Review: MrSpeakers Ether 2 – Honey

MrSpeakers Ether 2

Sound:

My experience with MrSpeakers headphones has been very limited, yet their products have left quite an impression on me. When I was in Munich for High End 2016, I came across their Ether C (V1) and I was mighty impressed. It still is one of the best closed-back headphones to me. I was so baffled by it, that I hunted down my dealer of choice and demoed them again and again. However, I never felt the same sensation like in Munich.

As most of my listening time is done on the go or at the office, I also didn’t feel the urge to get another pair of cans next to my Sennheiser HD800S, even after all the rave about the Ether’s I didn’t cave in. When we were approached by MrSpeakers for their new Ether 2 though, I didn’t have to think twice.

MrSpeakers Ether 2

MrSpeakers Ether 2

MrSpeakers recommends a burn-in time of 50 hours for their headphones, and I can confirm that after that value they indeed start settling down. However, I would suggest to have them break in even longer. After about 100 hours I found they had reached their final performance. Bass became tighter, faster and better controlled, midrange a bit more linear and resolved while treble a notch more forward, compared to early listening sessions.

Ether 2 has a fast and dynamic bass, that can hit hard with excellent punch and rumble. It reaches down low with high resolution and wonderful layering. It has great control over the bass, which doesn’t come across as boomy or too forward for my taste. There is good body in the lows with nice weight and texture.

Midrange is neutral and linear to me. It has great transparency and layering in it. The texture of the mids is right about perfect, but instruments could sometimes use a little more body. Especially instruments of the upper registers seem a tad thin.

Vocals have good shape and weight, they come across as realistic and emotional. Instrumental timbre is fine and uncolored, just like it should be. The Ether 2 has a wonderful deep background, with a pitch black appearance. Instruments stand out of that clear and clean. The resolution of the MrSpeakers is very good, where fine details make their way through with ease.

MrSpeakers Ether 2

MrSpeakers Ether 2

I can clearly see the musicians in front of me when I close my eyes. The imaging of the Ether 2 is outstanding and the same goes for layering. The sound stage stretches wide and deep, where especially depth is superb. The sound reaches out of your head in good dimensions, however it doesn’t create the biggest stages out there.

Treble extends well and is clear and crisp. At times it comes across as dry and direct, which might not suit everyone’s taste. Highs aren’t harsh or too sharp, but they’re very precise and upper treble has a tendency to become forward. Lower treble has a delicate richness in it, that makes some piano hits a real pleasure.

What I like about the Ether 2, is its great balance. It doesn’t throw any particular frequency range in your face. It has great control over the scene and makes listening to music a lot of fun.

Find out how the Ether 2 performs with different gear, all on page four!

4.4/5 - (147 votes)
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A daytime code monkey with a passion for audio and his kids, Linus tends to look at gear with a technical approach, trying to understand why certain things sound the way they do. When there is no music around, Linus goes the extra mile and annoys the hell out of his colleagues with low level beatboxing.

8 Comments

  • Reply December 12, 2018

    JWL

    Thank you for the review!
    I have got HD800S So, this review is very helpful to me.

    • Reply December 12, 2018

      Linus

      Hi JWL,

      many thanks for your comment.
      It’s great to hear the review was useful. Glad I could help.
      Have a great gay.
      Cheers

  • Reply December 12, 2018

    Koen

    How do they compare to the Meze Empyrean? Same amount of bass?

    • Reply December 12, 2018

      Linus

      Hi Koen,

      I’d tell you if I’d have the Empyrean. Since I’m still waiting for mine, I can’t though.
      Sorry.

  • Reply December 13, 2018

    Petestradamus

    Didn’t Lieven have the Empyrean? Can he compare them with the Ether 2?

    • Reply December 13, 2018

      Linus

      No, because he doesn’t have the Ether 2.

  • Reply December 15, 2018

    rob l

    I get not wanting to play the “spec game” but some of us use that to get an idea on how to power these cans. Nothing worse than buying a headphone and realizing you have nothing to appropriately power it with.

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