This is a very interesting post about to diffrent systems in the Ultra High End category.
I feel that DAVE are very similar to the transparent sonic tone of MSB Select II than to the warm HE-1 Orpheus, and this fellow thinks the same, so what is natural in fact?
Somewhere in btw as usual
: post:
Two systems that sound very different. Where the Sennheiser uses a tube amp, the MSB is designed without opamps or tubes to avoid digital coloration of the signal. The result is arguably the highest level of transparency and accuracy in a headphone system. The stage is wide, and incredibly deep. According to the deep stage, the layering and imaging are both incredibly precise, and the combination with the clean and airy stage results in very spacious sound with excellent separation. Depending on your reference point, its signature is neutral to slightly v-shaped. The key issue in describing its tonality comes down to how you define 'naturalness' - how a natural and realistic sound should sound; something I discussed in length and couldn't completely come to agreement with with my close friend @MikePortnoy who I finally got to meet in real life. The midrange of the Stax/MSB system is not inherently warm - at all, nor does it get warmth from the mid-bass like you'll see in many popular tunings. This contributes to the clean air between the layers/instruments as well as the high level of transparency, but does not really convey emotion. I feel that a vocal should have a sense of warmth, especially a male vocal for example being produced from deep within the throat and chest. Besides emotion, a certain level of warmth can add a bit of power and body to notes. So the result is a highly accurate portrayal of string and brass instruments, though it can sound a bit clinical for genres like pop or rock. But like I said, a part of this depends on how you define 'naturalness'; leaning towards tonal accuracy, the way instruments should sound, as well as the treble speed and the way it dissolves, the MSB/Stax is incredibly natural based on its realism. When it comes to a certain emotional naturalness, the way a vocal can reach and touch you and the weight of guitars, it is different from my personal definition of naturalness. However I strongly suspect that the target audience of a $150.000 system is wealthy 50+ people that mainly listen to classical, and the soundstage and transparency of the MSB/Stax system is of course mind blowing in this regard.
The HE-1 on the other hand has a very different presentation. The soundstage is noticeably smaller, dare I say even intimate in comparison (gasp!). Especially in its depth. I wouldn't call the presentation upfront by any means, but the music is not as distant or layered as I might have expected (but keep in mind I heard the MSB/Stax first). Its tonality however is more pleasing to my ears, and I think easier to listen to. While the mid-bass is highly controlled and defined, the tubes give the midrange that inherent warmth that I would classify as natural. Its treble is very articulate but never prominent, where the MSB/Stax could border on harsh with an ill-picked recording, as it is extremely dependent on the quality and type of recording due to its transparent nature.
Something else that I really liked was the prototype Cavalli driving the open Ether flow. For starters, Warren and Dan were both two easy going and simply awesome guys that I very much enjoyed talking to, but I really, really enjoyed listening to the combo. There was a certain smoothness and dynamic flow in the presentation, with a signature that was exactly to my liking. The midrange was clearly defined, with the right combination between sparkle and smoothness. Guitars just rocked, vocals sound beautiful, I could definitely settle for that in a distant future if I ever make the switch to headphones. I felt I could just listen to music without overthinking it, very nice.
Shoutout to Emil and Piotr from Lime Ears and Custom Art for being two very cool dudes that I immensely enjoyed hanging and laughing with. I have their ciems so I knew they make great stuff, but it was nice to meet them in person.
Finally, big compliment to the Head-Fi team for organising the event. It's impressive to see that the iem/headphone world has reached a level of significance where meetings can be organised in such a beautiful venue. I've been to academic conventions that weren't half as classy.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/817115/canjam-london-2016-impressions-thread-august-13-14-2016/100_50#post_12790110
) is settling in. DAVE is better than Mojo and shines on well recorded music; however, Mojo is still a damn good unit and hard to beat at the asking price.
