[ken6217]

Can the Ayon Audio HA-3 properly drive the Susvara? The seller says it can but I want to hear head-fi advice.

I don’t know if it can or can’t, and they don’t provide the specs, but one thing is for sure, and that’s that I wouldn’t believe them. Wait to hear someone that can independently confirm one way or the other.

 

[rsbrsvp]

I don’t know if it can or can’t, and they don’t provide the specs, but one thing is for sure, and that’s that I wouldn’t believe them. Wait to hear someone that can independently confirm one way or the other.

For sure. That is why I am asking you guys....

 

[BassicScience]

For sure. That is why I am asking you guys....

I just checked the specs: ~250mW into 60 ohms. I don't want to make definitive statements about an amp I've never heard, but I'd advise proceeding cautiously. Personally, I wouldn't buy it without a return policy.

 

[ken6217]

I just checked the specs: ~250mW into 60 ohms. I don't want to make definitive statements about an amp I've never heard, but I'd advise proceeding cautiously. Personally, I wouldn't buy it without a return policy.

Gee, if it had a little more power, it would have almost as much power as my iPhone.

 

[rsbrsvp]

Gee, if it had a little more power, it would have almost as much power as my iPhone.

thats what I thought.....

 

[Benno1988]

Whilst they don't draw a lot of power at normal/low volumes, you still need a fairly beefy amp. I would aim at something rated atleast 2W at the 60ohm or whatever they are. Anything around that and above has a decent shot at driving them well.

 

[ken6217]

I would think 2W for the Susvara would be a stretch. Thats even pushing it for the TC.

 

[jlbrach]

the formula s/powerman which was made for the abyss is 2.3 into the abyss

 

[Benno1988]

I would think 2W for the Susvara would be a stretch. Thats even pushing it for the TC.

Not reallyyyyyy. Susvara draws hardly anything at the normal sort of 80db. Ramps up quickly in the 90-100 range. Just needs to be a quality amp that can push good current, not some $200 Topping thing that says it magically does 5W @ 50ohm.

Any quality amp with that rating or more will do a pretty good job. I have a SparkoS Aries, I think rates around 2.6W at 30ohm maybe? It drives them pretty easily, low gain plus preamped down due to some EQ.

Susvara needs more power than the 1266 too, close to double isnt it?

 

[Somatic]

I have the 3.5mm version. I would like a deeper pad, of anyone makes them

Doesn't seem like. I would also want something thicker and softer. Something similar to the Meze Empyrean Leather pads would be ideal. One can dream.

 

[firegon]

So recently I've been trying to find the next step in the upgrade path for Susvaras and HE-6. My SuSy Dynahi is great for HE-6, but it's a tad exhausting due to some excessive treble energy and doesn't really work as well with Susvaras.
As many of You have probably read, hifiman users frequently gravitate towards power amps and claim that it is the superior™ way.
I've always been curious whether that is the case. Luckily, this week I've had not one, but two chances to find out.

Just to give readers some point of reference here is my home setup:
JCAT USB XE -> Audio-GD DI20 -> Holo May -> SuperSymmetry Dynahi -> modded HE6/Susvara
I use aftermarket cables, but since it is a contentious topic, let's not get into too much detail. Let's just say I've taken most of the cables I could with me and the systems were relatively similar to my home one.

As for what I'm looking for. So far, I've preferred my modded HE-6(Chacrunas) over Susvaras on every system I've heard. They are slightly less detailed and precise, but have way better slam, much bigger soundstage, especially when it comes to width and much more pleasant tonality. They sound fun while being extremely good. I wanted to find something that makes Susvara more punchy and energetic, while at the same time adding a bit more color/warmth. Basically adding punchiness through dynamics, speed, slam and extension not sharpness. And, even more importantly, I needed a bigger soundstage with bigger sound. Susvaras are very precise when it comes to imaging, but the sound sources themselves are rather small and the soundstage isn't massive either - and I'm a fan of a big freakin' soundstage.

Disclaimer:
Sadly I haven't had any more space to carry the DI20 ( it would also be problematic with its terrible drivers ) and both listening sessions were conducted using the direct USB connection between a laptop/PC and the Holo May. I'd also like to say, that while the dac may have a great measuring USB, I prefer to use the DI20. It sounds way better in my opinion, especially when it comes to depth and staging. Maybe I'm just a fool, who knows.
+ everything here is subjective
+ I've only had a few hours with each
+ both headphones react to amplifiers in more or less the same way. My HE-6 tend to need slightly more power, but that's primarily due to its signature and build.
+ I've used the same cable with DHC 4 pin XLR to speaker spades adapter. No hifiman box thingy.

