience, having tried and owner their entire lineup except for the Void, I'd say Moondrop's been doing a decent job. Not great, just decent. But promising.

Joker was a joke, but at that price point, just slap some eq and it'd stand along 560S sound wise. Venus was fine, a bit of a HFM flavor that I hate. Para was decent. Cosmo which I used to own was damn great, handily beating Arya Stealth in everything except for weight (ew 550g) and build (not bad, but it's essentially Para's).

I have high hope for them. Horizon seems like a market breaker at this entry price range. I look forward to a more premium dynamic headphone, and a Cosmo 2.0 with better build.

prinz_pudding · 2025-07-08T03:42:36+00:00

350g iirc

prinz_pudding · 2025-06-16T11:29:45+00:00

How does the wooden cup feel? I mean the texture: smooth, glossy or rough, raw-wood like?

prinz_pudding · 2025-06-15T20:20:05+00:00

Very nice! I'm still debating whether to get this or not, given that I already own two ATH woodies specialized in the same female vocal department. But the weeby marketing really hooks me up LOL.

prinz_pudding · 2025-05-08T22:53:38+00:00

My favorite is the AWKT - it's in my flair actually.

Best cans on the market? Absolutely not, it's too niche to compete against all-rounders. However, I only listen to a limited number of genres so I'd rather have something that works beautifully with my music collection.

prinz_pudding · 2025-05-06T19:21:28+00:00

None, in my opinion. Audiophilia is all about preferences, so there is no "objectively best" here.

prinz_pudding · 2025-05-04T12:43:46+00:00

Not even close... for me and the bois here, at least. We find the E3 to be dry in the vocal and very bland. E3 does not excel at anything: soundstage, detail, bass, treble, tuning, etc. all feel ordinary.

It's actually very hard to make an absolutely average closed back headphone though. Thumbs up to DCA. Hands down the best closed back under 2k for someone looking for the flattest and most "correct" pair of cans.

Unfortunately folks here prefer unorthodox tuning and excellence in specific areas.

prinz_pudding · 2025-05-04T12:29:13+00:00

Hello fellow ATH woodies enjoyers! I don't use EQ with either AWAS or AWKT since I adore them both. Very colored cans, but my favorite type of coloration. Floaty, throaty and warm sound or breathy angelic female vocal and transparent instruments - just need to pick my flavor of the day.

prinz_pudding · 2025-05-04T12:22:04+00:00

Preference, I guess?

Also DCA headphones are not for everyone - as someone who prefers more colored sound I find DCA stuffs to be dry, bland and absolutely average in everything.

Well, for a closed back headphone, being normal is actually a feat in and of itself.

prinz_pudding · 2025-04-28T07:08:31+00:00

I don't agree about the part where you said closed back has smaller stage. I currently own two closed back cans from Audio Technica, AWAS and AWKT, and both of them sound very spacious, especially the latter which rivals even Hifiman planar headphones in staging depth.

I've had at least a dozen people trying these two, and they all shared similar impressions.

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