[ZappaMan]

Hi,

Playing some DSD64 into M Scaler and the DX OP is blue is this correct?

Thanks.

What sample rate does that equate to?

 

[naynay]

I do not know a lot about DSD myself but doing a Google search shows it as 28224.4KHz so would have expected the input file of M Scaler to show white?

 

[ZappaMan]

I do not know a lot about DSD myself but doing a Google search shows it as 28224.4KHz so would have expected the input file of M Scaler to show white?

Yes I’d have thought that

 

[Tekunda]

Sorry

My post is about Susvara pairing.

i can’t believe people are suggesting selling DAVE HMS combo for TT2 HMS combo since this is a better syngery with. SUSVARA and ABYSS. I still think for what I’ve read that keeping the former and adding a really good high powered HP amp or speaker amp for the SUSVARA is the way to go. Anyone else have any thoughts??

So you will connect the Mscaler to the TT2 and the TT2 to a speaker amp, thereby using the TT2 as a DAC only?

 

[tunes]

So you will connect the Mscaler to the TT2 and the TT2 to a speaker amp, thereby using the TT2 as a DAC only?

Yes. However, my question was whether the TT2 plus Mscaler alone without an amp is enough to drive the Susvara to its full potential. If that is indeed the case would sell my DAVE and buy the TT2. Since this would give the purest SQ. If the DAVE plus Mscaler with SPEAKER AMP scales the Susvara to a much higher level, despite some small loss of SQ due to the interposition of an amp, then would keep DAVE.

 

[Tekunda]

Yes. However, my question was whether the TT2 plus Mscaler alone without an amp is enough to drive the Susvara to its full potential. If that is indeed the case would sell my DAVE and buy the TT2. Since this would give the purest SQ. If the DAVE plus Mscaler with SPEAKER AMP scales the Susvara to a much higher level, despite some small loss of SQ due to the interposition of an amp, then would keep DAVE.

I have read a few times that the Susvara really start to shine when connected to a Speaker amp.
So in your particular case I would keep the Dave-M-scaler pairing and hook it up to a speaker amp.

 

[Triode User]

Yes. However, my question was whether the TT2 plus Mscaler alone without an amp is enough to drive the Susvara to its full potential. If that is indeed the case would sell my DAVE and buy the TT2. Since this would give the purest SQ. If the DAVE plus Mscaler with SPEAKER AMP scales the Susvara to a much higher level, despite some small loss of SQ due to the interposition of an amp, then would keep DAVE.

I see where you are coming from. I only have speakers but it was my conclusion having listened to both options that Dave is so much more transparent than TT2 (more than I expected to be honest) that adding a good speaker amp to MScalerDave was a better option for me than using MScalerTT2 solo (ie no separate amp). For me the transparency of Dave is just too alluring to give up and wasn't too much affected by adding the external amp. I will grant you that the amp I amp using is by no means cheap but it serves to illustrate a point and there may be other cheaper amps that will preserve the bulk of Dave's transparency.

 

[tunes]

Yes. However, my question was whether the TT2 plus Mscaler alone without an amp is enough to drive the Susvara to its full potential. If that is indeed the case would sell my DAVE and buy the TT2. Since this would give the purest SQ. If the DAVE plus Mscaler with SPEAKER AMP scales the Susvara to a much higher level, despite some small loss of SQ due to the interposition of an amp, then would keep DAVE.

Thanks for the advice. Now the search is on for the most transparent speaker amp within my budget. I am trying to decide which speaker amp is in the price range of the two dedicated headphone amps that are probably not powerful enough compared to a true speaker amp that have been tauted as best in show, e.g XI Audio S formula or Headtrips little brother Enigma II.

 

[jarnopp]

Yes. However, my question was whether the TT2 plus Mscaler alone without an amp is enough to drive the Susvara to its full potential. If that is indeed the case would sell my DAVE and buy the TT2. Since this would give the purest SQ. If the DAVE plus Mscaler with SPEAKER AMP scales the Susvara to a much higher level, despite some small loss of SQ due to the interposition of an amp, then would keep DAVE.

The Susvara have the same rated sensitivity that the HE-6 do, which TT2 will drive gloriously, IMO. I use the XLR output balanced, which I prefer with them to SE, but there is likely enough power SE as well, depending on your music and tastes. The mScaler reduces the signal by 3 dB, so you should try to audition it. I haven’t compared to Dave.

 

[onlychild]

The Hifiman HE-1000SE is a great alternative to the Susvara, especially driven directly out of DAVE/Mscaler.

The new SE uses the same type magnets as Susvara, but is much more efficient. Think it’s 96db sensitivity

 

[tunes]

The Hifiman HE-1000SE is a great alternative to the Susvara, especially driven directly out of DAVE/Mscaler.

The new SE uses the same type magnets as Susvara, but is much more efficient. Think it’s 96db sensitivity

It would be nice to see a comparative review of the SUSVARA with DAVE/Mscaler plus speaker amp compared to HEKse direct from DAVE/Mscaler without amp.

 

[ray-dude]

I was able to try something similar with just a Hugo2 at RMAF (Susvara with amp and HEKse direct).

HEK was stunningly relaxed and effortless. I could lose myself in that place for days. Delightful. Incredible synergy

Susvara was eerily real. Along with Abyss PHi TC’s an absolutely incredible experience

Alas, I was too shy to ask to borrow the Susvaras to listen to HMS plus TT2 at the Chord table next door. WAY high on my to audition list to hear the Susvaras and Phis direct from TT2.

 

[Amberlamps]

Is the Susvara that good ?

I hear stories saying its hard to drive and utopia’s are better or *insert headphone here* is better.

Ok, dave may have probs driving them, but are the susvara’s at the number 1 spot in the great headphone list ?

 

[ZappaMan]

Is the Susvara that good ?

I hear stories saying its hard to drive and utopia’s are better or *insert headphone here* is better.

Ok, dave may have probs driving them, but are the susvara’s at the number 1 spot in the great headphone list ?

I’d like to know - are those hard to drive headphones - a lot better and worth the effort to drive them ?
Should I aspire for susvara....

 

[Ross]

I recently bought a TT2 and M Scaler, which replaced a DAVE and Blu 2 which I owned for a year.

There is an issue I have with the M Scaler, and which I also had with the Blu 2.

The results I get with the M Scaler and, previously, the Blu 2 are both positive and negative. With the M Scaler engaged, there is what seems to be a massive drop in the noise floor of the recording. Low level detail which was previously masked is now more obvious. Timing of transients is sharper and more defined. However, with upsampling engaged, there is also a loss of fullness of sound; there is a new leanness, a lack of bloom around instruments. With the M Scaler, I can hear to the back of the hall, but nothing in between. At native resolution (with the M Scaler bypassed) I hear the fullness of the room, the sense of space around the instruments. And more importantly, the M Scaler seems to remove tonal colour - instruments seem to sound richer, warmer and more colourful when the M Scaler is bypassed. With upscaling engaged the sound is tonally lighter, cooler and somewhat bleached. It is like a skeletal version of the real thing. I am not convinced that this is merely the removal of distortion.

I am now leaning towards preferring the sound of the TT2 without the M Scaler. There is more body, more colour and more tone, at the expense of some forensic detail. I wonder if anyone else has had a similar experience.