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Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones
$749
$900

Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones

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$749
$900
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Introducing Our Flagship Closed-Back Headphones

A collaboration with MrSpeakers, a boutique shop in San Diego, California, the Ether CX closed-back headphones have a lot going for them. For one thing, they sound more like a pair of open-back headphones—clean, open, realistic, relaxed—while retaining the low sound leakage and high isolation you’d expect from closed cans. As for looks, they’re like something off an Italian supercar lineup, with the sleek lines and sizable, high-gloss carbon fiber cups of the original Ether C. The NiTinol memory metal headband is lighter and more durable with fewer moving parts, while the new and improved ear pads combine memory foam, Japanese protein leather, more consistent stitching, and a flat design. Featuring the same V-Planar driver used in the Ether C, the CX has been retuned for enhanced tonal balance, a smoother bass-to-midrange transition, and a lower 5–6 kHz peak in the upper mids.

Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones
Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones
Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones

V-Planar Drivers for Incredibly Low Distortion

The Ether CX is built around MrSpeakers’ single-ended planar driver with patented V-Planar technology. A conventional planar driver is assumed to move as a flat surface. In reality, this isn’t possible, as the driver is inelastic and “locked” at the boundaries, so the driver moves more as a bowed surface than a flat plane. V-Planar technology addresses this issue by deeply creasing the diaphragm, allowing it to “accordion” when going through the larger motions required by bass notes. Much as pleats allow an accordion to expand and contract without stretching the fabric, the creases in the driver "open" slightly during larger excursions. Along with pushing more air at low frequencies, V-Planar delivers better dynamics, high-end frequency response, and measurably lower distortion. In the Ether CX, the distortion is less than 0.5 percent in the low bass and less than 0.1 percent from 60 Hz to 9 kHz.

Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones
Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones
Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones
Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones

The MrSpeakers Philosophy

MrSpeakers was founded by Dan Clark, an electrical engineer who has been working in and around the high-end audio market for more than 20 years. He believes that a great-sounding headphone is one that allows you to simply slide into the music without inserting itself into the listening experience. To that end, the headphone should also deliver exceptional comfort, because—as Dan says—an uncomfortable headphone “gets in the way of musical enjoyment the same way a terrible seat at a concert venue detracts from a live performance.” With the Ether C and Ether CX, MrSpeakers wanted to eliminate the closed-in, “cuppy” sound that reminds the listener they’re using closed-back cans. The sense of space and openness are there, as is plenty of isolation for air travel, buses, and trains. With a history as a community modder, Dan strives for continuous improvement and makes upgrades available whenever possible. 

Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones
Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones
Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones
Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones
Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones

Comparison Frequency Response Graphs

Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones
Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones

Optional Drop + THX AAA™ 789 Linear Amplifier

Announced at CES 2018, the Drop + THX Achromatic Audio Amplifier (THX AAA™) 789 is a linear bipolar amplifier with feed-forward error correction. It’s designed for objectivists who appreciate an incredibly clean, transparent amp—the sought-after “wire with gain” whose amplification is wholly uncolored by a sound of its own. Made in collaboration with THX Ltd., it features the company’s groundbreaking THX AAA and feed-forward topology, which reduce distortion by 20 to 40 dB for realistic, fatigue-free listening. In fact, this bridged-output amp’s performance figures speak for themselves: It’s powerful (2 x 6W at 32 ohms) and quiet (136 dB SNR) with a record-low THD of -140 dB at 300 ohms, 100 mW. That’s four times the power of the Objective 2 amp, for example, with far less distortion.

Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones

Specs

  • Drop + MrSpeakers
  • Drivers: V-Planar planar magnetic, matched +/- 1.5 dB 30 Hz–5 kHz
  • Headband: NiTinol memory metal
  • Ear cups: Carbon fiber
  • Ear pads: Japanese protein leather, removable
  • Impedance: 23 ohms at 1 kHz
  • Input sensitivity: 92 dB at 1 mW
  • Noise isolation: -20 dB at 1 kHz, -40 dB at 6 kHz (per InnerFidelity)
  • Input connector: Hirose 4-pin
  • Cable: DUMMER 4-pin XLR, 6'5" (2 m) long
  • Individually serialized
  • Made in San Diego, CA

Included

  • MrSpeakers 4-pin XLR to ⅛ in (3.5 mm) to ¼ in (6.35 mm) adapter, 10" (25 cm) long
  • Soft velvet bag 
  • Manufacturer’s 2-year warranty

Shipping

Estimated ship date is Mar 27, 2024 PT.

Payment will be collected at checkout. Cancellations are accepted up to 2 hours after checkout for in-stock items, or up until pre-order ships.

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Top Customer Questions43
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Question
Do I need an amp for these?
Nov 6, 2019
Top Answer
jnak00
30
Yes, but every source you use has an amp. They run OK off a portable audio player or phone but generally will sound their best with more powerRead More
Nov 10, 2019
See 8 More
Question
How comfortable are these?
Nov 13, 2019
Top Answer
Jagarmusen
47
Get angled earpads. At first they were crushing down on my ears beacus the cups were not deep enough at the back so I whent to Mrspeakers website and got angeld pads from the ether flow.Read More
Mar 9, 2020
See 7 More
Question
Are the earpads glued on?
Nov 6, 2019
Top Answer
kris.skjordal
66
No they are not. The pads are removeable.Read More
Nov 7, 2019
See 1 More
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