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Quad ERA-1

C

cayorob

Active Member
Any love for the Quads over here? There’s quite a lengthy thread over on Head-fi with some die hard fans. I’ve heard them at a dealers and was very impressed, my headphone experience is somewhat limited though.
 
Unknown as they are it seems they can be picked up at a fair discount? Needs a proper amp I think.

How's the comfort?
 
Have seen than but strangely the discounts are never in the UK. Comfort fine but headband really big. I’m not particularly small but had them on the smallest setting
 
Not in the market for a new pair of phones at the mo' but this review is certainly gushing and tempts me to at least audition, they definitely look the part:

https://hifiplus.com/articles/quad-era-1-planar-magnetic-headphones/
QUOTE:
"Is the ERA-1 the headphone equivalent to Quad’s ESL‑57 speaker? It certainly captures the ESL-57’s uncanny transparency, but in many respects I think the ERA-1 actually surpasses its illustrious predecessor. The ERA-1 offers better and deeper bass, equally subtle mids but with sharper transient attacks and broader dynamic capabilities, plus highs that consistently impress with their extension, clarity, and delicacy. In short, the ERA-1 now stands as one of the finest attainably-priced headphones that money can buy."
(emphasis added)

'Open Box' discount here at £575
 
I ran a pair when they first came out curious to see if they really emulated 57s. They certainly had detail and good dynamics but were rather bass heavy to my taste on the big system. In the end I preferred my Grado RS2s. I used them with my laptop for a while to good effect but they fell off a table. This was bad news as they went onto one channel only after that.

So in my experience they were good with a laptop but too delicate for me, Grados just bounce!:eek:
 
That rigid looking headband reminds me of the Musical Fidelity headphones from a few years back - one of the most uncomfortable designs I've ever worn, pretty much a disaster imo.
They seemed designed to fit a very particular sized head, and no other, Anthony Michaelson's perhaps!

Interesting to read that they are fragile, they wouldn't last long at all owned by a clumsy oaf like me. Headphones need to be able to bounce!
 
IMG_4553.jpg

brainwavz-alara-title.jpg


...one reviewer of the Alara even complained about the large size :D
 
Lots of HP's with terrible headband design unfortunately. NAD VISO HP50 was pretty bad too and looked oafish.

Sennheiser HD600 series are pretty simple and work well for most people.
 
I’m only replying now as I have only just seen the post!

I really like my ERA-1s, great build quality, fit and the way they sound. Yes I agree the fit is a bit odd and re hated size so best to try first. however I do find them very comfortable and can wear them for long sessions, unlike my Meze 99 Classics which I find fatiguing after a much shorter time, both comfort and sound.

Back to build quality, well I dropped mine on to a carpeted wooden sub floor from standing shoulder height and the right channel went. I was gutted and thought myself a right plonker!! On advice from a Quad dealer I rang Quad and what a wholeheartedly experience it was. No dramas, complications, what ifs or maybes. Packed them off to Quad for repair and they were back home to me in a little over 2 weeks, they actually rang me to tell me that all was sorted and they will be shipped that day. OK there was a cost £154 including postage. So in short they are a little fragile, the answer, don’t drop them!

Overall I rate them highly and can recommend them, provided they fit and you have a decent headphone amp.
 
i have the Era1 on trial atm. i find the mids quite recessed , but otherwise really good sound. i do like the warmth.
 
They look interesting. I’m not too up on headphone technology, is ‘planar magnetic’ something vaguely similar to the old Wharfedale/Leak ‘Isodynamic’ technology? I had a pair of Leak 3000s 40+ years ago when they were being closed-out real cheap (Laskeys!) and recall them being really good if a bit uncomfortable.
 
@Tony L - 'planar magnetic' means , essentially, exactly same thing as Magnepan or Apogee speakers use.

At headphone scale - such things can work very well; yet- remain inefficient, have an endemic 2nd harmonic distortion issue etc : so yes, the deficiencies scale-down, too!
 
And Audeze and HifiMan are the 2 big makers of planar magnetic headphones these days. They both have many models ranging from super expensive to more affordable models like HifiMan Sundara and Audeze MM-100 (not out yet though).
 
Martin.M said:
Packed them off to Quad for repair and they were back home to me in a little over 2 weeks, they actually rang me to tell me that all was sorted and they will be shipped that day. OK there was a cost £154 including postage.
Click to expand...

Bought Focal Elears used; R/h speaker failed shortly after. A bit of research led to a batch problem when manufactured, so phoned the agent. All fixed f.o.c. except special delivery from my end. Back within 4 days; brilliant service.
 
I've tried various Planar Magnetics, and some were good e.g. the Oppo PM-1 were very good headphones. But I didn't think they were really any better or different to similarly priced moving coil driver headphones, so I'm really wondering why they have become so popular in last 10 years or so?

They also tend to be heavier than moving coil equivalents and comfort is very important for headphones.
 
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