Ultrasone Edition 11: A new approach

Introduction.
Chances are when you hear the name Ultrasone, you will subconsciously think about Edition 8 and Bavaria. For me, I first got to know about Ultrasone when I was in the market for a high-end closed back headphone. Arguably until now, everyone agreed that the best-closed can one can buy was/is the Ultrasone Edition 8. It wasn’t cheap then, and it isn’t cheap now, so I ended up settling for Ultrasone HFI-780, ended up replacing the cable, and boy I had one hell of a time with them. They were my daily buddy alongside Etymotics ER4S, and at home, I had AKG K702, I thought I was set, so I thought, and life was good.

That was many years ago, I gave away the HFI780, AKG K702, kept ER4S and purchased so many other headphone/IEM and I still want the Edition 8 each time I come across auditioning, they are still somewhat expensive for a predominantly IEM user (which I am), so when I saw an Edition series headphone within my comfort zone, I had to have it. I emailed Ultrasone after having issues placing my order, after a few emails between me and the sales team, they were kind enough to offer me a review sample for writing an honest review. So I like to thank the Ultrasone team for trusting me with their headphones, while the unit might be free, it does not influence this review, and the content of this review is my own.

Source: Marantz HD-DAC 1, Lotoo Paw Gold, Chord HUGO, Colorfly C4, Quloos QA361
Headphones: Sennheiser HD 800 S, Fostex HD800, AKG K812, Sennheiser HD600

Our earphonia.com post is here: Ultrasone Edition 11 Unboxing

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Principle: dynamic, open-back
• S-Logic® Plus technology
• ULE technology
• Impedance: 32 ohms
• Driver/Driver size: TruTex bio cellulose fibre compound, 40mm
• Magnet: NdFeB
• Frequency range: 6 – 42,000 Hz
• SPL: 94 dB
• Weight (excl. cord): 318 g
• solid aluminium headband
• solid walnut housing
• Alcantara headband
• Micro-velour ear cushions, black
• Handmade in Germany

ACCESSORIES:

• Exclusively transportation bag, black
• Headphone stand MOTEGA, black
• Micro fiber cleaning cloth
• Detachable premium cable:
• 4-core, with 2-Pin connectors, 3.0m with gold-plated 3.5mm stereo jack
• Adapter 3.5/6.3 mm gold plated, screwable

History
Ultrasone is a German company, based at Tutzing Germany. Ultrasone origin began wanting to make high-quality pro-audio products. Signature series, Performance series, PROi series, DJ Series and In-Ears are the family names of all the pro-audio products Ultrasone offers, making the prosumer focus still the core of their business.

However, back in 2003 Ultrasone did something different and release the first high-end, high price, limited release product, which arguably gave birth to the Edition family. The Edition series family placed Ultrasone firmly in the high-end headphone world. It was a daring release, based on how small the high-end world was and how unknown Ultrasone was. Priced at 450,000 JPY (excluding tax), a limited release of 999 unit, the Japan market welcomed it with an open arm and gave the Edition 7 a legendary status, placing it in the same group as the likes of Sony R10, Audio-Technica L3000, and Orpheus 1.

Without further to do, the Edition family is as follows:

Jubilee 25 Edition (250 limit)
Edition 15 (999 limit)-Love this model
Edition 8 EX (No limit, a replacement to Edition 8 family)
Edition 8 (Carbon, Romeo, Juliet, Palladium, Ruthenium)
Edition 5 Limited (555 limit)-Love this model, wish I had a different connector
Edition 5 Unlimited (No limit)
Edition 10 (2010 limit)
Edition 12
Edition M/Edition M Black Pearl
Edition 7
Tribute 7 (777 limit)
Edition 11 (1111 limit)

Impression

S-logic explained

When one listens to Ultrasone headphone, the first thing that comes across one’s mind is that it is unapologetically Ultrasone signature style.

