Rosson Audio Design RAD-0 – Open, Customizable, Planar Headphone – Review

Introduction Rosson Audio Design RAD-0 – Open, Customizable, Planar Headphone – Review

I knew that the RAD-0 was a new headphone from Alex Rosson, one of the original creators of Audeze, for a while before I had the opportunity to see and test it out. He has since founded Rosson Audio Design, a headphone manufacturer. Beyond that, I knew very little. I had seen pictures of his initial headphones under this new company, which, to be honest, don’t do them justice in terms of how visually appealing they seem in person.

Considering my overall impression of Audeze’s design decisions, I was cautiously hopeful. Regardless of their sound qualities—some of which I have previously criticized—I have never been a fan of Audeze’s weight and heft.

Given these presumptions and the RAD-0’s shared heritage with the current Audeze headphone lineup, I approached this evaluation with the goal of addressing three questions:

• In comparison to the Audeze lineup, where does the RAD-0’s technical performance fall in?
• Did they manage to resolve the weight and comfort concerns that Audeze has continuously faced?
• Is the LCD-4’s tonal balance inferior to that of the RAD-0, particularly in the treble?

Specs

• 3.5mm cable connectors
• The cable is two meters long.
• Type of Transducer: Planar Magnetic; Dimensions: 66 mm
• THD – less than 0.1%
• 29 Ohms of impedance
• Weight: More than 600 grams
• The cost is $2,600.

Source

FLAC Library, iFi iDSD Micro Black Label -> Cayin IHA-6 -> RAD-0 -> TIDAL (HiFi and Master)

Music

Even though I love jazz in general, I’ve been listening to heavier music from my youth more recently. I listened to jazz with Sophie Milman, Studnitzky, Stacey Kent, and my regular faves, Patricia Barber and Holly Cole. Periphery is a good test for sibilance and other consonant problems because, although I’ve been enjoying their heavier work lately, I do think their voices on all of their albums sound a little rough. Additionally, I sat down to listen to Opeth’s Pale Communion in its entirety in a single sitting. It’s a really great album that’s more dynamic than a lot of the music that comes out these days.

Design, Build & Comfort

Upon first encountering the “Graffiti” model, it is evident that the RAD-0 is one of the most visually intriguing headphones. It is just amazing to look at. Of course, I’m not usually concerned with the appearance of headphones, but when something is as noticeable as the RAD-0, it’s worth bringing up. Additionally, when buying a RAD-0, you have a variety of visual designs to pick from, each with a distinct appearance. You can even personalize your own on their website, albeit it will cost $2,999.

I was able to provide a firm “not really” response to one of my first queries, which was whether this headphone resolves the weight and comfort problems I experienced with the LCD-4 and other Audeze headphones. Although the RAD-0 isn’t as large as those other hideous headphones, it is regrettably just as weighty. Its usage of 66mm planar transducers as opposed to the enormous 106mm ones used in the LCD-4 is partly to blame for this.

Although Rosson Audio states that the RAD-0 uses “a proprietary array of 11 N52 magnets,” which indicates that premium Neodymium is being utilized, it’s unclear what exactly is causing the “magic” in this case. In my experience, double-sided arrays outperform single-sided planars, such as those seen in some of the earlier HiFiMAN devices, as indicated by the weight alone.

I do, however, find the RAD-0 more comfortable for extended listening sessions despite its weight. The clamp force is also rather tight, which relieves some of the pressure on the top, but I would prefer a strap system or a bigger piece that properly distributes weight along the top. At first, it’s not very comfortable, but when the pads adjust to the sides of my head, I find it easier to wear for extended periods of time.

Because the yokes are angled outward, the clamp force decreases as they are stretched, and they are also incredibly enjoyable to slide up and down. Although the clamp force helps with the top of my head, it’s still a little tight for me, and overall the comfort is decent but still too hefty.

Performance

Fortunately, the RAD-0 performs admirably, and the good Audeze heritage is evident throughout. It performs remarkably well when compared to the best Audeze headphones, particularly the LCD-4, to address another of my original queries.

Resolution & Detail Retrieval

The Rosson Audio headphones are the closest to the ultra-high-end models like the LCD-4 or the Utopia among the $2,600 headphones I’ve recently heard, which include the ZMF Vérité, the Meze Empyrean, and the RAD-0. Although it isn’t exactly the same as the LCD-4, it comes very near, both in terms of instrument separation and the realistic and accurate reproduction of individual instrument lines.

Speed & Dynamics

Naturally, the N52 grade magnets probably contribute to the RAD-0’s high speed. Though the RAD-0 doesn’t slam with as much intensity—possibly because of the smaller transducer—the speed is on par with the best Audeze headphones. However, it is still easily pleasant and hits hard enough.

Soundstage & Imaging

The RAD-0 boasts a rather broad stage with respectable depth as well. The nearest and furthest places actually differ significantly (in part because of the frequency response). The remainder of the instrumentation is arranged further to the sides, with the vocals in particular sitting extremely near in front of the listener. This makes it less “speaker-like” in presentation because the image is oriented more to the left and right than the front. However, I don’t think this is a negative thing.

Additionally, this headphone excels in vocal harmonies and has excellent instrument separation. Voices stand out from the rest of the mix because of their meticulous and precise delivery, as well as the fact that, as previously stated, they sit quite near to you.

Timbre

This is the RAD-0’s second victory. More than anything else, the RAD-0 emulates Audeze’s timbre characteristics, which I think is fantastic. This indicates that the tone is a little more rich and pleasant than certain HiFiMAN headphones, which can occasionally be dry.

