[Roasty]

Folks, who is also using Roon EQ + HQplayer upsampling with the Sinc-L filter (2 million taps: better than M-scaler)? (i'm using a Supernait 2 amp and MAY KTE dac)

The increase in Soundstage and perceived detail is quite astonishing?!

I use the EQ to add subtle (sub-)bass and treble and fill the 1650 khz 'hole', based on Oratory1990 recommendations, but only half amount of EQ so the Susvara still have an audiophile tuning and remain true to its original musical character. With this tuning it feels like the Susvara and Abyss 1266 got together and decided to give birth to the perfect middle ground 'uber' headphone baby.



Checkout the attachments for my specific setting in Roon and HQplayer. HQplayer can be added as an device in Roon. The beauty of Roon is that the EQ signal is first converted to 64 floating point bits, which is extremely precise. In HQplayer output bit depth is set to 20 bits for the oversampled signal, which is native to the May r2r DAC.

I have to mention, it is nice to have options: the May is also delightful without HQplayer. More natural I must say, HQplayer filters seem to emphasize audiophile qualities like detail, soundstage or PRaT, but thats why I like them. Sorry to use swear words, but: Holy Shet, Wad Da Funk!!! HQplayer amazing filters are a true gem, thus far two filters really stand out:

I use only PCM upsampling (no dsd) output in HQplayer:

"Poly Sinc Long Pm", my Susvara powered by Naim become almost aggressive and superman fast, I call it peak PRaT and detail. Highly analytical, but still supremely musical at the same time. This is one of the key benefits of the May KTE IMHO: it is so fast and punchy without losing the soul of music. With this filter, sometimes hi-hats, especially with electronic music, become audio needles, almost virtual hot needles in my brain, releasing rivers of dopamine, so sharp and ultra fast, but never harsh, in the most pleasant way imaginable. WOW.

"Sinc-L" is better to my ears than sinc-m, which makes HQplayer better than M-scaler?! Most impressively, is the increase in soundstage compared to sinc-m (wich is very similar to m-scaler 1.000.000 taps filter). In comparison to the energetic 'Poly Sinc Long Pm' filter, 'Sinc-L' is a bit smoother, but timbre and soundstage are next level. Never imagined Susvara to being able to portray a sounds so large, with so much depth and height. WOW.

Both Roon and HQplayer have free trials. I know this can be controversial, but I truly believe you should give it a try if you haven't. EQ is optional off course and completely personal, but I love how it gives the Salvare a welcome additional energy which works wonders with the music I listen. Together with HQplayer upsampling there are only improvements and no negatives whats so ever.

Thanks for sharing the EQ. I will give it a try once my sotm streamer comes back from a clock input upgrade. I use it as my hqplayer naa.

Is there a reason why u don't use DSD upsampling? I really enjoyed dsd 128 using ext2 filter and asdm7ec. The susvara sounded really good with these settings. I find dsd takes a little bit of edge off the top end.

 

[Flextreme]

Thanks for sharing the EQ. I will give it a try once my sotm streamer comes back from a clock input upgrade. I use it as my hqplayer naa.

Is there a reason why u don't use DSD upsampling? I really enjoyed dsd 128 using ext2 filter and asdm7ec. The susvara sounded really good with these settings. I find dsd takes a little bit of edge off the top end.

While I did not give DSD conversion a truly extensive listen, it seems like I prefer PCM. Because the MAY dac has Zero digital glare, I love the subtle sparkle and extra energy of the PCM filters + treble shelf EQ (also, being used to an Arya and I have ears that are far from their prime abilities, too much raving without ear protection ).

Susvara handles these filters and EQ supremely well IMHO. It is a common conclusion by other Holo Audio May dac owners. Without doubt other DACs can sound better with DSD, especially when a more smoother presentation is preferable. Some May owners do prefer DSD, I will most definitely try it out more.

I do love the fact that PCM very gentle on CPU (and my rig keeps way more quiet) in comparison to DSD, which is still difficult to render without drops at high DSD rates on my beastly PC (5800x/RTX3090), especially with asdm7ec

Oh and by the way: can you comment on my suggestion that my example EQ bring the Sus a bit closer to the 1266? Don't own the Abyss, heard in shop only. Super curious if you would agree with me, or not.

