HEDDphone D1

Introduction to the Review of HEDDphone D1

HEDD Audio is a company primarily known for designing and manufacturing studio monitors, as well as their headphone models. The main reason their headphones gained extra recognition is their use of exotic AMT drivers, which are notoriously hard to come by if you look for them anywhere other than within the German manufacturer’s product range. The HEDDphone One was a unique product with an appealing sound signature, but the ergonomics raised some concerns – simply put, it wasn’t the most comfortable headphone out there. Then came the HEDDphone Two and Two GT, which addressed the ergonomics issue to an extent, but took on a different, more neutral route when it comes to tuning. 

Reviewed HEDDphone D1 is another step in another direction. This time, there’s no AMT driver; instead, there’s a TPCD (Thin-Ply Carbon Diaphragm) – more on that later, but in other words, it’s HEDD’s first headphone model with a dynamic driver. The product itself soared to the absolute top when it comes to other reviewers’ rankings, mainly lauded as a new top pick when it comes to neutral-adjacent-sounding headphones. And indeed, there is a lot to praise when it comes to the D1, and I can see it becoming a sort of “no-brainer” recommendation in the sub-1000 USD price range. If I were to describe the product with one word, it would be “solid”. Allow me to explain why – let’s dive right in 

Packaging

Before receiving the D1, I was informed that the packaging of the unit that I would be sent would be different than the actual production models. Fine, I guess we can omit that, but don’t expect any Campfire-esque flashes or colors – everything, down to the smallest details, is toned down, black, and basic. What undeniably deserves praise, however, is the accessories. With my unit, I have received a hard, confidence-inspiring pouch, molded to the shape of the headphones, and a velour-like bag in which the cable resides. That would be it, and I’d rather have that than 20 more adapters that would never see any use. After all, drawer space is limited! 

The cable is actually really good, ergonomics-wise, for something that isn’t braided. It’s textile-covered, and the connectors are made of metal. Every connector is 3.5 mm, but you get a 6.35 mm adapter as well. The cable is flowy, light, and overall a pleasure to use, and for amps that don’t have a balanced connection, it may as well become your new daily driver. Of course, you might be expecting something more flashy or extravagant. But on my desk, right next to the D1 stock cable, lies the Hifiman one, and that sight made me decide not to raise any concerns. I wouldn’t mind an extra 4.4 mm cable, but what you get is a solid, well-made cable, and that’s it.

Build Quality, Design, and Comfort

The build quality of the reviewed HEDDphone D1 is quite good. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but what the D1 does, it does well. The construction is mostly plastic, with a spring steel headband. Despite that, the used plastic seems sturdy and of high quality, while also keeping the construction lightweight. It reminds me of the HD-series headphones by Sennheiser in that regard – lightweight, plastic, yet solid and long-lasting. The design is very much understated – all black, apart from an occasional HEDD logo. For users who aren’t as fond of materials like wood or all-metal construction, it’s a perfect match, and I imagine many will appreciate the stealthy yet industrial and utilitarian design of the D1, fitting seamlessly into any workspace or setup.

Thanks to the headphones weighing in at 350 grams, longer listening sessions are most definitely not an issue. Comfort-wise, not much is left to be desired either. The pads are made of perforated velour, and the headband is constructed from a foam that resembles velour when handled. It’s the kind of velour that is soft to the touch, but doesn’t feel “greasy”, for lack of a better term. My only concern with the pads and headband would be their tendency to gather dust. Apart from that, I prefer headphones with a suspension strap design, but despite not having one, HEDDphone D1 is very comfortable, and I imagine it would be a perfect fit for many users.

Tech

Here is where the HEDDphone D1 gets more interesting, especially if you take a look at the rest of the German manufacturer’s headphone catalog. It’s the only headphone of theirs that doesn’t feature an AMT driver. This time, we are blessed with something called TPCD (Thin-Ply Carbon Diaphragm), made from, you guessed it, Thin-Ply Carbon. It’s a lightweight material that, according to the manufacturer, is mostly used in extreme applications that need an extremely light, yet sturdy material, like space travel or Formula 1… travel. HEDD also mentions that D1’s 50mm-TPCD eliminates the need for diaphragm damping, resulting in a more accurate sonic performance. Interesting! To get the boring stuff out of the way, the headphone’s impedance and sensitivity are 32 ohms and 100 dB per milliwatt, respectively. The headphone sports two 3.5 mm connectors at the cups, which is always a pleasure to see.

Sound of the reviewed HEDDphone D1

Reviewed HEDDphone D1’s sound can be described as mostly neutral, but with a slightly elevated treble. I mentioned before that there is a lot to praise when it comes to what the D1 has to offer – and indeed, it presents a great extension at both extremes – bass and treble, resulting in a presentation that challenges my taste in headphones. I never thought I would enjoy a neutral-like headphone this much, but for casual listening, I found myself reaching for those daily. I see two reasons why that may be – despite not being overly colored, the sound of the HEDDphone D1 is surprisingly lively and expressive. It also scales very well with amplification – something that is always a plus, as someone with a couple of different amplifiers at my desk.

