[DarginMahkum]

What a nice tuning...

For the comparison:

 

[chesebert]

Listen by headphone measurement is the worst kind of listen.

I also agree that VC is problematic

 

[801evan]

It's the most consistent measurement of all measurements though. I agree to the HP measurements than 90% of user impressions.
Amps are kind second. DACs and others, best to disregard.

 

[EMINENT]

Currawong review premiere.

 

[801evan]

Currawong is spot on the Meze Elite and that perceived bass, which applies to all other HP and why ppl like the slam of a Utopia and TC and glad he brought it up and compared that to what you see on the charts. He missed the opportunity to bring up other charts to show how the bass is created by Elite and Utopia, but he did mention it is due to resonance.

Glad he mentions that the Hugo 2 drives it coz other YTs said 'no'. But I'm surprised he's suggesting turbo mode on the Diablo, but understandably, Diablo on eco mode low gain can sound grainy and 'distorted' so I wouldn't suggest that either. But after my mod on the Diablo to accept external power, it sounds best on low gain while normal and turbo has lifted blacks and a shouty + noisy presentation in comparison. While most ppl wouldn't bother with a similar mod, it represents the scaling of the Stealth on low distortion amps and how that's more important than power quantity and proves that Stealth and Susvara doesn't need a lot of power at all. Zero clipping btw. This is also why ppl clip headphones in general with their setups...they are pushing more power into a noisy chain. This creates a cascading effect and conviction that leads one to buy a speaker amp for a Susvara...which leads to a lot of dead Susvaras. The clipping is already a safety feature to buckle down but instead of improving the digital chain, they just get a 60w speaker amp and let the noisy transients consume all that power.

That overwhelming vocals on the Chesky album is due to the stock cable. I got that experience too.

 

[alxw0w]

@Currawong I'm glad that finally somebody found this thing with the pads.
Fresh pads are sounding very different to a used ones.
I found that with fresh pads to my ears actually placing headphones more up and forward sounded smoother on top and with better bass extension.

It's beyond belief how Stealth are dependent on factors like positioning, seal and pads compression (so basically distance from the AMTS to your ear)

Also sound with fresh pads is not so clear.
When pads are just a bit worn out (or rather used) sound is smoother clearer. The distance between ear and driver/amts is shorter hence it's working better providing less reflected sound.

Ps. I had opportunity to listen very worn pads, brand new ones and a bit used ones.
Provided demo unit pads were worn strongly, then my brand new unit came so I was able to hear how the sound evolved.

 

[801evan]

@Currawong I'm glad that finally somebody found this thing with the pads.
Fresh pads are sounding very different to a used ones.
I found that with fresh pads to my ears actually placing headphones more up and forward sounded smoother on top and with better bass extension.

It beyond belief how Stealth are dependent on factors like positioning, seal and pads compression (so basically distance from the AMTS to your ear)

Also sound with fresh pads is not so clear.
When pads are just a bit worn out (or rather used) sound is smoother clearer. The distance between ear and driver/amts is shorter hence it's working better providing less reflected sound.

I'm so annoyed with finding the sweetspot on the fitting that I have barely noticed this pad issue. Lol. The headband is just a touch short of me. Bah. But as a consolation, it made me move the headband a bit back which then have the cups rotate counter clockwise a bit and it actually created a newly discovered sweetspot of full on faithful display of harmonics from the track, and not color from the amp (no tubes for me).

 

[alxw0w]

I'm so annoyed with finding the sweetspot on the fitting that I have barely noticed this pad issue. Lol. The headband is just a touch short of me. Bah. But as a consolation, it made me move the headband a bit back which then have the cups rotate counter clockwise a bit and it actually created a newly discovered sweetspot of full on faithful display of harmonics from the track, and not color from the amp (no tubes for me).

Exactly. With a bit worn pads, positioning headband a bit back on head and rotate cups is a sweet spot, like really sweet. (I used to place headphone that way when I had demo unit)

With new pads that's not the case. At least it wasn't with my ears.

Ps. As I already asked, are we related somehow?

 

[801evan]

Exactly. With a bit worn pads, positioning headband a bit back on head and rotate cups is a sweet spot, like really sweet. (I used to place headphone that way when I had demo unit)

With new pads that's not the case. At least it wasn't with me ears.

Glad to hear a fellow cup rotator is in agreement. Haha. It's really difficult to get that sweetspot. But that's a testament to the accuracy of the Stealth. When that sweetspot happens .... Ppl who claims this still sounds like a closed back or that open backs are still more open will change their tune.

Now I wish the back of my head doesn't taper out... roll off too soon. Lol

 

[OneEyedHito]

This creates a cascading effect and conviction that leads one to buy a speaker amp for a Susvara...which leads to a lot of dead Susvaras. The clipping is already a safety feature to buckle down but instead of improving the digital chain, they just get a 60w speaker amp and let the noisy transients consume all that power.

That overwhelming vocals on the Chesky album is due to the stock cable. I got that experience too.

Oy Vey.......Hyperbole, how many are "a lot of dead Susvara's" and he used an aftermarket cable in some of his listening, it is even attached to the Stealth in his video.......more Hyperbole/conjecture.

 

[801evan]

Oy Vey.......Hyperbole, how many are "a lot of dead Susvara's" and he used an aftermarket cable in some of his listening, it is even attached to the Stealth in his video.......more Hyperbole/conjecture.

not as hyperbole as team speaker amp.

And apparently after market cable has some issues...nothing about the Stealth at all.

 

[Currawong]

not as hyperbole as team speaker amp.

Or team speaker-amp-isn't-necessary-for-susvaras.
"In my experience at [some] volume level with [certain] music" needs to preface a lot more of this discussion.

@Currawong I'm glad that finally somebody found this thing with the pads.
Fresh pads are sounding very different to a used ones.
I found that with fresh pads to my ears actually placing headphones more up and forward sounded smoother on top and with better bass extension.

It's beyond belief how Stealth are dependent on factors like positioning, seal and pads compression (so basically distance from the AMTS to your ear)

Also sound with fresh pads is not so clear.
When pads are just a bit worn out (or rather used) sound is smoother clearer. The distance between ear and driver/amts is shorter hence it's working better providing less reflected sound.

Ps. I had opportunity to listen very worn pads, brand new ones and a bit used ones.
Provided demo unit pads were worn strongly, then my brand new unit came so I was able to hear how the sound evolved.

Now I think of it, I should have mentioned positioning more. I have found if I feel the bass is lacking, to fiddle with the positioning a bit.

 

[chesebert]

Or team speaker-amp-isn't-necessary-for-susvaras.
"In my experience at [some] volume level with [certain] music" needs to preface a lot more of this discussion.

Now I think of it, I should have mentioned positioning more. I have found if I feel the bass is lacking, to fiddle with the positioning a bit.

Are you saying simply having a good seal is not sufficient for good bass performance?

 

[JLoud]

I have found down and forward on the ears increases bass quantity.

 

[801evan]

Or team speaker-amp-isn't-necessary-for-susvaras.
"In my experience at [some] volume level with [certain] music" needs to preface a lot more of this discussion.

Now I think of it, I should have mentioned positioning more. I have found if I feel the bass is lacking, to fiddle with the positioning a bit.

Subbed