Ultrasone house sound is known to be on the brighter side of the audio frequency spectrum, with a very extended and hard-hitting bass. Most of the Edition family, excluding Edition 15 and 5, can be described as a headphone family possessing a V-shaped sound signature, with an open sound signature and imagining, despite their closed back design. This is thanks to the S-logic technology. What is S-logic? In short, it is a driver placement, housing design which aims to protect hearing by not having the sound pressure hitting our ear directly, but rather indirectly.  The driver is position slightly off-centre, using the outer-ear, to reflect the sound inside the ear, hence helping with the better open imaging of sound. it is rather an ingenious way of using the outer-ear which is an important part of sounding imagining, as sound hits our outer ear before it makes its way down to the ear-drum.

For more detail see this link: https://ultrasone.com/ultrasone-s-logic-plus/?lang=en

The drivers
So when I first read the impression of Edition 11 driver,  I knew it was going to be interesting!
Ultrasone traditionally uses Titanium plated Mylar driver.  The driver applied in Edition 11 is what one would expect to see in headphones made by Fostex, Denon or Audioquest. However at this stage the true nature of the driver is unknown to me.

The driver found in Edition 11 is rather new in the Edition series family. Ultrasone calls it “TruTex bio-cellulose fibre composite diaphragm”. It is a 40mm driver which isn’t too small, but quiet as large as the Sony’s 70mm driver. I prefer big drivers as they can move more air. The 40mm driver is the same driver size as their previous over the ear Edition series which makes me believe the size limitation to do with the S-logic technology. Any bigger might require a different geometrical design.

Ergonomics
Ultrasone advertises Edition 11 as “For Home Listening”, suggesting as something one comes to home after a long day at work, needing to relax and ease into the night, and I have to say in large, they got it right. At least that is how I understood it upon first reading the marketing detail. It doesn’t claim to be a studio-headphone, analytical headphone, or anything of such a nature.

Fit is comfortable, the Alcantara fabric headband rest comfortable on head, and the ear cups are deep enough not to squash he ear. There is enough breathing space, and thanks to the semi-openness it doesn’t get too hot. The velour pads are comfortable and do a good job with maintaining a secure seal.
One point I need to mention is that they don’t seem to be user replaceable pads, or unless I’m doing it wrong. So at this stage, if the pads need a replacement there isn’t any easy way to do so.

At first, I was a little put off by the 2-pin connector. However, I can see its benefit. I accidentally got caught in a corner of study table, and the 2-pin cable quickly came off and thankfully nothing got damaged. I would suspect a different result with any other connector.

And finding an aftermarket cable now becomes much easier and cheaper as 2-pin connectors cost a lot less than HD800s.
Thankfully, the MMCX connectors were not used in this design. I hated it on Edition 5, otherwise, Edition 5 is the perfect closed back-headphone to date. (You know IMO)

Sound
Biocellulose drivers are famous for two things, 1) meaty, layered bass, 2) notorious for needing long break in time. The overall tonality: is warm vocal, forgiving, engaging, seductive lush mids, with a gentle roll-off high, with a hint of Ultrasone treble house sound, but no way as pronounced as the Edition 10.

I find the Edition 11 truly a good all-rounder. Playing various music across all genera of music, swapping between the various headphones in my position, I can hear where each of those headphones strength are, and their weakness are. But swapping from let’s say to HD800s to Edition 11, playing acoustic Jazz, the funny thing is using the Edition 11 I could find faults on HD800s tuning for such style of music, which to be honest isn’t a fault but rather the peaky nature of the HD800s.

Edition 11 vs TH900
TH900 is one of my all-time favourite headphones. It is the first headphone I grabbed to compared against Edition 11 due to similar driver technology. I found the high frequency rather too similar. A similar frequency extension, decay and peaks. However, to my ears Edition 11 bass decay, quantity is tuned much more naturally.
In terms of soundstage, TH900 has a more horizontal spread, whereas Edition 11 has more of a vertical spread, making it more suitable for chamber music.
In terms of vocal intimacy, TH900 has more air around vocals, and it is much more suitable for such recordings. Edition 11 sort of present a flat production of such recordings, and the lack of air around vocal, less engaging but never congested.

