My question (mostly to myself, since I haven't met someone with the same approach yet) is still how the two would compare when both are perfectly equalized. In my now system with the new dimension offered by the Neutron Player my HE1000se sounds so close to perfection that this question is of very minor interest, though.
I think most of what makes the Susvara more endearing than the SE is that they have a warmer, many would say better tonal balance with slightly clearer resolution. Whereas the SE tends to be brighter, thinner, more analytical and maybe even less musical sounding.
My iphone drives the hekse well
They‘re both highly enjoyable. The Susvara’s just excel at everything while the HEKse’s are just a step behind. That’s right were they belong given that they use trickled down tech from the Susvara’s. The HEKse’s give you more than enough of the Susvara’s sound signature in a must easier to drive package. You can pick them up, plug them in and know you’re getting top flight sound. The Susvara’s on the other hand, you have to system match. They are a lot harder to drive and don’t sound good with certain amps. If they are not properly driven, they can sound thin and lifeless as well.
I keep going back and forth about selling my SE and getting the Susvara. The ease of drive thing keeps nagging me and not sure I am as into the Hifiman sound as much anymore. Then the TC or maybe even a used 1266 Phi calls my name too as a different flavor altogether. The Susvara would definitely be more comfortable though.They‘re both highly enjoyable. The Susvara’s just excel at everything while the HEKse’s are just a step behind. That’s right were they belong given that they use trickled down tech from the Susvara’s. The HEKse’s give you more than enough of the Susvara’s sound signature in a must easier to drive package. You can pick them up, plug them in and know you’re getting top flight sound. The Susvara’s on the other hand, you have to system match. They are a lot harder to drive and don’t sound good with certain amps. If they are not properly driven, they can sound thin and lifeless as well.
Since the HEKse’s are very resolving, they can sound analytical when paired with bright sources and neutral amps. I didn’t like them as much when paired with my Hugo 2. That was to much of a good thing and wasn’t very musical sounding to my ears. They definitely sound better when paired with warmer sounding gear. But make no mistake about it, the Susvara’s ARE that last 10% if you‘re seeking one of the two best headphones available. The other is the Abyss Phi TC’s. They are 1 and 1A. Which one is better? Well that depends on the mood you’re in
The only problem with this argument, in my humble opinion, is the analogy itself, as useful as it might be in some contexts. Personally, I love both highly resolving HP and speaker systems, but I do not think either one of them can ever satisfactorily replace the other, which means that, in the end, they are different "animals" altogether, so to speak. I have actually stopped trying to compare them (to the extent that I can avoid comparing them) because I like to regard hearing music from speakers, as an entirely different experience from the way I hear it from headphones, because to me, they are always entirely different.
I had the Abyss Phi’s and preferred the Susvara’s by quite a bit. At the time, I had the Pro iCan, which drove both very, very well. When I added xbass to the Susvara’s the bass not only matched the Phi’s but was more detailed and nuanced. Then there was comfort, which was no contest. The Susvara’s won that battle hands down. What really got me to choose the Susvara’s over the Phi’s was the midrange. The Susvara’s Midrange made the Phi’s midrange sound recessed and the headphone as a whole sound V-Shaped. So I sold the Phi’s.
Yep, agreed!
Some great points there. And I agree with you. I am trying to zero in on the sonics, quality level and detail, not so much the personal experience between the two mediums.The only problem with this argument, in my humble opinion, is the analogy itself, as useful as it might be in some contexts. Personally, I love both highly resolving HP and speaker systems, but I do not think either one of them can ever satisfactorily replace the other, which means that, in the end, they are different "animals" altogether, so to speak. I have actually stopped trying to compare them (to the extent that I can avoid comparing them) because I like to regard hearing music from speakers, as an entirely different experience from the way I hear it from headphones, because to me, they are always entirely different.
The fact that headphone listening is so intimate, and excludes any acoustic involvement of the room in which the listening takes place, are the first two major differences that separate the experience, in my view, from speaker listening, which is always colored by variable conditions of room acoustics, and also, by the listening pleasure or displeasure of other people (I mean actually or potentially present other.listening parties).
This might not mean much to others, but when I am listening to a piece of music on speakers, and someone else is present in the room (or if I suspect other people might be hearing the music from nearby locations), I cannot help wondering whether the other parties are enjoying the music as much as I am, or whether they're hating it and feeling disturbed/annoyed by it.
Another way or putting this is to attend a live concert of one's favorite band or group with a live audience, and then compare that collective experience to listening to an excellent recording of the same live performance alone, in isolation, and on headphones. Assuming, for the sake of argument, that the recording will produce an exact replica of the music one heard at the concert with the live audience, I can almost guarantee 100%, that the headphone experience will be profoundly different, on the levels of both the sonic and emotional resonances that the same music might yield.
Ergo, headphone listening is always profoundly different from speaker listening : if the comparison of the two mediums is interesting (and I agree that it is interesting), it is precisely because of the difference, not in spite of it. Besides, I personally know of a few speaker-listening audiophiles who cannot stand headphones at all. However, I have never encountered the reverse group, namely, exclusive headphone listening audiophiles who cannot stand listening on speakers, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if such audiophiles exist as well.
Okay, I shall stop the rambling here. I am beginning to feel as if I have too much disposable time on my hands, which I really don't
