The best open-back headphones strive to break free from the headbands and earcups that bind them. Engineering to emulate the natural listening experience—where sound reaches your ears through the open air, from a source right in front of you—our Axel Grell-designed OAE1 signature Headphones took a step closer to that freedom. Naturally, they sold out fast. Now they’re back in all-black version with the exact same acoustic design. Meet the Drop + grell OAE1: a groundbreaking pair of headphones with game-changing driver geometry and an ultra-expansive soundstage.
I really wanted to like these. The intriguing concept, Axel Grell, sleek design, it had it all. Ultimately though, I could not convince myself that what I was hearing was worth the price point of these, especially considering other headphones priced in the same range. Ended up returning these. Some might love these headphones and that’s great, the best part about sound products is how the perspective and preferences are different person to person, but for me this wasn’t it.
I'm not going to go into a deep blow by blow review of these, just a few things I've found interesting as I've been listening.
The first thing that surprised me was how intimate the soundstage was on these. Given how much people were raving about the soundstage I was expecting a lot more air and space. But everything's very close, even things panned way off the the side feel only a foot or two away. This leads into the second surprise.
Sound separation is less than remarkable. It's not quite what I would call muddy or congested, but with everything being so intimate there's not a lot of space so they feel like they're on top of each other. That intimacy led to something I was perceiving originally as a veiled sound but with longer listens it wasn't a veil, just... tight and intimate.
Bass is remarkably good for an open back. Treble is good without being overly fatiguing.
Overall it's certainly unique in its presentation. But I can't help but feel underwhelmed. The competition is absolutely fierce at this price point, and while I can appreciate the uniqueness, I'm wishing I would have spent these dollars elsewhere.
One last thing, the clamp force on these is pretty harsh. I can't imagine what the previous version must have been like if it was even stronger.
Update: I listened for a good 3 hours to do a good "brain break-in", then I did an ABCD with my 6xx, Fostex Purple heart, and Monoprice m1060 and these. Overall these were the worst of the 4. They lack imaging, soundstage, and clarity. They have some bass, but if you want that, get yourself some Fostex or something like that, because at least there's clarity with the bass on those. I wanted so much more from them.
Yes, I am a technology hoarder. If you are wondering who in their right mind is going to purchase both headphone versions, that would be me. I love the sound so much I purchased the black headset during Black Friday. I just don't want to hear sound, I want feel it as well. These headset are the best for the price. I have never worn a headset that cost more than $1000. Nor have I tried every headset. But I am glad to have acquired both sets. One for work and gaming. The other one for sound engineering and DAC play back.
Detailed soundstage and laid-back sound, but sensitive to source material
I’ve had the Drop + Grell OAE1 for almost three weeks (full disclosure: Drop sent me a review pair gratis), and I've been struggling with this review. While build quality, comfort, and general sound were relatively straightforward, my biggest issue was that I couldn’t find a specific genre these were best suited for; ultimately, I realized that they can sound great with any genre, as long as the source material is good. But, more on that later, as I’ll start with the easy stuff.
Unboxing:
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Unboxing the Drop + Grell OAE1: box sleeve is on the upper left, instruction/information booklet on the upper right, headphones inside the box, cable in the middle.
First impressions were that the box was basic, but functional: a matte sleeve providing a close-up view of the headphones on the front and technical details on the back, wrapped around a raw cardboard carton. An instruction booklet is the first thing you see inside the carton, and under that are the headphones, nestled in a formed plastic tray that also contains the cable. That's it. The ear cups are swivelled to lay flat, and—aside from the silver rings around the ear cups—there's not really much to look at. However, this lack of complexity and flashiness belies just how much attention to detail went into these headphones.
Fit and Finish:
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Close-up of the headphones on a holder with the ear cups rotated so the backs are visible. Perforations are visible on the back and sides of the ear cups; the silver inner mesh and Grell logo are visible through the perforations.