First I've had a chance to listen to the famous Pass Labs XP12->XA25 combo, made possible by Top Hi-Fi Andersa Warszawa.


Truth to be told, I was a bit disappointed by that setup. The sound itself got bigger and fuller ( which made the midrange more enjoyable ) and the depth got better, but the it also got uncomfortably tight when it comes to width. You could say I'm of a maniac when it comes to stage size. I suppose we all like and value different things. Not only that, everything sounded a bit more ... fuzzy, unclear, less detailed and yet some of the sounds tended to irritate me more than on my home setup, especially in the treble region. The sound was smoother, but at the cost of clarity. I must say I liked it tonally though. It's not warm, nor is it lush, but it does have a certain charm, some kind of magic to its sound. The bass was the most surprising - it was honestly worse in every way than on Dynahi. On top of that, I really like the fact that the sound feels slightly pushed forward, there is a bit more space between my head and for example the vocalist.
Now - obviously part of that is listening via a laptop USB - but the combo isn't mine. I could only make do with what I had. What's more, the system would certainly benefit from warming up additional 30 mins or so. But I expected to hear ... well, not sure what exactly, but certainly a bit more progress. I'm pretty sure that, overall, XP12 and XA25 are probably an upgrade over my Dynahi, but it's certainly not as big as I've hoped. Susvaras still sounded a bit ... unenthusiastic, that certainly isn't "defining new boundaries" for me. And once again - I certainly enjoyed listening to the HE-6 more than the Susvara. Don't get me wrong - this system sounds fantastic. But it didn't sound more fantastic enough to make me want to spend that much money AND deal with the size of this thing.

2ND attempt- The Accu party - thanks to Nautilus Warszawa.
First Accuphase C2150 + A46
Then Accuphase C2150 + A75 ( photo )



Next I've spent a few hours in Nautilus and I've managed to listen to A46 and A75 power amps with C2150 preamp + a KT170 single ended integrated amp, although the third one didn't perform as well as the Accuphases did. Once again, directly connected to a PC USB.

C2150->A46 - Sounds more ... tube-y than the XP12->XA25 ( more lush and colorful ), with slightly bigger sound and wider soundstage, but ( from what I remember ) worse depth. And just like in the case of XA25, both me and my friend have stated that HE-6 sounds better and Susvaras are rather lifeless and dull. Once again, the low end felt especially weak, albeit precise. I don't really want to say that they didn't sound like they were properly amped ... but it kinda sounded like that, just in a very absurdly hi-end sense. Still extremely detailed, still very resolving, but lacking the attack, slam, punch that I wanted to hear. What's more, the way that the detail was delivered sounded weird, as if there was a metallic tint to the sound. On top of that, the vocal was placed very uncomfortably close to my head ( of course it depends on the recording, but that's the frequent position ). Not enough gap for me, XA25 was better in that sense, so was the Dynahi. It sounded great, and once again, was probably an upgrade over the Dynahi, but not enough to warrant the price and the hassle.

C2150->A75 - Okay, this is what I was waiting for. This time Susvara has shown the supremacy and it was certainly the best sound I've ever heard. The speed, the dynamics, the resolution, the soundstage and (even though I didn't think it was possible ) the detail - all went up at least a notch. The sound was MASSIVE, deep, colorful, rich, punchy, aggressive but not sharp. The slight metallic tint from A46 was gone. The bass would finally punch me in the head when it needed to. This thing sounded good. It sounded very good. The HE-6 also scaled well and became amazing, but at this point they had to forfeit their no1 spot. The difference in micro and macro detail, as well as the treble clarity became too noticable. The tonality and stage, previously the advantage of HE-6, suddenly became just as good, if not better. HE-6 still had this beautiful slam and wider soundstage+they can actually play fully behind me, but that's where the advantages ended. There was one downside though- I still found the vocal to be too close. Even if that's where it supposed to be, I prefer when headphones have it pushed back just a touch. Don't get me wrong - the depth is mind blowing, it can go really far in front of the listener, but the "first plane" is rather ... intimate. There are also sounds that play inside the listener ( same thing happens with all of the previously mentioned amps including Dynahi ) - and I absolutely hate when it happens.
I want it -but sadly I can't afford it. And it's a bit absurd, let's be real. Still - sounds bloody marvelous and I encourage everyone to, at the very least, check it out, if they have such an option.

