[Dawgfish]

That is "music to my ears", thank you for that great run down

Did you try the Hifiman HE-Adapter? It looks like Dyson Audio has some short jumpers I could use to wire up the Hifiman HE-Adapter (a speaker terminal to XLR box with protection built in).

I don't see a specific XLR to speaker terminal SKU, did you get a custom one or build it yourself?

How about pre-amplifier 12AU7 / drive 12AX7 tube choices in the Primaluna Prologue 4? Which did you find most enjoyable? Why the KT120 vs other choices you tried?

I use this but with banana speaker connectors instead of spades (you can specify bananas, spades, or bare termination at checkout): https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dyson-Audi...phone-Cable-Speaker-Tap-Adapter-/114729319765

I then just connect a balanced cable directly to the adaptor and headphone. I suppose the Hifiman connector would probably be better since it has a protection circuit built in. I'm just really careful with the volume level and make sure the volume is all the way down on the sources when plugging the headphones into the adaptor. It works great and I haven't had any issues.

I like the way the KT120s sound with it so that is the main reason I'm running those. I do have a stock of NOS Mullard EL34s FX2s, NOS Tesla EL34s, NOS Wing-C EL34s, NOS GE 6AC7 fatbottles, NOS EI EL34s, NOS GE 6550s, NOS Tung Sol 6550s, NOS Wing-C KT88s, current production Gold Lion KT88s, and Shuguan Treasure KT88s that I can run with the Primaluna. I tend to use those tubes on other tube amps I use in my main speaker system. I like the fact that the KT120s are current production so when they need to be replaced they won't cost me an arm and leg (compared to the NOS tubes) to replace yet they still have great sonic characteristics (particularly with bass slam).

As far as the input tubes I'm running RCA 5751 Triple Mica Blackplates in the 12AX7 positions and CBS-Hytron 5814 Blackplates in the 12AU7. I find this combination to be exceptional and run this in my other tube amps that call for 12AX7s/12AU7s all with great results.

 

[HTSkywalker]

Or you can use with an output transformer coupled tube amp. I use one as a headphone amplifier driving planars with great success.

The SET vs OTL true tube sound is an endless discussion but yes SETs can drive planars efficiently

 

[227qed]

Am waiting for the Mini Loki + to be out on April 8, although it's considered a blasphemy adding it to the music chain by audiophile. How do you like it ?

As a basshead, I love it and find it necessary for the ananda I just got. I use the XBass on my ican and boost the subbass by an additional +3-5 dB on the Loki for a total of about +15 dB for movies, games, and edm. The ananda FR is pretty perfect to me otherwise, so I don’t use the knobs much. The XBass boost is sufficient to me for other music.

Sometimes I’ll also use the Loki to boost the lower mids to add body to vocals and instruments though, or I’ll boost the treble to get a more airy sound for classical music. I think the Loki’s best trait is that it’s super easy to adjust the sound to what sounds good to YOU, without thinking about Qs and other EQ parameters or presets. It’s on-the-fly tuning done very well.

 

[HTSkywalker]

As a basshead, I love it and find it necessary for the ananda I just got. I use the XBass on my ican and boost the subbass by an additional +3-5 dB on the Loki for a total of about +15 dB for movies, games, and edm. The ananda FR is pretty perfect to me otherwise, so I don’t use the knobs much. The XBass boost is sufficient to me for other music.

Sometimes I’ll also use the Loki to boost the lower mids to add body to vocals and instruments though, or I’ll boost the treble to get a more airy sound for classical music. I think the Loki’s best trait is that it’s super easy to adjust the sound to what sounds good to YOU, without thinking about Qs and other EQ parameters or presets. It’s on-the-fly tuning done very well.

Good to hear, Schiit claims the new Loki+ will even be more transparent but release date is still being pushed forward

 

[227qed]

Is it just me or more bass have even less impact with these ? I mean it takes eq well but somehow bass became soft and less impactful, loses tactility/agility. Not fan of big boost in bass for music with this headphone. Stock bass have some sweet qualities.


