Sound Impressions
The following sound impressions of the Binom-ER were completed using the dCS Lina Master Clock, Network DAC, and the Headphone amplifier as well as the Ferrum WANDLA GSE, OOR, and HYPSOS.
The pads used were the stock A-Classic or Alcantara pads and the Classic leather pads, both of which are fully perforated. There is a separate reference to the alternative hybrid Mobile and A-Basic quasi-perforated pads further down.
Summary
The beating heart of the Binom-ER tuning signature is an addictive mix of natural and smooth tuning, high in detail and surprisingly deep in staging with excellent depth and power, more so than many competing high-end planar headphones.
There are some variations depending on the pads you pick but otherwise, this is a sound signature that does not slavishly follow a “me-too” Harman curve either.
There is a distinct identity with a long low-end shelf, particularly with the A-Classic pads, that give this set of planar headphones some tremendous weight and a solid fundamental frequency that permeates throughout its instrumental and vocal timbre.
Beyond the mids, the Binom-ER leans more to the relaxed end of things avoiding heavy-handed mid-treble bumps or excessively shouty upper midrange performances.
Vocals can sound thick and velvety with the A-Classics pads, or more neutral with higher levels of contrast with the Classic pads but neither will shove them down your throat or create unnecessary fatigue.
If I have a preference I would grab the leather Classic pads, purely because of the more neutral tonal balance it creates in the Binom-ER sound signature.
Particularly so in dropping some of the A-Classic pad’s upper bass bloom that, combined with some enhanced mids and treble energy, helpers to create a cleaner set of mids and highs to go along with that excellent sub-bass reach.
This makes it a more flexible set of pads and the one will maximize the Binom-ER’s excellent micro-detail retrieval.
The A-Classic pad’s more rounded warmer effect sounds beautiful with jazz recordings and does a wonderful job fleshing out thinner female vocals. However, its darker tone can mask some of the Binom-ER’s mid’s clarity which I find less suitable for drier and more intricate hard rock recordings.
Frequency Response
The Binom-ER frequency response elicits a clever perception of power and space with a fairly elevated and extended bass shelf from 20Hz up to around 300-500Hz with the A-Classic pads. There are no wild dips and peaks, retaining that classic linear planar bass response.
The curve does drop a bit earlier with the leather Classic pads, thinning out the upper bass response but in turn, it elevates the 800Hz to 1K range creating a little more discernable space between the lows and mids and lowering the A-Classic bass bloom for a more balanced midrange and vocal sound.
From 1k, right up to 10k, the Binom-ER is quite relaxed sounding, hence my initial ‘space’ statement. Unless you are pushing up close to the driver with the hybrid Mobile pads, the general midrange imaging will be perceived as sitting a bit further back.
At times this can become secondary to the low-end if recordings are heavy-handed with the bass mix, though I found the Classic and Mobile pads the better choices for keeping the separation clean and clear.
The Classic pads deviate from the A-Classic with enhanced energy through the upper-mids and treble. Some welcome subtle peaks around 3k, 5-6k, and 8-10k help create a bit more tonal contrast and clarity in percussion and vocal performances.
The A-Class pads, and more noticeably, the quasi-perforated A-Basic pads have a darker tuning through the same range, particularly with a flatter 3-5k range where the Classic pads sound a little more filled-in.
Staging & Dynamics
The Binom-ER doesn’t project a massive soundstage experience similar to the likes of the Susvara or the HD 800.
However, it does an excellent job of creating the perception of spaciousness with its outstanding depth and power and neutral to slightly relaxed midrange imaging.
I should also add that amplifiers with excellent dynamic range will be properly reflected in the Binom-ER’s responsiveness. The level of perceived micro-detail is excellent with the Classic pads making it an excellent choice for fast-moving hyper-detailed amps such as the dCS Lina.
Pad choices will also affect the Binom-ER’s staging bias. For example, the hybrid Mobile pad with its thinner cavity brings the ear much closer to the driver, drawing the presentation closer to your ear as a result.
This gives the Binom-ER a more aggressive and intimate sound than the other pads with less discernable staging depth. The flipside is a stronger midrange focus and a more controlled set of lows, ideal for metal listening preferences where lower-midrange clarity up to 1k is essential.
The Classic pads also keep the coloration quite clean but inject more depth and a better fundamental frequency. Of the pads available it’s the best mix of space, power, and midrange clarity with the A-Classic pads putting more emphasis on a full and more forward set of lows and reducing the presence of the highs in tandem.
One final note is dynamics from portable sources. This is a game changer for me because I normally expect reduced dynamic range and staging depth from weaker sources and planar headphones but not so with the Binom-ER.
Pad Preferences
If you find the ‘A-Classic’ pads a bit too thick or warm for your tastes then switching to the leather ‘Classic’ pads will be more to your preference.