First and foremost, these are truly open headphones. The back and sides of the ear cups are perforated metal, and through the backs you can see the fine silver mesh of the inner ear cup, with the Grell logo subtly displayed right in the center. The drivers are visible just at the front edge of the headphones, while a black plastic tab shields the headphone jacks and cables from view. There's nothing out of place inside (or outside) the headphones that would ruin the minimalist style; even the cable connecting the two ear cups is hidden. In fact, only the oddly tall covers for the cable jack seem out of place, although even here the detail is on-point as the cable is almost seamless once connected.
The cable itself is soft and supple with no memory, and covered in a black fabric wrap. The connection to the headphones is single-sided, although it can be connected to either ear cup. The headphone side of the cable is non-locking with a subtle grey stripe at the end that disappears when it's properly inserted. The source end is terminated in a 3.5mm plug with a threaded 1/4" adapter installed from the factory—a nice touch over the basic friction-fit adapters.
The rest of the build is equally solid. The yokes feel sturdy and rotate smoothly on a metal screw, with no flex at the ends. The adjustments (up/down angle, rotation, and height) are all smooth with no noise and minimal friction, and there's enough range of motion that everyone should get a decent fit. The headband itself is metal, so no fears of stretching it so far where it breaks. The ear pads and headband padding are also removable, although they require a fair bit of force to do so. However, it's not quite clear from the instructions how to remove the ear pads (other than just pulling), and when I did that the inside of the ear pads became unglued from the retaining ring. They're still attached, and it doesn't affect the function, but it's disappointing nonetheless. It’s also important to note that the ear pad mounting and shape (due to the driver location) is non-standard, so fitting third-party ear pads is a no-go unless you’re willing to get creative.
That said, my biggest issue with the fit and finish is with the cable. In particular, the connection to the ear cups is finicky, and I found that having the plug a touch too far in or out caused one of the channels to cut out. If the cable got caught on anything while I moved around, or I pushed too hard trying to reconnect it, it would lose one channel or the other. The fabric cover on the cable also causes it to vibrate if it brushes against something, and this is audible at the ear cup. Neither of these are make-or-break factor, and perhaps the loose connection is just my pair, but the headphones could really benefit from a solid detent to hold the cable in place.
My other (very, very minor) grievances are that the cable connection on the left earcup has a bit of excess glue visible where it enters the ear cup, and the silver trim rings stick out 1-2mm beyond the sides of the ear cups, causing a visible lip that can be easily felt when handling the headphones. These are minor concerns given the overall build, but noticeable on headphones at the price range.
Comfort:
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Close-up of the headphones on a holder with the ear cups rotated so the insides are visible. A large 'L' and 'R' inside the ear cups denote the left and right side of the headphones, respectively. Angled drivers are visible inside the ear cups, and the ear pads are plush and covered with a velvet-like material.
By weight, these are in the midrange for my headphones, and the ear pads are soft and supple enough to wear with glasses without excessive pressure. The velvety fabric on the ear pads helps with this and prevents any hotspots even when worn for a long time. The height adjustment is just based on friction (no detents at given intervals), so you've got infinite adjustment, but it's solid enough to stay in place even if you're not wearing the headphones. However, while the headband padding looks plush, there's actually relatively little of it due to the internal design, and the headband is thin enough that it could cause a pressure point on top of your head after a while.
However, I also find these to be the least comfortable of all my headphones—at least my around-ear pairs—primarily due to the uncomfortably high clamping force. Further, the headband design means that the ear cups move closer together as they move down. At best, these are uncomfortable to wear if you're not actively listening to them; at worst, they were pressing against my jaw under my ears and causing a tingling sensation (likely a pinched nerve). That said, they're not bad once you get a good position on them, and I forget about the discomfort while I'm listening to them, but I'm always aware of wearing them.
Sound:
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View of pegboard holding several pairs of headphones. Drop + Grell OAE1 are in the center, with the ear cups rotated out. Clockwise from the top left, the other headphones are: Fostex RPKIT50; HiFiMan HE-400i (2016 release); Audio-Technica ATH-M40x; Moondrop Golden Ages IEMs (in box).
