TWINING
Love the paduak and welcome to the paduak eikon club <3
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ā¦waiting for impressions.
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So how is the Eikon for Gaming? Im interested in a second Headphone that i want to keep. I use the Sennheiser HD800s but i also have the Hifiman Arya and i have not one closed Back Headphone.
The closest thing i have to the Eikon is the Aeolus but i dont know how they compare
Hey @Lukas00, I would say the Eikons are really good for gaming. However, not a gaming first headphone, and not the most competitive set of cans as the soundstage and imaging are not amazingly precise enough (though they are great) for mlg levels of FPS sound-whoring.
Still, I use them all the time. However, Iād pick the focal clears for gaming 7 times out of 10.
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Itās damn good. Bifrost 2 ā RNHP is the ideal signal chain Iāve tried so far out of my own equipment. This headphone his a WONDERFUL compliment to the LCD X. It resolves surprisingly well, bass is strong and pronounced without being boomy or being reminiscent of consumer cans. Comfortā¦ just wow, itās like a perfectly fitting glove for my head. Wood work is exquisite with the Ziricote.
So as far as these being a neutral headphone, theyāre not but at the same time I donāt think any of the characteristics would do be limiting in any music Iāve listened to so far (jazz, blues, metal, EDM, and classical). Best way I can describe them is an Elegia that is MUCH more mild mannered and manages to make use of amps hooked up to it. While I love my LCD X, this headphone is right up there with detail retrieval with the LCD X and is the easier one to recommend for most people (my preference is the LCD X but these are staying).
One MAJOR word of caution. It took over week to truly get the sound signature of these headphones. The Klipsch HP-3 definitely set up my expectations with break in with biocellulose driver. Yeahā¦ first 12 hours and the driver change is pretty drastic. Initial listening was kinda peaky and shouty on both the highs and the bass, so much so I ordered the lambskin pads immediately since it was mildly unbearable (if you have read my preferences, for me to complain about treble is unique). About 40 hours in of useā¦ these headphones really started to level out and resolve in a way I just want to call natural +. Everything is just natural with a tiny bump in treble and bass which for someone that listens to low volumes is PERFECT.
So between the Elegiaās, these, and the HP-3ā¦ why Eikons? Very easy to answer here:
- Donāt have a decent amp or DAC and just want high performing headphones more source gear agnostic? Elegiaās
- Have ok source gear and just want something that sounds good on the cheap with basic source gear? Want something for the office to show off but still enjoyable with any USB or bluetooth amp/dac? HP-3
- Want a proper headphones in the sub $2k to go with similarly priced gear to help extract the best out of your equipment and want to play with tubes in the future? Are you a filthy casual with gaming? Want a headphone that is fun, natural, and never fatiguing? Eikon
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Not so for me. Issues with seal and having to muck with the headband constantly for a good fit. Lambskin is soft but doesnāt feel so great after 4 hours on the head imo.
Iād disagree with that. Close enough to call them neutral. Like anything else, thereās abnormalities, but between the clears and the eikons I do get a strong sense of neutrality from both (with minor caveats).
I would say, quiet environment, shit load of money to spend, want mlg levels of sound whoring potential, want gunshots and impacts to punch you in the gut without speakers? Focal Clears. You want tubes in the future or youāre not in a dead silent environment? Eikons.
I still retain a strong preference for my Clears for gaming and general comfort, but my tube amp is arriving today so Iāll let you know if anything changes afterwards lol.
This checks out. I would add that it throws a stage quite unlike a closed back. Also, great attack. Not as much impact as the clear, but sufficient for the money spent. Phenomenal all-rounder closed back.
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I would agree too, Eikon great for music, Clears would be better for gaming. But obviously both are pretty awesome for both.
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Here are my impressions on the Eikons after some time with them:
Now, before the Eikons, I took neutral meaning linear,smooth,flat,dynamic all around. Not too bright, but not too bassy. But the Eikon neutral is on a whole other level. The bass,mids, and highs are presented just right, with a touch of warmth. There is no āoh the bass is too much, the highs are too bright, vocals are too in your faceā Its all presented pretty well.
Bass hits low but remains detailed throughout. Maybe a touch muddy, but i think that plays into the fun sound the Eikons can have,the wub wub, while still maintaining neutrality. Mids are just lush and textured, i love it. Treble is not very bright at all, but not overly recessed, just right.
Imaging is great, especial with the mids. Bongos,snares,shakers, etc are placed just right, kinda like flicks and snaps on the sidelines of a tune. Deep bass hits great without much bleeding in, sort of placed front and center. Vocals arenāt too forward, they are separated into the left and right channel nicely. Nice and smooth. Treble instruments can be a little off in the distant at times,hard to hear,but could just be track dependent.
Soundstage isnt crazy wide, but with how accurate the imaging is, the soundstage doesnāt need to be that wide. You can hear eveything, nice and Clear.
Timbre is natural. Nothing crazy, but very nice. I would say the texture of the mids really shines in the timbre department. I wish the deep bass was more natural, but no big deal. Vocal timbre is good in the way of a nice warm live performance. Like a coffee shop or something, rather than a loud stadium. But could use a touch more realness.
