Holo Audio Bliss

[Leto Dal]

Yeah I miss it for iems. Envy has audiable hiss even on low gain with some sensetive IEMs, never was an issue with Bliss.

 

[kajetanjazz]

Punch and body. The very things most people are upgrading their chains for after getting Susvara.

I dont "prefer" Envy, its objectivly more full bodied and incisive than Bliss, there is more depth and sheer thunder to the sound than with Bliss, as AIC10 is objectivly more full bodied and grander for Susvara than Envy. I think you can certainly enjoy Susvara with Bliss but there are certainly far better amps for it. In the similar price category I would pick HA-300b mk.2 over Bliss all day any day for Susvara. The fact that they are marketing Bliss as being developed with Susvara back in mind, is first of all - marketing of the manufacturor. We are talking here only about Susvara btw, I think Bliss is a superb amp for many headphones with no need to upgrade any further if you like its timbre (its beautiful).

I second this, Envy is also more punchy and grunty with 1266 than Bliss. Though i attribute a lot of that to tubes as well, I dont remember a solid state offering same jump in that regard

 

[Leto Dal]

Zähl HM-1 sounded more full bodied and punchy to me too with Sus, more dry though. Mass Kobo 465 is close to AIC10 with how full it is, just without coloration.

 

[kajetanjazz]

Zähl HM-1 sounded more full bodied and punchy to me too with Sus, more dry though. Mass Kobo 465 is close to AIC10 with how full it is, just without coloration.

With those the Envy starts to seem like low cost

 

[Leto Dal]

With those the Envy starts to seem like low cost

Thats why I decided to keep it and stop myself from upgrading further hahaa

 

[kenz0]

Thats why I decided to keep it and stop myself from upgrading further hahaa

Do you have any thoughts in that regard about Enleum 23r?

 

[mfgillia]

Yeah I miss it for iems. Envy has audiable hiss even on low gain with some sensetive IEMs, never was an issue with Bliss.

An understated super power of Bliss is how well it drives IEMs. My UM Mest 2 never sounded better. If I could just figure out how to fit it in my pocket...

 

[Leto Dal]

An understated super power of Bliss is how well it drives IEMs. My UM Mest 2 never sounded better. If I could just figure out how to fit it in my pocket...

The answer is Lp6 Ti / AE

Do you have any thoughts in that regard about Enleum 23r?

Nope never heard that one, but I am sure in Susvara thread some folks will know.

 

[Frankie D]

Zähl HM-1 sounded more full bodied and punchy to me too with Sus, more dry though. Mass Kobo 465 is close to AIC10 with how full it is, just without coloration.

The way I heard and like the AIC-10 there is a huge difference between the MK-465 and the AIC-10. I posted about it on the MK-465 thread. I placed the link below. It is one of my favorite amps. I hope to get an AIC one day. The Susvara becomes 2 different HPs using these amps. I am now liking the Zahl allot as well.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/mass-kobo-model-465-is-in-the-house.969985/post-18261477

I also briefly discuss the Bliss in posts that follow it.

 

[chrisnyc75]

I dont "prefer" Envy, its objectivly more full bodied and incisive than Bliss

More "full bodied" sure, but more "incisive"? With all due respect, I find that hard to believe. I've never heard any headphone on any tube amp that I would call "more incisive" than that same headphone on a solid state amp. "Incisive" isn't generally what tubes are all about.

Anyway, my 2 cents: I like wavetheory, but I take everything he says with a grain of salt, as I do with every other youtuber/reviewer. I respect that he probably has more experience with gear than I do, but that doesn't mean that his take on everything is more valid than my own. I personally find Bliss a very good match with Susvara, though I must admit I haven't spent much time with Sus on any other solid state amp. With standard digital files or streaming, Sus sounds at home right around 0db on the volume pot - which makes sense if Jeff Zhu really did use Susvara when he was developing Bliss. That said, I do find that Bliss struggles to drive Sus with vinyl or DSD (which inherently provide less voltage for the amp to work with). I can usually get vinyl to sound good around +6dB, but DSD often struggles even approaching max volume +12dB. That tells me that while Bliss can drive Susvara well under normal circumstances it may be lacking the overhead for that true MAXIMUM performance?

I admit, though, that none of this accounts for wavetheory's claim that Bliss (and May?) rolls off the sub-bass. I simply do not find this to be true at all - and I listen to a lot of techno that digs all the way down below the range of human hearing (though admittedly not usually with Susvara). Tbh, at the end of the day, I think Holo has a reputation as a brand that caters to "timbre" and "organic" sound, and that can be [mistakenly] read to imply that Holo devices are tuned specifically for acoustic jazz and classical, and maybe they aren't the best for modern electronic, rock, & metal listening. And we all know when you go into a thing with a preconceived notion, you are very likely to form your opinions with that preconception in mind whether you mean to or not.

 

[idairyou]

More "full bodied" sure, but more "incisive"? With all due respect, I find that hard to believe. I've never heard any headphone on any tube amp that I would call "more incisive" than that same headphone on a solid state amp. "Incisive" isn't generally what tubes are all about.

