[PeteSTRADAMUS]

I use the Pro iCan as a preamp for my Burson Timekeeper power amp, which I have connected to the Hifiman HE-Adapter. As much as I’m a fan of the Pro iCan with other headphones the Burson Timekeeper ups the performance ante of the Susvara’s. The grip it has on the Susvara’s drivers is amazing. The way the Susvara’s respond the extra power is unreal. The Timekeeper is warm, dynamic and detailed. The bass out of the Timekeeper is deep, fast, layered, articulate and can slam if it’s in recording. The treble is airy and seems to extend forever. The midrange conveys all the passion of the music and sits perfectly in between the bass and treble. It’s the most incredible headphone I’ve heard and have the pleasure of owning. It’s sounds so three dimensional, natural, life-like and I’m glad more people are getting to at least experience them. To me they are worth every cent I paid for them.

And that is the reason why I want to invest in getting a Susvara. Because I heard the rest and none of them grab me and toss me around emotionally. The sound signature is so smooth and 3 dimensional it feels unreal.

 

[Slim1970]

Would it be possible to drive the Burson Timekeeper power amp, connected to the Hifiman HE-Adapter from the CHORD DAVE without a preamp and still get the phenomenal results you describe? Then $2600 looks like a great investment for that amp.

I would imagine so. Just go from the outputs of the DAVE to the inputs of the Timekeeper to make some music. I choose to use my Pro iCan because I like the XBass+ feature. I can give the Susvara's that extra thump in the subbass region. Honestly, it's amazing how the Susvara's just eats up the extra bass. Instead of distorting they respond with even deeper bass and a slam that really pleases the senses. This is the main reason I was able to let my Abyss Phi's go. The Susvara's to my ears can do bass better than the Phi's. When I tried the same thing with my Phi's I heard distortion. It was like the drivers of the Phi's reached their excursion limit. The Susvara's just seemed like they had even more to give me. They have so much extension on both ends of the frequency spectrum.

One thing I can say about the Phi's is that they give you superior bass without the need to EQ. The reason I added the extra bass with my Pro iCan is that I wanted to see if the Susvara's could match the bass response of the Phi's. Not only did it match it, it exceeded it in my ears. It would be nice to hear the new TC driver's of the Phi's to see how they compare to the Susvara's. I can say the Phi's and the Susvara's are the two best headphones I owned. The Phi's are really awkward headphones to wear as well. Depending on how they were placed on your head the bass could be more or it could be less. I never have to worry about headphones placement with the Susvara's. So the Susvara's beat them handily when it came to comfort.

But the long answer to your question is yes, the Dave can go straight to any power amp and deliver music with the HE-Adapter. Also, you can find the Burson Timekeeper amp for much cheaper prices than retail. I paid $750 for mine off Audiogon. One other tidbit is that Burson no longer makes it. There is still some stock left at some stores but it's no longer on their website. So when I saw it and the price I jumped all over that deal. From everything I've read about the Timekeeper amp I knew it would be a great match for the Susvara's. It just adds a musical warmth to the Susvara's that's sublime.

 

[Slim1970]

And that is the reason why I want to invest in getting a Susvara. Because I heard the rest and none of them grab me and toss me around emotionally. The sound signature is so smooth and 3 dimensional it feels unreal.

I see them for less than retail now. At second hand prices they are a steal as long as you have the proper gear to drive them. The Susvara's are more than worthy of ownership. The way they convey music is surreal at times.

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

I see them for less than retail now. At second hand prices they are a steal as long as you have the proper gear to drive them. The Susvara's are more than worthy of ownership. The way they convey music is surreal at times.

That is what I'm researching now. A not break the bank amount for a system to run them. Then I'll pull the trigger.

 

[tunes]

I would imagine so. Just go from the outputs of the DAVE to the inputs of the Timekeeper to make some music. I choose to use my Pro iCan because I like the XBass+ feature. I can give the Susvara's that extra thump in the subbass region. Honestly, it's amazing how the Susvara's just eats up the extra bass. Instead of distorting they respond with even deeper bass and a slam that really pleases the senses. This is the main reason I was able to let my Abyss Phi's go. The Susvara's to my ears can do bass better than the Phi's. When I tried the same thing with my Phi's I heard distortion. It was like the drivers of the Phi's reached their excursion limit. The Susvara's just seemed like they had even more to give me. They have so much extension on both ends of the frequency spectrum.

