[MartussDer]

i was hoping that we might have moved on from the asr 'noise' by now

the asr review is a good reason to laugh for a while. We shouldn't see it as something that shouldn't be talked about. rather we should have fun remembering the nonsense of that review and its minions. take it easy and smile and laugh at it.

Better look at my friends' reactions when they heard my susvara for the first time (min 2:12)

 

[up late]

^ the joke got old after a few pages for me - ymmv

 

[MartussDer]

^ the joke got old after a few pages for me - ymmv

Ok.

By the way. What do you know about that the susvara has inverted polarization? Could you explain me that?

 

[rwelles]

i was hoping that we might have moved on from the asr 'noise' by now

@up late, if you could please allow me one last indulgence...

The thing that really draws me to audio reproduction: it is a meeting of the science and art worlds. It is this cusp that truly fascinates me. I'm mostly retired but still part-time, doing photo restoration of high-resolution scans of old film (mostly Marilyn Monroe photos from the 50s & 60s) in Photoshop. This is another cusp between science and art.

It is obvious to me that our ears are much more than mere microphones. Our brains are SO much more than mere recorders. There is so much information reaching our brains than can be addressed by measurements allowed by the current limitations of our science. Maybe one day in the future, but not today or even soon.

Yes, there is a strong component of science in audio reproduction. It would be silly to believe otherwise.

As most of us know in this thread, there is a true art that can't be ignored.

It is because of this willful ignorance that I hold that other site in distain.

[EDIT] spelling correction

 

[BillinSF]

@up late, if you could please allow me one last indulgence...

The thing that really draws me to audio reproduction: it is a meeting of the science and art worlds. It is this cusp that truly fascinates me. I'm mostly retired but still part-time, doing photo restoration of high-resolution scans of old film (mostly Marilyn Monroe photos from the 50s & 60s) in Photoshop. This is another cusp between science and art.

It is obvious to me that our ears are much more than mere microphones. Our brains are SO much more than mere recorders. There is so much information reaching our brains than can be addressed by measurements allowed by the current limitations of our science. Maybe one day in the future, but not today or even soon.

Yes, there is a strong component of science in audio reproduction. It would be silly to believe otherwise.

As most of us know in this thread, there is a true art that can't be ignored.

It is because of this willful ignorance that I hold that other site in distain.

[EDIT] spelling correction

Well said.

I queried CHAT GPT for 2 paragraphs describing Susvara analytical tests. Result? Just like you, science then art.

"The Susvara headphones, renowned for their exceptional audio quality, have undergone rigorous analytical testing to validate their performance claims. In controlled testing environments, experts have evaluated the headphones across various parameters, including frequency response, distortion levels, and transient response. The results consistently showcase the Susvara's ability to reproduce audio with remarkable fidelity, offering an expansive frequency range that captures nuanced details across the entire spectrum. With minimal distortion and exceptional transient response, these headphones excel in accurately reproducing intricate musical passages, making them a top choice for audiophiles and professionals seeking uncompromising sound quality.

Moreover, the Susvara's analytical tests extend beyond objective measurements to include subjective evaluations by experienced listeners. Critical listening sessions have been conducted to assess the headphones' imaging, soundstage, and overall tonal balance. The consensus among experts is that the Susvara headphones deliver a captivating and immersive listening experience. The expansive soundstage provides a sense of depth and dimensionality, while precise imaging allows for a lifelike placement of instruments and vocals. These analytical tests, both objective and subjective, affirm the Susvara's standing as a flagship headphone that combines cutting-edge technology with a musicality that appeals to discerning audio enthusiasts."

 

[up late]

Ok.

By the way. What do you know about that the susvara has inverted polarization? Could you explain me that?

i was aware that its polarity is inverted but i haven't looked into it - something else for me to google about this headphone...

 

[SolarCetacean]

Inverted polarity usually doesn't make a difference in real music signals.

