[paradoxper]

It would be important to understand the CFA hybrid is very solid state in sound.

 

[normie610]

CFA3 with tube pre is as magical as the Trafomatic Primavera. Lots of great choices that match really well. Try them all.

Come to think of it, the Manley + tubes + CFA3 combo costs roughly the same as the Primavera which brings your Freya+, MELZ tubes & CFA3 combo an amazing value for money setup!

 

[Trance_Gott]

I do own both, since the introduction of the AIC-10 the US4+ is gathering dust.

Not saying that the US4 is not a very nice amp, not at all.

But the two clearly play in a different league.

It's a hybrid it sounds not dead neutral like a US4. And I like dead dead dead neutral.

 

[vonBaron]

I do own both, since the introduction of the AIC-10 the US4+ is gathering dust.

Not saying that the US4 is not a very nice amp, not at all.

But the two clearly play in a different league.

5$k vs 15$k lol ok!

 

[DesignTaylor]

Add me to the official Susvara fanboy club!

I’ve been enjoying the Susvara since last July and also working my way through the past 500 pages or so of this thread. There is a lot of great content in here and really very little more to say about this awesome HP, but in the spirit of sharing here are a few things I’ve tried and learned along the way.

So why do I personally prefer the Susvara over every other headphone I’ve owned or listened to extensively (1266, LCD-5, Utopia, Empyrean, 009, 009s, 007, CRBN, VOCE, RAAL, Rognir, HE1K, HD800S, etc.)? For me it’s just the most balanced in all categories. It checks all the technical boxes: every part of the tonal range sounds fantastic, detail retrieval is outstanding, imaging is ridiculous, etc. At the same time it is so natural and enjoyable to listen to. Nothing is over emphasized. It has nothing to prove. It is transparent, fluid, and… dare I say it, musical! Negatives would be the price and power requirements.

It’s been said before, but amp pairing is critical to realizing the Susvara’s true potential. This headphone just keeps scaling as I improve the chain in front of it.

Amps I’ve tried:

• AudioGD NFB-1AMP - Has the power to drive the Sus but sounds fragile to my ears.
• Schiit Mjoliner v1 - The copy I had was recapped with some nice stuff so take this with a grain of salt. Power is there at the top end of the volume knob. Thick and smooth, maybe too much so.
• Hagerman Tuba - You can listen to the Susvara on it and it sounds fine, but just fine. It doesn’t show what the Sus is capable of.
• Decware Taboo MKIII - Sounds very nice, love that amp. But in some cases lacks the headroom to get the most out of the Sus. Depending on your preferred volume this might work for you all the time. I’ve heard the Sus sound better on other amps but the Taboo has a nice price/performance ratio (in a world of stupid expensive audio gear).
• DNA Stratus - I love the 2a3 sound but it was a little underpowered for the Sus. The Stratus is a fantastically warm and clear amp, a true love letter to the 2a3. Again, depending on your listening levels this might get you where you need to go. The 2a3 doesn’t necessarily help to open up the Sus but does add great body and fluidity.
• Eddie Current Aficionado - Also 2a3 based, also (to my ear) not powerful enough for the Sus. A bit leaner and tighter than the Stratus. Very good but less to my taste than the Stratus.
• ampsandsound Bigger Ben - So much power! Lots of headroom. Very clean and controlled sound with a touch of tube magic but not as euphoric and rich as I like. Did a good amount of tube rolling but never found the lushness I was after.
• Enleum AMP-23R - Awesome pairing with the Susvara if you like weighty tonality and fluidity. I almost characterize the sound signature as closer to a great tube amp than solid state. Fullest bass I’ve heard on the Sus. The form factor and build are also fantastic. Plenty of power in reserve. A bit more intimate.
• ampsandsound Agratha - So far the best pairing I’ve heard. 300B magic! Very authoritative but not aggressive. Makes every part of the tonal range sound great. Texture and detail galore, most micro detail I’ve heard from the Sus. Opens them up nicely and adds a welcome bit of separation. The stock JJ tubes do not do this amp justice.
• Speaker amps - I’ve played with this some but not extensively. Probably the best I’ve heard was a pair of monoblock Schiit Aegirs. I’ve also tested a single Aegir, a Decware Torii, and a First Watt SIT3. Solid state power with a tube pre made for a nice balance but when compared with high end dedicated headphone amps it was clear that the speaker amps I tried did not have the same level of clarity.

So if you don’t have amps to compare between, how might you get a sense of whether you’re hearing the actual potential of the Susvara? Well the first question is do you like what you hear? If yes then maybe call it good and put on another album

If you think the Susvara sounds soft, lacking energy, or too laid back. If it sounds a little flat, congested, or two dimensional. If the bass is underwhelming, not full or detailed. If sparkly details are not jumping out to delight you. Or if it is just a bit soulless, these may be indicators that you haven’t found the right pairing yet.

