Kingsound KS-H3 Headphones & M-20 Headphone Amplifier Review

Starting at the bottom

I do take a particular delight in occasionally setting up patently unfair tests to see if a superior product is in fact superior, and if so, how much superior. It is a manner of establishing a worst/best baseline. I utilized the enjoyably reviewed exaSound Audio Design e22 DAC in order to compare its internal headphone amp output with a pair of economical headphones versus the sound of the KS-H and M-20 using this same DAC’s analogue outputs. The unfairness of the test is that removing a set of interconnects and an entire separate component should give a large advantage to the economical headphones. If the sonic virtues of the KS-H3 and M-20 system outweigh the more direct setup, then it could be said that it has overcome some major obstacles to achieve superior sound.

Wondering about the result prior to the testing, I thought the economical headphones, a pair of Sennheiser HD 265 Linear closed ear cans, might sound very clean and not so terribly detailed. The cleanness would be the result, theoretically, of the shortened signal path, but the inherent limitations of the phones would only contribute so much to the end result. I would also expect dynamics to be polite, but not exemplary.

In contrast, I expected the Kingsound KS-H3 and M-20 to be both clean and terrifically detailed, as expected of electrostatic transducers. I would anticipate the depth of soundstage to be greater, due to the use of the specialized amplification for the headphones. Perhaps also the dynamic range and sound field would be greater. This is what transpired, the Kingsound combo established easily as superior. But this is not to be construed as any failing on the part of the exaSound DAC, as I have already affirmed its innate goodness in its own review. It was simply a case of the weakest link, the headphones, breaking the chain of sound quality excellence.

Compared to Audeze LCD-3

Now we approach a comparison to one of the hotter headphone products in the industry, the Audeze LCD-3. My new audio friend, Bob, was my salvation in this regard, and he was itching to hear the comparison, too! I sensed initially he was comfortably confident that the LCD-3 would emerge as the vaunted champion.

The only Preamp/DAC with headphone output suitable for a side-by- side comparison was the ifi DSD Micro, on review. Using the front headphone jack as well as the rear, unbalanced outputs I was able to match levels to both of our satisfaction between the two headphones using the volume control of the Kingsound M-20 headphone amp. I walked through a selection of 8 tracks from artists such as Eva Cassidy, Suzy Bogguss, Steve Winwood, Stanley Clark, Bella Fleck and others.

In order to keep the comparison as fair as possible I made the following decisions regarding setup:

For the Audeze LCD-3 the preamp function of the DSD Micro was used, and was set to “Turbo”, the DSD Micro’s highest output, which was needed to drive the LCD-3. I did not switch the DSD Micro to “Direct” output for the Kingsound KS-H3 phones. I could have justified doing so in order to keep one preamp in the chain of each headphone. However, I wanted to see how well the KS-H3 did despite the dual attenuation.

Another detail of the LCD-3 setup which theoretically might have tipped the comparison in its favor was that it employed the Cardas Clear Headphone Cable. The two of these without the headphone amp is beyond $2,500 MSRP. Conversely, the KS-H3 was optimized by having its own matching OTL amp. I was also able to swap power cords having a 15A IEC in order to find a comparable benefit as with the Audeze/Cardas combo. I settled on the Clarity Cable Vortex.

Obviously, while compromised, the results were clear. Not a single track turned out results in favor of the LCD-3. To my ear the electrostatic technology did the same thing in a headphone application that it does in speakers – it soundly beat magnetic planar technology. Bob admitted he was surprised, but concluded the same.

Could this really be? Could a lesser known product upend a proclaimed best? Of course it could; proclamations of which products are the best are made continuously by review publications without any direct comparison of all competitors! Assumptions are made, it gets printed as, “…the best”, and the masses rush after them.

