[OCC7N]

about headphone drivability like Tungsten using HE9 mk3 via ACSS from R7-HE mk3?

There is a lot of talk about which amps would drive the mod house Tungsten to which DB...

I gathered that one should look at Volts rather then power and having 24 Volts must be enough. Headphones.com put up some calculator but given a DAC output voltage combined with gain of HP amp one can pretty confidently guess if it'll work out...

So I can do that with mentioned AGD combo, but what about ACSS...

2+2MA (ACSS) output spec of the DAC?

With Susvara I use the high gain. Balanced cables. I am at 65/100 on the volume, not low volume but enjoying it. It depends on the music and production and the headroom.

If you play songs from beatles era you will have a lot of headroom which means you need more volume. Todays modern music trend is "don´t leave no headroom" so it is mastered at a higher level of volume.

In the weekends for a cup of coffee, I am chilling to Cafe Del Mar at 20/100 volume level on HE9LE. This does not even feel low to me I hear everything.

Everything can be heard even on the lowest volume.

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With the HE400SE I use SE cable and it needs the same amount of volume like Susvara, just unbalanced. It is 2-3x times more hungry than HE1000 Stealth. I would say atleast as Arya V2.

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15W may seem to be a lot more than what you need, but it is not when it comes to the quality that the He9 is putting out. Feels like music just gets bigger and bigger instead of louder. I do think it is enough for Susvara, however I want headphones to peak at 50/100 on all amps

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What ever you do, the highend of Audio-gd needs capable speakers/headphones. Arya V2, HE1000 Stealth, HE400SE can not match the performance. I am not buying the synergy thing. Headphones either match/tame performance or gets exposed. Only the speakers/headphones are bottleneck......if the power/chain is decent with audio-gd

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ACSS is just something you either experience or you don´t - I feel this is for purist. It takes all the illusion away from the music. One step closer to the music. Buy the cheapest don´t put all your money into the ACSS to start with. Im certained it will beat expensive XLR in my chain. Put all you money into getting the system going and then upgrade this cable as you have experienced the ACSS.

Cables in general just start out cheap. Get the system burnedin and listen/enjoy the sound upgrade gradually on the journey, this is something you don´t rush, because it will feel like waste of time. Take a good 1-2month with every change. A step at a time.

 

[ChJL]

So even the hardest, which Sus is/was before tungsten are no problem...
I don't follow the " best amp for Sus" discussion but it seems with Tungsten there is a second "never ending story" now.
Since one can't avoid that Sus question I don't remember anyone ever mentioned a He 9 variant as amp of choice though! (maybe William from the HP experience)

What ever you do, the highend of Audio-gd needs capable speakers/headphones.

So which besides your Sus fits your capable criteria?

 

[OCC7N]

So even the hardest, which Sus is/was before tungsten are no problem...
I don't follow the " best amp for Sus" discussion but it seems with Tungsten there is a second "never ending story" now.
Since one can't avoid that Sus question I don't remember anyone ever mentioned a He 9 variant as amp of choice though! (maybe William from the HP experience)

So which besides your Sus fits your capable criteria?

None...Susvara is a dangerous headphone...I hope the new Meze will..- This is all preference, never take somebody's opinion as a fact for your future purchase.

This is not an area I would suggest you to go all in if it is going to be your first purchase of Audio-gd. You seem locked into "this" one

R1NOS Master 19
R28NOS
R27RE
/DI20HE is a must in my opinion. I wish I had the DI24HE, but I am awaiting firmware first for SPDIF input

These are very good starting points. The AIOs have internal ACSS connections. I could see myself buying the R28NOS.

Go all in on Audio-gd if you really have some experience with a lot of systems or else start out slowly.

 

[ChJL]

if it is going to be your first purchase of Audio-gd.

it's not but DI20HE doesn't really count when considering DAC/AMP, right?

never take somebody's opinion as a fact for your future purchase.

I was interested in just that, your opinion. Would have checked your About but...

Only if music preferences align and you know the guy behind the opinion...

But 2+ years ago I was at a similar spot with HPs. Only heard dynamic HPs before, Clear OG. So planar or estat? And someone completely unknown over at headphones.com suggested a HP which I bought (solely read about) and that decision changed a lot!