Tonality

Measurements made with the MiniDSP EARS Rig, both raw and HEQ corrected. This measurement system is not industry standard. The bass seems a little ragged, but it can be challenging to achieve 40 Hz and below accurately unless the setting is perfect for measuring open-back headphones.

The GRAS 43AG, an industry-standard rig, is used to demonstrate how the RAD-0 measures. This should be accurate below 10 kHz. Added after the fact, this measurement comes from a different unit than the one that was initially included in this review:

To address my final and possibly most significant query before writing this review, the RAD-0 does, in fact, resolve the LCD-4’s tonal balancing problems. The Audeze flagship’s too muted lower treble and overemphasized region above 10 kHz are my issues with it. As a result, the sound of the instruments is not realistic. For instance, a cymbal hit has a recessed tone focus and presence, but an increased splash quality. However, with the RAD-0, you don’t need to install any software to get it to sound decent, and more crucially, for instruments to sound “correct.” Audeze has also rectified the tone of their flagship with their “Reveal” DSP.

Compared to the usual consumer curve, this headset is more mid-forward and provides a slight bass boost. Because the RAD-0 lacks it, the midrange is slightly higher than those targets (as indicated by the HEQ adjustment). The only significant problems are that the rise at 4 kHz doesn’t appear early enough and the elevation doesn’t last long enough after that, assuming that the pinna and concha of the EARS rig aren’t much different from the typical human ear (which they very well might be).

On some graphs (again, HEQ), this might make it appear to have a slight peak at 4 kHz, but it doesn’t sound that way, which is why I want to blame the EARS rig once more.

Nevertheless, it is evident that the RAD-0 does not have the same tonal balancing problems as the LCD-4 when comparing their tonality. I think the RAD-0 has some of the greatest treble I’ve ever heard. Even with some of my harsher tunes, it fails to be sibilant while maintaining a respectable amount of air. It accomplishes this without lowering that range either, unlike many other headphones. As a result, it isn’t scared to have enough energy in the typically challenging-to-tune range of 7–10 kHz, striking the sweet spot to avoid sounding harsh or grainy.

In the end, this indicates that they have successfully achieved the ideal tonal balance for accurately portraying instruments, something that the Audeze “house sound” has generally failed to achieve.

Therefore, it’s not my favorite headphone for classical orchestral music, which frequently has that wall of sound that effectively utilizes treble frequencies, because of the two gaps on either side of the primary elevation at 4 kHz (before and after the rise), which do tend to muffle some aspects of the mix.

In contrast to the LCD-4, which dips for far longer, the RAD-0 performs exceptionally well for almost every other genre. The dips make some orchestral music sound a little bit closed in, but it’s only slightly muted.

Comparisons

Audeze LCD-4

Technically, the LCD-4 is still extremely outstanding. It slams a little harder and does win in terms of detail retrieval. This is particularly apparent in the bass, but it’s remarkably near, which is rather remarkable for a much less expensive headset. In addition, the RAD-0 boasts superior tonal balance straight out of the box, with remarkable treble that isn’t too bright or harsh but still has enough presence and clarity for superb performance. I much like the RAD-0 to the LCD-4 without EQ. Additionally, the RAD-0 is marginally more comfortable for extended use.

ZMF Vérité: The Vérité is a more mid-forward headphone that I use every day. Both the Verite and the RAD-0 are warm headphones with a tonal balance that effectively portrays instruments so that they seem realistic. This is what I enjoy about both of them. Since the RAD-0 is a planar magnetic and the Vérité is a dynamic driver headphone, it’s challenging to compare the two, but I believe the RAD-0 approaches the LCD-4 in terms of detail capability.

The Vérité has a larger stage, is more comfy, and has better mids, which make it a more natural listen overall. However, I also discover that I like the RAD-0’s treble more. The RAD-0 is flawlessly smooth, but the Vérité has a slight edge at 8.5 kHz (depending on the pads).

MrSpeakers Ether 2

Naturally, the Ether 2 is significantly more comfortable because it weighs less than half as much as the RAD-0. Although the RAD-0 is superior in terms of strict detail capacity, it is technically highly capable as well. Although the RAD-0 has slightly greater surgical precision imaging and “blackness of background,” the Ether 2 has a more roomy stage in front rather than merely to the sides. Additionally, the RAD-0 smacks harder and is faster.

Sennheiser HD800S

Although the HD800S performs admirably in detail in addition to soundstage, the RAD-0 excels in almost every other performance category. The RAD-0 performs noticeably better in the bass, which is where this is most apparent. Therefore, the RAD-0 is far more enjoyable, even though the HD800S may be more roomy and surgical. Naturally, the HD800S is also much more comfortable and lighter.

Conclusion

Even though the RAD-0 is a very attractive headphone, appearances aren’t everything. One of the better-sounding planars available is this one, and it appears that Alex Rosson has resolved a lot of the problems I (and probably others) experienced with Audeze’s tonal balance. Additionally, the RAD-0 exhibits very good technical performance, particularly in terms of speed and detail retrieval. It sounds more like the LCD-4 than almost anything I’ve heard at its price point so far.

However, my biggest criticism with Audeze headphones remains the same: they are simply too weighty. I’m concerned that Rosson Audio Design has compromised weight in order to make the RAD-0 a true work of art. However, the RAD-0’s comfort is still somewhat superior for extended use, and this is more my personal axe to grind against any headphones weighing more than 500g. I therefore heartily suggest the RAD-0 to anybody who are accustomed to the Audeze weight.