For anyone reading this who doesn't know what inverted polarity means, the Susvara moves its diaphragm opposite to the direction built into the signal (assuming the signal chain until then maintains polarity), so it will move in the negative direction when the signal moves in the positive direction, pulling air away when it should be pushing and vice versa.

Absolute polarity can make a difference in certain asymmetric test tones (e.g. sawtooth wave) because our ears don't respond identically to air coming in vs air going out. The nerves attached to the hairs in the inner ear only trigger when those hairs are bent inwards (air coming in), and they don't trigger when the hairs bend back out (air going out). It thus behaves somewhat like a half-wave rectifier, though the ear also adjusts its sensitivity when air is going out to compensate for the lack of direct nerve activation so it's not entirely like a half-wave rectifier. In the case of the sawtooth wave, one polarity has a lot more sub-bass than the other (I forgot which one gave more sub-bass, inverted or non-inverted), and the difference was easily apparent in a blind ABX test using the Foobar2000 ABX comparator plugin.

Coming back to real music signals, it's usually very difficult to hear any difference in polarity. Some instruments (certain brass instruments IIRC) naturally produce asymmetrical signals, so they're the best candidates for absolute polarity being audible, but I think it's hard for most people to determine the difference.

Also, some amplifier topologies are naturally inverting. So if you pair an inverting amplifier with an inverting headphone, you should retain the same polarity as whatever your DAC outputs. Additionally, the Susvara is hardly the only inverting headphone. I recall Bob Katz measured both the Audeze CRBN and Stax SR-007 as inverting polarity. A number of popular IEMs also invert polarity. I think only music production personnel would really care about inverting/non-inverting polarity, and most DAWs have the option to invert polarity in the first place. I think in theory if you don't want inverted polarity vs the source, you can wire XLR interconnects to invert polarity.

 

[jlbrach]

I remember reading about this sometimes ago and the verdict being it was a complete non issue

 

[Polygonhell]

I remember reading about this sometimes ago and the verdict being it was a complete non issue

A lot of DAC’s will let you change absolute phase, because it’s not always correct on a recording, or in some cases wrong on some tracks in a master.
you could also fix it in the cable if you wanted to.
it’s a VERY subtle difference, some people can’t easily hear it, it’s most noticeable in bass presentation, human hearing is more sensitive to phase at lower frequencies.
There is som interesting reasonably recent research on human hearing and phase tracking differences in how nerves fire.

 

[up late]

speaker polarity is explained clearly here with examples: https://audiouniversityonline.com/speaker-polarity/

as long as both of susvara's transducers are wired inversely, then it shouldn't be noticeable to the listener

 

[MartussDer]

speaker polarity is explained clearly here with examples: https://audiouniversityonline.com/speaker-polarity/

as long as both of susvara's transducers are wired inversely, then it shouldn't be noticeable to the listener

Today i was playing inverting polarity in my susvara. Actually i can not hear differences. If the music is a combination of negative and positive signals, then the differeces would be just few or in some cases, nothing, i think.

 

[landwatersky]

I sent a cable for re-termination to hifiman 3.5mm headphone connectors. Upon return there was no sound whatsoever! I returned the cable, and upon receipt of the cable with another pair of 3.5mm connectors, it worked fine.

Edit: cannot be 100% sure they were different connectors. Could of been this TRRS wiring mentioned by thecrow above.

Good to know, JT. Glad the repaired cable worked out for you!

 

[Alpexis]

Susvara on the Riviera AIC10-Bal is the most fun Susvara I heard, but on the Mass Kobo 465 it's the most real sounding Sus I heard.

Which tube are you running on the riviera?

 

[orrman]

Which tube are you running on the riviera?

G73R, Brimar CV4003 and a french Mazda depending on the mood. Have any recommendations?

 

[yolosauce]

I tried oratory's harman EQ on the Susvara and it sounds terrible. Bloated bass and honky mids. The stock tuning is far superior for music reproduction. Maybe the harman curve sounds good when listening at 120db like Amir but I want to preserve my eardrums. I also don't have to worry about that pesky 114db inaudible distortion.