 

[OCC7N]

it's not but DI20HE doesn't really count when considering DAC/AMP, right?

I was interested in just that, your opinion. Would have checked your About but...

Only if music preferences align and you know the guy behind the opinion...

But 2+ years ago I was at a similar spot with HPs. Only heard dynamic HPs before, Clear OG. So planar or estat? And someone completely unknown over at headphones.com suggested a HP which I bought (solely read about) and that decision changed a lot!

I started with HE-9 LE which convinced me of going all in.

The amp just bettered everything in sound, better than the built-in amp on DACs.

Get the HE-9 MK3 first if you are certain it is going to be the high-end. Then dac.

I forgot you already have the Di20HE. This DDC should have had its own DAC stage. It influence the R1N and R8H2 soo much, it bothers me a bit, even though its awesome.

After you get the amp I would still suggest you to think about it. As an allrounder the R1N and DI20HE is unbeatable. Yes the R8H2 have some strength, but allround I would choose R1N. From here it will be a good point to jump to R7H3. The difference is noticeable to R8H2, so the R7 will be something special I guess

 

[sajunky]

After you get the amp I would still suggest you to think about it. As an allrounder the R1N and DI20HE is unbeatable. Yes the R8H2 have some strength, but allround I would choose R1N. From here it will be a good point to jump to R7H3. The difference is noticeable to R8H2, so the R7 will be something special I guess

I have no direct experience, but I think some others would disagree. A difference between R-8 and R-7 is more subtle. And other things:

Only if music preferences align and you know the guy behind the opinion...

Yes, obviously. I think @OCC7N made already a detailed breakthrough on music genre which sounds better on R-8 vs. R-1 NOS and in reverse, but I could not find it. I remember he wrote that modern music which is mostly computer generated gives neccessary rhythmic drive on R-1 NOS which R-8 lacks of somehow. And in reverse, R-8 is better with classical and natural instruments. Or something differing in details, but I cannot be wrong to the basis.

 

[OCC7N]

Both are nice dacs. R-1 NOS is more collected/uplifting whereas the R8H2 has more of everything/information, mature, but more laidback/relaxing.

Music enjoyed on these systems is preference.

It does not mean the R8 is slow in transients responds. It plays the notes fully with every bit of information, more than R1N.

It is hard to divide the genres into these two categories. It is my preference that R8 is soo much more wonderful on slow pace music as it brings much more informations between the notes. R1N is so nice and easy to digest that fast pace music is more enjoyable.

 

[sajunky]

There are a similar opinions in Denafrips section that Ares2 is more energetic and enjoyable than Pontus. All depends what kind of music makes our preference.

 

[OCC7N]

How can I legally demonstrate the sound difference between them if I record both my dacs through the HE9LE into my SSL12?

Any links to a site with free music I will do a recording of the requested music.

 

[sajunky]

How can I legally demonstrate the sound difference between them if I record both my dacs through the HE9LE into my SSL12?

I think it is legally OK to take fragments (not complete tracks) of any copyrighted material.

 

[OCC7N]

I think it is legally OK to take fragments (not complete tracks) of any copyrighted material.

https://pixabay.com/music/

I just went on to this site and picked one song and started recording into Cubase Pro....All I did was volume level.

After wasting my time I found out DI20HE has swapped the channels on I2S before the recording

I only had that problem on the AES, but it seems to be both now.

Well I will be using files from that site. Feel free to pick any.

These are the terms of the site
https://pixabay.com/service/license-summary/

 

[sajunky]

After wasting my time I found out DI20HE has swapped the channels on I2S before the recording

I only had that problem on the AES, but it seems to be both now.

Is that happen on the USB connection from PC?

 

[OCC7N]

Is that happen on the USB connection from PC?

Yes ...Source/USB -> DI20HE.

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EDIT: I am not the only experiencing this I know one more who has the problem. I hope it is something to do with how I start the DACs. Anyway this is something I want to test out.

 

[sajunky]

Not exactly the same. Only on DSD.

 

[OCC7N]

Not exactly the same. Only on DSD.

Also AES. Kingwa is aware of this