So far these have been my favorite headphones Iāve owned.
Headphone progression: m40x>k712>6xx>Sundara>dt880(600)>Edition xx>Nighthwaks>Hexv2>Elegia>Eikons>Clears
So my biggest debate was the Eikons vs Clears. Pretty different headphones. Clears sound very dynamic, OPEN,amazing detail clarity, and can be punchy. I found myself just being too analytical with them though, and not really enjoying music the way i like too. So i decided to sell my Clears, and keep the Eikon. I listened to the Clears for a week straight, and then put on the Eikons again, and i just couldānt go back to the Clears. Maybe it was just that touch of warmth from the Eikons haha. With how well the details are on the dt880(600) those can just be my analytical headphones lol So overall , the Eikons are a well done neutral closed back that has the width and openness of an open back, with some warmth.
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Excellent feedback! Keep it up as you get used to them. I agree with everything said!
Imaging clarification previously: Itās good but not like āIdeal gaming headphones goodā. Honestly they sound so fun and enjoyable I find myself NOT caring about imaging as much. I put on Eikons to enjoy music, be happy, and take all my desires to analyze and measure stuff to just put that on mute.
Now with that said, I think comparing these headphones to Focal Clears is a terrible idea. If you have money and want to spend on some gear and plan on getting more gear in the future, these headphones are great to go from consumer (Bose, please donāt vomit saying that on this forum) these headphones will treat you PERFECTLY. If you owned or have enjoyed 70ās-80ās big stereo systems and want that experience for your head with more detail in a headphone, Eikons. A touch of warmth, slightly exaggerated, while delivering loads of details those stereo systems mostly couldnāt.
I would need @M0N or someone who owns Auteurs to comment, but if youāre seriously in the market for something to compete with Clears I would say Auteur. Eikons were recommended to me because I wanted a different and unique experience with the pile of āneutralā headphones that I own. After just A/Bing the Abyss Diana Phi with the Eikons, I can flat out say the Abyss are more neutral and more refinedā¦ but sometimes I donāt want that and the Eikons deliver on that pretty damn well. I started out my headphone journey wanting more bass on a pc37x as well as more detail and these deliver on those original goals in spades.
Do I love my Eikons more than the LCD X? Actually no, but then again I have 2 wonderful neutral sounding planars so again, Eikons deliver for me in my collection VERY well and honestly you canāt compare a good dynamic headphone to a good planar. Even more so, they perform unlike any other other closed back Iāve tried. So for me these a natural + more that I really enjoy and something to take note when chasing after neutral sounding headphones. Best feature with mineā¦ I got lost in the music while writing code, press pause and click and voila Iām on a conference call. NOW THAT is something unique to these headphones.
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I hope my last two responses were what you were looking for.
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I mean itās not like the eikon is worlds apart tbh, itās still something that you could listen to an hear itās in the same family with the eikon/auteur, also if you put auteur pads on the eikon they get more neutral as well.
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Still waiting on the lamb skins versus these suedes (which I have REALLY grown to enjoy as the drivers got some burn in).
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Right now Iāve been living vicariously through you. Helping me get to the finish line. The Ziricote wood is gorgeous BTW, but I just couldnāt justify the price difference. Zack did work with me to let me have say in the look of the camphor they chose for my set. Wanted something darker than their standard and with some character in the grain.
I did order them with the stock pads, so Iām good there. Weāve got some kind of sonic kindrid now I guess. Like being cellmates.
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The limited editions arenāt worth it from a value perspective. If you get a limited you do it for your own reasons. Me? I like master bass and I wanted my Eikons to be excentuated on their strengths (even if the wood accounts for a little). Works for me. The Ziricote in natural light looks so much better than in pictures. In darker or unnatural light they look so dark.
Glad you got the camphor! With the right grain pattern they look the best! The smell is what you may enjoy from them more than anything.
I know Iām way late to this answer, but I started reading the thread from scratch since I spend a lot of time here but the first thought I had wasā¦ have you checked the state of your tubes? They do wear.
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was brand new. Capacitor blew eventually. Sold the replacement.
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Iād love to hear your comparison to the HEXv2 if you donāt mind!
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Hexv2 vs Eikon
The biggest distinction I think is the natural timbre overall of the Eikons vs the hexv2 less palitable timbre. Both have good clarity to details, perhaps the hexv2 has more in the treble, but isnāt as relaxed and natural as the Eikons. Bass is great on both. Probably same width in the soundstage. Pretty different imaging. Both have their own uniqueness. Hexv2 has more verticality than the Eikons, a more up and down presentation than the more natural linear layered Eikons. Open back Planar vs closed back bio dynamic isnāt the fairest battle I guess hahaha so i did my best lol
Edit: I will also add that the hexv2 is a more engaging, energetic sound, and the eikons are a more relaxed but still fun sound. They are both a joy to own together. I think the hexv2 are better for rock and heavy music, and eikons are better suited for softer music. Though both are enjoyable all rounders. But for example i would listen to Joni Mitchell ācase of youā on the Eikons, but for the black keys āsheās long goneā would be on the hexv2. But vice versa is still great
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