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Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones

$699

~~$900~~

overview

specs

reviews186

photos80

q&a44

discussions1.3K

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Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones

Name: Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones
Brand: Drop
SKU: drop-mrspeakers-ether-cx-closed-headphones
Price: 699 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.489247 (186 reviews)

186

$699

~~$900~~

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Frequently bought together:

DarkVoice 336SE OTL Headphone Amp

xDuoo TA-30 Tube DAC/Amp

overview

specs

reviews186

photos80

q&a44

discussions1.3K

Customer Reviews

4.5

(186 reviews)

(122)

(43)

(14)

(4)

(3)

87% would recommend to a friend

By Feature

Build Quality

4.5

(11)

Sound

4.7

(11)

Comfort

4.9

(11)

Music GenresPopular among reviewers

ActivitiesPopular among reviewers

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Enjoyer

Aug 5, 2024

Activities:Casual Listening, Critical Listening, Gaming, Movies & TV

Music Genres:Classical, Electronic, Hip-hop, Jazz, Metal, Pop, R&B, Rock, World

Verified Buyer

Great introduction to expensive high-end headphones and planar magnetics

If you started with the HD 6XXs (650s) and want to take the next step, these are what to get, especially if they are on sale.

Build quality is excellent, and the comfort is great overall, but bigger pads will remove the last bit of possible discomfort. (Pads in the photo are the ZMF Universe Lambskins) Sound quality is great, but it is a flat frequency response, it is also very revealing (picking up on little details that are low on other headphones). Dynamics suffer partiality because of this and the entirety of the bass frequency response being flat up into the mids. If you want to make these headphones "FUN" without EQ use the two notch white felt inserts and get the previously mentioned pads. Both will elevate the bass and the pads help to improve the dynamics a little. They still don't have as much impact as the 6XXs (650s) but it is a good improvement. Even with these changes though if the music wasn't made well its not going to magically sound good. It works for all genres but it depends how its produced. For example, metal double bass can vary in how good it sounds, if its located in the mid bass you will hear it but there will be a lack of impact (ESPECIALLY IN THE STOCK CONFIGURATION). Alternatively if it is located below that you will feel it a bit more but won't be as precise or fast. The Ether C Flow improve on the previously mentioned short falls but for nearly double the price of these not new I can't recommend them over the CX's. They isolate well and are one of the best closed backs, and definitely at the top of the closed back planar magnetic list just below its successor and some other DCA products like the E3. Lastly these are harder to drive compared to the 6XXs (650s) despite being 30 Ohms compared to 300 Ohms. These will not run, or at least well, off a low power dongle. They need power.

Recommends this product? Yes

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Just632

125

Keyboard Club Member

Dec 5, 2023

Verified Buyer

Endgame headphones

Amazing for what you get for the price. A great deal and retail of $900, even better if you can grab it for $600 like I did

Recommends this product? Yes

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Aure23

Oct 10, 2023

Activities:Casual Listening, Gaming

Music Genres:Electronic, Metal, Pop, Rock

Verified Buyer

Excellent for Casual Listening

I have only experienced a handful of headphones but these have excellent customizable features with the padding, increasing bass or reducing treble. The mids on these are perhaps the best I've ever listened to, and add some color to the sound experience without losing the accuracy of vocals or string instruments. As far as casual listening to podcasts or gaming, it's a pleasant experience and would recommend to anyone who is looking to get into higher end audio at this price range.

Recommends this product? Yes

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Abqslim

Sep 24, 2023

Activities:Critical Listening

Music Genres:Jazz, Rock

Verified Buyer

My favorite headphones, so far.

These cans are light and comfortable to wear for extended periods. Generally, I would prefer an open back headphone, but I really enjoy the isolation these ear goggles provide. The pair I own now are a replacement for a previous set that I purchased. On the first pair, a teeny-tiny screw that holds the right cable connector in place on the headphone cup came loose. I couldn't find an Allen wrench small enough to fit the screw anywhere, not even in a jewelry parts store. Ultimately, my inability to repair the headphones proved not to be a problem as Drop replaced them under manufacturers' warranty. I just finished listening to the Sly & Robbie DUB album and these headphones did an excellent job of reproducing the crack of the snare drum. The Ether CX may not have the greatest bass response, but I enjoy the sound overall. I just added a tube preamp to my headphone stack and these headphones respond well to that signal.

Recommends this product? Yes

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ShutUpImThinking

Jul 5, 2023

Activities:Casual Listening, Critical Listening, Movies & TV

Music Genres:Classical, Country, Electronic, Hip-hop, Jazz, Metal, Pop, R&B, Rock, World

Verified Buyer

A light and comfy headphone that is very clear!

