[hifixman]

I have been using the formula s/powerman combo which is really wonderful with the abyss TC and quite good with the susvara which needs a bit more power than the abyss but not much more....the formula s I believe has the same 6 watts into 16 ohms that I believe the HPA4 does

It is never about if the quantity power is enough to drive sus, but always the quality.

 

[hifixman]

So far I've tried the HPA4, Riviera AIC-10, trafomatic primavera, Violectric V200, SuSy Dynahi and headtrip. Most of these amps were loaned to me by a friend or I went and listened at his place for a couple of hours. The SuSy Dynahi is my current amp and I believe it is a great amp for the Susvara and has more than enough power for it. I will say though that it has a very intense presentation so if you like something more laid back, it's not for you.

Of all the amps I've tried for the Susvara so far, I think the AIC10 was the best. I read in some places that it is the absolute best pairing for the Susvara and when I had it, I thought it sounded great but once I had my Dynahi in and could compare the two, I found that the AIC10 does something quite magical with the Susvara. The subbass has more definition, the midrange sounds more musical and despite being more laid back sounding, it did not lose out on any details. The only issue I had with it was I did run out of gain on high dynamic range recordings. I think if you have a source that can output more than 4vrm you should be fine though.

The riviera could absolutely provide not only enough power for sus but also for hard to drive ribbon speakers with crazy bass and dynamics.

 

[hifixman]

Post some pics of that beauty! Also, you were happy w/ DAVE powering Susvara? Hmm must have been at 0dB+ w/ not much headroom..? Unless you are a low volume listener.

Very Bad synergy but enough power

 

[No Days Off]

Has anyone removed the screws holding the headband? I'd like to replace the headband strap and the screws seem to be locktite in place, very difficult to remove without fear of stripping them.

 

[BassicScience]

Has anyone removed the screws holding the headband? I'd like to replace the headband strap and the screws seem to be locktite in place, very difficult to remove without fear of stripping them.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hifiman-susvara.853031/page-634#post-16422655

 

[No Days Off]

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hifiman-susvara.853031/page-634#post-16422655

Thanks for this. It seems they might use loctite on the screws from seeing your pics and you essentially had to torque and break the screws to get them out. I can't seem to get enough grip with my screwdriver to do this without fear of stripping the screw. Do you remember the screwdriver you used? The screws are very low quality and soft and just starting to deform, sigh typical cheap HiFiMAN. Not sure yet what my next step will be.

 

[LarsMan]

Has anyone removed the screws holding the headband? I'd like to replace the headband strap and the screws seem to be locktite in place, very difficult to remove without fear of stripping them.

I'm having the same issue - and I can't see what I'm doing because of eyesight stuff and moving my fingers around to do that were a big problem for me and a friend of mine I asked to come by a couple nights ago and help me with it. I bought a demo and that was the shape the leather headband was in; they got me a replacement one, but I've been unable to put it on.

I asked the place that sold it to me if I could send them the 'phones back along with the replacement strap and have THEM do it and send it back! I'll see what they say tomorrow.

One thing I don't like about Susvara is even though they sound great and are comfortable to wear, I really dislike the whole metal frame/leather strap business they do on some of the Hifiman headphones, like these. Empyreans look like what a $6000 headphone should look like, even though they are less! And the little sliver of wood they have going around each earpiece makes me laugh when I put it next to my ZMF's!

 

[LarsMan]

It is never about if the quantity power is enough to drive sus, but always the quality.

True to a point, but quantity does count as well, as I would doubtless find out if I tried plugging them into my iPhone 6! Ya need both to hit that sweet spot!

 

[Somatic]

I think its way over priced, but does sound great non the less.

How have you been liking your Susvaras? Still feel like you will keep you Arya V2s?

 

[Pashmeister]

it’s all still quite subjective innit. “A90 sounds very transparent” is a sound that someone else might find anemic. The A90 to my subjective ears sounds like a toy amp compared to:

Burson Timkeeper (og)
AHB2
HA300
Ferrum Stack

Anyone can decide for themselves. It’s okay for a newbie to enjoy the Sus on the A90, but hope he keeps an open mind and try to audition different amps when there’s an opportunity.

 

[BassicScience]

Thanks for this. It seems they might use loctite on the screws from seeing your pics and you essentially had to torque and break the screws to get them out. I can't seem to get enough grip with my screwdriver to do this without fear of stripping the screw. Do you remember the screwdriver you used? The screws are very low quality and soft and just starting to deform, sigh typical cheap HiFiMAN. Not sure yet what my next step will be.

I just used a generic small Philips head screwdriver, nothing special. If you have access to a right angle screwdriver, you might not have to remove the ear cups, as I had to. Loctite may well have been the reason the screws snapped, but there's nothing to be done for it but replacing the assembly, as far as I know. FYI, I didn't use any Loctite on the new screws, and I haven't had any issue with them coming loose (to date).

 

[IZONE]

A90 is fine for the price, perhaps even a good value somewhat, but the biggest problem I hear is not a lack of power but lack of stage and brickwalling of dynamics. More expensive amps like the WA33 have this open airy soundstage, what people refer to as 'holographic'. Also, on A90 everything thing sounds equally loud while better amps have more nuance in dynamics where within the holographic stage certain instruments and voices will have different volumes to reflect more refined dynamic range. Somewhere within that you get some extra details that is hard to hear on A90 - voices and details pop out of nowhere from a super black background etc.; but if you listen to Pop, K-Pop, Hip-hop, etc. like me, a lot of these songs don't really take advantage of better amps soundstaging or detail capabilities. They brickwall the dynamics during mastering anyway and in general they're not mastered for the DAVE to WA33 chain.

I have audiophile quality 24-192 or DSD recordings, but these kind of music don't move me or get me emotionally involved to dance in my chair. I just go, "Wow, this sounds so neat! Very realistic and I hear the room," and then go back to my K-Pop. Sometimes it's nice to have everything up front and flat like A90. It's great to have a vocalist located properly in a holographic stage a few steps away from you, but having her stand right in your face as she sings can also bring different kind of pleasure/experience. So, yeah if your listening to pretty garbage non-audiophile music, A90 can drive the Susvara to ear-pleasuring levels If you're the kind of person who can differentiate recording equipment, reflections from different venues, different layers that are combined in the mastering, and are using musical sources that reflect these things, yeah definitely A90 will be dumpter-fire garbage. If you mostly listen to CD-quality Pop it's fine and it's fun. Amazing level of power and push. I think if I turned the knob all the way I would damage the Susvara drivers, blow them up and wake up the neighbors at the same time. A90 has that kind of drive from such a small box

You don't need a 100 inch 8K TV to watch Friends on DVD... and I watch Friends on DVD

 

[FractalSound]

I just used a generic small Philips head screwdriver, nothing special. If you have access to a right angle screwdriver, you might not have to remove the ear cups, as I had to. Loctite may well have been the reason the screws snapped, but there's nothing to be done for it but replacing the assembly, as far as I know. FYI, I didn't use any Loctite on the new screws, and I haven't had any issue with them coming loose (to date).

@BassicScience
@No Days Off

Is it an option to send the Sus back to the HiFiMan factory to get the headband replaced?

 

[BassicScience]

@BassicScience
@No Days Off

Is it an option to send the Sus back to the HiFiMan factory to get the headband replaced?

Probably.

Contact customerservice@hifiman.com for your options.

 

[LarsMan]

@BassicScience
@No Days Off

Is it an option to send the Sus back to the HiFiMan factory to get the headband replaced?

Since the factory is in China, I should hope there's an option, like maybe a willing local Hifiman dealer who'd do it for a reasonable fee....