As I said earlier, that is great for the company receiving the review, but it’s too bad for the serious headphone listener, because they’re not buying the best. At least one better is out there – in this case the one I’m reviewing, the KS-H3. Yes, that’s right, the Kingsound is better than the LCD-3. There are two aspects of sound in which the LCD-3 may seem to some folks superior; the coloration and coagulation of the sound. My ear does not enjoy darker sounding reproduction, as if walking into a dimly lit room. Some enjoy this immensely, and they love a warmer, syrupy sounding speaker, as well as headphones. They will accept a diminishment in detail to get the coagulated sound. Much like a single driver, higher efficiency speaker, their headphone has to above all be appealing in terms of tonality.

In that respect the LCD-3 was quite appealing in a cozy fashion, and I felt that if I were to put my head back against the chair I might fall asleep. I would not fall asleep so easily hearing the excitement of the KS-H3. It produced more fleshed out instruments and vocals, pushed back the recording venue’s size such that the performance seemed to be recorded in a larger area, much more grip was exerted on the low frequencies in a manner which blended proportionately with the rest of the frequency spectrum. By contrast the LCD-3 seemed a bit flabby in the bottom, and the intensity of the bass was disproportionate to the rest of the spectrum, as if someone had dialed up the output of a subwoofer to be disproportionate to the rest of the frequency spectrum.

Lack of sharpness in the treble and poorer decay of notes contributed to a sense that the LCD-3 was simply slower, an observation I have made in regard to magnetic planar speakers compared to the Kingsound King III electrostatic speakers. I was unsure that such distinct differences in performance would be noticeable when reduced to the scale of a set of headphones, but they were easily discerned.

Compared to one of “the best” vintage headphones

Bob also has a set of Koss ESP 950 Electrostatic Headphones with accompanying E/90 Electrostatic Energizer! Wow, that’s a mouthful, and the sound was an earful! How did this compare to the other two? If I had to pick between the Koss and the LCD-3, I might select the Koss. Why? Even with a cheesy wall wart power supply the bass was as deep as the LCD-3 (specifications suggest 8Hz for the Koss, and the KS-H3 yields 6Hz), and right on up through the spectrum the tonality was more correct to my ear. I didn’t like the way it clamped onto my head like a Python attempting to swallow me; the LCD-3 was better longer listening comfort, though not as good as the KS-H3.

What’s incredible to me is that the Koss E/90 power unit is ridiculously cheap, and I mean wretchedly flimsy. It uses an early Class D (switching) amp, another unexpected element of its excellent sound. Throw in a lifetime “no questions asked” warranty which seems to still be in effect, and it’s an anomaly. I couldn’t find a date when it was introduced, but there seem to be a fair number of reviews in 1992. The power unit doesn’t seem to be available anymore, so it’s essentially dead as an alternative to the KS-H3. The Koss website does indicate the power supply can be serviced. Bob has a jewel in that vintage ESL, but you won’t find one, so simply accept it and go for the M-20/KS-H3 combo.

A comparison involving the Kingsound M-20 for good measure

What about the amplification end of things? Perhaps I have shown the virtue of the headphones, but how about the M-20 amplifier? An opportunity to gauge the relative performance of the M-20 presented itself when I was able to get my hands on a Woo Audio WEE (No, not “WooWee”, according to Woo, but WEE), which is described by Woo Audio as an electrostatic headphone converter for dynamic speaker amp to allow use of ESL headphones with any amp which puts out over 3 Watts. It is billed by Woo as, “… probably the most economical solution to start enjoying electrostatic headphones.” Would this nifty and seemingly very well-built device at $499, which also incorporates a speaker switch to select your connected speakers, prove to upset the applecart by outperforming the Kingsound M-20?

To set up this unfair comparison I stayed with my most pure system to date, the Mac Mini, TEO Liquid Pre, EE Minimax DSD Supreme, aided by the insertion of the just arrived TEO Audio’s sensational liquid interconnect cables between the DAC and preamp. The amplifier used was the adorable Wells Audio Innamorata, which was followed by a short 1m set of Clarity Cable Organic speaker cables and the Woo WEE. Whew wow, that’s a lot of gear ahead of a set of headphones, and frankly, that’s how it sounded.

