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Budx3385, what are your impressions of the T1 vs HD800 with the Stratus (and the Sonett for that metter)? I have limited experience with both phones but my sense is that the HD800 is better at spreading things out and I value that. On the other hand, the T1 has seemed a bit more coherent (the band is really playing together, all on the same stage) to me and I see that as a rare strength. What do you think?
Hi. Good question. I've only done quick comparisons, not a rigorous analysis. Using the EML solids, the T1 just sings - natural tone, exc dynamics, detail, solid, 3-D presentation in front of my nose. That was my top choice on the Stratus for weeks. Using the EML solids, the HD800 made a wide, holographic soundstage, but the pieces didn't quite fit together, and the SQ was not quite as enjoyable (music!) as the T1.
Using the Sophia Princess 2A3s on my Stratus, my preference switched. You can read the details in my earlier comments in this thread. Bottom line = the T1 sounds constricted, not as "coherent", with pieces out of place. Quite the contrary, the HD800 produces a sound world I've never experienced before -- I am immersed in a seamless space, all voices in their place, entirely coherent, a comfortable distance beyond my nose, tone is completely natural (a chamber music concert last weekend sounded exactly the same!), w details and micro-details, liquid smooth mids, solid drum whacks, superb decay, and just enough recording site ambience. Simply gorgeous, better than what I heard any headphone produce when the Pinnacle paid a visit here some months ago, better than what I heard from the LCD-3 when it was here, or the SR-009 with a maxxed out WES when they were here. Gush.
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I agree. We had the HD800 balanced and T1 single ended on the Stratus. The 800 was the more spacious, but the imaging not as precise and 3D as the T1.
The funny thing was that a friend was listening to some Japanese drum music with the LCD3 and HD800 on the Stratus. He was blown away by the natural and full presentation of deep drums on the 3. The 800 in comparison sounded "like someone hitting plastic baskets."
On the positive side, he loves his 800 for classical music, which makes up most of his listening.
Many thanks Duckman for sharing your careful comparisons. I wish I were as systematic about testing different genres of music for other ppl. To my ears, there are so many different types just within "classical"!
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I've been searching for a comparison of the Stratus with the Eddie Current Zana Deux SE and 2A3 without luck. Have any Stratus owners compared them or know of any comparative reviews?
Hi, I seem to remember some comments here earlier pertinent to that comparison, and Donald said something about the differences wrt transformer, a key source of voicing. Try a search on this thread.