One thing I can say about the Phi's is that they give you superior bass without the need to EQ. The reason I added the extra bass with my Pro iCan is that I wanted to see if the Susvara's could match the bass response of the Phi's. Not only did it match it, it exceeded it in my ears. It would be nice to hear the new TC driver's of the Phi's to see how they compare to the Susvara's. I can say the Phi's and the Susvara's are the two best headphones I owned. The Phi's are really awkward headphones to wear as well. Depending on how they were placed on your head the bass could be more or it could be less. I never have to worry about headphones placement with the Susvara's. So the Susvara's beat them handily when it came to comfort.

But the long answer to your question is yes, the Dave can go straight to any power amp and deliver music with the HE-Adapter. Also, you can find the Burson Timekeeper amp for much cheaper prices than retail. I paid $750 for mine off Audiogon. One other tidbit is that Burson no longer makes it. There is still some stock left at some stores but it's no longer on their website. So when I saw it and the price I jumped all over that deal. From everything I've read about the Timekeeper amp I knew it would be a great match for the Susvara's. It just adds a musical warmth to the Susvara's that's sublime.

Wow. Thanks for the detailed response. Did you buy yours used from Audiogon? What about warrantee?

 

[Slim1970]

Wow. Thanks for the detailed response. Did you buy yours used from Audiogon? What about warrantee?

Actually it was listed “new” when I bought it off Audiogon from Parts ConneXion (Service Center) with full warranty. They are a Burson Audio retailer. Like I said when I say this amp my eyes lit up. I sent them an offer and they accepted it. It pushes my Susvara’s and HE6se’s superbly. The Abyss when I had them didn’t need the extra juice. It was fine straight out of my Pro iCan.

 

[Oregonian]

Any of you Susvara owners using vintage speaker amps to drive them? I had the HE-6 with speaker tap connections running out of my 1978 Pioneer Spec 1 pre/Spec 2 amp (250 wpc) and the bass was flat out amazing and seemed limitless, like some of you are describing the Susvara to be.

 

[mixman]

That is what I'm researching now. A not break the bank amount for a system to run them. Then I'll pull the trigger.

I am trying to scheme these things into my house too. I have seen them used for $3,700 here. May have to “settle” for an HEK SE, but rather have this. I would say if you can.....just do it.

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

I am trying to scheme these things into my house too. I have seen them used for $3,700 here. May have to “settle” for an HEK SE, but rather have this. I would say if you can.....just do it.

I'm patiently waiting to get it all together, and refuse to settle for anything lower. Buy something cheaper and be disappointed and have to sell stuff again, not this time lol.

 

[mixman]

I'm patiently waiting to get it all together, and refuse to settle for anything lower. Buy something cheaper and be disappointed and have to sell stuff again, not this time lol.

Meant I may have to settle for the 1000 SE, but you do your thing, go for it so I can live through you! Damn Can Jams really hurt the wallet!

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

Meant I may have to settle for the 1000 SE, but you do your thing, go for it so I can live through you! Damn Can Jams really hurt the wallet!

Very true, came in there with expectations of getting the Empyrean. Left with wanting the Susvara instead lol.

 

[ty777]

Interested in Empyrean before this thread. Interested in Susvara now.

 

[gordec]

In the planar world, you are basically looking at Susvara or Abyss Phi. If you want the most natural presentation and buttery smooth listening experience, pick Susvara. If you want otherworldly dynamics and slam, pick Abyss.

Susvara comes with 3 bonus chew toys for your dogs. These chew toys comes in a rusty, yellow, rubbery string with 2.5 on one end or XLR, 6.25, 3.5 on the other end. You can also plug them into your Susvara and use them as headphone cables. But they look so hideous, you would think that there is no way these are headphone cables but dog chew toys.

 

[mixman]

Very true, came in there with expectations of getting the Empyrean. Left with wanting the Susvara instead lol.

Interested in Empyrean before this thread. Interested in Susvara now.

Compared them to each other for about a half an hour in the Headamp room. For sound staging and clarity I thought the Susvara was on another level, although I thought on overall balance of highs to lows the Meze did better. It had a more full bodied sound. But on no other Can in the entire show did I find imaging and sound stage, what I call sound space, done on the level of the Susvara.

 

[Slim1970]

Compared them to each other for about a half an hour in the Headamp room. For sound staging and clarity I thought the Susvara was on another level, although I thought on overall balance of highs to lows the Meze did better. It had a more full bodied sound. But on no other Can in the entire show did I find imaging and sound stage, what I call sound space, done on the level of the Susvara.

Agreed, it’s hard to explain until you hear it. The Susvara’s soundstage is so holographic and 3D. The music is around you and it throws spatial images every where. It sounds electrostat like but with so much body to the music, which is why I sold my Stax SR-007 MKII’s.