[Bonesy Jonesy]

thanks for the info. i thought there were gain settings. it's a beast of an amp but the susvara were halfway already which means it's really hard to drive, the can.

it fairly neutral to bright to my ears.

I don't find the EF1000 to be totally neutral ! It is on the warmer side of neutral.

I have done direct (at a push of a switch) A to B comparisons with my EF1000 against my Chord Prima Pre-Amp and Chord Mezzo 140 Power Amp both connected the same way to my DAVE and M Scaler feeding the DAVE with PC based music files and from my Chord Blu CD Transporter and my Rega P10 turntable with Apheta 3 cartridge & Rega Aura Phono Stage.

The EF1000 wasn't even close in musical clarity with my Rega analogue set-up compared to the Chord amp system for both Susvara and my Focal Electra 1008 Be speakers.

However with my digital set-up, the EF1000 was far superior to my ears than the Chord amp system. It added a bigger and deeper sound stage with a higher bass impact & slam and more luscious mid range and nicer treble with a slight bit of warm added to the treble especially noticeable with female vocals.

The music from the EF1000 is also more expressive and emotional than the Chord amp set-up running my digital set-up. However with my analogue set-up, I would choose the Chord amp system every time as the EF1000 with my analogue set-up makes the music just too warm and lacking impact, clarity separation etc. i.e. sounds a bit muddy compared to the Chord amp system.

The Chord amp system running with my digital set-up, was a wee bit clearer bit it lost that expressive emotion and was a thinner and more sterile with a smaller and shallower sound stage and a less impactful and not as deep bass.

I can listen to the EF1000 amp set-up for hours with my digital set-up, the Chord amp set-up when I am in the mood to play my analogue set-up (which isn't that often as I find my digital set-up through the EF1000 either with my Susvara's or my speakers just music nirvana for all music genres ! ).

I find the synergy with the EF-1000 connected (the EF1000's RCA 'DAC' input connection) to the Chord DAVE and M Scaler one of the best I have ever heard !

 

[iFi audio]

True Position Tools - Universal Hard Carrying Case with Premium Kaizen Pick and Pluck Foam - Protects Electronics, Tools, Cameras and Testing Equipment, 17 x 12 x 3 In.

That's very cool and that pre-cut foam looks like a breeze to cut nicely and evenly. Thanks!

 

[fiiom11pro]

I don't find the EF1000 to be totally neutral ! It is on the warmer side of neutral.

I have done direct (at a push of a switch) A to B comparisons with my EF1000 against my Chord Prima Pre-Amp and Chord Mezzo 140 Power Amp both connected the same way to my DAVE and M Scaler feeding the DAVE with PC based music files and from my Chord Blu CD Transporter and my Rega P10 turntable with Apheta 3 cartridge & Rega Aura Phono Stage.

The EF1000 wasn't even close in musical clarity with my Rega analogue set-up compared to the Chord amp system for both Susvara and my Focal Electra 1008 Be speakers.

However with my digital set-up, the EF1000 was far superior to my ears than the Chord amp system. It added a bigger and deeper sound stage with a higher bass impact & slam and more luscious mid range and nicer treble with a slight bit of warm added to the treble especially noticeable with female vocals.

The music from the EF1000 is also more expressive and emotional than the Chord amp set-up running my digital set-up. However with my analogue set-up, I would choose the Chord amp system every time as the EF1000 with my analogue set-up makes the music just too warm and lacking impact, clarity separation etc. i.e. sounds a bit muddy compared to the Chord amp system.

The Chord amp system running with my digital set-up, was a wee bit clearer bit it lost that expressive emotion and was a thinner and more sterile with a smaller and shallower sound stage and a less impactful and not as deep bass.

I can listen to the EF1000 amp set-up for hours with my digital set-up, the Chord amp set-up when I am in the mood to play my analogue set-up (which isn't that often as I find my digital set-up through the EF1000 either with my Susvara's or my speakers just music nirvana for all music genres ! ).

I find the synergy with the EF-1000 connected (the EF1000's RCA 'DAC' input connection) to the Chord DAVE and M Scaler one of the best I have ever heard !

it's really different when someone audition a gear in a unontrolled environment like a convention as we only rely on what the setup is. probably because of the audio chain.

does it clip to you at some point? i mean the susvara on ef1000?

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

it's really different when someone audition a gear in a unontrolled environment like a convention as we only rely on what the setup is. probably because of the audio chain.

does it clip to you at some point? i mean the susvara on ef1000?

Yes, you really need to demo gear at least at a Dealer in a quiet room where you can fully relax with your own music tracks and a hifi chain that resembles as close as possible to your home set-up for a complete day or two or much better in your own home for at least a couple of days ideally a week or two.

No never had any clipping from the Susvara nor EF1000.

 

[Somatic]

It's not fear mongering about blowing the driver per say, it's about using an amp without an output cap. An older amp w/o an output cap can develop a large DC offset. If your planar headphone is constantly plugged into it, it can severely shorten the lifespan of the driver. So anyone who uses a speaker amp needs to be very aware of this.