I'm not expert what so ever, so here's the review for normal people: I solely bought these for the office space because of the closed back. I have for years been on the lookout for the right CB headphones for the office space and after having been on a journey that looks something like Sony 7509 -> Dekoni Blue -> DT 1990 Pro, I can finally say that I'm happy! For reference I use ZMF Aeolus and HD660s at home and lovee them both.

Recommends this product? Yes

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doctorjango

Jul 5, 2023

Activities:Casual Listening, Critical Listening, Movies & TV

Music Genres:Electronic, Pop, Rock

Verified Buyer

Clear and precise

These cans are great for mixing or with a little EQ in the low end, are also amazing for casual listening. Must be powered properly to do them justice.

Recommends this product? Yes

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Average_closed_back_enjoyer

Jun 7, 2023

Activities:Casual Listening, Critical Listening

Music Genres:Classical, Country, Electronic, Hip-hop, Jazz, Metal, R&B, Rock

Verified Buyer

Super comfortable, great sound as is

Amazingly comfortable, the low clamp force and lightweight design is superb. Pads are super pliable and although they look a little jank with the rectangular cut out, they do the trick and are comfortable. The sound is very good out of the box, they don't even necessarily need EQ but definitely play around with that. The bass is super flat and has great impact for a planar, the mids are bang on and natural, the highs are a little off kilter but nothing that would count even as slightly offensive. Adding a little at 3khz(3db Q3) and removing a bit from 4khz(-1db Q2) does the trick and opens up the sound. The reason I got them is because they are closed, I have a few open planars(Arya v2 non-stealth, Ananda non-stealth, had the DCA Aeon Open X's but sold them) and it's nice to have a pair of closed backs on hand in case someone starts renovating the next door over. They seem to be pretty easy to drive, A90&D90SE stack through balanced output on low gain gets very loud very quickly. The Ananda is easier to drive but not by much, the Arya demands more power in comparison. In terms of subjective performance they are somewhere between the Arya and Ananda, they have better imaging than the Ananda, but worse sound stage(closed vs open). The resolution is slightly better overall(and especially in the bass) on the Ether vs Ananda, but it doesn't hold a candle against the Arya in terms of sheer resolution even in the bass, though it has more buckets more slam the lower you go. The Ether is less soft than the Ananda and has slightly smoother treble. I feel these are awesome for almost any kind of music, though they seem to perform their best on EDM and such, rap is also great. You can of course listen to classical with these, they do the job wonderfully but the sound stage is clearly the limiting factor. Anything recorded more intimately sounds phenomenal as the lack of a wide sound stage stops gimping these, some of the modern Johnny Cash' recordings are amazing for this headphone.

Recommends this product? Yes

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Alex89

May 28, 2023

Activities:Casual Listening, Critical Listening

Music Genres:Classical, Jazz, Metal, Rock

Verified Buyer

Great Headphone

Never ending bass, great comfort, utterly clean in the whole spectrum.. Just need equalization

Recommends this product? Yes

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•

CountDizzy

May 12, 2023

Activities:Critical Listening

Music Genres:Electronic, Hip-hop, R&B, Rock

Verified Buyer

4.5 Stars If There was an option - Terrific sound, pre-breakin

These are my second planar magnetic, and definitely a step up (Fostex T50 RP with upgraded cable). At least in sound quality. Having graduated from Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80ohm, I am very much into the closed back side of things. Overall, I love the sound (fairly neutral sound repro, responsive to eq adjustments) and the ability to wear for extended listening periods. With that said, not stoked about the build quality. As others have mentioned, the headband feels... cheap. The tension wires attached to the cup fixtures also feels very delicate. The cups themselves have no noticeable defects or lack of quality. The pads are alright. I have grown to tolerate them. I am definitely a fan, but the full price seems excessive.

Recommends this product? Yes

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Alumbro

Apr 15, 2023

Activities:Casual Listening, Movies & TV

Music Genres:Classical, Jazz

Verified Buyer

For the price its disappointing. The packaging looks like a reconditioned product

When I opened the posting box all I saw was a plain cardboard box inside. When I opened that box there was just the black bag with the headphones inside. No case is provided or any documentation. The cables were packed in in a cardboard box under the headphones. I actually thought I must have misread the listing and bought reconditioned or factory second and had to recheck the order. The sound is great! Head band on top is a little average in quality. For that price Drop should have included a proper case, spare earpads and some documentation. They don't look like more than $300 headphones.

Recommends this product? No

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Amorrison

Feb 22, 2024

AlumbroFor a premium product to be available at a lower price, the first avenue to reduce costs is packaging and extras. If great sound is what you are after, this is a fantastic option, if you want a great case and box, buy direct from Dan’s website