It looks like the stars are aligning for me to have all 3 of the GH50 siblings in house soon. I will have my own HP-2 and the two versions of the Gjallarhorn on loan so I plan to do a side-by-side-by-side comparison once they get here. The differences between the JM and the OG seem to be pretty well documented, but the differences between either of those and the HP-2 seem to be harder to find. Glad I’m getting the opportunity to hear them all together. Looking forward to coming back and reporting my findings.
Nice. Looking forward to what you experience.
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Thanks! Were you the one that compared the OG to the HP-2 over on HFG?
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I’m super pumped to see what you have to say about the three of them
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All 3 GH50’s are now in house. I had a trip this weekend so I haven’t had listening time with the JM yet but I will do some comparisons this week. Here are some initial visual comparison pics.
Random thoughts on build:
The wood on the Kennerton cups seems to be of a nicer, denser quality with more visible grain. The Zembrano wood of the LSA has its own appeal though and looks quite striking. Much nicer looking in person than the website pics. The JM edition is a darker stain with a slightly more shiny finish than the OG.
Between the two Kennertons there are a few differences in build. First the left and right indicators are different. The OG has a more interesting shape vs the JM rectangle (same as the LSA) Also the padding on the leather back is thicker on the JM vs less padding and harder back on the OG. The cloth covering the driver is also slightly different between them and the leather on the pads feels thicker and slightly harder on the OG.
The JM and the LSA share the same Kennerton branded cables vs the OG which has a very different looking and feeling cable (which I prefer). It’s thicker below the Y-split and thinner and more flexible above the split. The 1/4in end is also MUCH beefier than the Kennerton branded cable. The 3.5mm ends on the OG cable are branded REAN.
Due to the differences in cables and slight differences in build, I now have a theory: I think they made some small updates to the Gjallarhorn in subsequent runs. The OG I am comparing is a very low serial number (in the single digits) and the JM is in the 80’s range. My guess is if you ordered an OG and got a higher serial number the build would most likely be identical to the JM edition. I have no way to prove this unless some other OG owners can chime in and compare notes with me here.
OK I think that does it for this post! Listening impressions and comparisons to come as soon as I can get some head time with all three.
Edit: fixed one photo orientation.
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I just realized my pic of the headbands makes them look like different sizes but they are not. It’s just because they are sitting at different heights on my stand.
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My OG has the same cable as the one you have, but again it is a very low serial number, so it proves next to nothing.
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Yeah makes sense. I’m assuming yours has the more decorative left / right indicators on the headband as well?
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I’m not at home, so I can’t check, but I don’t think so, mine was one of the earliest dark woods though.
What a great opportunity, super cool to have them all there. Excited to hear the sound comparisons
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FYSA,
Kennerton changed cables. The one with the JM is their newest version. The thicker one is the older style. Also the headband on the JM has been squeezed tight by me for a much tighter fit as suggested to Maximize the seal and sound. Otherwise as it comes from the factory the ear pads have wide separation and don’t touch.
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I had a serial number 001 and can confirm the old style cable and build, although it doesn’t mean much lol
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Very cool opportunity. Looking forward to doing some comparing. Thanks to @j.fopps and @NickMimi for making this all possible!
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Now that I’ve gotten to spend some more time with each of these headphones I think I’m ready to give some listening impressions. I’ve done some listening over the past week on my Chord Mojo > RNHP chain as well as some on the Mojo by itself.
One thing I will get out of the way right at the beginning is to say that these 3 headphones all sound very different from each other. And I would claim it’s not subtle either. Yes, they share common characteristics but the changes made in each design change the overall experience more than I expected.
Starting with the HP-2 since it’s the one I’m most familiar with and the one I currently own. I would personally characterize this as a mostly neutral signature with a slight bump in mid bass and lower treble which gives it an energetic signature. I would say the standout features are a very natural timbre, punchy and impactful sound, and a very good level of detail for its price point. It also has a way of presenting the stage that is engaging for a closed back. There is good depth and layering even if the stage is not particularly wide. Vocals are usually presented somewhat forward while the rest of the sounds fill out the space around and behind.
Now on to the JM Edition. I would characterize the sound as being lighter and more nimble than the HP-2. The emphasis is more on the mids and treble with the bass taking a backseat. The slam and impact also seem to be lessened to an extent and I’m not sure if I should attribute that to a lower overall bass elevation or something else. The stage also feels pulled back and more distant with the JM. Vocals don’t feel quite as immediate and intimate. This gives the overall sound a wider feel like a larger room than either of the other two variants.
And last we have the OG. The one that started it all. The ones that set out to convince the audio world why they should put horns directly on their heads. These bring the bass in a way that the other two simply don’t. It keeps the tight impactful midbass of the HP-2 and the JM but cranks it up a notch in elevation and adds in a healthy dollop of sub bass weight and rumble that the other two don’t have. Treble is lower compared to the other two but it’s still rich and detailed. The stage and imaging feels somewhere between the JM and the HP-2. It’s not extremely wide but it feels nicely layered. Because of the elevation in bass I think it loses a little bit of the precision imaging that characterizes the others.
I hope these brief comparisons are helpful to somebody. It’s been a very cool experience for me to be able to spend time with all of these at once. Thanks again @j.fopps and @NickMimi for letting me hear your sets and compare them. I’d love to discuss these more if anybody has some specific questions.
To sum up, I have to say my personal preference goes to the OG. I like big BASS and I can not LIE! And the OG delivers that in all the right ways for me. I have found out over time that I like my headphones to deliver a weighty, meaty, impactful sound. I can appreciate other sound signatures and I enjoy them for certain genres, but at the end of the day I always find myself drawn to that slam, growl, and rumble as the underpinning to the rest of my music. If it’s not there in the quantity I expect I always find myself missing it before long. If this is you too, then my advice is go for the OG. If you aren’t a crazy person and don’t care to pummel your head and rattle your brains on occasion, then the other two should be on your list as well. Especially if you are looking for a closed back that might make you forget you are wearing a closed back every once in a while.
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Super dope comparison, thanks for the info. Id say you really went out on describing their more specific quality which is dope. I have a question, you mentioned the jm being faster and wider, gjallarhorn og more bassy with deep rumble etc and the LSA more neutral but energetic etc. When it comes to tonal balance, does any one stand out as being more reference? For example I don’t know much about those clears but the og clears have a very good tonal balance. Which of those sounds most accurate in that? Also timbre in particular, are they all generally the same there in general timbre of voices and other instruments? Like would u say the tuning is very different from the three but similiar levels of detail, organicness etc?
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HP-2 + Mg combo was great when I had it, especially through the BF2/Jot2. Getting rid of it to pursue the GH is what led to the happy accident that is my current setup. Haven’t given up on the GH yet though. I need to hear it.
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The OG is one i’ve been pretty interested in hearing myself, and wouldn’t mind owning in the darker bog oak color.
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Loved the write up! I use the Zen DAC’s bass boost with my HP-2’s and it is fantastic.
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Yeah but whats that darkness in the glass?
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