 

[paradoxper]

I was disappointed with the wa33 as a pre to the apollon amp, especially with the 300b 2.5v tubes which gave a persistent background hum. It was silent when using the 2a3 tubes but then I lost some mid and low end meatiness.

After a friend suggested it, I tried Rockna Wavelight to Apollon today and it is nothing short of a revelation. Rca cables from the dac to power amp, then triode wire labs speaker tap adaptors to susvara. I am completely floored at the sound im getting.. I've not ever heard the susvara like this. Its like the music comes out in a breath, appearing out of nowhere and the background is so black. The soundstage just blew up so wide, and the layering and depth is just amazing. That bass omg the low end is giving me goosebumps.

I don't think I can go back to using the wa33 for the Susvara.

BAH.

Down, down the rabbit hole we go.

 

[Roasty]

While I did not give DSD conversion an extensive listen, it seems like I prefer PCM. Because the MAY dac has Zero digital glare, I love the sparkle and extra definition of the PCM filters. Susvara handles it supremely well. It is a common conclusion by other Holo Audio May dac owners. Without doubt other DACs can sound better with DSD, especially when a more smoother presentation is preferable. Some May owners do prefer DSD, I will most definitely try it out more.

I do love the fact that PCM very gentle on CPU (and my rig keeps way more quiet) in comparison to DSD, which is still difficult to render without drops at high DSD rates on my beastly PC (5800x/RTX3090), especially with asdm7ec

Yes pcm has nice sparkle.
Yeah.. The EC filters are heavy on the cpu. I had to drop rates down to 128 as I had occasional stutter with 256.
Sometimes I do go back to pcm and use sinc M. I found sinc L a bit too forward and bright with the susvara.

 

[Roasty]

BAH.

Down, down the rabbit hole we go.

Lol that's the fun part about this hobby.. Hearing others try new things, and then getting to eventually try it for yourself.

Now I am wondering how pass lab amps will sound... *groan..

 

[ThanatosVI]

Lol that's the fun part about this hobby.. Hearing others try new things, and then getting to eventually try it for yourself.

Now I am wondering how pass lab amps will sound... *groan..

Deeper down the Rabbit hole you go

 

[paradoxper]

Lol that's the fun part about this hobby.. Hearing others try new things, and then getting to eventually try it for yourself.

Now I am wondering how pass lab amps will sound... *groan..

You must also visit the STAX trails while you're at it.

But yes, the real fun has just begun.

 

[beemerphile]

After some extended listening with the Dekoni's and I am having some reservations that they may indeed be too bass-light. I thought they improved Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris on "If This Is Goodbye" and "Love and Happiness". Then I queued up Leonard Cohen "Live in London" and I think they sucked the life out of Cohen's voice. Making myself a liar, I am now going to have to put the OEM's back on for confirmation.

EDITED TO ADD: OEM's back on and Cohen's magic returns. Returning to Mark and Emmylou, they are sounding just fine. I think, for me, they are damping the reverberations too much or too quickly. They are not going to be keepers for me. I'm willing to offer them to US members who want to try them without buying. I'd just ask to reimburse postage both ways, or we can start a US tour and the next in line can pay the postage to them. Not sure if this is practiced here, but you can let me know if the offer is somehow verboten and I'll just place them in the want-ads.

 

[Slim1970]

After some extended listening with the Dekoni's and I am having some reservations that they may indeed be too bass-light. I thought they improved Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris on "If This Is Goodbye" and "Love and Happiness". Then I queued up Leonard Cohen "Live in London" and I think they sucked the life out of Cohen's voice. Making myself a liar, I am now going to have to put the OEM's back on for confirmation.

EDITED TO ADD: OEM's back on and Cohen's magic returns. Returning to Mark and Emmylou, they are sounding just fine. I think, for me, they are damping the reverberations too much or too quickly. They are not going to be keepers for me. I'm willing to offer them to US members who want to try them without buying. I'd just ask to reimburse postage both ways, or we can start a US tour and the next in line can pay the postage to them. Not sure if this is practiced here, but you can let me know if the offer is somehow verboten and I'll just place them in the want-ads.

Dang it, just before I read this I hit the buy button for the Dekoni pads to give them a try. I’ll try to cancel the order tomorrow.

