HFA Dahlia - HIFI FOR ALL

[LXMc]

What started out as some more fully-formed thoughts for a follow up post, ended up as a full review for the HFA Dahlia.
This is my first formal review so I hope it's helpful and I was able to clearly communicate my feelings on the Dahlia. Great headphone btw .

 

[OhmMyGod]

Great review! I meant to post the link to the product page here but kept forgetting. I'll put in a review myself soon! It's long overdue!

 

[s2kphile]

What started out as some more fully-formed thoughts for a follow up post, ended up as a full review for the HFA Dahlia.
This is my first formal review so I hope it's helpful and I was able to clearly communicate my feelings on the Dahlia. Great headphone btw .

Excellent review! Makes the wait time even harder for me. *Cross Fingers* for Jan delivery date.

Great review! I meant to post the link to the product page here but kept forgetting. I'll put in a review myself soon! It's long overdue!

I cannot wait to read it. I love to hear other people's perspective.

 

[Leonarfd]

What started out as some more fully-formed thoughts for a follow up post, ended up as a full review for the HFA Dahlia.
This is my first formal review so I hope it's helpful and I was able to clearly communicate my feelings on the Dahlia. Great headphone btw .

Loved to read your review, and also look forward to your @OhmMyGod

As I'm working on two reviews now for AUNE S17 Pro EVO and the Cayin HA-2A the Dahlia been used a lot while testing them, for me the enjoyment of Dahlia just increases every week. Even been pad swapping a little to try some different pads (Uni Perf Leather and Caldera leather thick perf top/outside) , though the best is still the stock pad. I will see if I can join in on a review on the Dahlia, I tend to focus my reviews only for gear I bought/given as sample from the manufactures. The list is always long and never ending, never ending backlog. Good thing its no rush and I can use the Dahlia for a longer while before making a review, and its always good to get the perceptive of a buyer (though I tend to be even more happy of gear I used my own money on).

Right now I'm working on the HA-2A tube amp, and its excellent witht eh Dahlia. Can copy some notes from the impression:

Using the HA-2A makes the upper mids and low treble less intensive, and move the headphone into a slight warmer sound signature. It also does make the sound more tubey and rich, one reason is the warmth the other is the smoother transients due to the texture/distortion that a tube amp does. Soundstage is already spacious on Dahlia, and the HA-2A just adds even more of a holographic wide stage.

 

[LXMc]

Great review! I meant to post the link to the product page here but kept forgetting. I'll put in a review myself soon! It's long overdue!

I was glad to see you had made a product page for it because I wasn't sure how that process worked, thanks for adding. Also looking forward to reading your review!

 

[LXMc]

Loved to read your review, and also look forward to your @OhmMyGod
...
Using the HA-2A makes the upper mids and low treble less intensive, and move the headphone into a slight warmer sound signature. It also does make the sound more tubey and rich, one reason is the warmth the other is the smoother transients due to the texture/distortion that a tube amp does. Soundstage is already spacious on Dahlia, and the HA-2A just adds even more of a holographic wide stage.

Thanks @Leonarfd ! I'm glad the HA-2A is working out well for you, especially with the Dahlia. Looking forward to eventually reading your reviews of both

 

[Leonarfd]

Still going strong, Dahlia joined in on my AUNE S17 PRO EVO review and was used lots during the testing and evaluating. Its a very good pairing, been going back and forth if I like HA-2A or this the most with Dahlia. Its tighter and and more dynamic with stronger slam on the AUNE, while Cayin deliver a more smooth and refined sound.

One thing I'm certain of is that Dahlia love power

 

[buenahora]

Still going strong, Dahlia joined in on my AUNE S17 PRO EVO review and was used lots during the testing and evaluating. Its a very good pairing, been going back and forth if I like HA-2A or this the most with Dahlia. Its tighter and and more dynamic with stronger slam on the AUNE, while Cayin deliver a more smooth and refined sound.

One thing I'm certain of is that Dahlia love power

Did you ever own or tested the original S17 Amp (non-Evo)? How does it compare? Main differences?

 

[Wyllio]

I saw the HFA website update the lead time to 5-6 weeks. Hopefully, my order is still within the 3-4 weeks originally estimated lead time.

 

[Leonarfd]

Did you ever own or tested the original S17 Amp (non-Evo)? How does it compare? Main differences?

Never tried the original, sound wise my impressions seem quite close to the reviews from non Evo version. Both are class A discrete and have JFET transistors, most changes are improvements to the pre out functions, screen, temperature and some more stuff.

 

[michael2v]

I saw the HFA website update the lead time to 5-6 weeks. Hopefully, my order is still within the 3-4 weeks originally estimated lead time.

He’s going to be at CanJam; you can go pick one up in person!

 

[LXMc]

I'd intended to get some surface-level thoughts on a number of my other ZMF pads with the Dahlia but things have been so busy with work since the New Year and in the evenings the last thing I've wanted to do is analyze a bunch of pads. I will say I've generally found the differences between pads seem more subtle with the Dahlia than with my ZMFs (maybe because the Dahlia is a more open design?).

That said, I have found a bit of an unexpected complementary pairing in the Auteur Solid Suede pads that I've been enjoying a lot with the dynamic resonator rings (which makes for nice quick swaps). I find these warm the Dahlia up slightly and slope the emphasis downwards from the upper-mids and also give it a bit of a bass boost, but nothing too dramatic. It does lose some of that air and the stage doesn't sound quite as wide, but it's still quite good. Right now these are my go-to on the Dahlia as for me it takes the comfort up another level with their extra depth and thicker walls and I quite like the slightly warmer sound.

The Caldera Suede TWP are another I liked and seem somewhere in-between the stock and the Auteur Suedes. Curious if anyone else has other pad pairings they've found that they like.

 

[Pharmaboy]

I'd intended to get some surface-level thoughts on a number of my other ZMF pads with the Dahlia but things have been so busy with work since the New Year and in the evenings the last thing I've wanted to do is analyze a bunch of pads. I will say I've generally found the differences between pads seem more subtle with the Dahlia than with my ZMFs (maybe because the Dahlia is a more open design?).

That said, I have found a bit of an unexpected complementary pairing in the Auteur Solid Suede pads that I've been enjoying a lot with the dynamic resonator rings (which makes for nice quick swaps). I find these warm the Dahlia up slightly and slope the emphasis downwards from the upper-mids and also give it a bit of a bass boost, but nothing too dramatic. It does lose some of that air and the stage doesn't sound quite as wide, but it's still quite good. Right now these are my go-to on the Dahlia as for me it takes the comfort up another level with their extra depth and thicker walls and I quite like the slightly warmer sound.

The Caldera Suede TWP are another I liked and seem somewhere in-between the stock and the Auteur Suedes. Curious if anyone else has other pad pairings they've found that they like.

TWP?

 

[s2kphile]

TWP?

Caldera Top Wide Perforated Suede pad.

The top of the pad has holes while the inside and outside are solid suede. And opening of the ear pads are slightly larger than the other Caldera pads.

This one but with a wider opening

 

[Pharmaboy]

Caldera Top Wide Perforated Suede pad.

The top of the pad has holes while the inside and outside are solid suede. And opening of the ear pads are slightly larger than the other Caldera pads.

This one but with a wider opening

Wow. Never heard of this one. The suedes I got w/my CO are perforated on the outside & top, but not inside--and the ear opening isn't as wide as shown in your picture.

Your comments about liking 2 of ZMF's suedes for the Dahlia confuse me a little, because you describe them as warming up the Dahlia a bit. I've used suedes on various headphones (or tried to) and every time I got more treble/less bass. Maybe the Dahlia plays by different rules....