Cables:
The last mile on the Susvara really does matter (if you’re pushing to get the most out of your Sus). We all know that the stock cable is not great, but I was shocked at how much the right cable can increase resolution and impact. I’d tried a couple pretty nice cables and was happy with them. A friend loaned me their Prion4 cable. I naturally wanted to hate it based on the price but the impact on the Susvaras was undeniable.

Since then I worked with Zynsonix Audio to create a cable with similar properties but with a less astronomical price tag. The cable sounds great and reaffirms how capable the Sus really is. I’ve not had a chance to A/B test it with the Prion4. I’m guessing we got close but probably didn’t make it all the way.

DACs:
Just as the Susvara has reaffirmed that I really lean more toward tube amps it also has confirmed my appreciation of R2R DACs. I’m addicted to the fluidity and extended decay you can get with a good R2R DAC.

That’s all I got. All very subjective as I only know what my ears, heart, and mind tell me. Your results may vary.

 

[paradoxper]

Come to think of it, the Manley + tubes + CFA3 combo costs roughly the same as the Primavera which brings your Freya+, MELZ tubes & CFA3 combo an amazing value for money setup!

There's no going back

 

[sahmen]

There's no going back

Are you suggesting that I should consider getting a Freya to go with my CFA3 if I want a tube pre? Here's a question, If I may:

Regarding the CFA3 driving your 1266 TC, what does the Freya bring to the table? Or how different does the 1266 TC sound with the CFA3, 1. with the Freya in the chain, and 2. without the f'reya?

I confess that I'm tempted to ask a similar question regarding a possible Susvara ==>> (Freya/no Freya) ==>> CFA3 match up, but something tells me I shouldn't knowing about your relative lack of interest in the Susvara.

 

[paradoxper]

Are you suggesting that I should consider getting a Freya to go with my CFA3 if I want a tube pre? Here's a question, If I may:

Regarding the CFA3 driving your 1266 TC, what does the Freya bring to the table? Or how different does the 1266 TC sound with the CFA3, 1. with the Freya in the chain, and 2. without the f'reya?

I confess that I'm tempted to ask a similar question regarding a possible Susvara ==>> (Freya/no Freya) ==>> CFA3 match up, but something tells me I shouldn't knowing about your relative lack of interest in the Susvara.

I would recommend a tube pre. It can be of balanced presentation with compounding factors to consider such as sound preference multiplicity of headphones.

My lack of like of Susvara is just a baseline preference, I'd go STAX instead for that more dynamic limp nature. I never doubt Susvara prowess.

With Freya -- caveat is nirvana wasn't reached until the MELZ other tubes were minor pivots; you can anticipate fuller bass and better attack/sustain in space which splits off textures in a bigger, more real way, the more 'there' presence. Without: CFA3 hits cleaner with more delineation and control, spaces are more enclosed and skew dry.
However, the best parallel would be that of the KGSSHV being warm, and warmer than the KGST which provided some sweetness -- yet neither amp has an inherent warmth. You may also bridge 13R/23R warmth without the context of depth of sound completeness comparative.

This also relates to the CFA hybrid which is simply a more neutral derivative without enough colorway to meaningfully impact, saturate and complement.
Ask @Bhk1004 his thoughts to supplement / differentiate.

It would be prudent to illuminate a preference of Primavera/TC CFA/Valkyria and the Freya filling a middle gap.

My best advice is work to the strengths. The CFA3 is so wonderfully neutral, transparent and powerful it's a perfect tool to exploit the best of tube complement.

 

[Ross Kyle]

Add me to the official Susvara fanboy club!

I’ve been enjoying the Susvara since last July and also working my way through the past 500 pages or so of this thread. There is a lot of great content in here and really very little more to say about this awesome HP, but in the spirit of sharing here are a few things I’ve tried and learned along the way.

So why do I personally prefer the Susvara over every other headphone I’ve owned or listened to extensively (1266, LCD-5, Utopia, Empyrean, 009, 009s, 007, CRBN, VOCE, RAAL, Rognir, HE1K, HD800S, etc.)? For me it’s just the most balanced in all categories. It checks all the technical boxes: every part of the tonal range sounds fantastic, detail retrieval is outstanding, imaging is ridiculous, etc. At the same time it is so natural and enjoyable to listen to. Nothing is over emphasized. It has nothing to prove. It is transparent, fluid, and… dare I say it, musical! Negatives would be the price and power requirements.

It’s been said before, but amp pairing is critical to realizing the Susvara’s true potential. This headphone just keeps scaling as I improve the chain in front of it.