For reference, I like an analytical/neutral-bright sound signature; in other words, a relatively flat/even bass and midrange, with a peak towards the high frequencies. As far as the "standard" headphone tuning curves go, I find diffuse field to be the closest to my preferences; my current headphone rotation currently consists of the HiFiMan HE-400i (2016 release), Beyerdynamic DT880 Edition (250 ohm), Fostex RPKIT50 (currently set up as the T50RP), Audio-Technica ATH-M40x, Moondrop SSR, and Moondrop Golden Ages. As the Drop + Grell OAE1 are also diffuse field tuned, I thought they'd fit in perfectly.
As soon as I started actually playing music through these, two things became immediately clear. First, these definitely need some external amplification; despite having (what appears to be) reasonably high efficiency and low impedance, these were very quiet when attached directly to my FiiO X3 Mk.III. Switching to line out on my X3 and adding a FiiO A5 portable amplifier really gave these headphones room to breathe, and that's the combination (along with CD-quality FLAC files and a couple MP3s) I used for the remainder of the review.
The second thing I noticed is that these are unlike any headphones I've listened to in recent memory. Rather than cueing up specific songs, I let my playlist dictate the terms, and first up to bat was Moby's Run On from the Play album. First impression was of sitting in a recording studio and watching Moby record the track. Each component occupied a separate space: the piano just right of center, vocals right in the middle, drum machine on the left, cymbals to the right. Moreover, this separation allowed me to pick up on a couple details I'd never heard before—a complexity in the drum track that comes in just after the second verse, or the cymbals being muted just after the second chorus. As corny as it sounds, I found myself with an odd sense of nostalgia and jamais vu ('never seen'); I felt like I was experiencing the song again for the first time.
Next up was MMMBop by Hanson from Middle of Nowhere, and once again the separation is immediately evident: guitar just off to the left, drums on the right, vocals front and center. I can finally pick out one of the brothers singing in the background, just off to the right, towards the end of the first verse. However, this track also reveals that the Drop + Grell OAE1 are closer to Harman target tuning (more bass, less treble) than I like. The bassline comes on strong, almost to the point of being overpowering, and there's a lack of sparkle in the cymbals. Moreover, everything sounds just a touch too smooth; the voices come through, but—for lack of a better way to put it—they're missing a certain sweetness. I get the impression of listening to the band live, but it's still a performance.
Next up was The Black Keys' Thickfreakness from the album of the same name, and here it's clear that these headphones are particularly sensitive to source material. While the previous two tracks had a sense of space, this one is presented entirely within my head. The bassline at the start is driving, and the cymbals and snare drum are still present, but the tom drums are almost gone by comparison. Once the vocals come in, the headphones just can't keep up with the complexity, and the layers of sound start blending into each other. The sound is full-bodied, but without the separation there's little detail or clarity.
Moving on to TLC's Unpretty from FanMail and the headphones start to show their strengths again. The separation—even if slight—allows everything to take its own place within the song. The drums are particularly full and inviting, and the vocals are clear on top of them. The guitar is present, although missing some of the string squeak I'm used to hearing. Curiously, this song seems much more mid-focused, as the bassline is very difficult to pick out compared to the first few tracks, although I was still enjoying it overall.
In the interest of brevity (ha!), I won't go into detail for each track I listened to, as the details are largely the same: compared to my usual listening, these headphones are much more bass/mid-focused with reduced treble, although still relatively neutral. Drums and basslines were present and full, vocals were (typically) clear and distinct, and treble components were present without being piercing. However, where the Drop + Grell OAE1 really shine is in presentation and soundstage—vocals and instruments sound like distinct components rather than just layers. This is particularly evident in live recordings: Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out and Layla from Eric Clapton's Unplugged album; Sing Sing Sing from ¡Damas y Caballeros! by Los Straitjackets; Many a New Day from Oklahoma!. While this sense of space benefits larger ensembles—orchestral, big band, swing—it also lends a sense of intimacy to other tracks: Adele's Rolling in the Deep; Baby on Board from The Simpsons; Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 in G major. However, this works with just about any track that's recorded/mixed/mastered to take advantage of that space regardless of genre, particularly if the emphasis is on bass/mids (drums, vocals, guitar, piano): Blackstreet's No Diggity; Stevie Wonder's Superstition; Mr. Pinstripe Suit by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy; La Grange by ZZ Top; Alice Cooper's School's Out. Ultimately, this is what made this review so difficult, as the headphones didn’t excel at any one genre, but worked well with just about anything I threw at them—providing the tracks were recorded/mixed/mastered well.
