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Unlike traditional coated drivers, these are composed of a “fully integrated amalgam of high purity metal alloys with ultra-dense ceramic carbon fibers. Below are measurements of Athena, HD650/Kiss, and Mini-S (measurements taken at 95db spl) -- I think all of them exhibit good distortion control for non-planar/non-electrostatic headphones. The weight of the Athena is thus evenly spread across the whole head, preventing headaches or dizziness even after long listening sessions. The headphone can easily be mistaken as a closed-back headphone, but there are several vents and ports on the side of each cup, making this more of a semi-open back, as you can hear outside noise with this on, and it does bleed a little bit of audio to the outer world as well.
If the upper mid-range were more pronounced, the treble presentation on the Athena would be significantly improved overall. However, I had listened to this company's previous products and sensed they were incrementally improving with each new model.Every manufacturer seems eager to claim that their tuning faithfully replicates the ‘original sound’, but they might in fact fare better by being honest about their product’s true characteristics, allowing the consumers to choose based on their preferences. Se poi vogliamo fare i "critici" (molta gente non ne ha le competenze, al 95% i cosiddetti "recensori" sono semplicemente dei poveri cristi, me compreso), possiamo disquisire sulla marcata non neutralità del messaggio sonoro e della particolare predisposizione ad aggiungere "qualcosa" al messaggio sonoro ma sempre nei termini della decenza e coerenza timbrica. With better airflow, the Athena will give you a purer and cleaner sound with a more natural soundstage and stereo imaging.
Timbre is unique - more digital and articulate than the HD650, but richer and more emotional than the HD560S. The foam and suede fabrics provide a soft seal without overheating my ears, even during longer listening sessions. Please acknowledge that waterfall plots in headphones can be controversial and that measurements in non-professional rig may be misleading.Moving on to the midrange, one of the first things I noticed when listening to the Athena was that vocals sounded a little more distant than I was used to with other headphones. They do not have a massive soundstage, they do not extract every little nuance, but they do have envelopment and engagement. Midbass is not the cleanest, partly due to that sensation of reflections but also in part to the fact that the dynamic driver is not the fastest to react to busy passages. We have designed an ergonomic headband with a wider contact area to the head and a softer cushion layering. This makes imaging reasonably good as well, though it isn’t as pinpoint for individual instruments like you might find with a more expensive set.
At the same time, opting for closing the back of the cups has put them in a position of having to work against one of the biggest issues of closed backs. Moving into the midbass, this sensation is less present (although there are still hints) and these regions have a hint of warmth to them without being overly exaggerated.The M-shaped venting system provides an incredibly expansive soundstage, delivering width and depth closest to open-backs. space and stage: The Athena feels somewhat congested, which isn’t surprising for something that falls between a closed-back and a semi-open headphone. I have not received any form of compensation or incentive to endorse or promote any specific product mentioned in this review. Its geometric inner membrane design ensures a perfect seal for those tight basslines, while permitting airflow so your ears don’t get too stuffy.
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