Anyway, my 2 cents: I like wavetheory, but I take everything he says with a grain of salt, as I do with every other youtuber/reviewer. I respect that he probably has more experience with gear than I do, but that doesn't mean that his take on everything is more valid than my own. I personally find Bliss a very good match with Susvara, though I must admit I haven't spent much time with Sus on any other solid state amp. With standard digital files or streaming, Sus sounds at home right around 0db on the volume pot - which makes sense if Jeff Zhu really did use Susvara when he was developing Bliss. That said, I do find that Bliss struggles to drive Sus with vinyl or DSD (which inherently provide less voltage for the amp to work with). I can usually get vinyl to sound good around +6dB, but DSD often struggles even approaching max volume +12dB. That tells me that while Bliss can drive Susvara well under normal circumstances it may be lacking the overhead for that true MAXIMUM performance?

I admit, though, that none of this accounts for wavetheory's claim that Bliss (and May?) rolls off the sub-bass. I simply do not find this to be true at all - and I listen to a lot of techno that digs all the way down below the range of human hearing (though admittedly not usually with Susvara). Tbh, at the end of the day, I think Holo has a reputation as a brand that caters to "timbre" and "organic" sound, and that can be [mistakenly] read to imply that Holo devices are tuned specifically for acoustic jazz and classical, and maybe they aren't the best for modern electronic, rock, & metal listening. And we all know when you go into a thing with a preconceived notion, you are very likely to form your opinions with that preconception in mind whether you mean to or not.

Here, here, I agree with you on your points about the Bliss and you said it much better than I would have.

As for YT "reviewers" I watch them because they are entertaining, engaging and somewhat informative, and not just because they agree with my point of view. Even if I don't agree with them, I will still watch them because I find them entertaining and engaging. As for audio enthusiast reviewers there is the added wrinkle that I find most of them sound arrogant during their reviews and it puts me off.

I only really watch 3 on a regular basis, Goldensound, DMS, and Resolve. While not always entertaining, they are engaging and pass on the information without sounding arrogant or at least too arrogant.

Audio reviews are not like a PC review, where you can take a CPU and as long as the testing methodology is correct everyone will get the same result. No matter how much practical knowledge someone has (wither it be an audio engineer or someone who has just listened to a lot of different gear) there are too many human factors at play with audio for everyone to agree on anything 100%.

 

[RustyGates]

Do you have any thoughts in that regard about Enleum 23r?

My 2c:

I owned the Bliss for about 8-9 months alongside the AMP-23R. I used the Bliss exclusively for about 5 months and racked up 100s hours on it.

Ultimately it was the AMP-23R for me and had to let the Bliss go: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/holo-audio-bliss.964155/page-210#post-17930177

Pro's AMP-23R: It sounds faster, effortless and so relaxed, incredible timbre, extremely resolving (with no discernable distortion) with insane image precision within its stage, the sound is very dynamic & 'elastic' or 'bouncy'; bass hits harder and is plumpy and tight and has better ability to drive headphones in terms of transients, punch and current output (I mean, it can drive speakers like Kef Reference 3 quite well). The treble is also crisper than the Bliss. Do note the AMP-23R is a current mode / voltage drive amp, similar to the Mass Kobo 465.

Pro's Bliss: Very large spacious SS (which was great with my Utopia 22), has a void-black (like the Boötes void like void) background, very crisp and resolving (and a bit cleaner in its resolve than the AMP-23R) and smooth as per its stellar measurements, very punchy with Utopia's.

In terms of the Susvara, another 2c to add in there is that Michael from Directors Garage rates the AMP-23R/Susvara pairing a step above the HM1. I currently have a HM1 and trialing that, and with my headphones, I also feel that although the HM1 is perfectly neutral, it is not quite up to the level of the 23R for enjoyment and euphony. The only way I can explain it is this: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...-amp-13r-thread.960930/page-129#post-18302466

Both amps were partnered with the Mola Mola Tambaqui.

 

[Joshua G]

I said “what I consider”. Going by the folks I speak with I doubt 99% would disagree. However, many will disagree and that is to be expected. I mentioned those 2 amplifiers because most will atleast agree they are good amplifiers, even if not their preferred amplifier. Most folks that like tube amps in particular will prefer tube amplifiers as one example.

Where did I ever say someone should not post their thoughts. I said: “Happy to hear your thoughts.”

I see you are a new head-fi poster. Welcome.

There are a number of YT reviewers who should not be making reviews

I do not agree with all opinions out there. But they are all 100% entitled to them. And thank you for the welcome =)

 

[Frankie D]

I do not agree with all opinions out there. But they are all 100% entitled to them. And thank you for the welcome =)

I think you are taking my comment a bit too serious. You left out the “IMHO” and it was meant to be a comment on YT reviewers, not a formal request. I do like to hold YT reviewers to a higher standard, and as always, as this is subjective, IMHO.

 

[MrHaelscheir]

At last, I have heard the Bliss: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...ssions-music-and-musings.972819/post-18384063 (post #4,186). In short, I will most likely be skipping it until I actually manage to exceed my FiiO's power capabilities, and will for now likely go for the Stax SR-X9000 route with an appropriate energizer.