Amps I’ve tried:

• AudioGD NFB-1AMP - Has the power to drive the Sus but sounds fragile to my ears.
• Schiit Mjoliner v1 - The copy I had was recapped with some nice stuff so take this with a grain of salt. Power is there at the top end of the volume knob. Thick and smooth, maybe too much so.
• Hagerman Tuba - You can listen to the Susvara on it and it sounds fine, but just fine. It doesn’t show what the Sus is capable of.
• Decware Taboo MKIII - Sounds very nice, love that amp. But in some cases lacks the headroom to get the most out of the Sus. Depending on your preferred volume this might work for you all the time. I’ve heard the Sus sound better on other amps but the Taboo has a nice price/performance ratio (in a world of stupid expensive audio gear).
• DNA Stratus - I love the 2a3 sound but it was a little underpowered for the Sus. The Stratus is a fantastically warm and clear amp, a true love letter to the 2a3. Again, depending on your listening levels this might get you where you need to go. The 2a3 doesn’t necessarily help to open up the Sus but does add great body and fluidity.
• Eddie Current Aficionado - Also 2a3 based, also (to my ear) not powerful enough for the Sus. A bit leaner and tighter than the Stratus. Very good but less to my taste than the Stratus.
• ampsandsound Bigger Ben - So much power! Lots of headroom. Very clean and controlled sound with a touch of tube magic but not as euphoric and rich as I like. Did a good amount of tube rolling but never found the lushness I was after.
• Enleum AMP-23R - Awesome pairing with the Susvara if you like weighty tonality and fluidity. I almost characterize the sound signature as closer to a great tube amp than solid state. Fullest bass I’ve heard on the Sus. The form factor and build are also fantastic. Plenty of power in reserve. A bit more intimate.
• ampsandsound Agratha - So far the best pairing I’ve heard. 300B magic! Very authoritative but not aggressive. Makes every part of the tonal range sound great. Texture and detail galore, most micro detail I’ve heard from the Sus. Opens them up nicely and adds a welcome bit of separation. The stock JJ tubes do not do this amp justice.
• Speaker amps - I’ve played with this some but not extensively. Probably the best I’ve heard was a pair of monoblock Schiit Aegirs. I’ve also tested a single Aegir, a Decware Torii, and a First Watt SIT3. Solid state power with a tube pre made for a nice balance but when compared with high end dedicated headphone amps it was clear that the speaker amps I tried did not have the same level of clarity.

So if you don’t have amps to compare between, how might you get a sense of whether you’re hearing the actual potential of the Susvara? Well the first question is do you like what you hear? If yes then maybe call it good and put on another album

If you think the Susvara sounds soft, lacking energy, or too laid back. If it sounds a little flat, congested, or two dimensional. If the bass is underwhelming, not full or detailed. If sparkly details are not jumping out to delight you. Or if it is just a bit soulless, these may be indicators that you haven’t found the right pairing yet.

Cables:
The last mile on the Susvara really does matter (if you’re pushing to get the most out of your Sus). We all know that the stock cable is not great, but I was shocked at how much the right cable can increase resolution and impact. I’d tried a couple pretty nice cables and was happy with them. A friend loaned me their Prion4 cable. I naturally wanted to hate it based on the price but the impact on the Susvaras was undeniable.

Since then I worked with Zynsonix Audio to create a cable with similar properties but with a less astronomical price tag. The cable sounds great and reaffirms how capable the Sus really is. I’ve not had a chance to A/B test it with the Prion4. I’m guessing we got close but probably didn’t make it all the way.

DACs:
Just as the Susvara has reaffirmed that I really lean more toward tube amps it also has confirmed my appreciation of R2R DACs. I’m addicted to the fluidity and extended decay you can get with a good R2R DAC.

That’s all I got. All very subjective as I only know what my ears, heart, and mind tell me. Your results may vary.

the actual cable underneath is a decent cable on susvara just that coating making it horrendous and microphonic as crap and nevermind feeling like medical tubing hahaha

 

[dcguy73]

After ~50 hours of burn-in and rather mixed feelings towards the Susvara, this afternoon I cued up Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (24/96) on my system and put the headphones on. When “Strawberry Fields Forever” came on, I was shocked at how 3-D/holographic it sounded.

Holy cow!

I get it now. Spacious and clear yet so very smooth. It’s an addicting sound, indeed. I’ve been listening for a few hours now and I really need to eat lunch, but I don’t want to stop.

Based on my new-found enthusiasm, I have plans for an upgrade to my amp, but won’t say anything on the which-amp-is-better question until I have all the items in house.

 

[Widell]

Any oldtimer who can guide on the main differences between OG HD800 and the Susvara? Love the soundstage and depth of the HD800….? Susvara or LCD-5 another hero?

 

[jlbrach]

more realistic 3 dimensional soundstage....more detail better bass

 

[Ciggavelli]

Any oldtimer who can guide on the main differences between OG HD800 and the Susvara? Love the soundstage and depth of the HD800….? Susvara or LCD-5 another hero?

I had the OG HD800, but now have the HD800S. The Susvaras are basically better at everything but soundstage. That is if they are properly driven (see this thread for myriad discussion on type of amp needed)

 

[jlbrach]

I like the susvara soundstage better than the 800..to me the 800 sounds artificial

 

[Ross Kyle]

I like the susvara soundstage better than the 800..to me the 800 sounds artificial

on some specific genres though 800 does shine like , as for susvara it just always shines haha , i much prefer the more vivid soundstage / more 3 dimensional so to speak plus acoustic tracks on susvara are just enough to make you want to cry sometimes well me anyway haha