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HiFiMan Susvara
Nov 15, 2019 at 4:54 PM Post #3,077 of 25,550
To everyone had/has/listened to LCD-4(z)s, I am looking for another pair of stupendously good headphones, something that can match or best the LCD-4s.

I see @jlbrach has his LCD-4s for sale, and I was wondering if you could do any direct comparisons of these two TOTL cans, do you have a pair of Susvaras? Is that why you are selling?

Also @MacedonianHero, what gear would you recommend for the Susvara? I rarely have I heard of headphones to best the HD800S in its soundstage, also I would love to know your opinions on it against the LCD-4z.

Also, @dstubked I noticed that the Susvara bests the LCD-4z, and it is your endgame. Could you elaborate why?

I have had the privilege of listening to the LCD-4 on the Violectric V281, and using the RME ADI-2 DAC, but I have since sold that and gone to the THX AAA 789. Would this be adequate for the Susvara? Would it bring out the top tier soundstage to best the HD800S? Is there any reason to own the HD800S if I were to own a pair of Susvaras?

I should elaborate that the reason I sold my LCD-4s was because I think I got really well acquainted with the MDR-Z1Rs, and the way that they color the music. I want that planar sound back (again), but if there is something somehow even better than the LCD-4s, I would love to experience them. The technical ability and slam that the LCD-4s had was a bit too much to have all of the time, as I did not have any complimentary headphones to pair with them, also the weight was just a bit much, but I think that could be alleviated with the LCD-4z, or not having them as my only headphones. The only hifi store I know of that could have the Susvaras would be AudioVision SF, which according to their website, they do not have the Susvara, so I can't audition them, unfortunately.

Also how is the reliability? I don't know that much about Hifiman's customer service, but I have heard nothing but raving reviews on Audeze, even though they are somewhat known for a lot of driver failures.

Thank you.
 
Nov 16, 2019 at 4:03 AM Post #3,079 of 25,550
@Softable I’m not a reviewer so I can’t articulate what I feel with “audiophile” terms. What I can say is that I had the 4z and Susvara together at the same time and I listened to them extensively side by side before deciding the Sus has the sound for me.

My listening preferences are to have good soundstage, clarity and a sense of space. Susvara checked all these boxes. After listening to the Susvara and then immediately switching to the 4z, I thought the 4z sound muddier and much darker compared to the Susvara. Stage is smaller as well. It wasn’t one off and I felt the same after a few listening session. 4z has a harder bass impact than the Susvara but the Susvara is no slough. Just sound right. Piano keys are reproduced in a life like form I never thought possible from headphones. So what happened? I sold my 4z 2 days back and decided to optimize my system for the Susvara.

What I can add about the Susvara is that it is a brute to drive. I’m driving them out of a liquid gold and i have to dial it to 3pm. I suspect thats due to my dac’s output voltage at 2.3vrms (ps audio dsd). With the Hugo2 its less of a problem putting out 4vrms and I can settle in at 1pm on the liquid gold. Liquid gold puts out 9w at 50ohms so its no slough..i think i have to listen to the wise folks here and start opening it up with a speaker amp.

Recommendations anyone?
 
Nov 17, 2019 at 3:04 AM Post #3,081 of 25,550
Nov 17, 2019 at 8:34 PM Post #3,083 of 25,550
So, I was listening to my Susvaras on my WA33 really loud for the first time. Oh my, the Susvaras are a completely different headphone loud. The bass is fuller, everything has more weight, etc. Is this why people run the Susvaras off speaker amps? :thinking:
 
Nov 17, 2019 at 8:59 PM Post #3,084 of 25,550
susvara do love volume and I find the soundstage gets a bit broader when I give them more volume.....their ethereal nature lends them to improving with volume IMHO...that said there is no need for a speaker amp
 
Nov 17, 2019 at 9:20 PM Post #3,086 of 25,550
Hifiearspeakers said:
What would you all say is the minimum amount of watts to drive these? Not necessarily optimally, but to at least achieve decent volume?
Click to expand...
At mid volume on my WA33, the sound is loud (not really, really loud, but loud). So, if watts work as I think they do (though I am admittedly no Electrical Engineer), I say 5 watts. The WA33 pushes 10w, and I'm at 50% volume, that's 5 watts? Maybe? :spy:
 
Nov 17, 2019 at 10:08 PM Post #3,088 of 25,550
my formula s/powerman combo drives them without any issue.....great combo and they have 6 watts
 
Nov 17, 2019 at 10:38 PM Post #3,089 of 25,550
Some day, someone will have to explain to me how this "watts" logic works, especially why the same amount of watts from different amps can produce such diverse results in the way they power headphones...For example, I have a couple of 50 watts per channel speaker amps from a company I shall not name, which have more than enough power to drive the Susvaras, but they're just $250 watt amps, and I am sure if I were to name them here as contenders for the Susvara, they're going to be booed of this set as inadequate or "not optimal" (which is why I am not naming the company). I sort of know, because I was using one back in the day for my He-6, and not many people thought too highly of it on the He-6 threads, although it used to drive them satisfactorily, to my ears. Come to think of if, my Violectric v281 too used to drive the He-6 quite satisfactorily, but not many people thought that the v281 was "optimal" for the He-6 either. I ended up selling the He-6, because I got tired of hearing "not optimal," which I never hear with the amps that drive any of the cans that I now have...

I am very curious about the Susvara, but I do not want to resurrect the obsession with "optimal" amps again...
 
Nov 17, 2019 at 11:34 PM Post #3,090 of 25,550
I had the 281 as well and they drive the susvara just fine....there is no HP that the 281 will not drive in the balanced mode....different amps do pair better or worse with different HP's but this whole speaker amp thing is ridiculous....not that you cant or shouldnt drive your HP's with speaker amps...if that is your preference have at it and enjoy but stop scaring people away from enjoying the susvara because they dont have or dont want to go to the trouble of a speaker amp
 
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