That said, the biggest weakness of the Drop + Grell OAE1's is that everything sounds a touch too smooth, although it's hard to tell whether this is due to the tuning or drivers. At best, some tracks are missing a certain sparkle or sweetness or emotion that I'm used to—Hanson's MMMBop; Florence and the Machine's Bird Song and Dog Days are Over; Pachelbel's Canon in D minor; Harry Chapin's Cat's in the Cradle. At worst, the headphones sound sluggish and can't cope with complex passages, regardless of genre: The Black Key's Thickfreakness; Atmosphere's Bird Sings Why the Caged I Know; Eki Attar and Aa-Shoo Dekei-oo by Huun-Huur-Tu; Joan Jett's Let's Do It. This is noticeable even if there’s good separation during the rest of the song (Los Straitjackets' Sing Sing Sing; Loch Lomond by The Real McKenzies).
Final Thoughts:
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Zoomed-out view of the same pegboard as above. Product page for the Drop + Grell OAE1 is visible on a computer screen in the upper left. OAE1 box is visible on the lower right of the image. FiiO X3 Mk.III digital audio player and A5 portable amplifier (used for this review) are visible on the lower middle. On the lower left is a Geonworks W1-AT in olive green with Drop MT3 Susuwatari keycaps and Drop Black Speech YC8 cable.
So, all that said and done, can I recommend them? Honestly... it depends. If you like a somewhat laid-back, neutral-warm sound and great soundstage, then you may enjoy them. The fit and finish on my pair is relatively good (aside from the issues above, although I don't know if that's just my pair or not) and they sounded great with any genre of music I could throw at them—provided that the tracks were recorded/mixed/mastered to take advantage of the soundstage, and I used appropriate amplification. If you're looking for something more detailed and clinical and are eyeing the 'diffuse field tuning', then you may be disappointed. Personally, I think they'd be great for a casual listening session where you just want to throw on a record and relax, but they'll never be my go-to pair as I prefer a much more analytical sound. That said, they were highly enjoyable, and the sense of space gave me a new perspective even on well-known songs. If Grell ever produces a planar magnetic headphone with the soundstage of the OAE1 and the sonic characteristics of the HE-400i, then I’ll definitely be interested.
I could not believe my ears when I played the hifi quality tracks on my DROP + GRELL OAE1 HEADPHONES using my DAP and also through my Chord Hugo TT2 and mScaler. The sound coming out was just captivating. I have headphones like the Empryean from Meze and Audeze but these are on par or even more enjoyable. I highly recommend a pair to enjoy your fav tunes with.
Ok, let's start out with disclaimers. I'm a fledgling audiophile. No. I am an audiophile, but what works for me might not work for others.
1. A) Build/comfort: ok, it is rare that I can fall asleep with cans on. They did not clamp too hard, I know they are there, but they weren't vise-like. I shift positions while sleeping. I started with my head cradled, the headphones weren't extremely difficult to position my head. Woke up on my back, the cord did not wrap around my neck as a makeshift noose. Big plus there. I did find that the way I have to position the headphones for the best sound for me, if I lay on my back, when I sit up they fall off. Sitting this isn't a problem, but since I fell asleep with them on 🤔
B)since I wore them overnight, I expected like sweat after an hour or two, not the case. They are a bit warm, but it is barely noticeable for me.
C)the stock pads are soft and I don't feel them against my skin like I do leather.
D)there appears to be a bit of clearance between the headphones/cups? And my ears. But my ears don't stick out too far.
E)I didn't notice that placement can be extremely tricky and the cans can sound like ass. Like music filtered through fat. Sorry, best way I can describe it.
F)the materials appear to be of solid construction. Like by far the most solid build i own. (I only have dt990, he4xx, and some BT sennheisers).
On to sound.
2. A)They sound amazing, and the lows i hear are better than the he4xx. Otherwise they are quite comparable. But that also depends largely one placement of the oea1 cans. Like I had to place the band at the way back of my skull for the best placement for my ears. Which, with the placement and clamp force, sit solidly if my head is perpendicular to the ground. Like I said parallel with the ground the fall right off.
