[801evan]

what do you mean by unity gain?

Gain set to 0dB.

 

[Articnoise]

I think it has more to do with that Susvara really scale up with better downstream gear, than it would take many month to really appreciate its hidden qualities.

Just my 2c.

 

[dfiled]

Has anyone listened to the Susvara on the Kinki EX-M1 as well as some of the higher priced offerings (e.g. XA25, E-380, Krell amps)? I have the EX-M1 and am considering an upgrade but don't want to spend many thousands more if the improvement is only slight.

 

[Ninja Theory]

I'm still waiting for my Arctic cable to arrive. In the meanwhile I added a Lumin U1 Mini to my chain. It is quite remarkable how well the Sus responded to it. The Sus is elevated to unimaginable heights. Already I cannot imagine audio life without the U1 Mini helping the Sus to find even better versions of itself with each listen.

 

[Drewligarchy]

I think it has more to do with that Susvara really scale up with better downstream gear, than it would take many month to really appreciate its hidden qualities.

Just my 2c.

No doubt the Susvara scales up and down a lot. But I had the same digital front end and while I upgraded the Wa33 to the Elite - the Wa33 is an excellent amp. I think the 23r helped the most, because I think the Susvara is better on SS. But, ultimately, I've still had the gear I currently have for 3 months before it clicked.

 

[FooFighter]

I 2nd the statement about brain burn in and go even further saying that I am listening to Susvara on some evening and it's perfect (making click) whereas on another day I feel it's lacking and I am getting TC out instead.
In general I feel that TC is a better jack of all trades making music more engaging (getting that bass thump and bite satisfaction) but Susvara excels with the alluring vocals and very honest representation which can make you completely happy with the right brain condition and music mixes.

 

[Ciggavelli]

I was playing around with the Susvaras a minute ago, and if you pull the ear cups out and it leaves an air gap (like the TCs), you get TC-like bass quantity. It's not feasible to keep holding the earcups outside of your head, but it was a fun experiment. I'm sure some sort of mod could be made, but I'm not sure if it would be worth it

 

[MatW]

I was playing around with the Susvaras a minute ago, and if you pull the ear cups out and it leaves an air gap (like the TCs), you get TC-like bass quantity. It's not feasible to keep holding the earcups outside of your head, but it was a fun experiment. I'm sure some sort of mod could be made, but I'm not sure if it would be worth it

I noticed the same some time ago, and I think I mentioned it here. I'll neither confirm or deny that some modding attempts are taking place... (by someone more skilled than me..).

 

[Ciggavelli]

I noticed the same some time ago, and I think I mentioned it here. I'll neither confirm or deny that some modding attempts are taking place...

I briefly imagined using HeddPhone size ear pads with a hole port cut into them or somehow taking the headband off and finding a way to get rid of the clamp. Seems like a lot of work, but could be interesting

 

[jlbrach]

Man, I was wrong about these headphones - the midrange is excellent and they are not boring at all.

I've listened to them exclusively for the past 3 days late into the night - and I am shocked at how good they are.

I am trying to figure out what the hell is going on and why it took this long for these headphones to click with me. I think part of it was my later acquisition of the Enleum Amp 23r and the associated amp burn in with that. I do think brain burn in with these is real, especially because I am predisposed to cooler headphones - and these can sound off if you are listening to the Abyss, LCD-5 and Utopia all day.

It didn't take a couple hours to click, it took half a song (after 8 months). It was almost like "All Along the Watchtower" was played on Battlestar Galactica, a switch flipped, and I knew I was a Cylon. Since, I have listened for 18 hours or so and I am just awe struck. It's like I have a new pair of headphones, and I am listening to my collection through it for the first time. I am having the amount of "wow" moments, I typically get when I get a new headphone that will be one of my favorites. It's very strange that it took this long, and I've never experienced it with another headphone like this.

It's like new toy syndrome, but I have had this headphone for 8 months - so new old toy syndrome. It's really fascinating how our brains work - and why it sometimes takes so much time for our brain to lock in on a particular frequency response - which can be effected greatly by the other tranducers we are listening to - and then once that happens - you can't turn it off.

Remember back at the nebula when I told you about that frackin music?
I thought it was in the ship, I was wrong.
It was a signal. Some crazy fracked up Cylon signal.
Switched me on. I can't turn it off!

I would suggest the 23r is most likely the reason for your revelation..I have the 13r and it pairs wonderfully with the susvara

 

[thecrow]

Your history with it (and @Ciggavelli 's) was one of the reasons I didn't sell it. Just figured I'd hold onto it for a while and try it at different times with different amps.

