[tawmizzzz]

So I have the Enleum 23R at home to test with my Susvara and LCD5 and I can see why many prefer the Sus over LCD from that pairing-Sus stock tuning is much more balanced, with an effortlessness in the musical it portrays versus the more bland, revealing LCD5 (even with EQ). Sus' staging is more open, airy and engaging.

However, from the Wells Audio Dragon L2, I still prefer the LCD5 with Chrono's EQ. The Dragon smoothens the transients slightly to allow a longer decay, that "liquidy" sound that comes across as more musical across instruments and vocals. There is more upper-mid energy which helps with engagement and forwardness, which comes across as smooth thanks to the tubes. You lose a little bit of technicalities-mainly in soundstage intimacy and precision versus a pure solid state like 23R or even iDSD Pro Signature, but the tradeoff is more than welcome for my preferences. The best analogy I can think of is that the Dragon injects the equivalent of a (prescribed ) percocet's warm hug into the LCDragon's signature, immersing your listening into a more euphoric state. On the other hand, the dragon cannot drive the Susvara well so no point of comparing the two from that AMP.

I do want to note that I do have the iDSD Pro Signature as my DAC and it's quite possible my incoming Holo Audio Spring 3 R2R could change the landscape for the Susvara. But so far, despite being more airy with a slightly larger staging, Susvara23R comes across as more boring, laid-back and unengaging versus the LCDragon's liquidy, addicting, punchy and euphoric synergy. I genuinely think LCD needs a tube, or else it will likely stay in that clinical route, even from a "tube-like" solid state like 23R.

Looking forward to seeing how it plays out once Spring 3 comes along + 23R burn-in.

 

[BowWazoo]

Adding a ton of distortion to the signal,
is of course also a way of "positively" affecting the sound.
Cheers to the "magic of tubes"...

 

[drifter74]

Adding a ton of distortion to the signal,
is of course also a way of "positively" affecting the sound.
Cheers to the "magic of tubes"...

LoL
I kind of feel the same way, but I guess my views, and sound quality preferences by association, are embedded in me due to the fact that I was born and bred in a third world country. Here there is no sugar coating things. I love that from the LCD5 with solid state; it hides nothing - you have to face everything that is thrown at you through the music that you listen to - both the good and the bad. I can appreciate that some people may not enjoy that, but I find it hard to understand.

@tawmizzzz I'm keen to hear how the Holo compares to the iFi as I use the PRO iDSD as a DAC as well. I did have an opportunity to listen to the Holo Spring 3 on a previous occasion and compare it to the Denafrips Ares. The Holo was fantastic and I much preferred it to the Denafrips - but then it is in a different price class as well.

 

[BowWazoo]

Btw. i love Vinyl, and I love tubes

 

[cantara256]

Btw. i love Vinyl, and I love tubes

Somebody around here has the signature: "All of audiophilia is the search for the perfect distortion profile."

Amen

 

[EMINENT]

However, from the Wells Audio Dragon L2, I still prefer the LCD5 with Chrono's EQ.

I found Chrono's eq to be the least airy of all.

Did you try the Wells as a pre to the 23R?

 

[tawmizzzz]

LoL
I kind of feel the same way, but I guess my views, and sound quality preferences by association, are embedded in me due to the fact that I was born and bred in a third world country. Here there is no sugar coating things. I love that from the LCD5 with solid state; it hides nothing - you have to face everything that is thrown at you through the music that you listen to - both the good and the bad. I can appreciate that some people may not enjoy that, but I find it hard to understand.

@tawmizzzz I'm keen to hear how the Holo compares to the iFi as I use the PRO iDSD as a DAC as well. I did have an opportunity to listen to the Holo Spring 3 on a previous occasion and compare it to the Denafrips Ares. The Holo was fantastic and I much preferred it to the Denafrips - but then it is in a different price class as well.

Haha I feel that-but even at these TOTL levels, I listen to music to enjoy it, not get a true referential/clinical presentation. I listen to bop my head to, to tap my feet to, to visualize each string plucked and try and experience the emotions that I can get from the song. That's why I am hopeful the Spring 3 will aid in that goal based off what I've heard from portable TOTL R2R DAPs like LP6 & P6Pro---organic timbre, naturalness, effortlessness, and low-level instrument detail. Don't get me wrong-I don't love TONS of color, and fortunately the Dragon is a hybrid SS/tube so I can experience the best of both worlds in some way.

I'll keep you posted once Spring 3 arrives hopefully within the next 1-2 weeks.

I found Chrono's eq to be the least airy of all.

Did you try the Wells as a pre to the 23R?

It's funny because for LCD5 from iDSD Pro Signature, I prefer Resolve V2's EQ since it is warmer to my ears-but from the Dragon, it becomes too mid-centric and warm so the extra bite and treble from Chrono's plays a lot nicer within that synergy.

 

[deafenears]

The sound stage is not huge, but I think for some head banging rock / metal music, this may be preferred.

This and the tighter clamping headband!

 

[vsg28]

Whew this is so close and yet so far

 

[BowWazoo]

Final preparations for a nice listening session..

 

[BowWazoo]

A thousand thanks to @Audeze for the goodwill with the repair!

Time for a session

 

[alxw0w]

Final preparations for a nice listening session..

Are you treating your jacks with some magic "contact enhancer" ?
A don't even want to talk about the idea, it's beyond me.
But what if you put it a bit too much and it shorts inside your amp/dac ?

 

[BowWazoo]

I'm glad you don't want to talk about this idea.
As an electronics engineer, which I've been for over 20 years, I'm a bad conversationalist in this regard.
There is no risk of causing a short circuit.

 

[Currawong]

Does anyone have the Utopia at home?
I would be interested to know if anyone here can confirm what is said in the video.

If anyone does, please also post in the comments on the video. It helps everyone when people share their experiences, even if they are different from mine.

Are you treating your jacks with some magic "contact enhancer" ?
A don't even want to talk about the idea, it's beyond me.
But what if you put it a bit too much and it shorts inside your amp/dac ?

It's a de-oxidiser. It removes oxidation from contacts and, if a bit stays applied, prevents oxidation. You only use a very tiny amount, and it only stays on the surface of a contact.

Stuff that can potentially cause shorts would include that contact enhancer from Mapleshade. That's a bit different.

 

[alxw0w]

If anyone does, please also post in the comments on the video. It helps everyone when people share their experiences, even if they are different from mine.


It's a de-oxidiser. It removes oxidation from contacts and, if a bit stays applied, prevents oxidation. You only use a very tiny amount, and it only stays on the surface of a contact.

Stuff that can potentially cause shorts would include that contact enhancer from Mapleshade. That's a bit different.

That's an answer that i expected.
Unfortunately @BowWazoo took it too personally.