B)since they are open back, I expected the leakage to be high. Which is possible. With the source maxed, and my xp-2pro maxed, my brother said he can hear the music from at least 5 feet away and have it be recognizable. Which, if you're at home or even in your own room, is not a problem. It might be in an office.
C.) The clarity on these are pretty damned good. I do have a bit of problem picking between bass guitar and bass drum on some music tracks. Whoops take that back(sorry listening to music as I write this). It might have to deal eith type of music, how it was mixed and mastered.
D.) The mids and highs aren't painfully "bright" nor "tinny". Of course I'm 45, so I could be losing my hearing from age and countless concerts sitting next to the speakers.
Summation, I am pleasantly surprised. New cans that don't cause me to sweat, or exhaustion? From wearing them for long durations. If I could, I would punk down for a second purchase to have a spare. So I could let a friend use and as an introductory to audiphiledom.
Sidenote:if I remember, I will update after listening to different music. I listened to my most listened to music genres, and then got stuck listening to Tool, for hours.
I really like how the L and R are easily visible.
Disclaimer:
While I was sent these by Hoff to review as part of the Drop liaison program, like with all things I'm sent, I buy the same exact item with my own money to give away (not to sell). Thankfully, the OAE1s were on sale ($249 from 299), I also pulled a 20% off coupon for them during Drop's 12 Days of Christmas sale, AND, I was able to apply my store credit from my account for another $65 off.
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I'm going to gift this purchased pair to my dad (as he also enjoyed the headphones as I did) for Christmas.
All in all, I was able to snag these for less than 50% off shipped compared to its retail cost of $299. I don't think that I would've picked these up if I had not already had my HD 6xx or my electrostats, because those have served me fine (HD 6xx at my computer, electrostats down in my living room), and I don't really tend to purchase multiple headphones as I'm just a casual listener.
And, as always, please take my review with a grain of salt. Everyone's ears are different, and my experience may not line up with someone else's. I'm just sharing what my short (a few weeks) experience with these OAE1s have been like. I will come back in a year or so after I've gotten some good usage out of them to update and/or add more notes.
Actual Review:
I generally use two headphones when I'm either at my computer, or when listening to vinyls or CDs in my living room.
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My electrostats, which I use when listening in my living room (not at my computer).
The first thing I noticed when taking them out from the box is their weight. The OAE1s bring 375g to the table, or actually your head. This is a noticeable difference to the Sennheiser/Drop HD 6xx (260g) which are my go to cans when on the computer. Nevertheless they sat comfortably on my head, though casual headphone users might be bothered by the high clamping force. The clamping force seemed to moderate over time, so this might have needed just some time to wear in. My super old pair of Sennheisers (I have no idea what model they are) also state that they have 3 newtons of clamping force, the same as the OAE1s, and are much looser than the OAE1s, so I'm sure that over time, the OAE1s will loosen up.
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My HD 6xx headphones that I use at the computer.
Sound overall is excellent and very close to what the HD 6xx produce with the OAE1 subjectively slightly more enjoyable.
Soundstage is very wide and clear and sound sources well defined. While with most recordings soundstage wasn't much different than the HD 6xx, but the big surprise was when I tried an old "Kunstkopf" (dummy head stereo) demo vinyl published by Sennheiser that I borrowed from my dad. The OAE1 outperformed the HD 6xx quite noticeably in that the soundstage didn't just have the width it has with most decent headphones when listening to this type of recording, but it actually had the depth that "Kunstkopf" was supposed to provide.
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With basically all material the OAE1 did a good job, rock to classic, from Zappa to Mussorgsky and Jethro Tull, ELP, Peter Gabriel to Wagner's Flying Dutchman overture. Even a demanding piece like Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" was reproduced astoundingly well, even when compared with my electrostats. That's why it came as much of a surprise when they could not play "Also sprach Zarathustra" by Richard Strauss well at all. On this piece, and from what I tried so far only this, there's quite a difference in performance between the OAE1 (and the HD 6xx as well) and my electrostatic headphones.