The piano really got me. I was listening to Tingvall Trio Vagen when it clicked. Piano, drum, bass, speed, and some amazing micro and macro dynamics on that album. I love piano. Piano, as you all know isn't easy to reproduce. I think the Susvara may be the most natural reproduction of piano I've heard.

It's definitely a highly amp dependent phone. I don't think I would have gotten there without the Bakoon/Enleum. Now I am dreaming about big solid state speaker amps, and if I am missing out on something more. That said, on high gain, I'm at like 9 oclock - 10 oclock with the Susvara - and 10 o clock is really freaking loud. It's not a 100 watt power amp, but does 4 watts into 60 ohms. I can't imagine needing more headroom. At this level, I imagine the bigger power supply from a bigger amp may increase dynamics and bass further - but I am not really left wanting for anything at it's current level.

The susvaras had me at hello.

i first demoed them with the moon430had and immediately i was struck with what i would call their transparent nature.

just took me about 3 or 4 years (i think) to financially be ready to splurge on them and the niimbus us4 amp

 

[joseph69]

I'm sure some sort of mod could be made, but I'm not sure if it would be worth it

Here's something worth trying.
Wherever it is you want the gap to be, try adding small circular self-adhesive felt furniture pads at those point and have a listen. Thes should create a gap, and you can choose their thickness as well.

 

[thecrow]

(Apologies as this is probably a question that’s been asked dozens of times)

Any Susvara owners also own (now or in the past) the utopia? How would you say they stack up against one another, specifically in terms of detail retrieval and comfort?

My main headphones are the susvara, utopia and hd800 (with tubes for the hd800).

When I am listening to music without wanting to judge the headphone there are times I need to stop and think before I can tell you which one (between sus and utiopia) I am using.

They are both comfortable.
Both VERY detailed with their own presentation. Susvaras a bit more laid back in its nature and the utopia a more lively and up front offering.
Very rarely do i feel i need to change headphone and listen to the other.
Often I just listen to whatever I was using the previous night because I can’t be bothered reaching around the back of my niimbus amp to change the gain setting.

At times though I may specifically change to the susvara because I want that extra bit of finesse or the micro detail to come through better in what i want to analytically listen to - eg the breath of the singer - to get a slightly more emotional connection.

And then I might change to the utopias another night just for the sake of it.

I owned the utopia before buying the susvaras. If i had owned the susvaras first then I may have bough the utopias after if I found them at a good price.
For me and my preferences the susvara is the better matched one and the one I was more willing to pay a premium for - and that’s before buying a suitable amp.

As a side note, before buying the susvaras I sold the empyreans to fund the susvaras but then bought the empys again and then sold them again as the detail was too comparatively lacking for me.
I already owned the hekse but sold them after buying the susvaras. I loved the hekse including the the fact they are soooo easy to drive but I had no need for the hekse and the utopias after buying the the susvaras. But since the utopias are a fuller sound compared to the hekse, I sold the hekse and have kept the utopias and have no plan to sell them. I was rarely using the hekse post susvara purchase.

Something would have to come along to trump the utopias for me to sell them. And something that would complement the susvaras. I thought maybe the lcd5 might do that but having read comments on the lcd5 since they were released (not yet heard them) I am not compelled to rush into demoing them and justify paying the difference between selling the utopias and buying the lcd5.

The utopias are still great and they are great to listen to in their own right with the level of detail and energy the offer

Imho, ymmv

 

[sqz0914]

I finally get Enleum AMP-23R for my Susvara. I tried it with V590 Pro but I felt V590 Pro couldn't power the Susvara appropriately. The sound was soft and blurred somehow. With AMP-23R, I can feel it power Susvara to the fullness. However, the vocal is still sibilant. I only use the Susvara for about 10 hours in total. Does it happen with only this unit or it needs more time to burn in?

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

I finally get Enleum AMP-23R for my Susvara. I tried it with V590 Pro but I felt V590 Pro couldn't power the Susvara appropriately. The sound was soft and blurred somehow. With AMP-23R, I can feel it power Susvara to the fullness. However, the vocal is still sibilant. I only use the Susvara for about 10 hours in total. Does it happen with only this unit or it needs more time to burn in?

I have never had sibilance from my Susvara's when either using my SS Chord Mezzo 140 Power Amp nor my Hifiman EF1000. Maybe I have been lucky !