[BassicScience]

Well folks, after three years of the Susvara being my daily driver, there might be a new sheriff in town... the STAX SR-X9000!

I posted a comparative review of the SR-X9000 in my dedicated estat thread

 

[Spawn300Z]

Yeah Im gonna cancel the TT2 and buy a good amp for my RME DAC FS. Susvara confused me alot, I didn´t believe the amp hype. Now that I got a taste from RME DAC FS + DIABLO(amp mode)...there are other things I don´t like about the TT2.

I like the TT2 it’s very versitle.

My set for the Susvara is Chord TT2/M-Scaler with Wave Storm Reference BNC Cables connected to the Riviera AIC-10 with High Fidelity Reveal RCA Interconnects.

This setup sounds Magical with the Susvara.

 

[goldwerger]

Well folks, after three years of the Susvara being my daily driver, there might be a new sheriff in town... the STAX SR-X9000!

I posted a comparative review of the SR-X9000 in my dedicated estat thread

congrats on landing one, they are impossible to get these days..

 

[BassicScience]

congrats on landing one, they are impossible to get these days..

Must be my extensive industry connections...........

Big thanks to The Source AV in Torrance, CA for hooking me up. Great folks to deal with!

 

[UntilThen]

Well folks, after three years of the Susvara being my daily driver, there might be a new sheriff in town... the STAX SR-X9000!

I posted a comparative review of the SR-X9000 in my dedicated estat thread

Reading your review, it looks like you better keep 2 sheriffs in town.

 

[BassicScience]

Reading your review, it looks like you better keep 2 sheriffs in town.

Or at least a deputy for backup duty...

 

[Somatic]

@Sajid Amit

Curious what your top 5 amps are for the Susvara at the moment. You have listened and tested more amps than the average aficionado. Interested in your take. I know it’s ever changing in this hobby.

 

[Somatic]

I don't think anyone has tried to transform susvara into TC and TC into susvara. When TC uses the head beam of ordinary headphones, the sound will drop a lot. When susvara uses the head beam of TC, the quality analysis will be greatly improved

Not sure what I’m looking at but love the mods.

 

[UntilThen]

Or at least a deputy for backup duty...

I did listen to Yggdrasil > BHSE with SR-009S, SR-007 and Sennheiser HE60 many years ago. Unless SR-X9000 has improved a lot and if my memory serves me right, my money's still on Susvara.

 

[number1sixerfan]

I did listen to Yggdrasil > BHSE with SR-009S, SR-007 and Sennheiser HE60 many years ago. Unless SR-X9000 has improved a lot and if my memory serves me right, my money's still on Susvara.

Those were all my first stats. And it really does, even over my favorite the 009. The 009 and Susvara are a bit of a wash to me, take your pick. Both excellent, with a lot of things in common but different. x9000 is a bit up on both. But I think the Sus would be excellent alongside either way and get a lot of play time.

 

[Sajid Amit]

@Sajid Amit

Curious what your top 5 amps are for the Susvara at the moment. You have listened and tested more amps than the average aficionado. Interested in your take. I know it’s ever changing in this hobby.

Important disclaimer about the ever-changing bit. The other critical disclaimer would be what DAC is in the chain. I know most of us have just one DAC but the DAC amp synergy to me is critical in addition to the amp Susvara synergy.

Last but not least, depends on your sonic goals with the Susvara. Do we want to harden up on the sound or preserve or even enhance its relaxed nature?

So instead of ranking, below are impressive chains that come to my mind (probably the five most impressive chains with distinct representations of the Susvara sound):

dCS Rossini Apex > wa33 elite > Susvara (analog, natural, extremely well separated and layered images. The Rossini imaging and layering are spookily realistic)

Hegel H390 > mDave > Susvara (right balance of warmth from Hegel and clinical nature of mDave. Highly recommend this chain may be universally appealing. The H190 is great as well)

Accuphase e380 / 480 > mDave > Susvara (bigger stage, more dynamics, a sweeter midrange and treble from Accuphase)

Accuphase e800 > Holo May + HQP > Susvara (audiophile dream true; perfectly analog and neutral but ever so smooth; the e800 is their TOTL amp and is simply wonderful; the HQP is critical and the Sinc Mx filter as it hardens up the sound relative to May on NOS).

Gryphon Kalliope > Gryphon Diablo 300 > Susvara (fun and energetic but damn detailed).

There are probably plenty more lol.

I am told by people whose ears I trust that the Primavera is magical with the Susvara as is the new Feliks 300B.

Of course I am not suggesting one needs a $30,000 chain for the Susvara. Even a $3000 chain like an RME ADI 2 > Roksan K3 Int Amp > Susvara is pretty darn impressive.

 

[Clive101]

I need some help I currently use Nordost Heimdall 2 with my LDC4 and wanted to use the same for my Susvara.

Has any one any experience with the Nordost Heimdall 2 with the Susvara did you move on to a different cable and or any other cable recommendations greatly appreciated.

I getting on perfectly with the Susvara cannot believe how I can listen on low level and really enjoy the music.

 

[801evan]

Yeah Im gonna cancel the TT2 and buy a good amp for my RME DAC FS. Susvara confused me alot, I didn´t believe the amp hype. Now that I got a taste from RME DAC FS + DIABLO(amp mode)...there are other things I don´t like about the TT2.

Nothing to do with power quantity still. While you have the Elite powering the rme, you still need a line conditioner behind the Elite for those blacks and bass. This is why diablo is thicker. Diablo amplification is more advanced than RME too. So it's power quality again.

 

[UntilThen]

Of course I am not suggesting one needs a $30,000 chain for the Susvara. Even a $3000 chain like an RME ADI 2 > Roksan K3 Int Amp > Susvara is pretty darn impressive.

Of course not. Susvara is very happy with my $30,000 Sony receiver.

I'm more and more convince that Susvara is a speaker and not a headphone because it's downright happy driven by a stereo amp. For poops and giggles, I pull out my 'forgotten' vintage Sony and was very surprised how good Susvara sound from it. Headphone outs are as good as speaker out on these vintage amps because they are the same circuitry. There's soul moving bass and silk woven texture.

It takes time to gain brand recognition. Not meaning to bag Feliks Audio but when I started with them several years ago with the launch of the Elise and subsequently Euforia amps, they were not known. When I told others that they were good, they think I'm an audio salesman. Fast forward many years later, with many professional reviews later, these amps take off. Now Feliks Audio are quite well known and when they launch their new 300b amp Envy, the Head-Fi world took notice.

Now if I tell you that Susvara knock me out when driven by this Sony STR-7035, would you believe me?

 

[OCC7N]

Nothing to do with power quantity still. While you have the Elite powering the rme, you still need a line conditioner behind the Elite for those blacks and bass. This is why diablo is thicker. Diablo amplification is more advanced than RME too. So it's power quality again.

Line conditioner? Please explain