As terrific as the upstream components are, they proved my adage that any non-necessary component or cables carry a higher chance of hindering the sound than helping it. When the KS-H3 was heard in isolation with the WEE, as though there would be nothing else to compare it to, the presentation was pleasant enough. Perceptually it seemed about the level of the LCD-3, which for most would be cause to rave. But, when the system was taken back to a more elemental form, consisting of only the Mac Mini, EE DSD DAC Supreme, the TEO interconnects and the M-20 amp feeding the KS-H3 only a moment’s listening was necessary to know that the removal of all the other parts, including the Woo WEE, meant a fantastic upgrade in sound quality for the ESL headphones.

The WEE demanded a system of approximately double the electronic components to accomplish what could be done in a far more streamlined fashion. Discussing the WEE with Mike Liang of Woo Audio, he was clear that the WEE will not outperform Woo’s own dedicated headphone amps. Indeed, I found that because of the extensiveness of the system needed to use it the KS-H3 was more clouded, less refined, more lacking in dynamic contrasts – succinctly, presenting a more canned HiFi sound. The M-20 amplification setup had superior immediacy, density of images, expansion and depth of sound field, cleanness of edges of voices and instruments – in brief, many of the characteristics of my big rig.

The WEE’s most attractive feature, perhaps, is the ability to connect two pair of STAX style headphones. It is convenient that one can simply toggle the switch on the WEE to hear speakers rather than having to reconfigure one’s stereo to play the speakers.; many warnings were given by Woo Audio that never is the switch to be set to SPEAKER if they are not connected, as it may damage a system! However, the greatest benefit is the ability to connect two sets of ESL headphones with the five-pin plug for a direct comparison. That is the ultimate advantage of the WEE, if put to use as a headphone comparator. For prime listening, though, you will want to own a dedicated headphone amp. Also, for those constrained by budget, the WEE makes an attractive component to facilitate ESL headphone listening.

As the M-20 so easily distinguished itself in comparison to the WEE, this makes me think that the M-20 would make for a fine comparison to Woo Audio’s flagship ESL amp, the WES Fully Balanced ESL Headphone Amp. I suspect the lead of the M-20 would narrow substantially, but the primary question would be if it could match the Woo WES at a loftier $4,990, more than double the price of the M-20 and KS-H3. The Kingsound M-20 and KS-H3 are so good as to merit contemplation of shootouts with touted gear. They already fairly and convincingly dismissed one of “the best”. Woo’s next?

Associated Components:

Source: Macintosh Mac Mini; Sonos Digital Music System; Musical Fidelity M1CDT Transport

Playback Software: Amarra 2

NAS: Buffalo Linkstation 500G

DAC:  BMC PureDAC; Eastern Electric Minimax DSD DAC Jr, Eastern Electric Minimax DSD DAC Supreme with Burson, Dexa NewClassD and Sparkos Labs Discrete Opamp Upgrade; ifi Micro USBPower and Micro DAC

Preamp: TEO Audio Liquid Preamplifier; VAC Renaissance Signature Preamplifier Mk II; Pass Labs XP-20; Cambridge Audio 840E

Amps: VAC Phi 200; Pass Labs X600.5 Monos; Wells Audio Innamorata

Integrated Musical Fidelity M6 500i 

Speakers: Kingsound King III; Legacy Audio DSW Clarity Edition; Kingsound King Tower omnidirectional; Vapor Audio Nimbus White

Subwoofers: Legacy Audio XTREME XD (2)

IC’s: Clarity Cable Organic RCA/XLR; Snake River Audio Signature Series Interconnects; Silent Source “The Music Reference”

Speaker Cables: Clarity Cable Organic Speaker; Snake River Audio Signature Series Speaker Cables; Silent Source “The Music Reference”

Digital Cables: Clarity Cable Organic Digital; Snake River Audio Boomslang; Silent Source “The Music Reference”

Power Cables: Clarity Cable Vortex; MIT Oracle ZIII; Xindak PF-Gold; Snake River Audio Signature Series; Silent Source “The Music Reference”

Power Conditioning: Wireworld Matrix Power Cord Extender; Tice Audio Solo