I've got the iCAN/HE-6 combo too, been enjoying it a lot since last summer. However my Voce arrived Thursday and it's really handling all the metal I'm throwing at it amazingly well. Will need to A/B more.
Could anyone let me know how the Cascade handles Death, Thrash, and Black Metal? These are my favourite metal subgenres, and I hope that the rich bass of the Cascade won't slow down even the most obscenely fast and aggressive tracks.
I tried Cascade at CANJAM NYC (straight from my iPod) and was floored. Absolutely stunning, skull-rattling bass with slam and visceral impact that rumbles and levels entire city blocks. Initially felt surprisingly warm, with almost-overpowering bass seemingly bleeding into the mids which first appeared a bit recessed, but my brain and ears started adjusting gradually and things became more balanced and realized the sound was very open-backed-like and enveloping, dare I say all-engulfing. Treble was sparkly yet not bright. Threw a lot of complex and ultra-fast stuff (e.g. Archspire, Sutrah, Cattle Decapitation) at Cascade, with spectacular results. Cattle Decapitation especially sounded massive and brutal af. I actually laughed out loud multiple times at the sheer impact (then again, the melodic guitar leads and furious tremolos of Forteresse's intense black metal somehow sounded a bit off, for the lack of better term). I also tried some hard-hitting industrial techno (Bombardier) and was gasping for breath. Hit like a sledgehammer. And all this straight out of iPod, so can only imagine how well it scales with a desktop system. Really lightweight as a portable should be, just like PM-3. The ear pads were surprisingly narrow, more so than PM-3, so if you have large ears, you may wish to try them on before purchasing. I later found out that the demo Cascades were not fully burned in and that the almost too powerful bass settles down a bit in due course (I've read that it takes up to 150-200 hours to 'tame' the bass) and the overall sound becomes more balanced. The easy-to-change filter strips should also help adjust the bass if it becomes too overwhelming. I am still considering moving from my beloved Oppo PM-3 into Cascade territory for office listening and travel purposes.
That Cascade looks interesting. I'll have to hear it sometime, a potential alternative to the ÆON Flow closed. Also at that pricepoint, there's another Massdrop for the Focal Elex. Open, non-portable totally different beast than these other beasts of course.
That Cascade looks interesting. I'll have to hear it sometime, a potential alternative to the ÆON Flow closed. Also at that pricepoint, there's another Massdrop for the Focal Elex. Open, non-portable totally different beast than these other beasts of course.
Cascade and ÆON Flow Closed are more complementary than anything. AFC is pretty neutral and airy sounding, whereas the Cascade is warm, dense, bombastic and intense.
ÆON is like a solid base hit - it’s probably never going to disappoint you because it’s neutral and accurate and still manages to not be boring.
Cascade is like a swing for the fences - it’s not always perfect for everything, but when it’s on, holy mother of God, it is freakin’ on!
I’m really only starting to dig into the Cascade, but so far it’s pretty potent with all the heavy & technical stuff I’ve been throwing at it: Augury, Letters to the Colony, Archspire, Veil of Maya, Hideous Divinity, Gojira, Vale of Pnath, etc. Still need to diversify a bit into some other metals.
I just got these Auteurs in Blackwood and they are amazeballs for prog and symphonic metal!
I'm currently experimenting with the two sets of pads, but i am liking the Eikon pads when used with Jotunheim amp.
I just got these Auteurs in Blackwood and they are amazeballs for prog and symphonic metal!
I'm currently experimenting with the two sets of pads, but i am liking the Eikon pads when used with Jotunheim amp.
The Auteurs are on my list of things to buy,but an end game amp (Glenn OTL)and end game DAC (Holo Audio Kitsune 3) are in line ahead of it.
Good to hear that yall are enjoying it for metal.Rock on!
I just got these Auteurs in Blackwood and they are amazeballs for prog and symphonic metal!
I'm currently experimenting with the two sets of pads, but i am liking the Eikon pads when used with Jotunheim amp.
The Auteurs are on my list of things to buy,but an end game amp (Glenn OTL)and end game DAC (Holo Audio Kitsune 3) are in line ahead of it.
Good to hear that yall are enjoying it for metal.Rock on!
The Auteurs are very sensitive to upstream equipment, much more than other 'phones that I have owned!
For example, the Auteurs just don't sound as good for metal from my Ragnarok or even the venerable Liquid Crimson, as it does from the lowly Jotunheim.
The Jot provides the exceptional fast sharp attack transients and bass impact that the other amps do not. To compensate for the accentuated highs of the Jot, that's where the Eikon pads come in. It seems to all work out just right!
The Auteurs are very sensitive to upstream equipment, much more than other 'phones that I have owned!
For example, the Auteurs just don't sound as good for metal from my Ragnarok or even the venerable Liquid Crimson, as it does from the lowly Jotunheim.
The Jot provides the exceptional fast sharp attack transients and bass impact that the other amps do not. To compensate for the accentuated highs of the Jot, that's where the Eikon pads come in. It seems to all work out just right!
Interesting.Would you say its as amp finicky with other types of music as well,or its more of a metal specific thing?
My brother has bought an Auteur(hasnt gotten it yet),and is heading to CanJam SoCal on sunday to check out tube amps,but he isnt into metal....at all.
@Hansotek ,do you find the Auteur to be stubborn with amping as well?
I listened to a few tracks from Anneke van Giersbergen's Live in Europe and the Auteurs sounded great with the regular pads and both the Crimson or Ragnarok but I had to change the pads back to the regular ones, it was too much midbass for my tastes.
I think for metal and to a smaller extent, edm, it is more picky amp and dac wise than with other types of less demanding music.
I don't have a OTL Tube amp to test out, so not sure how they sound with full tube.
Also, I'm still burning in the Auteurs, they have less than 20 hours play time since I took them home, so my observations may be premature.
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