BASS

The bass of the HEDDphone D1 is quite fast and precise, but most importantly, it falls in line with the midrange, giving the impression that there is just enough of it – not too much, not too little. My personal preference is to have ever so slightly more, but still, I appreciate the natural presentation the D1 offers. It’s worth noting how well extended the bass is – even the lowest of the lows are accentuated and given their own space. Seeing as the D1 is advertised as a headphone fit for studio use, it’s only natural that the headphone performs well in this regard. “Song For The Dead” by Queens Of The Stone Age is a must-listen on those – Dave Grohl’s beastly percussion is given the space and spotlight it rightfully deserves, with each kick drum hit being an experience in itself, highlighting the D1’s precision and dynamics.

Speaking of dynamics, when listening with the HEDDphone D1, I really enjoy tracks that demand a high level of texture reproduction. One of those tracks would be “Third Day Of A Seven Day Binge” by Marilyn Manson. The song immediately hits you with textured bass notes that set the mood. Each one is reproduced with a high degree of detail and resolution that makes you forget that we are dealing with a headphone costing 800 USD. Despite my personal preference being slightly different than the bass reproduction at hand, I can’t help but appreciate the technical prowess displayed by the D1 – the bar has been set extremely high for manufacturers wanting to add something new to the price bracket.

MIDRANGE

The midrange displayed by the HEDDphone D1 shows no signs of coloration, letting the precision and detail speak instead. Despite that, it’s very lively and expressive thanks to the impressive dynamics that the D1 is capable of. It’s true for any aspect of the midrange – whether we are speaking of low male voices, or high-pitched instruments that tread the line between upper mids and treble. It’s easy to appreciate the nuances of vocal-focused performances or acoustic music with more elaborate instrumental passages, which would otherwise be hard to decipher with the use of a less proficient headphone or speaker model, making the price tag of the D1 even more of a surprise.

One of my favorite examples of this phenomenon is Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ “People Ain’t No Good”. For a second, it made me forget that any instruments were playing in the song, because of how overwhelming Nick’s vocal performance was. It wouldn’t be the case in a headphone model that fails to reproduce the nuances, intricacies, and character displayed in Mr Cave’s performance. The D1’s midrange represents a wonderful balance between tones, coupled with a great amount of detail and prominent dynamics that could put many lesser (yet in some cases, more expensive) headphones to shame. The more watts your headphone amplifier can push, the more prominent the effect will be.

TREBLE

HEDDphone D1’s treble is perhaps one of its more interesting aspects. It’s a smidge more forward than the rest of the mix, producing some interesting results in more treble-intensive recordings. The thing that stands out the most when it comes to D1’s upper registry reproduction is the dynamics, which seem at least as intense as those of the bass. Thankfully, the treble is not overdone, as I feel like any more of it would overshadow the rest of the sound signature, which is more than noteworthy. It may be peaky to some, but that is also something that can be alleviated if you choose the proper amplifier. For that reason, I appreciate pairing the D1 with tubes, but more on that later.

Electronic music with a high amount of synths, or other genres that require high-pitched buzzing, stand out tremendously when reproduced by the D1. The treble is almost alive and has a great contribution in making the soundscape appear as realistic as possible, keeping things natural while maintaining an impressive technical level. Throughout my listening, I never came across instances where the treble would sound metallic, tinny, or splashy. It’s very well controlled, resulting in a faithful and detailed reproduction, even among more complicated musical passages, like the entirety of Metronomy’s “Nights Out” album. Side note – if you want to put your headphones’ capability for resolution and detail through the wringer, that’s a good album to do so. The D1 passes the test with flying colors.

SOUNDSTAGE

The soundstage, as displayed by the D1, doesn’t carry a “wow” effect. The best way to describe it would be “appropriate”. It’s certainly more spacious than something like the HD 600/650, which is an improvement that many have dreamt of, but let’s not kid ourselves – the bar isn’t that high. The HEDDphone D1 has no trouble reproducing both spacious and intimate performances appropriately. When the song calls for it, the vocals may be audibly closer than the rest, or the orchestra will be spread out across a large soundstage, but none of those effects carry the “party trick” DNA of something like the HD 800. The soundstage, although not enormous or wildly intimate, does not detract from the pleasure of listening, especially since the layering and separation are on a very high level, which is another characteristic to be expected in a headphone designed for studio use.

Comparisons

HEDDphone TWO

I have to be completely honest here – I prefer the D1 to the Two, and here is why. HEDDphone Two is an amazing pair of headphones for studio use – no question about that. Everything about the sound signature screams “reference” – the tuning is quite flat, with a ton of detail and clarity, revealing everything there is to be revealed about the music at hand. Or at ear. The D1 I find a tad more exciting, thanks to its extra treble energy and dynamics that are ever so slightly more fun. Let me make things clear – none of those headphones are meant to be colored or carry a fun tuning, but the D1 is a step closer in that direction. 