I found that due to this nature of TH900, hissing recorded in albums stand out more, for some this can be a good thing, but for me, it was distracting. With Edition 11, the hissing is there however one has to listen for it.

TH900 is still my all-time favourite, but as much as I like its sound I find it fatiguing for long-term listening, this is the area where Edition 11 wins hand down, and thankfully due to its similar bass tonality and non-fatiguing treble, I can listen to music much longer without missing the TH900 too much.

I find Edition 11 useful and friendly for classical orchestral pieces such as Myakovsky Violin Concerto Op. 44, Symphony 22, Op.54. If you are into such recording, it is hard to find something better, not unless you are willing to spend on a setup costing as much as a brand new car.

Edition 11 vs HD800s
For classical music, and all audiophile recording, there are few dynamic driver headphone who can take on the HD800s. I find the HD800s, when it a setup that can power-it, much better than Focal Utopia, however, HD800s is peaky and nowhere an all-rounder headphone. Ultrasone Edition 11 is much more forgiving than HD800s.
HD800s treble can sound harsh when one swaps from Edition 11 to HD800s. But also when one swaps from HD800 to Edition 11 the most noticeable things is the shrinkage of the soundstage and the addition of a more natural bass-decay which I love in Edition 11.
In my setup the only aspect HD800s bests Edition 11 is the imaging, it is much more accurate than any other headphone I own, but god where is the bass. The bass decay is too fast, and this makes it lifeless.

HD800s has the widest soundstage in my headphone collection. And when the music calls for the needs such a soundstage HD800s has that up in its sleeves.
So for its technical merit, I give it to HD800s, but considering the Edition 11 price tag, and its versatility Edition 11 is the winner for been a better all-rounder headphone requiring a lot less cheaper setup. I need to say pairing it with Marantz HD-Dac1, up-sampling to double DSD using HQplayer, I wonder how much more do I need to pay in order to make a significant jump from this pairing. I think the HD-DAC 1 and Edition 11 synergy is a 10/10.

Edition 11 vs AKG K812

I bought the K812 thinking it will be a good alternative to HD800 thanks to its better bass response, easier driving ability and in large I was right, however for some reason I find it fatiguing long term. Upon early listening the treble sounds natural and detailed, however long-term it fatigues me, it is just too energetic without ever sounding bright.
This is once again another area where Edition 11 wins.
In terms of horizontal spread, they are both very similar, however, thanks to the angled driver, k812 has a much better imaging and which makes the spread sound a lot more natural. It is the sweet spot between the HD800s and TH900/Edition 11. I find HD800s spread too unintimate, TH900/Edition 11 too close, K812 just got it right and where it wins for me over the other headphones.

Because of this soundstage, the treble of Edition 11 can sound flat and its decay is rather too quick. Despite its over-energetic treble. K812 treble decay is the best one in my collection.
Edition 11 isn’t aiming to mimic such tuning, I mentioned before, it just causes ear-fatigue quickly.

Conclusion
Ultrasone markets Edition 11 is as a home audio product, something that one comes to after a long day out. Something that one can simply press play on their favourite music player, and just gets in the music. It does that and does it well. Having said that, don‘t expect it to be too forgiving, as it still requires a good amp, just like a good decent home-headphone does.
If one has nothing else to compare the Edition 11 to, upon the first listen one cannot fault anything from its tuning. It does so many things right, and perhaps the difference in opinion, as a result, is purely matter of taste on which headphone does it ‘right’.

So how can one decide? It is a matter of how large is your budget, and what are you trying to achieve when listening to music?

If you are into critical listening, this isn’t the headphone for you, look into STAX family or better IEM. Edition 11 is about pressing play, plugging it into decent DAC/amp, closing your eyes and just enjoying your music.

It is a sold addition for the Edition 11, a welcome addition and I for one can’t wait to see a closed-back version of this driver in the near future.