 

[ken6217]

So recently I've been trying to find the next step in the upgrade path for Susvaras and HE-6. My SuSy Dynahi is great for HE-6, but it's a tad exhausting due to some excessive treble energy and doesn't really work as well with Susvaras.
As many of You have probably read, hifiman users frequently gravitate towards power amps and claim that it is the superior™ way.
I've always been curious whether that is the case. Luckily, this week I've had not one, but two chances to find out.

Just to give readers some point of reference here is my home setup:
JCAT USB XE -> Audio-GD DI20 -> Holo May -> SuperSymmetry Dynahi -> modded HE6/Susvara
I use aftermarket cables, but since it is a contentious topic, let's not get into too much detail. Let's just say I've taken most of the cables I could with me and the systems were relatively similar to my home one.

As for what I'm looking for. So far, I've preferred my modded HE-6(Chacrunas) over Susvaras on every system I've heard. They are slightly less detailed and precise, but have way better slam, much bigger soundstage, especially when it comes to width and much more pleasant tonality. They sound fun while being extremely good. I wanted to find something that makes Susvara more punchy and energetic, while at the same time adding a bit more color/warmth. Basically adding punchiness through dynamics, speed, slam and extension not sharpness. And, even more importantly, I needed a bigger soundstage with bigger sound. Susvaras are very precise when it comes to imaging, but the sound sources themselves are rather small and the soundstage isn't massive either - and I'm a fan of a big freakin' soundstage.

Disclaimer:
Sadly I haven't had any more space to carry the DI20 ( it would also be problematic with its terrible drivers ) and both listening sessions were conducted using the direct USB connection between a laptop/PC and the Holo May. I'd also like to say, that while the dac may have a great measuring USB, I prefer to use the DI20. It sounds way better in my opinion, especially when it comes to depth and staging. Maybe I'm just a fool, who knows.
+ everything here is subjective
+ I've only had a few hours with each
+ both headphones react to amplifiers in more or less the same way. My HE-6 tend to need slightly more power, but that's primarily due to its signature and build.
+ I've used the same cable with DHC 4 pin XLR to speaker spades adapter. No hifiman box thingy.

First I've had a chance to listen to the famous Pass Labs XP12->XA25 combo, made possible by Top Hi-Fi Andersa Warszawa.


Truth to be told, I was a bit disappointed by that setup. The sound itself got bigger and fuller ( which made the midrange more enjoyable ) and the depth got better, but the it also got uncomfortably tight when it comes to width. You could say I'm of a maniac when it comes to stage size. I suppose we all like and value different things. Not only that, everything sounded a bit more ... fuzzy, unclear, less detailed and yet some of the sounds tended to irritate me more than on my home setup, especially in the treble region. The sound was smoother, but at the cost of clarity. I must say I liked it tonally though. It's not warm, nor is it lush, but it does have a certain charm, some kind of magic to its sound. The bass was the most surprising - it was honestly worse in every way than on Dynahi. On top of that, I really like the fact that the sound feels slightly pushed forward, there is a bit more space between my head and for example the vocalist.
Now - obviously part of that is listening via a laptop USB - but the combo isn't mine. I could only make do with what I had. What's more, the system would certainly benefit from warming up additional 30 mins or so. But I expected to hear ... well, not sure what exactly, but certainly a bit more progress. I'm pretty sure that, overall, XP12 and XA25 are probably an upgrade over my Dynahi, but it's certainly not as big as I've hoped. Susvaras still sounded a bit ... unenthusiastic, that certainly isn't "defining new boundaries" for me. And once again - I certainly enjoyed listening to the HE-6 more than the Susvara. Don't get me wrong - this system sounds fantastic. But it didn't sound more fantastic enough to make me want to spend that much money AND deal with the size of this thing.

2ND attempt- The Accu party - thanks to Nautilus Warszawa.
First Accuphase C2150 + A46
Then Accuphase C2150 + A75 ( photo )



Next I've spent a few hours in Nautilus and I've managed to listen to A46 and A75 power amps with C2150 preamp + a KT170 single ended integrated amp, although the third one didn't perform as well as the Accuphases did. Once again, directly connected to a PC USB.

