Kennerton Audio Equipment Gjallarhorn JM Edition 2023
The Gjallarhorn JM Edition 2023 makes closed-back listening feel gloriously expansive, pairing an exceptionally wide soundstage with clean, cinematic bass. MajorHifi highlights its deep, uncrowded imaging, plush fit and transparent, conservatively bright treble. A velvety warmth beneath the clarity gives this premium wired design an immersive, refined character.
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Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
87/100
Comfort Fit
92/100
Build Quality
78/100
Features Usability
82/100
Value for Money
85/100
Pros
Exceptionally wide, deep and airy soundstage for a closed-back design, with ample space around instruments.
Clean, powerful bass combines sub-bass presence with controlled attack for a refined cinematic impact.
Plush, roomy earcups and a well-managed fit remain comfortable without noticeable heat or friction.
Clear, transparent treble brings brightness and crispness without being described as aggressively sharp.
Cons
The noticeably recessed upper midrange creates a mildly V-shaped balance that may underplay vocal presence for some listeners.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 87/100
The Gjallarhorn JM Edition is described as a spacious, cinematic closed-back with particularly accomplished bass and an unusually open sense of scale. Its tuning combines warmth and a restrained upper-midrange with clear, brighter treble, although the supplied review offers less direct insight into fine-detail retrieval and dynamic expression.
Bass
93/100
MajorHifi calls the bass clean, strong and cinematic, with satisfying sub-bass presence that does not obscure attack or control. The reviewer ultimately describes it as close to flawless, praising both its weight and refinement.
Midrange
85/100
The upper midrange is deliberately reduced, giving the presentation a mildly V-shaped balance. MajorHifi finds the dip well judged rather than hollow, while a modest low-mid lift adds warmth, colour and a velvety character.
Treble
89/100
Treble is said to be the most even-handed part of the tuning, with a brighter but not dark overall balance. MajorHifi describes the top end as transparent and very clear, without suggesting aggressive glare or fatigue.
Resolution Detail
82/100
The review characterises the presentation as transparent and clear, which suggests a clean view into recordings. It provides little direct discussion of low-level detail, instrument texture or separation in especially dense material.
Soundstage Imaging
95/100
MajorHifi considers the stage exceptionally wide for a closed-back, describing it as almost unheard of at this design type. The sound is also said to have convincing depth and ample room around instruments, avoiding a crowded presentation.
Dynamics
78/100
The strong, cinematic low end suggests a presentation with some physical scale and impact. However, the review says little directly about transient attack, slam, rhythmic drive or subtle dynamic shifts.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Comfort Fit
92/100
Despite its noticeable heft, MajorHifi says the headphones do not feel heavy on the head. The earcups are described as exceptionally plush and roomy, with no unpleasant heat or friction during use.
Build Quality
78/100
The supplied review says little about structural durability, hardware execution or long-term wear. The product information identifies natural wood construction and a two-metre OFC cable, but neither source provides a direct assessment of craftsmanship or longevity.
Features Usability
82/100
This is a conventional wired audiophile headphone supplied with a two-metre OFC cable terminated in a 6.3 mm plug. The stated mini-XLR connection arrangement is practical for a home headphone system, though the review provides little discussion of accessories, pad replacement or everyday handling.
Value for Money
85/100
At the listed $1,080 price, the Gjallarhorn JM Edition sits in a premium wired-headphone segment. The supplied review is strongly enthusiastic about its sound, but does not meaningfully compare its price, performance or competitive standing with peers.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
YouTube Reviews
Forum Mentions
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Specifications
- Driver
- Graphene-coated multilayered composite
- Driver Unit
- 50 mm
- Frequency Response
- 10-50000 Hz
- Sensitivity
- 116 dB
- Impedance
- 33 Ohm
- Maximum Input Power
- 250 mW
- Cord length
- High quality 2 meters OFC cable with 4-Pin Balanced mini-XLR connectors and Gold Plated 6.3 TRS connector
- Weight
- 406 g ( w/o cable)
- Wood
- Natural
Manufacturer's Description — Kennerton Audio Equipment
“When the sound completely captures you”
Kennerton Gjallarhorn – the first in the world horn-loaded headphones!
Horn-type headphones are musicality, integrity of perception, overall harmony, natural sound and the ability to completely capture the listener.
JM Edition is an acoustic modification of Gjallarhorn headphones, which was made by John Massaria, one of the first owners of Gjallarhorns.
We considered it quite worth to be a separate model and now we are offering you the official Kennerton workshop version of it.
You can read in depth about the modifiacion from the first hand, from the author himself.
The main differences touched the bullhorn form and change of phase inverter. It did significantly changed the accent of the sound of the headphones without dropping any quality at all.
We named the model after the author, JM Edition.
