[sahmen]

In the midst of all these crazily inflated, and always escalating prices in the headphones market, what the hobby really needs is an online headphone and accessories rental market where one can rent not only mid-fi to all the latest TOTL phones one can think of, but also peripherals such as Amps, DACS, and even cables, as long as one can afford them... But of course, the point of such an online effort would be to make access to all headphones more accessible

Without such a rental system, I for one can never ever sample expensive cans, such as the Utopia, the Susvara, the Abyss, or the Stax 009, talk less of 50K units, such as the Shangri La and the Orpheus.... I do not get to attend meets and CanJams, but I also know that Listening conditions at meets are normally far from ideal, so one can listen to cans at a meet and still come our with false impressions. Even with the problem of listening conditions set aside, I wonder how many regular participants in such meets and Jams, ever get to hear all the headphone units they would like to hear, each paired with its optimal performing component chains... Well maybe, that could be possible for a few enthusiasts for whom money is no object, but I am willing to bet that not even 99% of the enthusiast crowd even come close to realizing such dreams... Now what if you could try *any* headphone + amp + DAC + cables combo in your own home for a few affordable $macker$, each week, or month, or six months, depending on your own preferences?

If I had the dough, my solution would be to set up exactly such an online rental system with the aim of making things a lot more affordable for enthusiasts... I am imagining that this could be a very useful contribution to the enthusiast world.... I do not have the dough yet, so this must remain a dream for now... I wonder what you guys think about such an idea...

In case you're thinking this is off-topic, it is my thoughts about the affordability of the SUSVARA and possible amp options that have given rise to such thoughts, although the Susvara is, of course, not alone in this class.

 

[Currawong]

In the midst of all these crazily inflated, and always escalating prices in the headphones market

Don't want to go off-topic, but this has been discussed to death and, with the exception of the Susvara and a couple of other pairs of headphoens, prices (versus sound quality) are NOT escalating at all, but going down. The increase in number of multi-thousand dollar flagships is not a reflection of the market as a whole.

 

[paradoxper]

Definitely an oxymoron.

 

[sahmen]

Don't want to go off-topic, but this has been discussed to death and, with the exception of the Susvara and a couple of other pairs of headphoens, prices (versus sound quality) are NOT escalating at all, but going down. The increase in number of multi-thousand dollar flagships is not a reflection of the market as a whole.

Well, I guess I am feeling this way now because it is the Susvaras the Staxes, the Abysses, the LCD-4s, and the Utopias etc. etc, that are piquing my interest at the moment, but they are all out of my reach, and I am pretty certain I am not the only one...

I find myself in this situation after saving my pennies, in the last 2-3f years to get an HD800, a Hifiman He-6, an He-1000, an Edition X, and an Audeze LCD-X, among others, not to mention a set of expensive DACS and Amps, in order to get a taste of the hi-end and TOTL... Well I still don't feel like I am there yet, hence my gripes about the Susvara and similarly priced cans... With the present state of my budget, giving up the chase seems like the only wise and sane option, although I still wish I could sample some of these more expensive cans... Hence the idea of HP rentals...

Back to the Susvara

 

[JimL11]

The Cable Company, which started with loaning out cables for home audition, has a fairly large list of headphons that they loan out also.

 

[ductrung3993]

Going through these entire 35 pages werent easy, with 90% being unrelated topics and people being salty. Crossing my finger that this won't happen as frequent later

 

[AnakChan]

Going through these entire 35 pages werent easy, with 90% being unrelated topics and people being salty. Crossing my finger that this won't happen as frequent later

More actual reviews required to gain the focus onto the sound of the headphone. Despite having these headphones in my possession in the past 10 days, I've not been able to do much as I've been busy with work and for the little time I've tried with it on my Zana Deux, sadly my ZD is outputting too much distortion when I pump up the volume. I do have the HE adapter of which is recommended for me to try the Susvara from my McIntosh MC275 amp however I'll have to reel the cables from the speakers to the HE-adapter to do so - that's another daunting (and dusty) task.

For the little I've tried at lower volumes pre-distortion, the Susvara has the potential to be a contender to my SR-009 in terms of finesse in it's microdetail presentation. I'm generally not a magnetic planar fan (the Audeze's, etc. never really did much for me...the closest was the T50RP Mk3 and Alpha Dogs but I didn't hang on to those long either). The Susvara is more akin to my style than the other magnetic planars I've had/demo-ed. I also compared it against my Utopia and they both just sound different. Rather interestingly to me at least, the dynamic driver-ish sound of the Utopia was more pronounced sounded when compared to the Susvara - I haven't really noticed that distinction in the past. The Susvara's finesse in presentation sounded more electrostat-ish to my ears.

I have to get off my butt to hook the Susvara to m MC275.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Abyss phi vs Susvara. This is gonna be interesting.

Two of my TOP headphones. They are the next level in hp listening.

 

[336881]

Two of the most over priced headphones ever built. An 007k1 and hd800 are next level in hp listening.

Fixed

 

[bigfatpaulie]

My wife looked at it and mentioned similar commenting the stitching of the headband doesn't look premium (she's in the cosmetic and fashion business).

Your wife is so correct it is not even funny. The stitching is like what you see on a fake handbag. Fang just doesn't get 'finish' in the same manner than Audio-GD doesn't get it.

It's a shame too, as the headphones deserve better.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Fixed

I have both in hand right now and would love to hear your experiences with them to back up your comment.