C2150->A46 - Sounds more ... tube-y than the XP12->XA25 ( more lush and colorful ), with slightly bigger sound and wider soundstage, but ( from what I remember ) worse depth. And just like in the case of XA25, both me and my friend have stated that HE-6 sounds better and Susvaras are rather lifeless and dull. Once again, the low end felt especially weak, albeit precise. I don't really want to say that they didn't sound like they were properly amped ... but it kinda sounded like that, just in a very absurdly hi-end sense. Still extremely detailed, still very resolving, but lacking the attack, slam, punch that I wanted to hear. What's more, the way that the detail was delivered sounded weird, as if there was a metallic tint to the sound. On top of that, the vocal was placed very uncomfortably close to my head ( of course it depends on the recording, but that's the frequent position ). Not enough gap for me, XA25 was better in that sense, so was the Dynahi. It sounded great, and once again, was probably an upgrade over the Dynahi, but not enough to warrant the price and the hassle.

C2150->A75 - Okay, this is what I was waiting for. This time Susvara has shown the supremacy and it was certainly the best sound I've ever heard. The speed, the dynamics, the resolution, the soundstage and (even though I didn't think it was possible ) the detail - all went up at least a notch. The sound was MASSIVE, deep, colorful, rich, punchy, aggressive but not sharp. The slight metallic tint from A46 was gone. The bass would finally punch me in the head when it needed to. This thing sounded good. It sounded very good. The HE-6 also scaled well and became amazing, but at this point they had to forfeit their no1 spot. The difference in micro and macro detail, as well as the treble clarity became too noticable. The tonality and stage, previously the advantage of HE-6, suddenly became just as good, if not better. HE-6 still had this beautiful slam and wider soundstage+they can actually play fully behind me, but that's where the advantages ended. There was one downside though- I still found the vocal to be too close. Even if that's where it supposed to be, I prefer when headphones have it pushed back just a touch. Don't get me wrong - the depth is mind blowing, it can go really far in front of the listener, but the "first plane" is rather ... intimate. There are also sounds that play inside the listener ( same thing happens with all of the previously mentioned amps including Dynahi ) - and I absolutely hate when it happens.
I want it -but sadly I can't afford it. And it's a bit absurd, let's be real. Still - sounds bloody marvelous and I encourage everyone to, at the very least, check it out, if they have such an option.

Excellent post!

 

[Somatic]

So recently I've been trying to find the next step in the upgrade path for Susvaras and HE-6. My SuSy Dynahi is great for HE-6, but it's a tad exhausting due to some excessive treble energy and doesn't really work as well with Susvaras.
As many of You have probably read, hifiman users frequently gravitate towards power amps and claim that it is the superior™ way.
I've always been curious whether that is the case. Luckily, this week I've had not one, but two chances to find out.

Just to give readers some point of reference here is my home setup:
JCAT USB XE -> Audio-GD DI20 -> Holo May -> SuperSymmetry Dynahi -> modded HE6/Susvara
I use aftermarket cables, but since it is a contentious topic, let's not get into too much detail. Let's just say I've taken most of the cables I could with me and the systems were relatively similar to my home one.

As for what I'm looking for. So far, I've preferred my modded HE-6(Chacrunas) over Susvaras on every system I've heard. They are slightly less detailed and precise, but have way better slam, much bigger soundstage, especially when it comes to width and much more pleasant tonality. They sound fun while being extremely good. I wanted to find something that makes Susvara more punchy and energetic, while at the same time adding a bit more color/warmth. Basically adding punchiness through dynamics, speed, slam and extension not sharpness. And, even more importantly, I needed a bigger soundstage with bigger sound. Susvaras are very precise when it comes to imaging, but the sound sources themselves are rather small and the soundstage isn't massive either - and I'm a fan of a big freakin' soundstage.

Disclaimer:
Sadly I haven't had any more space to carry the DI20 ( it would also be problematic with its terrible drivers ) and both listening sessions were conducted using the direct USB connection between a laptop/PC and the Holo May. I'd also like to say, that while the dac may have a great measuring USB, I prefer to use the DI20. It sounds way better in my opinion, especially when it comes to depth and staging. Maybe I'm just a fool, who knows.
+ everything here is subjective
+ I've only had a few hours with each
+ both headphones react to amplifiers in more or less the same way. My HE-6 tend to need slightly more power, but that's primarily due to its signature and build.
+ I've used the same cable with DHC 4 pin XLR to speaker spades adapter. No hifiman box thingy.

First I've had a chance to listen to the famous Pass Labs XP12->XA25 combo, made possible by Top Hi-Fi Andersa Warszawa.