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The most important advantage of horn headphones is the ability to develop a good sound pressure and give excellent dynamics from the first milliwatts with minimal distortions.
Horn Headphones reproduce the most subtle musical nuances and most fully and accurately convey the emotions of performers.
The horn in the headphones creates a full presence effect, gives outstanding micro-macro dynamics and a wide directional pattern in the horizontal plane.
High and medium frequencies played through a horn have a completely different energy and transparency. Low frequencies, reproduced through a horn, have a natural fullness and power.
Horn-type headphones are musicality, integrity of perception, overall harmony, natural sound and the ability to completely capture the listener.
HIGH PERFORMING GRAPHENE MEMBRANES
It all started with the development of a new high-tech material called “Graphene”.
Graphene – if to explain in simple terms, is a two-dimensional sheet of carbon that is only one atom thick. Its physical properties are truly unique:
- It is 300 times stronger than steel
- It has no internal resistance
- It is incredibly light
As currently the production of pure graphene membrane is very hard and time-consuming and can cost a fortune, we decided to create a hybrid of mylar and powdered graphene applied by thermal method. Thus, we were able to significantly improve the characteristics of the classic dynamic driver, such as the strength of the membrane, its rigidity and the absorption of parasitic resonances. This high-tech membrane required the corresponding uncompromising “engine”. Therefore, we have equipped the speaker with an ultra-light aluminum voice coil (CCAW), covered with a very thin layer of copper to increase its conductivity. And the coil is set in action by a powerful magnet made of NdFeB alloy, which in size and power of the magnetic field is exceeding 3-4 times the magnets of similar speakers from competitors. All these engineering solutions gave the speaker a high dynamic range, stunning detailing of sound, very low distortion, and brought the sound quality of the speaker close to the representatives of the planar-magnetic technology.
Over the past year we have created several promising headphone prototypes based on these developments, and one of them was even released for one of our partners projects. But it was only through long research and experimentation that we were able to get the concept of sound, which we have been pursuing for a long time and which fits most fully into the framework of Kennerton products.
Our new driver is a compression type system, i.e., its membrane has an extremely soft suspension and additionally relies on the elasticity of the air volume of the acoustic chamber, represented by the earphone cup.
This is done in order to lower the resonant frequency of the dynamics, and accordingly the depth of reproduced low frequencies. This feature makes the speaker extremely responsive to any slightest change in acoustic design, its volume and filling. In addition, the membrane “warms up” (it enters the nominal mode of operation, gets rid of internal stresses, gets softer in places of suspension bending) for quite a long time – at least 72 hours of work according to the results of our tests. And for a complete “warm-up” it usually takes up to a week of the total time the headphones should work. All this made our engineers work very hard, but everyone who could listen to the headphones sound finally was amazed by the great result.
We were able to achieve high compatibility both with hi-end systems and with low-end devices, while maintaining a consistently high level of sound, limited by the capabilities of the source, rather than the headphones themselves.
For Kennerton Gjallarhorn, we use a steel headband with a minimum of moving parts, which means maximum reliability. Headphone cups made of precious wood are not only beautiful and just pleasant to touch, but also bring warm and natural notes to the sound of the headphones, eliminating the intrusive “plastic” overtones of competitors’ models. Lightweight design, self-adapting to the user’s head and genuine leather ear cushions provide the highest comfort for long-time listening.
Ear cushions are hand-made from soft lambskin from a remote highland region in Northern Caucasus.
All spares are genuine Kennerton products and match the quality and craftsmanship that embodies Kennerton.
LAMBSKIN LEATHER CUSHIONS
Soft ear cushions for maximum comfort.
The design places driver at optimum distance from ear, improves soundstage/imaging, and musical coherence.
Kennerton Gjallarhorn is a new level in its segment – classic design solutions with the spirit of “old school”, the best natural materials and modern high technologies make this model an outstanding one to be highly appreciated both by audiophiles and professional audio industry.
The kit includes a comfortable eco-leather case for a safe storing and carrying the headphones.
Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Kennerton Audio Equipment Gjallarhorn JM Edition 2023
- Audio 46 — online and in-store — New York, New York, United States (website)
- Audio essence — online and in-store — Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland (website)
- Audio Magic - EU — online and in-store — Wola, Województwo mazowieckie, Poland (website)
- Audio Sanctuary — in-store — London, England, United Kingdom (website)
- CASQUES HEADPHONES — in-store — Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France (website)
- Igloo Audio — online and in-store — Royal Tunbridge Wells, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Knox Audio — in-store — New South Wales, Australia (website)
- MD Sound — online and in-store — Weyersfeld, Bayern, Germany (website)
- Patefon — online and in-store — Basmanny District, Moscow, Russia (website)
- Unilet Sound & Vision — online and in-store — London, England, United Kingdom (website)