I actually listened to these headphones on Friday. They are very quick and detailed, but smooth, with a somewhat forward presentation. I preferred them greatly to the withdrawn, distant sound of the HD800S I compared them with directly. There seemed to be a slight dip in the lower mids that made male vocals feel a little buried, and the bass punch was not to the level of the best planars. Soundstage size felt a bit limited for a TOTL headphone. They are fairly heavy, but clamping force is light, and the pads are well done, so I didn't notice any comfort issues. Overall, the detail they produce puts them in a very high class, and it's all personal preference from there. They wouldn't supplant the HE1000 as my personal favorite headphone, but they may be just what others are looking for.