Wizards from Celsus Sound, who presented us with the amazing wireless DAC Companion One, which I recently wrote about, pleased everyone with another novelty, creating specially for it headphones, optimized for sound. Unusually in them is that this is a single-wheel dynamic model, performed in a rare form factor of "liners".
In-ear headphones, popularized once by the manufacturers of cassette players, are now experiencing not the most popular times, as the intracanal "gags" crowd them on all fronts. The latter provide better sound insulation and is easier to achieve the desired sound, since they form a closed system with the ears of the listener. At the same time, the inserts can provide a greater volume of sound and are suitable for people who, due to anatomical features, can not use intracanal solutions.
In Celsus Sound they decided to make a model combining the best of all worlds. A large 16 mm dynamic radiator is designed to provide excellent sound transmission over all frequencies, and a special open-ended design of the inserts is designed to solve the age-old problem of a narrow scene and the "sound in the head" peculiar to earphones-plugs. According to the developers, they managed to achieve a sound comparable to full-size headphones, while retaining portability. Price tag while they turned out to be very inhumane, for them ask 250 dollars, but what does the buyer get for it?
Specifications
- Emitter: 16 mm, dynamic
- Impedance: 32Ω
- Frequency range: 15 Hz to 23 kHz
- Sensitivity: 100 dB / mW
- Sound pressure level: 125 dB
- Cable: symmetrical, 1.2 m
- Plug: 3.5 mm TRS
Packing and delivery kit
The headphone box completely coincides with the Companion One box (except, of course, the print), outside the dust jacket, inside is the same dense black cardboard with excellent printing and shimmering silvery embossing. The inner part extends like a box, opening access to the contents.
In addition to the headphones themselves, you will get an excellent leather bag for carrying them and a few "bagel" caps made of foam rubber, which, in my hearing, do not have the best effect on the sound.
On the one hand, the delivery kit is small in view of the price, on the other hand - I can not really think of what else could be added to it.
Design and comfortable wearing
The case of headphones attracts attention with its simplicity, thought out enough to seem in its own way beautiful. Gramo One cases are made mainly of metal and have the form of hyperboloid rotation. The front part, which they come into contact with the ear - rounded, in order to provide maximum comfort when wearing. In the front and back parts there are grids, providing the most open acoustic design. Closer to the back are cable leads, reinforced with special inserts, protecting the cable from kinking.
The wires themselves are very good, they are moderately flexible, keep their shape to the best, do not harden in the cold and have almost no microphone effect. Of course, it is a pity that they are not replaceable, but this would greatly complicate the construction and make it even more expensive.
Gramo One is very comfortable to wear. As usual, the owners of the smallest ears may be experiencing problems, but if the headphones fit in size, then they can be worn for a very long time without the slightest signs of fatigue.
Since the headphones are completely open, they miss the sound in both directions, so they are designed for listening in a relaxed home environment.
Sound
The following equipment was used for listening:
- Yulong DA8 as a DAC and amplifier
- CEntrance Mini-M8 as DAC and Amplifier
- Apple MacBook Pro Retina 2013 as a source
- Fidelia as a player
- Fiio X3-2 and QLS QA360 as portable players
- VSonic Gr01 and HiFiMan Re600 as headphones for comparison
- High Definition Records in Lossless-formats (Dr. Chesky The Ultimate Headphone Demonstration Disc and others)
Before listening to the headphones were warmed for 48 hours, there was no change in the sound.
In Celsus Sound we decided to make a model with a sound transmission comparable to large open headphones: good bass, excellent mid-range transmission, volume feed with a big stage. In general, they succeeded, but for the sake of achieving the goal, the headphones had to be made largely tasteful.
The bass in Gramo One is very good for this form factor. Usually, low-frequency inserts are all sad, since sound insulation is almost none, sound energy on the LF is dissipated, and they do not play bass with the necessary detail. These headphones have become a pleasant exception, the LF has both a normal amount and a good resolution (especially with the correct source).
The middle frequencies are the skate of this model. They transmit them with good detail and bring to the fore, contributing to the excellent transfer of the nuances of vocals and instruments. Because of this accent, the imaginary scene is quite distorted, the vocal comes to the fore, pushing the rest a little further. It does not always benefit the recordings, but sometimes it gives a staggering effect of involvement. Open design and good MF resolution allow the headphones to create a pleasing 3D effect, albeit not always 100% natural.
But the high frequencies fell victim to the taste feed. In this model, they are greatly reduced in quantity. On the one hand, it gives a soft and nenapryagayuschy sound, on the other hand - some genres lose their full sound.
Compatibility
In general, the headphones are fairly uncritical to the source, due to the optimal impedance and normal sensitivity they are quite good with most mobile phones, tablets and simple players, although of course only the good player / DAC can uncover their full potential, for example, the same Companion One, for which they were made. Of the players, I would pick up options for them with musical sound and good control of low frequencies: Cayin N6, for example.
Genre headphones gravitate toward records with an emphasis on medium frequencies and require the transfer of volume, this is their hobby: large orchestras, chamber ensembles, instrumentalists-virtuosos. Heavy genres and rock music sound very strange, I would not advise them with these headphones. Electronic music is good enough because of the study of LF and surround sound.
The quality of the Gramo One record is relatively calm, since the most problematic area is that the HF is very reduced.
conclusions
Quite interesting, though not universal, model. Its sound goes according to the category "either very much, or disgust", there is no other here. In Celsus Sound bet on a specific taste, and this is a guarantee that everyone will not be able to please. For those who appreciate the average frequencies and the volume of recording, Gramo One will be a godsend, for the rest these headphones will most likely not work.
The article is based on materials .
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