 

[nwavesailor]

After some extended listening with the Dekoni's and I am having some reservations that they may indeed be too bass-light. I thought they improved Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris on "If This Is Goodbye" and "Love and Happiness". Then I queued up Leonard Cohen "Live in London" and I think they sucked the life out of Cohen's voice. Making myself a liar, I am now going to have to put the OEM's back on for confirmation.

EDITED TO ADD: OEM's back on and Cohen's magic returns. Returning to Mark and Emmylou, they are sounding just fine. I think, for me, they are damping the reverberations too much or too quickly. They are not going to be keepers for me. I'm willing to offer them to US members who want to try them without buying. I'd just ask to reimburse postage both ways, or we can start a US tour and the next in line can pay the postage to them. Not sure if this is practiced here, but you can let me know if the offer is somehow verboten and I'll just place them in the want-ads.

I am not looking for, as @beemerphile put it, "boomy bass in the trunk of a car" but I would not want any less bass in the susvara with new pads.
In fact, a little more bass would be fine with me!

 

[thecrow]

After some extended listening with the Dekoni's and I am having some reservations that they may indeed be too bass-light. I thought they improved Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris on "If This Is Goodbye" and "Love and Happiness". Then I queued up Leonard Cohen "Live in London" and I think they sucked the life out of Cohen's voice. Making myself a liar, I am now going to have to put the OEM's back on for confirmation.

EDITED TO ADD: OEM's back on and Cohen's magic returns. Returning to Mark and Emmylou, they are sounding just fine. I think, for me, they are damping the reverberations too much or too quickly. They are not going to be keepers for me. I'm willing to offer them to US members who want to try them without buying. I'd just ask to reimburse postage both ways, or we can start a US tour and the next in line can pay the postage to them. Not sure if this is practiced here, but you can let me know if the offer is somehow verboten and I'll just place them in the want-ads.

I am not looking for, as @beemerphile put it, "boomy bass in the trunk of a car" but I would not want any less bass in the susvara with new pads.
In fact, a little more bass would be fine with me!

 

[ra990]

Bass is different on the fenestrated pads, but I have no complaints about the quantity. It does seem less prominent, but it's also more spacious. I think the soundstage is definitely expanded with the fenestrated pads, which makes it seem further away compared to the stock. I just put stock back on and the music sounds much closer, a tad softer, less airy, and bass is more prominent because of that.

I found a neat trick to removing the pads very easily, just slide a credit card below the pad and push against the tab, they pop right out. Use same method to put back on.

 

[BassicScience]

Bass is different on the fenestrated pads, but I have no complaints about the quantity. I found a neat trick to removing the pads very easily, just slide a credit card below the pad and push against the tab, they pop right out. Use same method to put back on.

Genius!!

 

[BassicScience]

After some extended listening with the Dekoni's and I am having some reservations that they may indeed be too bass-light. I thought they improved Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris on "If This Is Goodbye" and "Love and Happiness". Then I queued up Leonard Cohen "Live in London" and I think they sucked the life out of Cohen's voice. Making myself a liar, I am now going to have to put the OEM's back on for confirmation.

EDITED TO ADD: OEM's back on and Cohen's magic returns. Returning to Mark and Emmylou, they are sounding just fine. I think, for me, they are damping the reverberations too much or too quickly. They are not going to be keepers for me. I'm willing to offer them to US members who want to try them without buying. I'd just ask to reimburse postage both ways, or we can start a US tour and the next in line can pay the postage to them. Not sure if this is practiced here, but you can let me know if the offer is somehow verboten and I'll just place them in the want-ads.

That's how it's supposed to sound, he was half dead when he recorded that concert. (rim shot!)

Seriously, I'm surprised at your observations. I'm not feeling like these Dekoni pads are damping anything anywhere in the frequency spectrum. They're keepers for me.

 

[ra990]

That's how it's supposed to sound, he was half dead when he recorded that concert. (rim shot!)

Seriously, I'm surprised at your observations. I'm not feeling like these Dekoni pads are damping anything anywhere in the frequency spectrum. They're keepers for me.

I put the stock ones back on to see how I felt after a couple of days of the fenestrated and compare the bass. I'm about to go back to the fenestrated. I enjoy the added soundstage and crispness of them.