Instead of completely clicking the pad in place around the mounting ring, leave a space open, or more depending on your taste, and yes I've heard this being done to the Susvara on "another site.
Listening to the newly remixed DSOTM on the Susvara with the WA33 and Dave/Mscaler combo and there are more levels to this game than Super Mario Bros.............*** this sounds good.
The 1266TC and the Diana V2 sound so much BASS better with my glasses on and the thickest part of the pads on my temples leaving an air gap. Same concept I guess as what you are accomplishing here, I will try it with my Susvara, thanks!
Your post is very well put in every way possible in what I experienced at your place (then & now) with the changes you've made by introducing the r13 & the Bartok DCS, which definitely put the icing on the cake. The v2 is spectacular in my chain, but as a previous owner of the Susvara & v2 at the same time, the Susvara wasn't what I expected in my chain leaving me to much preferred the v2 and sell off the Susvara. I've even revisited Susvara afterwards in my system a couple of times (thanks, Lee) and still preferred the v2. With Lee now having the r13 & Bartok in his chain, the Susvara has never impressed so much, at all. It's now so impressive that it leaves me wondering just how many people have really heard what the Susvara is actually capable of sounding like when you have the correct synergy.
The 1266TC and the Diana V2 sound so much BASS better with my glasses on and the thickest part of the pads on my temples leaving an air gap. Same concept I guess as what you are accomplishing here, I will try it with my Susvara, thanks!
Listening to the newly remixed DSOTM on the Susvara with the WA33 and Dave/Mscaler combo and there are more levels to this game than Super Mario Bros.............*** this sounds good.
Right now my go to phones are my Susvaras on my main rig. When relaxing in the bedroom I generally listen to my AKG K812 or K872s.
But I posted before how I tend to use my main set of headphones.
Empyreans: Jazz focus on Woodwinds and Vocals, Blues, Funk, R&B, Neo-Soul and Country Rock, Reggae, Calypso
LCD-4Z: Jazz focus on brass instruments and drums, Jazz Funk, Funk, Rock, Reggae, Jazz Bass is also real good
HEKSE: Classical, Jazz with a focus on strings, horns (aka Trumpet) and piano, Latin, Folk, Soca
Susvara: Classical, Jazz with a focus on strings, horns (aka Trumpet) and piano, Latin, Folk, Soca. But I would also say music that highlights the Bass Player is just literally Killer here. Try listening to some Marcus Miller, Victor Wooton, Flea, Jaco Pastorius, Les Claypool, Charles Mingus and Stanley Clark just to name a few. You will really see what the this headphone has to offer.
Since both the Chord Stack and the WA33 are currently just loaners I think it is like an Average Man going on a date with a supermodel............It is incredible while on loan but sadly when that night is over it will only be fading memories left behind.
I genuinely think the Law of Diminishing returns in this hobby is preceded by hearing loss and ear shapes. If we could have perfect hearing then we could hear this gear perfectly. I don't have perfect hearing and think at this level I really don't need more and only outside influences would cause me to want more. The Detail on Olafur Arnalds The Invisible EP is just next level, the hammers moving up and down to the strings is so prevalent it can only be exceeded in presentation if I was leaning on the piano as he struck the chords. The WA33 gives the Chord detail real room to breath and the decay is incredible. I need more hours in the day to sit and listen that would make this all the more worth it.
TLDR: I am not sure what to think but it exceeds anything I thought I could ever hear from a headphone setup.
That’s how I feel listening the the Chord MScaler/TT2 combo with the Riviera AIC-10 the last couple days. I’m really enjoying this pairing with the Susvaras. I haven’t even played with any of my over headphones to see how they paired with the Riviera yet.
As an example of the Power and Drive of the WA33 this tracks bass guitar lines rumble the Susvara unlike anything else I have heard yet including the AHB2 and the Oor stack while the Chord gear ricochets the sounds all around in super detail. 11:55 (not quite to 12) on the Volume dial.
Listening to the newly remixed DSOTM on the Susvara with the WA33 and Dave/Mscaler combo and there are more levels to this game than Super Mario Bros.............*** this sounds good.
Just did a thorough comparison (for me and my ADHD) using this source chain and the track shown below (one one the greatest live Guitar albums of all time to me) between the Susvara (High Gain 9-10 o'clock on volume dial), DCA Stealth (High Gain 9 o'clock on the volume dial), and Focal Utopia (Low Gain 9 o'clock on the volume dial).
These were my findings (rating in parentheses below is on a 1-5 scale):
Soundstage (Forward or Recessed)
Susvara (5) Forward and Fully Fleshed out - Most Live in the Pit of the musicians sound
DCA Stealth (2.5) RECESSED and Shallowest by a good clip - Sound is much smaller overall from the Stealth compared to the other two
Utopia (4.5) Forward and Deeper than Stealth but less than Susvara
Detail - Low and High - All the detail I can hear
Susvara (5) at approx. 4:35 of this track one of the Guitarists hums along a bit and you can hear it clear as day
Stealth (3.5) at approx. 4:35 of this track one of the Guitarists hums along a bit and struggle to hear it
Utopia (4.5) at approx. 4:35 of this track one of the Guitarists hums along a bit and you can hear it clear as day
Enjoyability - Overall Sound
Susvara (5) This is one of those "oh wow" moments I spoke about in earlier posts - lights out, reclined in the chair and transported to this show in San Fran
Stealth (3) If I hadn't heard either the Susvara or the Utopia on this setup and this track I would think this is very good but.....
Utopia (4) Missing some of that Susvara timbre and sauciness but enjoyable just a bit dry
Of note the Stealth is nearly as hard to drive on this setup as the Susvara which is what I was experiencing on my Ferrum Oor setup also. I have a 3.5mm to Hirose (DCA Connector) Adapter enroute and will try the Stealth with the AHB2 and Spring 3 alongside my Susvara soon to see if they are truly nearly as difficult to drive as the Susvara which I find interesting considering the "measurements" I have seen.
@OneEyedHito
Your WA33 setup is looking beautiful and your descriptions are tempting though I was just starting to really enjoy Ferrum OOR with Hypsos.
Can you share if that is the default tube setup or containing upgrades?
What we should also not forget is the question about price value thinking e.g about Ferrum stack for < 3k USD and WA33 just starting at 8k USD in the default setup.
Of course we know that after some level we re paying significantly more money for more and more subtle improvements but your descriptions sound more significant...
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