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MrSpeakers ETHER 2 – Life In Colour

DISCLAIMER: SLT Technologies (MrSpeakers’ distributor in Indonesia) loaned me the ETHER 2 in exchange for my honest opinion. I will send the headphone back following the review. I am not personally affiliated with the companies in any way, nor do I receive any monetary rewards for a positive evaluation. I’d like to thank SLT Technologies and MrSpeakers for their kindness and support. The review is as follows.

MrSpeakers is a headphone manufacturer I’ve had the pleasure of knowing since their humble beginnings. Founder Dan Clarke initially started the business by jumping on the Fostex T50RP mod-fest. The resulting Mad Dogs, Alpha Dogs and Alpha Prime (which I still own to this day) became widely known as the best-sounding of them all. He’s since gone on to develop immensely successful product lines infused with his own technologies, including the ETHER and AEON families.

But, if one were to ask Dan what his most meaningful creation was, his answer would probably be VOCE. MrSpeakers’ bid into the electrostatic space, the VOCE also inspired many of Dan’s most recent innovations – including TrueFlow. It’s no surprise then, that MrSpeakers’ latest flagship bears a striking resemblance; a dark twin, almost. Dressed in a slick matte black, Dan premiered the ETHER 2 at RMAF 2018 – the culmination of everything Mad Dogs to VOCE in the flesh.

MrSpeaker ETHER 2

Driver type: Planar magnetic
Impedance: 16Ω
Sensitivity: N/A
Key feature(s) (if any): V-Planar technology, TrueFlow technology, VIVO cable
Available form factor(s): Full-sized, circumaural headphones
Price: $1999.99
Website: www.mrspeakers.com

Build and Accessories

The ETHER 2 I’m reviewing is a demo unit from SLT Technologies, so I received it without its retail packaging. Regardless, it does come with the company’s signature, heavy-duty, clamshell case – equipped with a zipper, fabric-lined walls and moulded structures to keep the headphones stationary in transport. There’s also a net-like compartment to store cables and accessories. It’s a clever deterrent against the connectors bouncing around and scratching the headphones too.

For a flagship at its price, one wouldn’t be slighted for wanting more in the accessory department. Perhaps a cleaning cloth or MrSpeakers’ signature tuning pads could’ve been nice touches. But, they do offer a special edition with a signed display case and headphone stand at a $500 premium. So, I at least appreciate the option they’ve given for a less costly, streamlined variant of the product. And, those who want more luxury with their flagship can have their cake as well.

It’s clear however that Dan and co. did not cheap out on the headphones whatsoever. The ETHER 2 sports an all-metal design and a carbon fibre driver baffle – ensuring durability and longevity. The headband’s received a redesign – now more net- or web-like. This reduces the contact area between the material and the head, so the top of the head remains breathable and cool. Although one might criticise this change for weight, that should be the least of your concerns. MrSpeakers’ ETHER 2 is the lightest flagship I’ve ever used. At 289 grams, it’s surely an industry benchmark. Finally, the headphones are finished in matte black for a sleek aesthetic, with zero chips or squeaky bits to speak of – pure class.

The company’s fantastic NiTinol headband makes a welcome return, allowing the headphones to contort unrecognisably before returning to their original shape. This ensures the headphones don’t produce any extra pressure or strain, and maintains the headband’s lifespan as well. For smaller heads, the webbed inner-headband can easily be adjusted to fit your needs. But, for larger heads like mine, there isn’t as much leeway. My noggin certainly stretches the headphones to their near-limits, and it would’ve been nice to see a greater degree of customisation on that end of the spectrum. The synthetic protein leather ear pads, while plush, are a tad low-profile as well. But, I’m sure this specific girth was chosen for sound, and the pads as they are are extremely plush, gorgeously made and breathable too – no complaints there.

V-Planar and TrueFlow Technology

V-Planar technology is something Dan Clarke developed in conjunction with the Alpha Prime. In essence, Dan argued that a flat, planar driver would not be able to vibrate uniformly along a flat plane. Because of the material’s inelasticity, the diaphragm would actually bow as the audio signal rocked it back and forth. What V-Planar technology does is introduce deep, v-shaped creases along the driver’s surface. So – especially in larger excursions – the driver would be able to expand and contract as needed with zero strain to the material. Dan claims an increase in dynamics, high-end extension and measurably lower distortion, along with the diaphragm’s ability to push more air at lower frequencies.

Animations courtesy of MrSpeakers

TrueFlow technology was developed much more recently. While developing the VOCE and investigating the differences between electrostatic and planar magnetic headphones, Dan discovered a flaw in the latter’s design. Planar magnetic headphones – as the name indicates – require the presence of a thick magnet array on at least one side of the driver. The inherent shape of those magnet arrays often impede the movement of air – and therefore, sound waves – from the diaphragm to the listener’s ear. They’d have to make right-angled turns, which introduce diffractions and reflections, i.e. distortion. What TrueFlow does is introduce perforated waveguides in those magnet arrays to smoothen the flow of air as much as possible and dampen any refractions – resulting in superior resolution, dynamics and frequency extension.

Images courtesy of MrSpeakers

VIVO Cable

Dan and co. have absolutely made huge strides as far as cables are concerned. The all-new, silver-plated-OFHC-copper VIVO cable is a far cry from the ETHER 1.0’s stiff, coarse and unwieldy DUM cable. Ergonomically, the former is infinitely smoother, softer and more pliable. There’s perhaps a touch more thickness and weight, but it’s barely consequential.

Once again, MrSpeakers have employed their excellent HIROSE connectors – my favourite in terms of security and ease-of-use. The woven, cloth-like insulation heavily resembles the AEON Flow’s stock cables. But again, the VIVO cables are a hair thicker. Sonically, I wasn’t able to compare the VIVO cable against them because of termination differences. But as seen in the Synergy section, with the VIVO cable is as good as the ETHER 2 gets – compellingly transparent performance.

Page 1: Introduction
Page 2: Sound Impressions and General Recommendations
Page 3: Synergy
Page 4: Select Comparisons and Verdict

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ABOUT AUTHOR

Deezel

Deezel

Church-boy by day and audio-obsessee by night, Daniel Lesmana’s world revolves around the rhythms and melodies we lovingly call: Music. When he’s not behind a console mixing live for a congregation of thousands, engineering records in a studio environment, or making noise behind a drum set, you’ll find him on his laptop analysing audio gear with fervor and glee. Now a specialist in custom IEMs, cables and full-sized headphones, he’s looking to bring his unique sensibilities - as both an enthusiast and a professional - into the reviewer’s space; a place where no man has gone before.

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3 Responses

  1. What DAC and amp did you use in this review? I am considering a pair of the Ether 2s, and will be combining them with a Topping D50 DAC, and an Ampandsound Kenzie Encore headphone amp, and I was wondering what combo you used?

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