[draytonklammer]

ASR putting down the hammer on the Sus

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/hifiman-susvara-headphone-review.50705/

Mentioning high frequencies sound distorted to me sounds like crappy cookie cutter designed DACs and amps powering it.

ASR does a lot of great things, but headphone reviews don't seem to be one of those things.
I've generally enjoyed the gear I've purchased based on objective performance.

Headphones are another machine entirely.
If every headphone followed the Harman curve, we'd have a bunch of blah.
I found the DCA headphones to be less than ideal for my sake, yet they are nearly adherent to the Harman curve.

Every HRTF is different. Every listener preference is different.
Harman curve is great for some. Horrible for others.
Headphones.com's approach to a preference window is a much better approach to this sort of objective measurement style.

The only thing that bothers me about this is the distortion levels at high SPL, but luckily I don't like going deaf, so I tend to listen at a level that isn't largely affected.

 

[theveterans]

(and even then some people prefer a Susvara over a Shangri-La Senior which you can read in its thread in a recent post)

I'd love to hear the Shang Sr on its matching e-stat amp someday. It sounded thin with the Woo Audio 3ES amp with the Rockna Wavedream Balanced when I demoed it earlier this year

 

[theveterans]

ASR does a lot of great things, but headphone reviews don't seem to be that great.
I've generally enjoyed the gear I've purchased based on objective performance.

Headphones are another machine entirely.
If every headphone followed the Harman curve, we'd have a bunch of blah.
I found the DCA headphones to be less than ideal for my sake, yet they are nearly adherent to the Harman curve.

Every HRTF is different. Every listener preference is different.
Harman curve is great for some. Horrible for others.
Headphones.com's approach to a preference window is a much better approach to this sort of objective measurement style.

The only thing that bothers me about this is the distortion levels at high SPL, but luckily I don't like going deaf, so I tend to listen at a level that isn't largely affected.

I can't imagine listening to music at a fully open maxed out volume from the AHB2 at 113 dB SPL. I don't think any amps are even designed to hit those levels as nominal level, but it's also important to hit that SPL at peak level without crackling out if you decide to watch 4K Blu-Ray movies at IMAX reference peak SPL levels.

 

[draytonklammer]

I'd love to hear the Shang Sr on its matching e-stat amp someday. It sounded thin with the Woo Audio 3ES amp with the Rockna Wavedream Balanced when I demoed it earlier this year

I didn't find the Shang Sr. thin at all on my setup, but I still find the Susvara to be more compelling.

This is likely because I prefer a neutral sound with a touch of warmth. That endless planar bass extension is something wonderful.

To be honest, I also didn't love having a five figure headphone sitting around my home.

 

[BassicScience]

ASR putting down the hammer on the Sus

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/hifiman-susvara-headphone-review.50705/

Mentioning high frequencies sound distorted to me sounds like crappy cookie cutter designed DACs and amps powering it.

Naught wrong with the amps or DAC he used that would cause that. Some of it may be fixture-related, but a lot of it is probably legit. Note also that he's testing and listening at absurdly high levels (his AH2B ran out of voltage swing)! Since I never perceive the Susvara as sounding distorted in any way, I'm not going to lose any sleep (or sell the headphone) over this review. IMO, ASR is virtually worthless as a practical guide to purchasing gear, except for people who ultimately trust measurements more than their own ears. They tend to think that all Harman-compliant headphones are more or less interchangeable sonically, which is absurd.

 

[theveterans]

I didn't find the Shang Sr. thin at all on my setup, but I still find the Susvara to be more compelling.
To be honest, I also didn't love having a five figure headphone sitting around my home.
This is likely because I prefer a neutral sound with a touch of warmth. That endless planar bass extension is something wonderful.

What amp are you using with the Shang Sr?

 

[draytonklammer]

What amp are you using with the Shang Sr?

I've tried it on a few, but I settled on the Carbon. The Carbon CC was nearly identical.
The tube amps helped with the brightness, but I prefer solid-state for a number of other reasons.

Ultimately, the Shang as a transducer was too bright for my preferences.

 

[theveterans]

Ultimately, the Shang as a transducer was too bright for my preferences.

Indeed. Thanks for putting what you thought of it overall. The thin perception for me was just it's brighter than what I prefer. Would love to revisit it of course if somebody has found that unicorn chain to make it sound closer to Susvara's tonal qualities with ridiculous level of resolution (I perceived it as even more resolution than any of the Stax headphones currently)

 

[BassicScience]

Indeed. Thanks for putting what you thought of it overall. The thin perception for me was just it's brighter than what I prefer. Would love to revisit it of course if somebody has found that unicorn chain to make it sound closer to Susvara's tonal qualities with ridiculous level of resolution (I perceived it as even more resolution than any of the Stax headphones currently)

Both of the Shangri-la headphones need about a 3 dB bass shelf added to sound their best, IHMO.

 

[jlbrach]

ASR putting down the hammer on the Sus

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/hifiman-susvara-headphone-review.50705/

Mentioning high frequencies sound distorted to me sounds like crappy cookie cutter designed DACs and amps powering it.

this guy is like Mikey from the commercial years ago...he hates everything lol...well I should say everything that is expensive other than the stealth...it seems as if he delights in tearing down iconic products..what a joke this guy is....and his legion of fans their who mock and ridicule anything they cant afford...I am not suggesting that all expensive products are worth their cost but that site is a joke

 

[Pashmeister]

this guy is like Mikey from the commercial years ago...he hates everything lol...well I should say everything that is expensive other than the stealth...it seems as if he delights in tearing down iconic products..what a joke this guy is....and his legion of fans their who mock and ridicule anything they cant afford...I am not suggesting that all expensive products are worth their cost but that site is a joke

It is. Also, I don’t like how the Stealth sounds. I avoid ASR to preserve my enjoyment of the hobby.

 

[musicinmymind]

I am regular with ASR, all the product they troll gains my interest.

 

[kumar402]

I am regular with ASR, all the product they troll gains my interest.

That’s true…non performing product there means non clinical and non sterile sounding musical gear

 

[alxw0w]

I always love to read Head-fi after ASR is dropping review of something, so much fun

 

[theveterans]

That’s true…non performing product there means non clinical and non sterile sounding musical gear

What's interesting is that this transcends to headphones and IEMs too. Those recommended $20 IEMs sound shouty, harmonically wrong and unnatural as heck despite being compliant with Harman