The HEDDphone TWO GT and D1 are two quality headphones aimed at both professionals and audiophiles from the German company HEDD. They are best known for their studio monitors but currently offer four different headphones.
The HEDDphone TWO GT is an AMT driver headphone, costing either 1699 or 2199 USD/EUR, depending on the accessories.
The HEDDphone D1 is a conventional dynamic driver headphone, priced at 799 USD/€699.
My full HEDDphone D1 review is here:
My full HEDDphone TWO GT review is here: HEDDphone TWO GT Review
HEDDphone D1 SPECIFICATIONS
- Type: Open back full size
- Driver size: 50 mm
- Driver type: Dynamic TPCD
- Impedance: 32 Ohms
- Sensitivity: 100 dB
- Cable: 2 m detachable
- Cable headphone connectors: dual 3.5 mm
- Cable termination: 3.5 mm jack with screw-on adapter
- Pads: detachable ring with “lip-and-groove mounting”
- Fully modular and serviceable
- Carry case included
- 5 years warranty
- Weight: 356 g (measured)
Current price and availability:
- HEDD Audio: HEDDphone D1
- Audio46: HEDDphone D1
HEDDphone TWO GT SPECIFICATIONS
- Type: Open back full size
- Driver type: AMT – Air Motion Transformer
- Impedance: 41 Ω flat
- Power required: Min. 200 mW, recommended ≥1000 mW
- Maximum SPL: 88 dB SPL at 1 mW
- Pads – 2 pairs proprietary system:
- Velour on the face and outside with fenestrated leather on the inside
- Lamb skin on the face and outside with fenestrated leather on the inside
- Cable connectors: Dual 3.5mm jack
- Two 1.6 m cables – Balanced and Unbalanced. Adapters included.
- Carry case included
- 5 years warranty
- Weight: 550g
Current price and availability:
- Amazon: HEDDphone TWO GT
- Audio46: HEDDphone TWO GT
- Audio46: HEDDphone TWO GT Unplugged
- HEDD Audio: HEDDphone headphones
EARPADS
The HEDDphone TWO GT comes with two sets of pads: velour and lambskin. I prefer the HEDDphone TWO GT with lambskin pads over the velour, and in this comparison I use the lambskin. Note that the Unplugged version only comes with the velour.
The HEDDphone D1 only comes with one set of pads, which are perforated velour.
AMPLIFICATION
In my dedicated HEDDphone TWO GT review, I try out a bunch of amplifiers. Both the Bryston BHA-1 and Sendy Audio KYLIN work very well with the TWO GT and they sound similar.
The HEDDphone D1, however, gets a slight hiss from the KYLIN. For this comparison, I primarily use the D1 with the BHA-1 and the TWO GT with the KYLIN. I switched back and forth with both amps and both headphones to double check that the difference of the amps was not significant enough to matter in this comparison. The source is my RME ADI-2 DAC FS for both amps.
LISTENING IMPRESSIONS
Associated equipment
- Amplifier for TWO GT: Sendy Audio KYLIN (AliExpress /Audio46 )
- Amplifier for D1: Bryston BHA-1
- DAC: RME ADI-2 DAC FS
- Pads for TWO GT: Lambskin
Zeeidrei by Michael Wollny
Both are quite neutral and relatively similar. The D1 sounds more open but also more diffuse.
Yours by Bill Laurence
They’re quite neutral and relatively similar. The HEDDphone TWO GT is tighter, more articulate, and slightly warmer.
How Deep by John Scofield
The HEDDphone D1 sounds more open, but again also more diffuse. The TWO GT is warmer and more punchy, the D1 slightly drier and more airy, but still very good. Neither of them are overly bassy or too bright; the midrange is not recessed nor pushed too much in front.
Fuglefangeren by Maridalen
The GT is warmer and more dynamic, the D1 again airier, but they’re still pretty close in general tonal character.
Cloud Wars by Medeski, Martin and Wood
There’s more punch and stronger articulation with the TWO GT; it’s easier to hear detail, and imaging is more precise. The D1 is still very good though.
Jambi by Tool
The TWO GT is bolder and fuller, the D1 a bit more polite. Both are good. There’s no sibilance on the vocals, which can be a problem on this track.
Summer 3 Vivaldi Recomposed by Max Richter
They’re more different here. The TWO GT is more focused and bold, there’s better articulation and instrument separation. The D1 is still good; the TWO GT is just a step up.
Young Vivaldi by Modo Antiquo
Both are good, but the TWO GT feels even more organic and alive with this string quartet. It has a bit more warmth and better dynamics.
Like Suicide by Soundgarden
This track can be a bit difficult to get right for many earphones, but the TWO GT does an excellent job. It is punchy with excellent instrument separation and a good tonal balance. The D1 is a bit murky and diffuse in direct comparison, although it is still better than many.
Limit to Your Love by James Blake
The D1 has a more forward midrange here, the TWO GT more present bass. It is not a huge difference, though — both are good, as always.
WRAPPING IT UP
Sound Signature
The sound signature is generally quite similar; both are quite neutral with good, well-balanced presence across the frequency range. The TWO GT, however, comes across as slightly warmer and bolder, the D1 sounds flatter.
Treble
The treble has similar weight but feels more articulate with the TWO GT than on the D1.
Midrange
The D1 is very good, but the midrange is warmer and more dynamic with the TWO GT.
Bass
The bass is also relatively similar. It is very good on the D1, but it is even more robust and punchier with the TWO GT.
Soundstage and Imaging
The D1 sounds more open, but less precise. The TWO GT has better instrument separation and imaging.
Detail, Dynamics, and Timbre
The D1 is impressively detailed. Even though I experienced the TWO GT to be even more detailed, it is not a huge difference. However, the TWO GT tends to articulate detail better and has better microdynamics. It also has better macrodynamics, generally sounding more punchy and snappy – not only in the bass but also in the mids and highs.
The timbre is not too far away from each other, but the TWO GT is generally warmer and feels more alive to me, the D1 a bit more polite and flatter sounding.
HEDDPHONE TWO GT WITH VELOUR PADS
As I stated in the introduction, I prefer the lambskin pads for the TWO GT, and I used the lambskin pads for the comparison above. However, I did a brief comparison between the D1 and TWO GT with the velour pads on the TWO GT as well:
With the velour pads on the TWO GT, the two headphones become more similar. However, the GT is still more dynamic, punchier, and a bit warmer sounding, while the D1 remains flatter, airier, and a tad more diffuse sounding.
In other words, the differences remain broadly speaking much the same with either pad on the TWO GT, but the velour pads make the D1 and TWO GT more similar, while the lambskin pads elevate the positive qualities of the TWO GT more.
CONCLUSION
The HEDDphone D1 is a very neutral and pleasant headphone, with great detail and dynamics for the price. I really like the D1, and gave it a very favorable review when it came out.
The HEDDphone TWO GT is tuned to be less neutral and more “fun,” with a bit more bass and spice. The difference is not huge but is certainly significant. Further, the AMT driver is more revealing.
As much as I love the sound of the D1, I prefer the TWO GT, both in terms of tuning and technical performance. It is simply more engaging to listen to. The difference might not be fully justified by the price gap for everyone, but I think the HEDDphone TWO GT is the better and more engaging of the two.
That said, the D1 offers great value for money. It’s also easier to drive for the amplifier and is both more compact and lighter.
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- Audio46: HEDDphone D1
- Amazon: HEDDphone TWO GT
- Audio46: HEDDphone TWO GT
- Audio46: HEDDphone TWO GT Unplugged
- HEDD Audio: HEDDphone headphones
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