I dont get why people loving the stock tonality though. Its really off to my ears between 1-5k. It might be my individual ear gain or driver variation though.

I get a lot of impact once I hit a +15 dB boost at 20 Hz using a combo of ifi xbass and Loki. Maybe I’m a bit biased after hearing it in a review for the Arya, but the good resolution in the bass department might mean that it only slams hard down there for certain frequencies. It also feels nonlinear. It’s soft for a while, then all of a sudden it just comes on as good or better than any dynamic driver I’ve heard except for the known bass canons. The driver response might be specific to certain frequencies, like it’ll slam at 40 Hz but not 60 or 80 (making those numbers up).

I’m a huge basshead, having owned SZ2000s, THX00s etc and boosting the crap out of those by more than 20 dB. The ananda definitely gets close to those for me. It’s a little softer, but still extremely visceral and intensely satisfying. Since the drivers are so big and I feel the bass in such a larger part of my head, it’s probably my favorite basshead can to date, while being better everywhere else as well. I had to sell my Elears because they couldn’t do bass. The anandas aren’t going anywhere!

 

[fsi22]

I get a lot of impact once I hit a +15 dB boost at 20 Hz using a combo of ifi xbass and Loki. Maybe I’m a bit biased after hearing it in a review for the Arya, but the good resolution in the bass department might mean that it only slams hard down there for certain frequencies. It also feels nonlinear. It’s soft for a while, then all of a sudden it just comes on as good or better than any dynamic driver I’ve heard except for the known bass canons. The driver response might be specific to certain frequencies, like it’ll slam at 40 Hz but not 60 or 80 (making those numbers up).

I’m a huge basshead, having owned SZ2000s, THX00s etc and boosting the crap out of those by more than 20 dB. The ananda definitely gets close to those for me. It’s a little softer, but still extremely visceral and intensely satisfying. Since the drivers are so big and I feel the bass in such a larger part of my head, it’s probably my favorite basshead can to date, while being better everywhere else as well. I had to sell my Elears because they couldn’t do bass. The anandas aren’t going anywhere!

Nice, They do nuanced sub bass really well. In the bass department I enjoyed the Ananda more than the HE6. He6 slams but the Ananda feels more. It's very similar to the Susvara, both have the sensation more than the slam.

 

[227qed]

Nice, They do nuanced sub bass really well. In the bass department I enjoyed the Ananda more than the HE6. He6 slams but the Ananda feels more. It's very similar to the Susvara, both have the sensation more than the slam.

For sure. All I know the is that I’m not disappointed in the bass whatsoever. I’m pretty stoked that the drivers take EQ so well. Takes a lot more boost to reach the levels that my emu teak does, but the fact that it can even get there at all is incredible. Future bassheads reading this need not worry about the ananda not delivering bass, so long as they have EQ and power. The biocellulose dynamics take the win, but that’s only in the unsustainable levels of volume.

really looking forward to trying an lcd-4 someday. I imagine that’s the king of kings with EQd bass.

 

[fsi22]

For sure. All I know the is that I’m not disappointed in the bass whatsoever. I’m pretty stoked that the drivers take EQ so well. Takes a lot more boost to reach the levels that my emu teak does, but the fact that it can even get there at all is incredible. Future bassheads reading this need not worry about the ananda not delivering bass, so long as they have EQ and power. The biocellulose dynamics take the win, but that’s only in the unsustainable levels of volume.

really looking forward to trying an lcd-4 someday. I imagine that’s the king of kings with EQd bass.

Can't comment on the LCD 4 as I haven't heard it, but the Fostex TH900 mkII is the best bass can I've heard, in terms of slam. That thing is off the charts.