 

[Whitigir]

Your wife is so correct it is not even funny. The stitching is like what you see on a fake handbag. Fang just doesn't get 'finish' in the same manner than Audio-GD doesn't get it.

It's a shame too, as the headphones deserve better.

As long as it sound good you know ? Headphones with LV finishes quality doesn't mean anything if it sound bad, and if it finishes is like counterfeit LV but with heavenly sound, then it is all that matter. Can we just stop talking about price and build quality please ?

 

[bigfatpaulie]

As long as it sound good you know ? Headphones with LV finishes quality doesn't mean anything if it sound bad, and if it finishes is like counterfeit LV but with heavenly sound, then it is all that matter. Can we just stop talking about price and build quality please ?

Yes and no... But build quality matters. I'm sorry, but it just does. Especially at this price point. The Utopias - scratch that - the Elears are nicer as far as finish/quality goes for just a fraction of the price. We aren't talking Vuitton quality here - that's not what I am asking for. My point was that a $30 handbag has nicer leather work than a $5000+ headphone. Again, forget Louie, let's talk Jones New York. Let's see Hifiman get there first.

Sound is obviously king but if Fang is going into the 'luxury' market (can you even call it that?), in my opinion, he has step this up. It shows either his inexperience with legitimate luxury goods (or, more accurately, his lack of understanding and appreciation of them: call it 'new money syndrome') or his lack of care in his product and taking his customers for fools (call it, 'they are too stupid to know syndrome'). I just find it a little insulting as a potential customer - like I won't notice that he's trying to pull a fast one. If this was a high value/cost item, like Audio-GD is I would accept that, but it isn't. He took care to make a big heavy box and add a hardcover book. This is a clearly trying to be a splashy product.

I'm saying, at this price, there is no excuse not to have a well made product. It's a cost no object item, so why are there corners cut? Customers forking out money like this generally don't want to get a product that feels cheaply made.

The same applies to the poor design of the Shangri La. A cost no object price tag without the delivery of a cost no object product.

This may or may not bother you, but it will bother some. From a personal experience I hardly gave the HE1000's a listen because they feel and look like garbage. I picked them up and thought "Oh my, what a piece of junk". It permanently biased me against them. If I am paying a lot of money for a product, and putting it up against my skin for hours at a time it can't feel like crap. Not at this level, not in this market with the competition out there. The stitching is a small detail and I'm not even concerned about that, but I am concerned when every feel/look aspect of the product mirrors that lack of finesse and quality. Audeze suffers from the same fate, despite trying to use 'nice' materials. At least Fang isn't trying to put lipstick on a pig like Audeze.

Again, yes, sound is the most important thing. I just feel like he is 90% of the way there. It's just disappointing that he didn't go all the way. They do sound lovely, however.

 

[ToroFiestaSol]

Yes and no... But build quality matters. I'm sorry, but it just does. Especially at this price point. The Utopias - scratch that - the Elears are nicer as far as finish/quality goes for just a fraction of the price. We aren't talking Vuitton quality here - that's not what I am asking for. My point was that a $30 handbag has nicer leather work than a $5000+ headphone. Again, forget Louie, let's talk Jones New York. Let's see Hifiman get there first.

Sound is obviously king but if Fang is going into the 'luxury' market (can you even call it that?), in my opinion, he has step this up. It shows either his inexperience with legitimate luxury goods (or, more accurately, his lack of understanding and appreciation of them: call it 'new money syndrome') or his lack of care in his product and taking his customers for fools (call it, 'they are too stupid to know syndrome'). I just find it a little insulting as a potential customer - like I won't notice that he's trying to pull a fast one. If this was a high value/cost item, like Audio-GD is I would accept that, but it isn't. He took care to make a big heavy box and add a hardcover book. This is a clearly trying to be a splashy product.

I'm saying, at this price, there is no excuse not to have a well made product. It's a cost no object item, so why are there corners cut? Customers forking out money like this generally don't want to get a product that feels cheaply made.

The same applies to the poor design of the Shangri La. A cost no object price tag without the delivery of a cost no object product.

This may or may not bother you, but it will bother some. From a personal experience I hardly gave the HE1000's a listen because they feel and look like garbage. I picked them up and thought "Oh my, what a piece of junk". It permanently biased me against them. If I am paying a lot of money for a product, and putting it up against my skin for hours at a time it can't feel like crap. Not at this level, not in this market with the competition out there. The stitching is a small detail and I'm not even concerned about that, but I am concerned when every feel/look aspect of the product mirrors that lack of finesse and quality. Audeze suffers from the same fate, despite trying to use 'nice' materials. At least Fang isn't trying to put lipstick on a pig like Audeze.

Again, yes, sound is the most important thing. I just feel like he is 90% of the way there. It's just disappointing that he didn't go all the way. They do sound lovely, however.

I think Whitigir was being sarcastic, I mean, the guy has a Grounded Grid and a 009, he couldn't care less about HFM

 

[erik701]

I agree with user bigfatpaulie. By this price point, all things matter, even quality of packaging. You are paying for whole product, not just sound quality of it. It's the same like if somebody would complain about interior build quality of new BMW 5-series and somebody else would say that it doesn't matter because it's very good car in terms of driving performance. I have to mention that we are talking about Susvara, the most expensive planar-magnetic headphones on the market.