What an output cap? And what’s a good one that won’t affect SQ? Thanks.

 

[Somatic]

You are joking right? Dc offset can result in reduced dynamic range, shortened driver life and in the worst case destroy your cans over short to medium time.

How can one prevent this?

 

[Jonathan Crouch]

How is that possible?

Similar happened to me. I paid for a open box version and somehow my coupon code worked as well... so I got quite a bit knocked off only for them to send me a brand new Susvara. I got mine from Bloom and was extremely fortunate.

 

[801evan]

I know two reputable headfiers who have blown their Susvara drivers with speaker amps. Part of why you don't read about it is that they're embarrassed by their clumsiness..

Also ruin one's chance to get a replacement unit because of user error.

 

[iFi audio]

I know two reputable headfiers who have blown their Susvara drivers with speaker amps. Part of why you don't read about it is that they're embarrassed by their clumsiness..

Well, there is some risk to it, but if one's careful (...and a speaker amp's manufacturer confirms that it can work with Susvara) the odds of blowing up drivers are slim at best. Speaking of, I'll need to sneak in our HQ one night to use AMR's AM-77 with these cans and see what happens...

 

[dodol3k]

What an output cap? And what’s a good one that won’t affect SQ? Thanks.

Hello, sorry to hear about your Susvara. I use AHB2 too but I use Singxer SA-1 as a preamp. My current chain is Gustard X16 (DAC) -> Singxer SA-1 -> AHB2. Sometime ago I have similar eq accident. Gustard X-16, when the NOS mode is on, roll off the treble or bass (I forgot which one) on low sample rate. So I added some eq (around 15-20db) but then I forgot to change the eq back before I increase the sample rate. Looks like I was lucky, my AHB2 shutdown before it affected my driver. After I restarted the whole system everything went back to normal.

 

[Somatic]

Hello, sorry to hear about your Susvara. I use AHB2 too but I use Singxer SA-1 as a preamp. My current chain is Gustard X16 (DAC) -> Singxer SA-1 -> AHB2. Sometime ago I have similar eq accident. Gustard X-16, when the NOS mode is on, roll off the treble or bass (I forgot which one) on low sample rate. So I added some eq (around 15-20db) but then I forgot to change the eq back before I increase the sample rate. Looks like I was lucky, my AHB2 shutdown before it affected my driver. After I restarted the whole system everything went back to normal.

Definitely next time I won’t add so much bass shelf and add a subwoofer instead.

Just curious, I didn’t think changing sample rate will make the sound louder. Glad it’s still working. The drivers are versatile. I just took it too far.

 

[dodol3k]

Definitely next time I won’t add so much bass shelf and add a subwoofer instead.

Just curious, I didn’t think changing sample rate will make the sound louder. Glad it’s still working. The drivers are versatile. I just took it too far.

Yeah, it is just a specific thing with the Gustard X-16 NOS mode. I read it somewhere in the Gustard X-16 thread and I got curious so I was testing it with my miniDSP EARS. Looks like it has a treble or bass roll-off (I forgot which one) but only when NOS mode is on and only on low sample rate. So, when I change my sample rate back to 384k it overload the AHB2.

 

[number1sixerfan]

I know two reputable headfiers who have blown their Susvara drivers with speaker amps. Part of why you don't read about it is that they're embarrassed by their clumsiness..

Yes, I anticipated that as well and almost mentioned it. Not saying it never happens, but it is rare and almost ALWAYS user error. It's an expensive purchase, so I get that even 1 or 2 isn't trivial, but largely speaking the data at hand doesn't suggest that its common. Nor do I believe it to be.

It's not fear mongering about blowing the driver per say, it's about using an amp without an output cap. An older amp w/o an output cap can develop a large DC offset. If your planar headphone is constantly plugged into it, it can severely shorten the lifespan of the driver. So anyone who uses a speaker amp needs to be very aware of this.

Makes sense and that is very fair. I was more so speaking to the broader fear mongering that repetitively is sparked over and over without any specific concern called out, unlike here.

 

[chesebert]

Well, there is some risk to it, but if one's careful (...and a speaker amp's manufacturer confirms that it can work with Susvara) the odds of blowing up drivers are slim at best. Speaking of, I'll need to sneak in our HQ one night to use AMR's AM-77 with these cans and see what happens...

Please disclose this amp manufacturer.

Also, instead of trying, why don't you just ask your engineering team whether AM-77 can drive a low sensitivity 60ohm load.

 

[BassicScience]

Please disclose this amp manufacturer.

Also, instead of trying, why don't you just ask your engineering team whether AM-77 can drive a low sensitivity 60ohm load.

Pretty sure he meant the manufacturer of whatever amp you're considering using.

Why would any amp designed to drive speakers have a problem driving a pair of headphones, no matter the impedance?