The Classic pads exhibit a slight drop in the bass shelf from 100Hz up to 500Hz which reduces some of the thickness in the Binom-ER’s bass performance but without a loss in the sub-bass extension, at least down to audible levels that is.
It also retains a stronger midrange elevation up to 1k and is generally less scooped throughout the Binom-ER mids and lower treble introducing a more neutral sound with enhanced tonal contrast and vocal presence.
The slimmer ‘Mobile’ pads produce a similar neutral tone but with reduced staging depth, creating a more intimate and aggressive sound signature that I quite enjoyed with rock and metal, more so than the softer more grandiose sound of the A-Classic pads.
The reduced bass warmth and punchy character of the mobile pads are more revealing for lower-mid voicing which is where a lot of hard rock tends to focus.
The ‘A-Basic’ is perhaps the darkest sounding of the four pads which isn’t surprising considering it is Alcantara with reduced perforation.
It is soft and warm sounding and quite forgiving but my preference is for the airier A-Classic sound if I am going to stick with the Alcantara selection to pair with the Binom-ER.
Synergy
Efficiency & Sensitivity
The Camerton Binom-ER is rated at 42Ω with a maximum SPL of >135 dB/Vrms and is one of the easiest high-end flagship planar headphones to drive that I have reviewed to date.
That means you get an excellent level of performance from portable sources and desktop systems with the only deciding factors being the coloration of the system and how technically resolving it can be.
You can try everything from dongles such as the Cayin RU7 and the iBasso DC-Elite up to summit-fi systems such as the dCS Lina and you will have no issues with the Binom-ER’s dynamic range, resolution, and above-average holographic performances.
Of course, the better the amp the better the Binom-ER will sound but it’s more about the capability of the amplifier per se rather than any power deficiency dramatically reducing its ability to sound good.
What I would encourage you to do, however, is buy the Binom-ER with balanced cables rather than single-ended ones.
Not that you won’t get a good performance from single-ended amplifiers (think tube amps) but rather if a dongle or amplifier has a balanced output alternative the super channel separation and dynamic range leave the SE option sounding more muted and lacking the same vibrancy.
Portable Pairings
Just about any portable source I paired with the Binom-ER had a pleasing return.
If I had a preference though it would be with snappy solid-state pairings with good depth or a compensatory level of treble brilliance to tease out impactful bass with good control or some additional treble brilliance from the Binom-ER.
For example, the Shanling Mystic XP1 and to some extent, the Cayin C9 in solid-state Class AB tease out the highest level of PRaT from the Binom-ER when running through some of my richer-sounding EDM and synthwave tracks.
I would give the XP1 the nod if I stuck purely to those genres which was surprising because I had expected it to sound too dark or carry too much bloom in the lows but it sounded clear and very powerful, even without it being connected to its dedicated power supply.
If I want to open up the genre flexibility, perhaps look at vocals then the C9 is a better choice given you can create a smoother sound from the tube and Class A mode. These modes are a bit too soft and relaxed-sounding for bassier high-energy tracks.
The dongle performance was gob-smackingly good. The RU7 will give you a smoother tone and stretch out the Binom-ER lateral staging performance. From its 4.4mm balanced output, there was no shortage of acceptable headroom.
However, the DC-Elite was the star pairing here. It is not quite as weighty on the lows as the other portable sources mentioned but the clarity in the mids and highs works really well with the slightly darker tuning of the Binom-ER.
Particularly so with upper register vocal presence which sounded cleaner and more focused from the DC-Elite pairing than the RU7.
Desktop Pairings
I tested the Binom-ER with 3 systems, 2 solid-state including the Ferrum WANDLA/OOR and the dCS Lina stack, and one R-2R/Tube amp, the Holo Audio Spring May 2 paired to the Cayin HA-300MK2.
I came away with no hesitation in recommending all as good pairings, suitable for a wide range of tastes. There is no problem with headroom, or dynamic range with all volume dials below ‘noon’, and the HA-300MK2 sitting comfortably with a low or medium impedance setting.
For personal preference, I would still opt for a solid-state setup for high-energy recordings. The HA-300MK2 works better with tracks that carry more emotional weight and less bass emphasis.
The likes of the dCS Lina and the Ferrum stack have more control on the lows with a slightly shorter decay throughout which I find suits the Binom-ER’s hefty bass response more than the softer tube output.
These are also two system pairings that do a better job separating fast-paced guitar solos and chord strikes from lower-pitched vocal mixes in metal and rock with the Binom-ER.
Of the two solid-state setups, the OOR and WANDLA are very neutral but not quite as dynamic as the dCS Lina when used with its Master Clock.
That’s a lot of cash though to extract some additional capability so I suggest you dig into the WANDLA GSE controls and turn on its Spatial filter to create a more competitive soundstage from the Binom-ER pairing.