Truth to be told, I was a bit disappointed by that setup. The sound itself got bigger and fuller ( which made the midrange more enjoyable ) and the depth got better, but the it also got uncomfortably tight when it comes to width. You could say I'm of a maniac when it comes to stage size. I suppose we all like and value different things. Not only that, everything sounded a bit more ... fuzzy, unclear, less detailed and yet some of the sounds tended to irritate me more than on my home setup, especially in the treble region. The sound was smoother, but at the cost of clarity. I must say I liked it tonally though. It's not warm, nor is it lush, but it does have a certain charm, some kind of magic to its sound. The bass was the most surprising - it was honestly worse in every way than on Dynahi. On top of that, I really like the fact that the sound feels slightly pushed forward, there is a bit more space between my head and for example the vocalist.
Now - obviously part of that is listening via a laptop USB - but the combo isn't mine. I could only make do with what I had. What's more, the system would certainly benefit from warming up additional 30 mins or so. But I expected to hear ... well, not sure what exactly, but certainly a bit more progress. I'm pretty sure that, overall, XP12 and XA25 are probably an upgrade over my Dynahi, but it's certainly not as big as I've hoped. Susvaras still sounded a bit ... unenthusiastic, that certainly isn't "defining new boundaries" for me. And once again - I certainly enjoyed listening to the HE-6 more than the Susvara. Don't get me wrong - this system sounds fantastic. But it didn't sound more fantastic enough to make me want to spend that much money AND deal with the size of this thing.

2ND attempt- The Accu party - thanks to Nautilus Warszawa.
First Accuphase C2150 + A46
Then Accuphase C2150 + A75 ( photo )



Next I've spent a few hours in Nautilus and I've managed to listen to A46 and A75 power amps with C2150 preamp + a KT170 single ended integrated amp, although the third one didn't perform as well as the Accuphases did. Once again, directly connected to a PC USB.

C2150->A46 - Sounds more ... tube-y than the XP12->XA25 ( more lush and colorful ), with slightly bigger sound and wider soundstage, but ( from what I remember ) worse depth. And just like in the case of XA25, both me and my friend have stated that HE-6 sounds better and Susvaras are rather lifeless and dull. Once again, the low end felt especially weak, albeit precise. I don't really want to say that they didn't sound like they were properly amped ... but it kinda sounded like that, just in a very absurdly hi-end sense. Still extremely detailed, still very resolving, but lacking the attack, slam, punch that I wanted to hear. What's more, the way that the detail was delivered sounded weird, as if there was a metallic tint to the sound. On top of that, the vocal was placed very uncomfortably close to my head ( of course it depends on the recording, but that's the frequent position ). Not enough gap for me, XA25 was better in that sense, so was the Dynahi. It sounded great, and once again, was probably an upgrade over the Dynahi, but not enough to warrant the price and the hassle.

C2150->A75 - Okay, this is what I was waiting for. This time Susvara has shown the supremacy and it was certainly the best sound I've ever heard. The speed, the dynamics, the resolution, the soundstage and (even though I didn't think it was possible ) the detail - all went up at least a notch. The sound was MASSIVE, deep, colorful, rich, punchy, aggressive but not sharp. The slight metallic tint from A46 was gone. The bass would finally punch me in the head when it needed to. This thing sounded good. It sounded very good. The HE-6 also scaled well and became amazing, but at this point they had to forfeit their no1 spot. The difference in micro and macro detail, as well as the treble clarity became too noticable. The tonality and stage, previously the advantage of HE-6, suddenly became just as good, if not better. HE-6 still had this beautiful slam and wider soundstage+they can actually play fully behind me, but that's where the advantages ended. There was one downside though- I still found the vocal to be too close. Even if that's where it supposed to be, I prefer when headphones have it pushed back just a touch. Don't get me wrong - the depth is mind blowing, it can go really far in front of the listener, but the "first plane" is rather ... intimate. There are also sounds that play inside the listener ( same thing happens with all of the previously mentioned amps including Dynahi ) - and I absolutely hate when it happens.
I want it -but sadly I can't afford it. And it's a bit absurd, let's be real. Still - sounds bloody marvelous and I encourage everyone to, at the very least, check it out, if they have such an option.

Sounds amazing. Curious if Shipibo still does the Chacruna mod ...

