[wirefriend]

I haven't, i was dead set on it when it first came out, but reports of it being uncomfortable and virtually no way to try before i buy it turned me off it. Did you find it a good pairing with Dave? I'm a bit concerned about it and LCD-5 being too neutral to be enjoyable (as i found to be the case with HEKSE) . Also reviews make it sound like LCD-5 is better across the board, while also being more comfortable. And that i can listen to for myself (When my dealer finally gets a pair in stock, they're being bought before they hit the store atm).
If i you wouldn't know you could assume they are closed backs by the look, does that design have any impact on the noise leakage/isolation compared to other open backs?

I tried D8000Pro - yes, they are as uncomfortable as D8000 on my head (no improvement there). Sonic-wise they have better controlled lows (D8000 non-pro had some unacceptable resonance in lows). So this part was clearly improved. Still, a bit too much lows for me there. I use HE1000SE now and they have more air but are a tad bass shy. Something between D8000Pro and HE1000SE would be the best. I think I will tune HEkSE by using thick, pure copper cable.
Can't wait to hear Anni as it is told to excel at lows, so perhaps that cable will not be needed?

 

[adrianm]

I tried D8000Pro - yes, they are as uncomfortable as D8000 on my head (no improvement there). Sonic-wise they have better controlled lows (D8000 non-pro had some unacceptable resonance in lows). So this part was clearly improved. Still, a bit too much lows for me there. I use HE1000SE now and they have more air but are a tad bass shy. Something between D8000Pro and HE1000SE would be the best. I think I will tune HEkSE by using thick, pure copper cable.
Can't wait to hear Anni as it is told to excel at lows, so perhaps that cable will not be needed?

Coming from Z1R, D8k pro sounds kinda perfect for me from a tonality perspective, a shame about the comfort. The T+A Solitaire P also sounds like a good alternative ( that might be more comfortable ).

 

[Christer]

I haven't, i was dead set on it when it first came out, but reports of it being uncomfortable and virtually no way to try before i buy it turned me off it. Did you find it a good pairing with Dave? I'm a bit concerned about it and LCD-5 being too neutral to be enjoyable (as i found to be the case with HEKSE) . Also reviews make it sound like LCD-5 is better across the board, while also being more comfortable. And that i can listen to for myself (When my dealer finally gets a pair in stock, they're being bought before they hit the store atm).
If i you wouldn't know you could assume they are closed backs by the look, does that design have any impact on the noise leakage/isolation compared to other open backs?

Excuse me, but imho THE MOST IMPORTANT thing to strive for with ANY type of audio equipment SHOULD be NEUTRAL!!! Too neutral???? OMG, some audiophiles!
Cheers CC

 

[adrianm]

Excuse me, but imho THE MOST IMPORTANT thing to strive for with ANY type of audio equipment SHOULD be NEUTRAL!!! Too neutral???? OMG, some audiophiles!
Cheers CC

It's all about system synergy , i've been down that route before, it gets boring. People say they want neutral than they go and add tube amps to make the headphones more enjoyable. Dave has all the neutrality and transparency i need, i'd rather get my flavoring from the headphones instead of buying Susvaras (or whatever other flagship) and building a chain around that.
HEKSE is great from a technical perspective, but they are too dry to be enjoyable for me. I'd take the Utopias over them any day, even though they have a smaller soundstage and are not quite as fast.

 

[GreenBow]

Excuse me, but imho THE MOST IMPORTANT thing to strive for with ANY type of audio equipment SHOULD be NEUTRAL!!! Too neutral???? OMG, some audiophiles!
Cheers CC

Yeah I read something a while ago about a guy who was something to do high up in audio. He said if the frequency response is not flat, everything else is irrelevant.

 

[Rebel Chris]

I stay neutral in this discussion

 

[musickid]

Going through quarantine mental adjustment phase. Things i expect to hear are not there and things i don't expect to hear are appearing from outer space. More importantly with anni this is 10W vs dave 2W so the volume dial on anni is a challenge or new to me on tracks with large dynamic range. Anni is always low gain with headphones. Piano and strings are uncannily real with the trio qutest, anni+mscaler. Can confirm anni low end is making my PM1 rumble beautifully in way new to me and i've been using these headphones for a while now.

 

[alekc]

Piano and strings are uncannily real with the trio qutest, anni+mscaler.