 

[SilverEars]

Perl

 

[bithloman]

Audio science measurements and review. not great however other websites have measured it better could be unit variation. MEASUREMENTS ARENT EVERYTHING but they are a tool especially high quality ones such as this no matter how you feel of amir.


https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/hifiman-ananda-review-headphone.22281/

here is the he6 for comparison .
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/hifiman-he-6-review-headphone.21673/

 

[descloud]

Audio science measurements and review. not great however other websites have measured it better could be unit variation. MEASUREMENTS ARENT EVERYTHING but they are a tool especially high quality ones such as this no matter how you feel of amir.


https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/hifiman-ananda-review-headphone.22281/

here is the he6 for comparison .
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/hifiman-he-6-review-headphone.21673/

I kind of doubt it's unit variation, but more of headphone placement. His measurements seem to be the furthest from the likes of AutoEQ, Resolve and Crinacle. I'm also having a hard time gauging his subjective impression consistency with all the reviews he's put out.

 

[bithloman]

I kind of doubt it's unit variation, but more of headphone placement. His measurements seem to be the furthest from the likes of AutoEQ, Resolve and Crinacle. I'm also having a hard time gauging his subjective impression consistency with all the reviews he's put out.

Very true It seems as though the controversies have lightened his mood in his subjective reviews he used to be very opinionated especially towards US products or any high-end brand and super close and cuddly with the Chinese. I do feel all the complaining even though they ban it on his website has changed his mind a bit where he now talks about soundstage and imaging outside the head and things like that more than just it sounds clean or whatever he used to say. The fitment issue is something he continually has although in this he did say he tried pressing down while measuring and when I had the ananda my main reason for selling was the fitment issues it's just way too long so it is fair criticism but I understand it could be affecting the measurements if he didn't get a good seal but it appears he mostly did. He has the best measuring equipment or maybe the second best in the world so it is good to have the data.

 

[sennfan83261]

Audio science measurements and review. not great however other websites have measured it better could be unit variation. MEASUREMENTS ARENT EVERYTHING but they are a tool especially high quality ones such as this no matter how you feel of amir.


https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/hifiman-ananda-review-headphone.22281/

Not too much value in broken-seal measurements.

 

[bithloman]

Not too much value in broken-seal measurements.

Normally I would agree except I have a large head and could never get a good seal with my ear in the center of the driver without it hanging off the bottom of my jaw. That is to say at least 50% of people will not get a perfect seal probably much higher percentage. Also the group delay is very bad and definitely audible. Also why bother getting high-end amplifiers when the headphone is over 5% distortion at 100 dB which is totally reachable on a loud song. There are definitely issues with the High frequencies. It was a headphone for me that required EQ to be totally listenable. My he6se I've never even thought about EQ because the highest don't have that peaky sound although I do think they are great headphones I was kind of shocked considering the HE6 measured world class and it is a decade old.

 

[sennfan83261]

Normally I would agree except I have a large head and could never get a good seal with my ear in the center of the driver without it hanging off the bottom of my jaw. That is to say at least 50% of people will not get a perfect seal probably much higher percentage. Also the group delay is very bad and definitely audible. Also why bother getting high-end amplifiers when the headphone is over 5% distortion at 100 dB which is totally reachable on a loud song. There are definitely issues with the High frequencies. It was a headphone for me that required EQ to be totally listenable. My he6se I've never even thought about EQ because the highest don't have that peaky sound although I do think they are great headphones I was kind of shocked considering the HE6 measured world class and it is a decade old.

Weird because I get a seal with the Ananda and the Arya and my head is regular-sized. Sure they reach my jaw, but I found the pads soft enough to contour to my jaw line in such a manner that the pads leave no gaps behind (at least none that I can feel). I wear my Arya just three clicks up from the smallest setting. Anyways, I am no fan of the Ananda for other reasons and I care not one whit if they are panned. Still, the flawed methodology of his Ananda measurements casts doubt of their veracity in my mind.