 

[llamaluv]

Of the headphones I use, I think the AMP-13R synergizes best with the Phi TC. Its smoothness and relatively laid-back character does the TC well. It's my favorite of my amps for the TC (over the Pass Labs and probably also the Cayin HA-300), and this is the pairing I've done the majority of my listening with since after my first couple weeks with the amp.

I also really like it with the Auteur, which was really a nice surprise.

The Susvara comes in third, which I both hate having to admit and took me a long time to admit, in large part due to my own preconceptions. I now kind of regret having written some slightly overly-gushing first impressions of the amp a couple months back, actually. I also had to make like four different specific tweaks to my system setup to make the Susvara sound less bright and more dynamic, which is not an issue I've ever had with any amp with the Susvara (regarding brightness, I mean). I think the 13R sounds pretty good with the Susvara generally, but is lacking oomph in the bass compared to amps with better Susvara synergy, and lacking a little bit in bass quantity generally. It's partly for those reasons that it does better with the TC for me -- though based on the criteria you specified, I could see this not being a sticking point, potentially.

Lastly, I like the Utopia least among my headphones with the 13R, though I've done very little listening to the Utopia for several months now.

Last week, I picked up a new DAC, and I now feel compelled to modify the above statement, because this new DAC changes a lot about what I feel like the Bakoon contributes to my system.

With the Bartok (as opposed to the DAVE, which it's replacing), the AMP-R13 + Susvara sounds just really, so right to me at the moment. It's extra smooth, very relaxed, warmer, and exudes (extrudes?) more depth and more defined images. The sound reminds me of the HE1000v2, if you see what I mean. It also sounds remarkably pleasing at low-to-medium volumes. I'm totally happy with this amp/headphone combo now. About 90% of my listening with the Bartok thus far has been with the Bakoon + Susvara.

Whereas on the DAVE, the R13 + Susvara sounded a little lacking in warmth and bass quantity, a little flat, and somewhat compressed. In a word, kind of boring. But I can't even claim to be able to generalize this to apply to any DAVE with the R13 + Susvara, just my own DAVE setup, since there are like 10^14 ways of setting of the source going into the DAVE, all of which matter (In contrast, with the Bartok, you just connect the network cable and you're pretty much golden).

The Utopia, which I wrote about dismissively above, also sounds really good with the Bakoon now. And the TC, which I previously ranked first, now comes in third. My DAVE gave it a denser, more forward sound out of the Bakoon, which worked better with that headphone.

Key takeaway: When considering amps, the DAC matters. To the point that it's almost misleading or even harmful to blithely give an opinion of an amp without also qualifying those opinions with the DAC that it's connected to. No big revelation, sure, but presumably I'm not the only one who needs an occasional reminder about it...

 

[Slim1970]

Last week, I picked up a new DAC, and I now feel compelled to modify the above statement, because this new DAC changes a lot about what I feel like the Bakoon contributes to my system.

With the Bartok (as opposed to the DAVE, which it's replacing), the AMP-R13 + Susvara sounds just really, so right to me at the moment. It's extra smooth, very relaxed, warmer, and exudes (extrudes?) more depth and more defined images. The sound reminds me of the HE1000v2, if you see what I mean. It also sounds remarkably pleasing at low-to-medium volumes. I'm totally happy with this amp/headphone combo now. About 90% of my listening with the Bartok thus far has been with the Bakoon + Susvara.

Whereas on the DAVE, the R13 + Susvara sounded a little lacking in warmth and bass quantity, a little flat, and somewhat compressed. In a word, kind of boring. But I can't even claim to be able to generalize this to apply to any DAVE with the R13 + Susvara, just my own DAVE setup, since there are like 10^14 ways of setting of the source going into the DAVE, all of which matter (In contrast, with the Bartok, you just connect the network cable and you're pretty much golden).

The Utopia, which I wrote about dismissively above, also sounds really good with the Bakoon now. And the TC, which I previously ranked first, now comes in third. My DAVE gave it a denser, more forward sound out of the Bakoon, which worked better with that headphone.

Key takeaway: When considering amps, the DAC matters. To the point that it's almost misleading or even harmful to blithely give an opinion of an amp without also qualifying those opinions with the DAC that it's connected to. No big revelation, sure, but presumably I'm not the only one who needs an occasional reminder about it...

Your findings just show that the best way to tune a system is with the source. I've always been a source first guy, then amp, then headphone, and cables. You can get there in any order, but changing the source seems to have the biggest impact on sound. System synergy can never be stated enough