I'd say piano is kind of trademark with all Chord dacs (including Mojo, while not detailed and clear as Hugo 2 or Qutest I still love both its piano and acoustic guitar interpretation). I guess with your setup records based on those instruments must sound amazing.

Here is one of my favourite albums with acoustic guitars

 

[musickid]

Mojo delivers gallons of warmth and musicality. But yes the trio qutest, anni, mscaler builds on that in every direction. Anni's bass control is on another level and when fused with the musical energy the mscaler brings it is a new experience for me.

 

[adrianm]

Mojo delivers gallons of warmth and musicality. But yes the trio qutest, anni, mscaler builds on that in every direction. Anni's bass control is on another level and when fused with the musical energy the mscaler brings it is a new experience for me.

Just for context, have you tried other high end ss amps? or the Anni M-scaler combo with Dave?

 

[musickid]

You mean mDave into Anni which unless you're using susvara//abyss seems pointless to me? I've heard quite a few other ss amps but have been using chord dacs direct to headphone mainly before. Anni is digging deep into hi-end headphone amp territory IMHO. Don't be deceived by the small form factor as anni can hold its ground against the very best headphone amps out there and this has been a common recurring opinion in the reviews that are starting to come through. Truth is i stumbled upon anni/qutest in a showroom and was moved by the sound....had this chance meeting not occurred i would have overlooked anni...now i own one. It needs to be heard with qutest to fully appreciate it. I find i need to be more sensitive with volume vs h2 as an example. It's a different set up and i'm still discovering it.

 

[R403]

Excuse me, but imho THE MOST IMPORTANT thing to strive for with ANY type of audio equipment SHOULD be NEUTRAL!!! Too neutral???? OMG, some audiophiles!
Cheers CC

A lot of music was never produced to be heard on neutral equipment. So, the ideology ends up making alot of it sound horrible. Some people also prefer warmer sounds/venues for music. As an owner of the Kef Ref 1 - very neutral, I can assure you the most important thing to strive for is enjoying whatever it is you like. Just as some people may like a blue shirt over a red. Preferences exist and they are your reality. I am on the side that neutral 90% of the time is boring and irritating. The only reason I kept the Kef was because I colored it through the amp. Many however like it, and that's okay too.

 

[musickid]

Can anyone help me regarding 2v vs 1v out on qutest with sensitive headphones. With some albums one works better and vice versa with other types of music. Never dealt with this before. Is line level just equated to a volume variation or is there more to it? The problem is with certain types of music i listen at normal levels but with other genres i like to go louder and my headphones are sensitive. I'm finding 1v out into anni smoother with less "haze" in the lower end with less "heat" if that makes sense. What a marathon. I originally thought 2v was the way to go now not so sure. So is 1v out with louder volume the same as 2v out with lower volume? 2v however is fuller and more holographic.

 

[Christer]

A lot of music was never produced to be heard on neutral equipment. So, the ideology ends up making alot of it sound horrible. Some people also prefer warmer sounds/venues for music. As an owner of the Kef Ref 1 - very neutral, I can assure you the most important thing to strive for is enjoying whatever it is you like. Just as some people may like a blue shirt over a red. Preferences exist and they are your reality. I am on the side that neutral 90% of the time is boring and irritating. The only reason I kept the Kef was because I colored it through the amp. Many however like it, and that's okay too.

Well the difference between your preferences and mine is probably that I rarely, if ever, listen to the type of music and recordings you seem to prefer.
I just came back from the second live concert this month with live acoustic unamplified instruments and the human voice in real acoustic venues and THAT is my reference point.

I did NOT find any instrument or voices sounding "too neutral".

A bit different in loudness depending on where I listened from in the halls. But always sounding like real instruments .
As a photographer I am used to changing perspectives.
I want my HIFI systems both via headphones and more often than via headphones via my speaker based system to replicate as closely as possible the real timbre and sound of acoustic intruments in a real venue, not a warmed raised treble or boomy bass lifted or otherwise unnaturally coloured version.
Transparency and neutrality are the goals I strive for and if my memory serves me right again,it normally does, only a few days ago that the designer of Dave and other Chord dacs once again mentioned those same goals as his too.
Each to his own ....
Cheers CC

 

[jjb3]

Has anyone tried the Anni with the ATC SCM7s and if so with what results? Considering them for my desktop.