[DarginMahkum]

Don't think anyone touched on this? How is the Expanse for poor recordings? Soul, Funk, Jazz, Blues, 90s hip hop? For example, I believe the Susvara does not do well with poor recordings. It is fine, but not that great.

How poor? Treble harsh poor? Too bassy poor? No bass poor? Recessed mids poor? Treble lacking poor? Restored from 1920's vinyl poor? There are so many different types and grades of poor. If it sounds too bad, just add some EQ on top and you are done. It is still a transparent tuning with a little bass bump, so you will hear what the recording has. It takes EQ very well, so no worries there.

 

[jlbrach]

Well my test for poor recording is Husker Du - Warehouse. When I had the Chord Dave/mscaler with original Utopia is was pretty bad. Once l swapped out for the Naim HE, still not the best but a fun record and listened to the whole thing. Now with the Expanse, I get the same results. So on a fun system, the Expanse stays fun.

If you have any particular tracks in mind, I can give them a listen.

using brutal recordings like Husker Du recordings to me doesnt make much sense...with an accurate HP it is going to sound awful a colored HP might make it sound more palatable to you but that doesnt seem the point to me...I have tons of recordings that are divine and many that are brutal...I recognize that and want to hear the unvarnished truth...that is me others are different

 

[iamoneagain]

using brutal recordings like Husker Du recordings to me doesnt make much sense...with an accurate HP it is going to sound awful a colored HP might make it sound more palatable to you but that doesnt seem the point to me...I have tons of recordings that are divine and many that are brutal...I recognize that and want to hear the unvarnished truth...that is me others are different

That albums was their last and not straight out punk like earlier ones. The issue is more that the recording lacks dynamics and had no groove with the Chord setup. With Naim HE and Expanse, it captures the rhythm and the guitar are harsh but not piercing. I also tried Jesus and Mary Chain just for good measure. Behind all the distortion, are good songs in their first album.

You could say I should just get a less resolving headphone, but I listen to a range of music and like to only own one high end pair. I think I have the best of both worlds now. But I do not want a setup where a selection of my music no longer sounds enjoyable. What’s the point?

 

[xirxes]

Beyer and Grado? They don’t sound anything like Meze. Beyer and Grado ADD glare and harshness. They don’t smooth over diddly squat

They have their own issues, but are much more forgiving of most middling level recordings.

 

[jlbrach]

That albums was their last and not straight out punk like earlier ones. The issue is more that the recording lacks dynamics and had no groove with the Chord setup. With Naim HE and Expanse, it captures the rhythm and the guitar are harsh but not piercing. I also tried Jesus and Mary Chain just for good measure. Behind all the distortion, are good songs in their first album.

You could say I should just get a less resolving headphone, but I listen to a range of music and like to only own one high end pair. I think I have the best of both worlds now. But I do not want a setup where a selection of my music no longer sounds enjoyable. What’s the point?

I have all of the early husker du albums and I simply accept that they sound lousy just as I do with many old jazz recordings I love

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

They have their own issues, but are much more forgiving of most middling level recordings.

We will have to agree to disagree.

 

[iamoneagain]

I have all of the early husker du albums and I simply accept that they sound lousy just as I do with many old jazz recordings I love

But you still be able to enjoy those albums too. With the Stealth EQ, that Hüsker Dü album sounds anemic. It’s just very prominent vocals and harsh guitar. No rhythm. With the EQ off on the Expanse, it’s enjoyable. Still not a great recording by any means, but the energy comes thru, I can feel a little bit of weight in drums and little bit of bass.

 

[Somatic]

That was an early ding dong at the door. How I missed the smell of a new HP since getting the Stealth. First things first: If anyone says the bass is lacking etc., I will start a campaign to put him into the next lunar mission of China or US.

Joke aside, this is a Solitaire P done right. From memory of owning the P I think for about a year, the lows remind me the P a lot. But 1) it doesn't have the recessed upper mids 2) it doesn't have the sharp treble. The build is again the best in the market, so light years ahead of P's caveman design.

My only gripes with SolP was the recessed mids for certain genres and the lack of sweetness overall. Sounded too laser sharp at times. Not as organic/smooth as the Susvara.

Is the Expanse more emotive than the SolP? Lush mids? @ThanatosVI

 

[Somatic]

Anyone else running off Ferrum stack?

 

[thecrow]

1. I'm not sure if the TC wouldn't have too much treble energy, nur I should Audition it at some point.
2. You're absolutely right. That's the Goal
-> selling the Octave (See classifieds) -> order Feliks Envy + Elrog 300B

Without wanting to go too far off topicc i recently auditioned the 1266 tc with dave and niimbus. I was waiting to hear this “v-shape“ that i have read a member or two mention and waiting to hear sharp treble.

imho the idea that the TC is v shaped is overplayed, or at least i misinterpreted those views. It is not at all aggresively v shaped and i did not find the treble too bright at all - for me

just my 2c

btw some of these (honest) “vocal“ views (eg that the tc is v shaped) come from members who are relatively new in this hobby and who appear to have jumped in to the totl sector - that may be a factor

i know my understanding/appreciation of various headphones and sound profiles evolved over sometime (a few years) as my experience increased

enough of my ramblings
just my 2c and nothing more than my own subjective perspective based on my own experience

 

[Andrewteee]

Anyone else running off Ferrum stack?

Yes.

 

[Somatic]

Yes.

How do you like it? How’s the synergy vs solo Bartok?

 

[Andrewteee]

How do you like it? How’s the synergy vs solo Bartok?

Truly love it. But I prefer the Resolution Audio DAC so I’ve been using that.

 

[Currawong]

Not sure if this is off topic but I find the way we perceive soundstage interesting just based on that slight mid bass adjustment. Lowering it moves the field in front of you and increases the depth and precision of location. The off topic part is what Chord claims they are doing with the mscaler. It really is just making a steeper filter but when you compare it on vs off, there is just slightly less warmth overall when on. The claim is that the timing is increasing the depth but could it just be this slight difference in warmth? Could that also be why some people don’t hear the improvement because there headphones are already too warm. So a simple EQ adjustment can basically bring you more depth in your soundstage.

The MScaler doesn't change the FR or pitch of the music at all. I think what you're experience is closer to issues of phase and group delay. It's related to how 3D effect plug-ins work, by delaying certain frequencies so our brain perceives them as being further away. A similar thing does happen depending on the tuning of headphones as I understand it.

That albums was their last and not straight out punk like earlier ones. The issue is more that the recording lacks dynamics and had no groove with the Chord setup. With Naim HE and Expanse, it captures the rhythm and the guitar are harsh but not piercing. I also tried Jesus and Mary Chain just for good measure. Behind all the distortion, are good songs in their first album.

You could say I should just get a less resolving headphone, but I listen to a range of music and like to only own one high end pair. I think I have the best of both worlds now. But I do not want a setup where a selection of my music no longer sounds enjoyable. What’s the point?

This is why some people prefer minimum phase and MQA-like short digital filters (such as iFi use) rather than the very long filter that Rob Watts designed. These kinds of short filters screw up the soundstage depth, but do push instruments and vocals up close, perceptually, which can be more enjoyable for listening.

 

[alxw0w]

This is why some people prefer minimum phase and MQA-like short digital filters (such as iFi use) rather than the very long filter that Rob Watts designed. These kinds of short filters screw up the soundstage depth, but do push instruments and vocals up close, perceptually, which can be more enjoyable for listening.

Same as NOS.