[Polygonhell]

Headphones strong point is providing an immersive stereo experience, not recreating a narrow front triangle of 2 channel speakers. The stereo possibilities are wasted, and the true mix panning is altered when you try to do that. The silly reverse situation would be like putting your speakers at 180 degrees facing each ear to emulate headphones (probably some phase processing needed).

I think that's a valid point, which is why I didn't say one is better than the other.
Some of this is probably the material being listened to as well, electronic music isn't trying to recreate a real space for example.
And there are a lot of older recordings, that simply weren't mixed for headphones, and sound overly constrained (though it's less of an issue these days).
The DSD recording of Sunday at the Village Vangard - Bill Evans trio for example is an actually excellent recording, but the mix is so simple, it feels artificially boxed in on headphones without adding XFeed (which I do very rarely). It just doesn't come across that way on speakers, because you get natural XFeed.

In the end I listen to headphones probably 90+% of the time, the realities of having a Wife with different musical tastes, and limited living space requires that.
But I can certainly see growing up with Headphones changing preferences.

 

[jonchard]

I think that's a valid point, which is why I didn't say one is better than the other.
Some of this is probably the material being listened to as well, electronic music isn't trying to recreate a real space for example.
And there are a lot of older recordings, that simply weren't mixed for headphones, and sound overly constrained (though it's less of an issue these days).
The DSD recording of Sunday at the Village Vangard - Bill Evans trio for example is an actually excellent recording, but the mix is so simple, it feels artificially boxed in on headphones without adding XFeed (which I do very rarely). It just doesn't come across that way on speakers, because you get natural XFeed.

In the end I listen to headphones probably 90+% of the time, the realities of having a Wife with different musical tastes, and limited living space requires that.
But I can certainly see growing up with Headphones changing preferences.

I grew up with speakers and chased Hifi for my teen to adult life. One of the best systems i heard but did not own was some Audio Note AN-J silver rewired. Incredible and lifelike speakers. Some of focals utopias have impressed with soundstage presented top to bottom as well as left to right. But I gravited to headphones and was initially dissapointed... then valves happened and now i cant get enough. None of the speakers i have owned can replicate what i hear on susvaras, I guess i might be "different" as i cant stand crossfeed added to headphones. Makes it sound flat to me. Ive heard a few implementations and always switched it off. Even listening to some older 60s. the stereo to me is still lifelike and not forced as so much was. I guess i just gel with Susvara's/R2R/tubes more than anything else i have ever owned. I guess this is the whole point, our opinions are simply subjective.

 

[walterboss]

NIce re-review of Susvara from Convince Me Audio on YouTube. One of my favourite channels for headphones.

 

[Leto Dal]

Koji is one of the few youtube reviewers I still totally trust. Great reviews, beautiful metaphors to describe sound and very much down to earth with imho zero influencer marketing like we see with so many others.

 

[jonchard]

A brilliant review, Hail Susvara.

 

[Polygonhell]

I guess i just gel with Susvara's/R2R/tubes more than anything else i have ever owned. I guess this is the whole point, our opinions are simply subjective.

It is, and the why is as interesting as the fact it's the case.
We just value different things in reproduction, or perhaps more so the overall experience of listening.
And I think those aspects that we value are learned. I can still trace my preference back to the first really great system I listened to.
I value dynamics and natural timbre over a lot of other things, Deep bass reproduction and quantity is largely unimportant to me, but I got into hifi when there was no such thing as a Hifi subwoofer. If someone came into Hifi through modern car audio they are going to have very different take on how much Bass is the right amount.

I've been all in on tubes for decades, the importance of DAC's is a more recent admission, but those apply to headphones and speakers.

 

[Somatic]

NIce re-review of Susvara from Convince Me Audio on YouTube. One of my favourite channels for headphones.

You beat me to it. I wish he blows up. Puts a lot of effort in his reviews.

 

[up late]

NIce re-review of Susvara from Convince Me Audio on YouTube. One of my favourite channels for headphones.

this is the second 're-review' that he's done recently

 

[walterboss]

this is the second 're-review' that he's done recently

I'd say it's worthy of one. The first was 3 years ago, his first ever review and he used, frankly, rubbish amps.