Unfortunately these headphones follow the trend to ship with short cables. Out of the box they come with 180cm, just like the HD 6xx, but e.g. all my older Sennheisers came with 300cm cables.
The OAE1 require a lot more power to be driven properly, I'm not equipped to really measure it, but I'd estimate they need approximately 80% more than let's say a pair of HD 6xx. I did not try them on any mobile device and I wonder whether the average phone or mobile player would have sufficient output to drive them satisfactorily. I'm am under the impression these are meant for home use on a decent amplifier and there they provide an enjoyable experience.
Overall, if I didn't have my HD 6xx headphones, I think these would've been a nice item to buy, but since I'm content with the HD 6xx for computer use and my electrostats for non-computer use, I would've passed on these as they don't necessarily bring anything significantly different than those two headphones that I have. But, again, if I didn't have either of those two, especially if the OAE1s are on sale, and if I was able to snag them for less-than-retail, I think I'd be happy with the OAE1s as a casual listener.
And remember... at the end of the day, what's most important is whether or not YOU enjoy them, since they'll be sitting on YOUR ears (unless you lend them to a friend haha)!
First impressions are that the bass is better than the HD 6XX.
The headband adjustment is only half as wide as on the HD 6XX, so it was barely adjustable for me.
There's a 2.5mm jack on the headphone side, but the connector is quite narrow, so I don't think you can use an external cable.
I wouldn't recommend these as your first pair of headphones, but I do think they are good headphones that are crazy, interesting and fulfil your desire for ownership!
ファーストインプレッションではHD 6XXより低音が出ている感じがします。
ヘッドバンドの調整幅が少なくHD6XXの半分程度しか調整できず自分にはギリギリでした。
ヘッドホン側は2.5mm端子ですが挿入口がかなり細いので社外品ケーブルは使えないと思います。
1台目のヘッドホンとしてはオススメしませんが、マニアックで面白く所有欲が満たされる良いヘッドホンだと思います。
Exceeded any expectations I would've had. I've been waiting for this sound!
Like with everything else in life, I've learned to approach deaf headphone purchases without prejudice, bias or expectations instead of believing hivemind narratives from Internet strangers of questionable mental health.
TL;DR of this review would be: if you have an open mind and want the next level of headphone experience, get these, especially on sale. Go on. I will spare you from the following ridiculous dissertation, ha-ha!
When I played my first song through these headphones, I had no expectations, but they sounded better than anything I would've expected based on my cumulative experience with headphones.
First thing I noticed was their imaging. I'm hearing an aural image that seems to come from where the sounds should, and not from the headphones themselves. It's more natural.
Background is delightfully dark and sounds seem to emanate from it and vanish to complete silence. Sounds like something that should happen with every headphone, but no. Some headphones do not allow one to appreciate the silence between the quietest sounds.
The grell OAE1 have surprising clarity and detail retrieval that punches way above their price point. I'm hearing EVERYTHING unmasked.
All the elements have their own place above and below each other. Busy tracks still sound organized. These headphones really have fantastic separation and layering.
I'm getting high-end headphone sound quality, but these are priced like cheap headphones. Nothing about their sound suggests their price. These sound like 3X their price.
As open as these headphones are, the bass is unexpectedly punchy and powerful, surprisingly bigger than the mids and highs, but without overpowering them or sounding exaggerated in the context of the recordings.
It goes low and is ear-filling, but without that annoying intermodulation that happens with so many open headphones when the bass gets super low.
The highs are velvety and not sparkly, but pay attention and you'll notice that all the definition is there. I think that after the imaging, the highs are the second most impressive aspect of them.
We associate sparkle with detail. Not here. You get all the highs and none of the sparkle, which is weird at first, but you quickly get used to it. No wincing except on really bad recordings.
The highs here remind me of the super-pricey Sony C800G tube condenser microphone. When you hear its highs, you are marked by them. They are in their own category.
The grell OAE1 do not sound analytical, and are also forgiving of bad recordings. However, I can be as analytical as I want and I will keep hearing little details that are masked even in pricier headphones.
Compared to anything else I own, they don't sound bright in terms of tonality, but detail retrieval-wise, I'm getting everything micro and macro that I have to struggle to hear in some of my much pricier cans.