Another thing to note is that the D1 is less than half the price of the Two, while delivering a performance that’s not far away from the level the Two represents. If you enjoyed the Two but need a slightly more lively tuning, why not check the D1? I have yet to hear the Two GT, which I am very much excited about, as it promises a sound that’s tuned more towards audiophiles, rather than studio use, and if I manage to get my hands on one, I’ll be more than happy to make a comparison with the D1. But for now, when comparing it against the original Two, I must admit – the D1 might be a winner in my book.

HiFiMAN Edition XS

This one is a classic, ladies and gentlemen. Due to all the price drops, the Edition XS is now one of the best deals in audio, and I can imagine that for many users dabbling in the sub-1000 USD budget, this will also be a worthy contender. It is one of my favorite “budget” headphones and one of the first Hifiman models I ever owned, so comparing it to the D1 is not an easy task. Why? Because it’s time to admit its shortcomings. One of which would be the ergonomics and build – the D1 feels like it’s three times as expensive compared to the XS, which feels quite cheap. I like the cup size of the XS more than the D1, but the headband of the XS is worse – after longer listening, it gives me some hotspots.

Sound-wise, the two trade blows. The XS has a more laid-back, mellow, yet still detailed tuning, while the D1 goes the more neutral and reference way. The overall presentation will be a matter of preference for many, but there are some things the D1 simply does better. The soundstage of the XS is not as large as that of the D1, and the dynamics are not as sharp and defined. I enjoy the mellowness of the XS a lot, but the sharpness and higher resolution of the HEDDphone D1 simply make things more interesting, especially if you want to rediscover your favorite music with a new headphone purchase. While the XS still has a place in my heart, the D1 wins this confrontation. Congratulations!

Pairings

CAYIN RU9

This is one of my favorite pairings with the D1, mainly because it synergizes well with different colorations introduced by the DACs and amps you use. In that regard, the RU9 is perfect, thanks to its three different timbre modes, all of which seem appropriate for different recordings and situations. Whether you choose the more analytical Solid State mode of the RU9 or go for the Classic Tube mode for that extra warmth, the D1’s presentation never falls apart, and things don’t suddenly start sounding out of place. Another positive aspect of the pairing is that the RU9 can deliver sufficient power to make the D1 sound really good – after all, the little device can squeeze out up to 1 watt, which is plenty for a headphone with 32 ohms and a sensitivity of 100 dB/mW.

HIFIMAN SERENADE + HIFIMAN PRELUDE

This is my desktop combo and my daily driver, whether I want to put on some music while studying or get a gaming session in. The Serenade introduces some coloration to the mix, but still keeps things more neutral than the Classic Tube mode of the RU9. The Prelude, with its impressive power output, provides enough juice to truly make the D1 sing. What impresses me the most about this combo is the dynamics. Even on the micro scale, it feels like nothing is left behind. I would attribute that mostly to the Prelude’s power output, as it puts enough energy into the mix to make everything dance and flow effortlessly. If you own an amplifier that can push a couple of watts into 32 ohms, you can count on the D1 to make the most of that.

HIFIMAN SERENADE + FELIKS AUDIO EUFORIA EVO

This is my favorite pairing with the D1. The Euforia Evo is an OTL tube amplifier, and despite no transformers, it can drive 32 ohm headphones very well. It’s my favorite pairing with the D1 because of the tube character the Euforia Evo introduces, while still keeping things clean, without too much distortion in the mix. The sound is the most full-bodied among the pairings I have tested, and my favorite aspects of the D1, like the treble, are still highlighted, which isn’t obvious when speaking of OTL tube amplifiers. It’s quite expensive, costing about four times as much as the D1, but I feel like any lesser OTL tube amp wouldn’t do those headphones justice, as they may ruin the D1’s clean presentation. Thankfully, the Euforia Evo adds necessary weight to lower notes and vocals, increasing density. All of that is done with the airy presentation of the D1 maintained, which, for a headphone of this caliber, is more than necessary.

HEDDphone D1 Review – Summary

Reviewing the D1 was quite a ride. Seeing that it is the first dynamic driver headphone manufactured by HEDD, I had my reservations, and I was expecting it to at least have some shortcomings. Well, I guess I wasn’t familiar enough with their game. For 800 USD, you get a pair of headphones that, thanks to their sonic performance, can easily trade blows with headphones a couple of times as expensive. Had I not known the price of the D1 before writing this review, my guess surely wouldn’t be 800 bucks. The detail, tonal balance, and dynamics this headphone displays are on a level that is simply out of most other headphone models’ reach. While it doesn’t perfectly align with my preferences, the possibilities here deserve high praise.

HEDDphone D1 is a complete package – a sturdy, yet lightweight build with decent comfort, simple, yet well-made, and carefully chosen accessories, and most importantly, a sound signature capable of rivaling many high-end headphones for the title of your favorite. The release of this product redefines the price bracket, and I imagine it will be hard to dethrone the D1 as the top contender among sub-1000 USD full-size headphones, though, as a headphone lover, I cannot wait to see (and hear) other manufacturers’ attempts. The D1 is a highly versatile product that fits any setup like a glove, whether you like tubes or solid state, whether you listen to acoustic or electronic. The recommendation here is obvious,

Highly Recommended!