Staccato op-amp roll...
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***Holo Spring 3 > Soloist > ZMF VC / IE 900 (all balanced)*
***Link:
https://staccatoaudio.com/offer/*
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So I've been spending quite a bit of time over the past few days op-amp rolling the Staccato op-amps and experimenting with various combinations. To make things easier for me (and the reader), I'll only write about which combination I liked best.
*TLDR:*
*2 Vivids on the input buffer stage, 2 Staccato on the volume control stage*
*4 Vivids (only w/ Super Charger)*
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Quick notes about the Staccato op-amps:
- uses narrower pins which result in a looser fit; might affect noise floor
- noticeably higher noise floor when placed on med gain or higher
- barely fits inside the Soloist chassis w/ no headroom to spare
To start let's talk about the strenghts and weaknesses of each respective op-amp. Note that these thoughts and impressions are without the use of the Burson Super Charger.
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**Vivids**
The bass on these, I feel, is the weakest part of the Vivids with the emphasis here on quantity over quality. As a result, individual bass lines are not easily discernible. For example, in the track [紅蓮華 THE FIRST TAKE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpYy6wwqxoo), the piano throughout sounds noticeably muddier in comparison to the Staccato. At the end where the piano finishes off with a pounding of lower register notes, it sounds like they are all overlapping with one another revealing the Vivids' lack of control and grip in the bass region--a more fun presentation.
Mids, on the other hand, have a bit of added tonal weightiness to them which adds a certain sweetness and color. In addition, the Vivids tend to alleviate the slight edges presented in recordings giving it a more relaxing and smoother presentation overall. Highs, for the most part, are also smooth and relaxed while still sounding fairly extended and airy. Moving on to staging, the Vivids have decent depth but poor width overall. In all honesty, it's not as impressive as I initially thought when I first had the Soloist.
For dynamics, this is where it gets interesting. I feel that the Vivids slightly emphasize the initial attack of each hit which gives it that extra bit of dynamism. However, this ends up sacrificing control of the decay where it seems to "let go" a bit too early. So, tradeoffs for an overall engaging presentation.
**Staccato**
The bass on these, in contrast, is both its strength and weakness. The Staccato handles individual bass lines quite well and more clearly than the Vivids. It's tighter and more controlled, but the tradeoff here is quantity; it lacks impact. Depending on the headphones used or the preferences of the listener, this can be a good thing. I briefly tried the Audioquest Nightowl with the Staccato and the results weren't that bad. Not only did it tame the bloated and emphasized bass of the Nightowls, it made them a bit more balanced. So, *synergy matters*. The lack of bass impact is the reason why I prefer placing the Staccato on the volume control stage of the Soloist. Placing different op-amps on this stage, significantly reduces the impact op-amps have on the overall sound. This is why Burson recommends changing op-amps on the input buffer stage rather than the volume control stage.
Overall, the Staccato sound more balanced than the Vivids and because of that I do perceive it as slightly more detailed. Mids are slightly clearer and cleaner but with noticeably less tonal color on them offering more linearity. As for the highs, they are a bit less smoother overall and the slight edges found in recordings are not slightly masked like they are on the Vivids. In addition, I do hear a tad more sibilance on the Staccato. I'm talking super slightly here, like 0.5% harsher. I'm on the young side, so older people might not notice this at all. Stage on the Staccato is fairly good in terms of width but poor in terms of depth; opposite of the Vivids. Lastly, I found the Staccato, oddly enough, to sort of have this "staccato" like quality to them. In other words, to my ears each note is a bit sharply detached. It was just something I noticed while listening to them and thought it was worth sharing.
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**Combinations**
With strengths and weaknesses out of the way, this brings me to the combinations I liked most. The first combination is 2 Vivid op-amps on the input buffer stage and 2 Staccato op-amps on the volume control stage, which alleviates the Vivids' shortcomings to a certain extent. Bass quantity is slightly reduced while gaining some tightness and control. Mids end up being slightly more linear and clear. Highs are also less smooth overall. Stage does end up widening a bit, but depth is more or less the same. Overall, the presentation here is a bit more balanced than you would find placing all 4 Vivid op-amps albeit a bit boring-sounding, at least with the VC. If I didn't have a Super Charger this is probably what I would be rocking most of the time.
Now my preferred combo is with all 4 Vivid op-amps but only with the Super Charger in the chain. I didn't think I'd be coming back to the stock op-amps amidst its shortcomings, but surprisingly the Super Charger here alleviated most of the problems I had with the Vivids almost completely. Bass impact quantity-wise is still present but the Super Charger tightens it slightly and gains control as well as grip. Although I say slightly, the subtle change brings a not so subtle improvement with how I perceive the presentation overall. With this you get both quantity and quality--who wouldn't want both? Mids are still tonally weighty and just a bit lush/warm while still remaining clear and nuanced. Highs are still slightly smooth but because of the blacker background the Super Charger brings, you end up hearing even more resolution and detail. It's a bit difficult to convey--you just have to hear it for yourself. Staging does improve slightly as well expanding its width just a little bit. Overall, you get a slightly better sense of stage but you don't get a big and wide stage. I mentioned earlier that the Vivids tend to slightly emphasize the attack on each note while trading off some control over the decay. To my ears, the Super Charger fixes all that and you end up with something that is slightly even more dynamic, both micro and macro, with greater control of both attack and decay all while being unfatiguing but engaging. Although these changes are a subtle improvement, they all add up to a greater sense of listening pleasure and satisfaction, at least for me.