New review reflects more current summit fi amp and dac combinations.

 

[walterboss]

You beat me to it. I wish he blows up. Puts a lot of effort in his reviews.

Miles ahead of other reviewers. And I don't always agree with him. But it's a fascinating peek into summit fi territory.

 

[jonchard]

It is, and the why is as interesting as the fact it's the case.
We just value different things in reproduction, or perhaps more so the overall experience of listening.
And I think those aspects that we value are learned. I can still trace my preference back to the first really great system I listened to.
I value dynamics and natural timbre over a lot of other things, Deep bass reproduction and quantity is largely unimportant to me, but I got into hifi when there was no such thing as a Hifi subwoofer. If someone came into Hifi through modern car audio they are going to have very different take on how much Bass is the right amount.

I've been all in on tubes for decades, the importance of DAC's is a more recent admission, but those apply to headphones and speakers.

I dabbled in car audio and cabin gain is an addiction lol! But, it was a thing of beauty to finally have a qualitative home subwoofer and understand each and every bass note from 12hz to 40hz. Anything else i didnt care about at the time lol! My boyhood hero sub was an REL STUDIO... incredible qualitative kit, made ceiling bow without real volume! I always had an appreciation for bass so its hard letting go with headphones, but then nothing is as fast as a good headphone, its a trade and one i accept and appreciate. Maybe i have grown up a little? (NAHHH!!!)

 

[marcus2704]

My refurb Susvara 2.5mm (under warranty still) has on and off sound when I touch the headphone jack. I think it’s loose or something.

Anyway I contacted HiFiman thinking I should just upgrade to 3.5mm and they wanted me to pay 1.5K USD…

Mirrors my experience over the last couple of days. I was curious as to what they would say if I requested the 2.5 sockets be replaced for 3.5 ones, nothing at all wrong with my Susvara but I much prefer 3.5 and it does give me a few options on used cables for sale here that are also 3.5. They said it would be $1500 to upgrade to a 3.5mm version.

 

[plumpudding2]

Koji is one of the few youtube reviewers I still totally trust. Great reviews, beautiful metaphors to describe sound and very much down to earth with imho zero influencer marketing like we see with so many others.

Only thing that irks me a little is that for a while he had the tendency to call every new amp or dac the new "reference sound" of the channel, the ultimate component, only to declare something new the king two weeks later.
When you want your viewers to trust your opinion it would IMO be better to (reasonably) have heard most things out there in the field before declaring something the best.

I bought my May and HM1 both blind based on Goldensound his stellar reviews and I would've been annoyed if he'd switched these components out of his own chain a month after such a glowing review.

 

[Leto Dal]

Only thing that irks me a little is that for a while he had the tendency to call every new amp or dac the new "reference sound" of the channel, the ultimate component, only to declare something new the king two weeks later.
When you want your viewers to trust your opinion it IMO be better to (reasonably) have heard most things out there in the field before declaring something the best.

I bought my May and HM1 both blind based on Goldensound his stellar reviews and I would've been annoyed if he'd switched these components out of his own chain a month after such a glowing review.

You have to listen closer to what he says, he reviews items from very different price catergories, when for example he talks about reference sound adressing something like Wandla delta sigma dac - its reference sound in category of 2-3k. Not something that can compare to May, yet alone Lapizator Baltic 4 or Wavedream Signature. Simply different price categories. Idk I think he was very on point in his amp reviews so far. While I dont share his preference for something like Rivera and lean much more towards huigher end 300b setups, I usually know where he is coming from with his conclusion. To much lesser extend with Golden, where I simply cant rely on his opinion knowing much of it is influencer marketing - see his his colabs with Holo and Ferrum.

 

[walterboss]

Only thing that irks me a little is that for a while he had the tendency to call every new amp or dac the new "reference sound" of the channel, the ultimate component, only to declare something new the king two weeks later.
When you want your viewers to trust your opinion it would IMO be better to (reasonably) have heard most things out there in the field before declaring something the best.

I bought my May and HM1 both blind based on Goldensound his stellar reviews and I would've been annoyed if he'd switched these components out of his own chain a month after such a glowing review.

When has he declared a new 'reference sound' two weeks (or a month) after a previous one? From what to what?