Revolution, which the Bolsheviks had been repeating for so long ... More precisely, the headphones, the appearances of which many have been waiting for, are already released and are available for order. As you can see from the title, we are talking about the new isodynamic models of the company MyST, which has repeatedly pleased Russian music lovers with its products. The fact that just a few months ago it was just an announcement on the Internet - lies on my desk.
These headphones are interesting for so many reasons, but the main one is they are entirely made in Russia. It is especially worth noting that MyST has developed, ottyuningovali and produce the actual emitter, which, of course, requires a high engineering culture and responsible approach.
The reverse side of this solution is a sufficiently high price for headphones. , which puts them on one shelf with many models related to the "top of the top segment". As Isophones look against the background of competitors, I'll tell you a little bit later.
These headphones are produced in three variations, differing in different versions of the radiator. One version has an impedance of 60Ω (to be honest - I do not know what it stands out for the sound). Two 30Ω variants differ in that in one of these options the membrane is slightly tighter, this gives a greater return on the LF, at the price of some lower resolution of the remaining frequencies. I had the most basic version with the maximum tension on the tests.
Also, MyST has a model with an orthodynamic driver with a large membrane area. It is slightly different also in the external design of the cups. The price is also much higher.
Specifications
- Emitter: isodynamic
- Acoustic design: open
- Impedance: 27.3Ω
- Maximum sound pressure level: 100 dB @ 1 KHz
- Cable: interchangeable
- Weight: 720 g
Design and Convenience
The section about packaging and the delivery kit for these headphones, with all the desire to write will not work. Packages they have no, except for shipping bubble cellophane, and the delivery kit consists of a single cable, so go directly to the design.
Perhaps, in the whole history of technical thought, headphones have not yet been created, comparable in severity to these. Usually, durable headphones conjure up associations with the military industry, but the Isophones leave even a typical military approach behind.
Everything, absolutely everything, that is possible in these ear-phones is made of metal: cups, their fastening, headband, guides. The cups are round, in polished aluminum, completely open. Outside, they are covered by a rare grid, inside - the lattice of the magnetic system and a very light large-mesh fabric, designed to protect against dust and debris. Thus, the headphones are made as acoustically transparent as possible. Nothing is between your ears and the radiator. Because of this, the soundproofing of headphones tends to zero, they are not designed for either the street or the office.
Perfectionists a little upset the possible presence of scratches on the cups, polished aluminum is scratched quite simply. Personally, I'm not inclined to pay much attention to this, since these scratches are not noticeable and do not spoil the appearance, almost like the scars of a real man.
The cup fastening forks are simple and effective, they are made in the form of semicircles, fastened to the cups exactly in the middle, allowing the latter to freely rotate. Forks are attached to thick, almost finger-thick guides, which in turn are attached to the headband with a knot that allows you to rotate the guides around your axis and move, changing the size. Thus, the cups of headphones rotate around both axes, which ensures a comfortable fit. Headband well springs, it is covered with dense material, and for comfort on the inside is attached a soft lining.
The ear-pads are made of velor, very soft and deep, they fit very well, but tend to collect dust and pile, so I sometimes clean them with a sticky brush.
The Isofon cable is replaceable, using usual 3.5 mm plugs. In the complete set there is a wire similar to that which is completed with "nails". It is a bit thin by the standards of the overhead headphones, but this is a good silver-plated copper in silicone insulation, so there is no reason to doubt the quality of sound and strength. The advantage of light cable is that it is almost invisible in everyday operation. By the way, very high-quality Amphenol connectors are used.
The design is incredibly durable, but weight is behind it. Headphones "tighten" to 720 grams, which is very, very much. To the credit of Isofonov it is worth saying that, despite this, they are very comfortable to wear. Weight is very competently distributed over the headband, and the headphones sit comfortably on the head. Of course, after a couple of hours of listening I want to take a break for a few minutes, but no more. The power of the clamp is also chosen very reasonably, the headphones do not press on either side of the head.
Sound
The following equipment was used for listening:
- Apple MacBook Pro Retina 2013 as a source
- Yulong DA8 as DAC
- HiFiMan EF-6 and Yulong A28 as an amplifier
- Fidelia as a player
- High Definition Records in Lossless-formats (Dr. Chesky The Ultimate Headphone Demonstration Disc and others)
By sound, Isophones turned out to be a very unusual decision. If they were to be briefly described, I would say that these are full-sized headphones with the character of the sound of a single-armature armature.
Bass, perhaps, is the most controversial moment of the basic version of IzoPhones. In quality, it is not bad - deep, fast, very, very dense. The blows are clearly outlined and bodily, the attacks are fascinating with speed. But, alas, it is not as quantitative as we would like. Of course, in many cases the number of LFs is not as important as the quality, for example, for instrumentals, jazz, not heavy rock - the situation is exactly like this. A number of other genres such as electronic music suffer from this. In addition, a little adaptation to the sound of Isofons is simply necessary in any case.
Medium frequencies are great. The case when the headphones play completely transparent, without bringing anything extra from yourself. The incredible resolution of the isodynamic drivers of this model allows them to achieve extreme naturalness in the transmission of emotions and the nature of instruments, and the imaginary scene (at least to my ears) reaches an impressive size both in depth and in width.
The HF range is also a bit discouraging at first, it seems "wrong", unnecessarily bright, but after a longer listening the brain adapts to them and the sound of isophones is perceived to be quite airy and easy. The detailing and speed of the HF are very good.
Compatibility
Despite the low impedance, these headphones are fairly picky to amplify. They, of course, are not hungry monsters like the old HiFiMan models, but they also like "more powerful", so the amplifier will not be superfluous. Use them with low-power or portable sources - not at all an option.
Genre headphones are more or less versatile if you prefer analytical feed with a bias towards neutrality and light sound. To the quality of recording isophones are ruthless, flaws come to the fore and are demonstrated very clearly.
A few examples of tracks.
Led Zeppelin - The Battle of Evermore Jimmy Page was not in vain put his hand to the remaster of four classic albums of rock classics. Tracks like this have a new birth, especially in the high-frequency region, where, thanks to the features of the Isofons, amazing new nuances open up.
Dream Theater - A Nightmare to Remember. Despite the fact that every new album Dream Theater fans are met with a storm of criticism and stories that the group is "not the same", Black Clouds & Sliver Linings has already taken its place in the list of progressive metal megaalbums. A complex opening epic is filled with a variety of complex effects, for which the headphones should be able to play the depth of the scene without mixing diverse sounds. IzoPhones are great for critical listening to such complex music.
Van Halen - Is not Talkin '' Bout Love. A rock titan and a father of tapping (well, almost), Edward Van Halen managed to create his own style of guitar playing that was not at all similar, and it's on this track that his talent unfolds with incredible fullness. The isophones with their razor-accurate mid-range transmission make it possible to really feel how unusually the guitar sounds in the hands of this virtuoso.
conclusions
Very interesting model, combining many original moves, both successful and not. Despite the large mass and some fastidiousness to the sources, what is usually called the "level" of the headphones, is very high in Isofons. Their high-speed characteristics, wagering attacks and especially volume building make them a model that is very interesting for many genres.
The article is based on materials .
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