Audiophilepure

The Ori 3.0 mids are more front-and-center, more so than its bigger sibling, the Caldera Closed. More accurately, the 1-3k range is not so relaxed with decent lift and a more intimate vocal imaging experience. 

The treble is gentle and controlled, so vocals and percussion remain relatively smooth-sounding. This gives the headphone a very comfortable listening character, particularly over long sessions, though those who prefer strong air or overt sparkle might find it reserved.

Pad and tuning plug selections will introduce performance tweaks, particularly in the lows. The thick lambskin pads lean into warmth and body, while the vented tuning plug sharpens the bass-to-mid transition, improving definition and separation.

https://www.hifichoice.com/content/grado-signature-hp100-se

Spinning Lyn Stanley’s It’s Magic, vocals and orchestral backing have real presence. The bass is clear and the brass sparkles with great clarity. The performance comes through as effortless, detailed and very refined.

Moving on to Mendelssohn’s Octet performed by The Locrian Ensemble, the detail is absolutely superb and each individual instrument clearly occupies its own position within the soundstage. Finishing off with the rousing Spartacus by Khachaturian and the Vienna Philharmonic, the performance is big, full and very powerful. The drums in particular really seem to resonate with a commanding authority. The detail in the percussion is crystal clear and the strings are not at all harsh. Brass instruments are not over bright, but have a very real presence.

https://www.hifichoice.com/content/grado-signature-hp100-se

Spinning Lyn Stanley’s It’s Magic, vocals and orchestral backing have real presence. The bass is clear and the brass sparkles with great clarity. The performance comes through as effortless, detailed and very refined.

Moving on to Mendelssohn’s Octet performed by The Locrian Ensemble, the detail is absolutely superb and each individual instrument clearly occupies its own position within the soundstage. Finishing off with the rousing Spartacus by Khachaturian and the Vienna Philharmonic, the performance is big, full and very powerful. The drums in particular really seem to resonate with a commanding authority. The detail in the percussion is crystal clear and the strings are not at all harsh. Brass instruments are not over bright, but have a very real presence.

HIFIMAN was founded by Dr. Fang Bian in 2007 and, two years later, introduced the acclaimed HM-801, the first digital audio player to feature true audiophile-grade performance from a pocket-size form factor. Since then, HIFIMAN, under Dr. Bian’s guidance, has developed an extensive selection of no-holds-barred headphones, digital audio players, and headphone amplifiers that are consistently recognized as the best in class, offering performance that belies their price point, no matter the cost.

The engineers at STAX have created, in my opinion, a very special headphone. Inspired and taught by the legendary engineer Kazuo Suzuki, who has been with STAX for over 50 years, the current generation of engineers continue to refine and honor the tradition of excellence. This third model of the SR-007 series, the SR-007S are a result of the continuing research and push towards perfection that STAX is famous for.

When you approach the extreme high end of headphones, IE: above $5,000, the differences become subtle, but differences they remain. And for my money, the Dan Clark Audio CORINA Electrostatic Headphone sits at the top of the heap. Offering up the unparalleled resolution of an electrostatic with unmatched dynamic range (in an electrostat) and a linear tonal balance that not only reaches deep into the subsonic with weight usually reserved for other lower resolution designs but is able to present smooth, unemphasized high frequencies, and a musicality that is to die for, the CORINA is the ultimate headphone for the audio purest.

While the CORINA is not the most expensive headphone in its class, in fact I have headphones in my collection that cost more, the need for a special amplifier does make it a pricey consideration, but one should also remember that the DAC of choice for most reference systems (such as the Bartók or the DAVE) will cost more than most electrostatic headphone amplifiers, and I will for one point out that the amplifier is still a more critical component in your sonic performance than a DAC, in fact to get the most out of my $8,000 headphone a $5,000 headphone cable is required, so everything is relative.