[Bonesy Jonesy]

yes



and yes,

BUT……



And let’s not forget….



and before i go let me just add:



Alrighty then…….


now time for a dance

Lol

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

If you don't own a Susvara yet but want to buy one together with a very good amp (which would not spoil the party for the Susvara), you could first try to evaluate which option might be preferable for you:
1) go with a Stax setup: Stax SR-X9000, Headamp BHSE. Total amount (rough estimate) ca. 13500
2) go with Susvara: Susvara, power amp (e.g. Pass XA25). Total amount (rough estimate) ca. 12500

IMO: option 1 and 2 are soundwise close together. Depending on music or mood, I prefer either 1 or 2
option 2 needs either a separate preamp or a DAC with built in preamp.
What I surely would not do: spending more than ca 12000 on a Susvara setup without having heard an excellent Stax setup, first.

I had the BHSE with the Stax 009's some years back. This rig doesn't even come close to the EF1000 & Susvara !

 

[normie610]

Then when they want to upgrade to a TOTL headphone i.e. a Susvara, they should also upgrade their source and Amp first

Then you should upgrade your digital source to Wadax Atlantis Reference DAC + Server combo. They only cost a mere $221k

 

[iFi audio]

2) go with Susvara: Susvara, power amp (e.g. Pass XA25). Total amount (rough estimate) ca. 12500

I like the idea of going this route, Pass XA25 is a great "little" amp

 

[goldwerger]

Chiming in (oh boy)

Strictly based on personal experience, one of the simplest setups with fantastic performance and fantastic value is the Susvara + CFA3.

A CFA3 is custom built, so you can commission it upgraded to your heart’s content. No shortcuts needed in any part (wiring, capacitors, transistors, volume, etc) as it is made for you, while commercial builds will make the choices for you by their need to standardize, and also must markup a couple of times for the necessary distribution margins (and all my other amps are commercial models, so those can be awesome too)

One could get a Susvara from a dealer at 5-6, less for open box perhaps, and mint condition from prior owner 3.5-4

CFA3, assuming bells and whistles from a top builder (required) let’s l say 3 (equivalent in my experience to few commercial SS products at the 7-15 range)

So one could get on this headphone+amp setup easily at around 7k all in. Making this a phenomenal option

It’s one of my favorite amps!

 

[normie610]

It’s one of my favorite amps!

Yep, it’s fantastic and my one and only amp! it’s way ahead than my previous Bakoon 13R (Enleum 23R’s predecessor) in driving Susvara.

 

[hifixman]

Sadly I just can’t go back to listen to integrated amps anymore…

Simple logic: If a 18k system will scare newcomers away, how about a 18K can that some other has been boasting?

Besides I’m a bit confused the pre determined term technicalities, it is taken for granted that some aspects as mid bass or low extension don’t matter, brutally and manually excluded from the technical aspects. As long as it is analytical, bright and treble focused then it is technical?

Well, they are technically limited, handicapped, flawed and skewed.

How can a can unable to cover full frequency band and major genres be counted as technical?

 

[normie610]

a 18k integrated headphone amp with the highest reviews at forum.

It’s great if you can reveal what this mystery 18k integrated headphone amp is

 

[paradoxper]

Yep, it’s fantastic and my one and only amp! it’s way ahead than my previous Bakoon 13R (Enleum 23R’s predecessor) in driving Susvara.

Even better powered by 300B!

 

[devilboy]

Yep, it’s fantastic and my one and only amp! it’s way ahead than my previous Bakoon 13R (Enleum 23R’s predecessor) in driving Susvara.

Wow. That's saying something.
I couldn't decide between the Bakoon and a Benchmark AHB2. Ultimately, I went with the Benchmark. Still waiting for delivery of the Susvara.

 

[normie610]

Even better powered by 300B!

Oh yes, especially the Elrogs!

 

[normie610]

Wow. That's saying something.
I couldn't decide between the Bakoon and a Benchmark AHB2. Ultimately, I went with the Benchmark. Still waiting for delivery of the Susvara.

Are you running the AHB2 as monoblocks for Susvara?

CFA3 is pretty special and it’s even more potent when paired with a 300B preamp (though it’s not really a must as CFA3 is already superb sounding on its own). My 300B pre + all the tubes + CFA3 costs nearly $20k (I’m sure @paradoxper spent a lot more with his crazy tubes! ) BUT you don’t have to spend that kind of money to enjoy Susvara. Hopefully Eksonic’s plan to bring CFA3 as a commercially available product will come into fruition this year.

 

[paradoxper]

Are you running the AHB2 as monoblocks for Susvara?

CFA3 is pretty special and it’s even more potent when paired with a 300B preamp (though it’s not really a must as CFA3 is already superb sounding on its own). My 300B pre + all the tubes + CFA3 costs nearly $20k (I’m sure @paradoxper spent a lot more with his crazy tubes! ) BUT you don’t have to spend that kind of money to enjoy Susvara. Hopefully Eksonic’s plan to bring CFA3 as a commercially available product will come into fruition this year.

It is pretty special and coupled to really great 300B, it competes with any of the bigger tube amps.

 

[IanB52]

Isoaccoustic is an entry level isolation brand that is most budget friendly. I tried their lineup in the beginning of my audiophile journey yet as my friend, who used to run a high end audio club said, it doesn’t have the best isolation technology. In my experience, some of their products could have some positive results for loudspeakers. I don’t think their products would be the most ideal for headphone systems at least the ones I built. Many isolation brands work better in the right loudspeaker systems, a few top notch brands like HRS excell in both headphone and loudspeakers systems.

Tube based components are among the components that would benefit most from good isolation. HRS works real magic with tubes. Different HRS isolation product also sounds a bit different and their new lineup also sounds more neutral than their previous lineup to my ears. I normally end up finding a few isolation solutions for a system I’m working on. While I departed with HRS with more suitable solutions to my systems, I still miss things they do well, especially with some components I no longer keep.

Different components and systems need different isolation solutions and combinations. Wood, bamboo, marbles have very dramatically different sonic effects on isolation, the only way to find out is through abundant trials and errors in your own experimentation or to save money and time to hire someone with real experience to help you build one system.

Even the placement of the layer In a rack matters a lot, different layers will have very different sound. The difference can be huge on high end components from power supply. Master clock, source components, amps and etc. For examples, there is one empty layer in my Adona Reference Rack due to the lack of suitable components to be placed there sonically speaking.

In terms of the feet, it shall not be treated as an isolated link but should work in coordination with other isolation and non isolation links collectively to achieve the ideal results. Plus many high end components have decent enough feet specially designed for that particular unit, therefore there seem to be no legitimate sonic reasons to add third party feet especially ones that are actually inferior and do more harm than good.

PS. In retrospection, I haven’t bought one thing just to look good throughout my audiophile experience. For me, every single part must be based on sound with solid reasons strong enough surviving various comparisons, battles and tests over years. If the value of one product is only looking good, that is sheer snake oil, period. Plus there are not that much ugly looking high end components most being designed by reputable designers and names allocating huge chunk of budget and masterpiece craftsmanship in the most important isolation: chassis.

I wouldn't give Isoacoustics short shrift. Granted, I use a Quadraspire rack, but I put those footers under all my components and haven't encountered an instance where the stock footers sounded better. Maybe someday I'll try Stillpoints and we be wowed, but so far Isoacoustics sound good enough and I'm not really inclined to spend even more money.

 

[goldwerger]

Hopefully Eksonic’s plan to bring CFA3 as a commercially available product will come into fruition this year

really? wow. I'll have to ask Kerry at CanJam in couple of weeks..