Oh, and they are enjoyable on low volume. i don't feel the need to crank them to get excitement out of the drivers like I need to do with other headphones. That was a total surprise. By the way, their precise driver matching is evident.
Another thing that was surprising was that, unlike every other headphone I own that benefits from Meier crossfeed to tame the unnaturally-wide stereo field, these don't need it at all. The position of the drivers makes them sound less headphone-y.
It's not like the sound appears to come from the front, but the way the drivers hit the outer ears, it makes for a more natural soundstage. The audio hologram is a different size and shape.
I'm testing them on an AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt and an H2 Designs MIYO. Playback is through iTunes and foobar2000, both with commercial tracks and my own self-produced stuff.
These are my opinions, untethered from anyone else's. I STRONGLY recommend you give these a chance if you want to go to a next level of headphone sound reproduction, to an uncharted territory.
Overall, are they weird and very different from other headphones? YES! Honestly, anyone would absolutely hate them if they expected a familiar aural presentation. This is a new thing.
The way the drivers are mounted is going to sound different to what you're used to, which is two drivers playing sound flatly into your ears, which is not how sounds work in real life.
They interact with the outer ear first, and that's how we hear and how the brain interprets what's going on. Sound doesn't enter the ear directly like with traditional headphones. There is distance and position before it.
You need to deprogram yourself from any previous headphone experience before listening to these. You can't compare them to anything else you own, because they are a different concept and deviate from what is considered a normal tuning.
The grell OAE1 to me are like a next level, something new my brain hasn't experienced before. Referencing any previous mental framework would be unfair to them.
In summary, I'd say get these headphones if you are tired of climbing the headphone tier and not getting the expected value for your money.
Pay no mind to their low price. The grell OAE1 are affordable, yet sound many times better than their price in terms of clarity, sound quality and detail retrieval.
You are getting a much pricier sound reproduction and presentation. Their sound is clear and free of any smearing or harshness. You hear the sound of sounds in a transparent way that is unusual at this price point.
At any given time, I can hear more stuff at the same time compared to other headphones I own. Like I said in the beginning, I'm hearing everything unmasked. The proof is in the pudding: this concept works.
I'm glad Axel dared to carve a new path with these, and I would shake the man's hands and thank him. I've waited years for these headphones; for something daring like this. Honestly!
They'll eventually find their way to the heads of people who will understand them and appreciate their unconventional concept.
If you keep an open mind, you'll get what the grell OAE1 are about and realize that whatever cons people mention about their sound are actually its pros.
raansire7Thanks for this insightful review! I also enoyed your earlier discussion of the HD 6XX (which I had just learned of vis-a-vi the HD 650 and ordered here on drop yesterday).
This 'OAE1' appears to be a real innovation - the forward positioning of the drivers totally makes sense. Exciting! Given where I'm at in my journey (transitioning from a life-long music lover to a 'music-loving-amateur-audiophile-with-62-year-old-ears'), I'll spend some quality time with the HD 6XX as I keep an eye on this OAE1.
I've just stepped into the 'audiophile headphone hobby' while upgrading the stereo system in my 20-year-old Lexus es330, and sharing some details on a Lexus owner's forum thread about Head units/stereos with audiophile grade components (mostly defined by the OP as the presence of a decent 24-bit DAC). I was told by the OP that the amp I bought was useless 'because it's class d, blah, blah'. By then I had decided I needed a better appreciation, a reference, of what an audiophile is listening for and had bought some Sennheiser HD 599 headphones on sale via Amazon (continually upgrading a car audio system would be a very tedious and expensive path to audiophilism).
Of course, then I wondered what makes an audiophile happier with a more expensive set of headphones... and here I am wondering about spending another few hundred on some OAE1s having just purchased the HD 6XX:-).
I've been listening to the 50 ohm HD 599s with my late model M2 Macbook Air, and I gather the macbook's port will automatically kick into the higher-gain 3V mode when it sees the 300 ohm HD 6XXs. Reports are that newer Macs do pretty well without an external DAC/AMP - have you experienced this?
Anyway, thanks again for your contributions out here!