iBASSO SR2 - mini review
Mar 18, 2021 at 4:27 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 32

FullBright1

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Updated : 3-19

IBasso S2R. - Mini Review : 3-18-2021


Fundamentals :

Cost : $549 USD

Box : Has a nice case and also contains extra perforated leather pads.

Clamping Pressure : Comfortable.

Headphones weight: Think Sennheiser HD

Pads : Are not shallow, they are leather, and they are soft. Nice Pads.

Headband: Wide and padded

Cable : Silver, braided, silent/non-microphonic

The SR2 is an over the ears Dynamic Drivers's Audiophile Gear designed with "Tesla Magnetic Flux Tech"
The Sound im perceiving is designed to be :

1. Liquid

2. Detailed

3. Sweet

There was a time before everyone worried about too much detail retrieval , when you bought headphones because they sounded good.
What we were after was "does it sound good".
That's all changed now, as the sound game has been reinvented and redirected.
Now its about paying for more "perceived detail"... more "perceived this, and more perceived that".
i perceive that a lot of very expensive headphones don't sound very good.
So, is all this a rabbit hole? Is this a farce? Is this a hustle? Are we being played ?

Well..... before all THAT took over the world of headphone listening, a sound like the one coming out of the SR2, would have been all you could want.

This Gear offers you a nice taste of velvety sonics combined with nice detail retrieval.
What's that? You say you want a beautiful natural sound, not fatiguing, and you want lots of DETAILS.
A.) Buy these.
The SR2 has been expertly designed then tuned for long listening sessions dialed in as fatigue free.
Midrange is smooth, and textured.., Low end is solid, and the Trebles are more revealing than airy. This means they are revealing while not sounding thin or sterile.
Piano, Acoustic guitar, Electric guitar, Orchestra, Jazz, & Vocals, are this Gear's bread and butter all night long song.

Specs :

(See photo of back of Box for the deep specifications).

Treble : Sweet, good detail, zero sibilance.

Midrange : Smooth, refined, nice texture.

Low Mids : very slightly elevated to produce body and a tasteful amount of warmth.

Bass : Full, rich, less detailed than Lovely. Not Bass canons, but not Bass light.

Timbre : Elegant

Soundstage : Its decently wide, more wide then intimate, and feels natural to your ears.

The SR2 is another good set of headphones.
It does not "sound like", one i can describe to you.
It certainly does its Sonic own thing, and does it well.

The SR2 has no noticeable build or sonic flaws, wears well, and is a great experience 4 when you are not wanting to hear microscopes but only want to kick back and relax and enjoy the music.

Verdict : Some Headphones try to impress you with too much FR and some headphones invite you into their lovely world of sound. This is that one.
You dont analyze music with these, you just smile and keep listening.
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Mar 19, 2021 at 4:28 PM Post #3 of 32
Your review is mini but far from superficial. Would you please make a comparison between Sr2 and Avantone Planar ?

If you like the Avantone, you will love the SR2, in my opinion.
Its not that they have the same sound Sig, but its the presentation., its that smooth full tonality in both cases.
The SR2's have offer more detail in the mids and treble, while the overall tone stays unbiased.
This week i received a set of Grado Hemp's and i was really happy to discover how Grado kept the Grado house sound, but, refined it and added a nice low end.
Next to arrive were the SR2s and ive even more impressed.
Female vocals, are given a nice treatment without pushing them ahead or pulling back the music...... Everything stays full and yet the detail is there.

One of the nicest features of the Empyrean, is that it makes everything sound good.
That't not to say its the most detailed or the most accurate or the most anything, but, what it achieves is that it makes music sound good.
The SR2's are similar, in that regard. You listen to jazz or pop or rock or whatever, and music sounds good.
A warmish tonality does that, as it tends to make music very friendly to your ears.
Good detail and warmish tone, is a happy listen.
 
Apr 8, 2021 at 6:12 PM Post #4 of 32
Good review. I know the price difference is huge but you mentioned the Empyrean, could these be consider baby Empyreans?

also how do these compare to the Grado hemp? If you don't mind expanding on it.
 
Apr 8, 2021 at 7:10 PM Post #5 of 32
Good review. I know the price difference is huge but you mentioned the Empyrean, could these be consider baby Empyreans?

also how do these compare to the Grado hemp? If you don't mind expanding on it.

It would be a stretch to claim that the Ibasso are a Empyrean Jr.
The Empyrean's have a wider soundstage, and less treble response, and are just about the best feeling headphones you can wear.
The Ibasso are very comfy, ... among some of the best, for comfort.
Where the Ibasso links with the Empyrean is in presentation of sound, as found in sweetness and, non fatigue, and somewhat regarding lushness.
However, because the Drivers are totally different tech, its not actually possible for them to be of the same sonic clan, sound-sig wise
Yet... when i listen to the Ibasso, i realize that they are so unique sounding, and lean in the direction of the Empyrean sound, which is a gear that is a unique sound.
The Empyrean is noone's twin tone.

Comparing the Grado to the Ibasso, is like comparing it to the Empyrean.
Its a different world of tonality and presentation.
Grado's are energetic upper midrange diamonds that glitter sound with precision.
Ibasso and Empyrean are velvet sonics that embrace you., with the Ibasso hugging your ear canals with a bit more Treble extension.
 
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Apr 8, 2021 at 7:25 PM Post #6 of 32
haha, yeah I figured it couldn't be called an Empyrean Jr. I do like that you're saying there's a sweetness and lushness to the sound along with a decent amount of bass and sub-bass presences.

I've head good things about the grado hemps being smooth sounding and trying to decide which headphones I should try.

Between the Grado's and SR2s, which one would you say is smoother and provides a a good meaty lush sound?

Appreciate you getting back to me.
 
Apr 8, 2021 at 7:43 PM Post #7 of 32
haha, yeah I figured it couldn't be called an Empyrean Jr. I do like that you're saying there's a sweetness and lushness to the sound along with a decent amount of bass and sub-bass presences.

I've head good things about the grado hemps being smooth sounding and trying to decide which headphones I should try.

Between the Grado's and SR2s, which one would you say is smoother and provides a a good meaty lush sound?

Appreciate you getting back to me.



And about that Grado.
The Grado Hemp, as compared to other Grado's, is the best balanced, and has the best bass, and offers a more pleasing toneality.
But The Hemp, as compared to most headphones, is more energetic.
Its right there with the LDC-XC. It has a lot of midrange juice and treble extension.
Its a critical listening device, more than it is a pleasure dome.

So, the Ibasso is the lush one, as compared to the Hemp., absolutely.
 
Apr 13, 2021 at 2:30 AM Post #10 of 32
My favorite headphone I've owned. If you're after musical enjoyment with just a touch of razzle dazzle, a splash of warmth, a fatigue free experience, and a sonic performance that will keep you tuned in and toe tapping for hours, these are what you want.
 
Apr 13, 2021 at 2:35 AM Post #11 of 32
Is anyone able to make a comparison between Sr2 and Sennheiser hd660?
Yeah, 660s is more on the analytical side, with a thinner, dryer sound. Soundstage, imaging and detail retrieval are all pretty close. Upper mids are more forward on the 660s, and treble has greater extension. The SR2 has some additional warmth and push in the low mids, and more sub/mid bass presence.
 
Apr 13, 2021 at 12:52 PM Post #12 of 32
Yeah, 660s is more on the analytical side, with a thinner, dryer sound. Soundstage, imaging and detail retrieval are all pretty close. Upper mids are more forward on the 660s, and treble has greater extension. The SR2 has some additional warmth and push in the low mids, and more sub/mid bass presence.
@Mhog55 I've seen you on the Meze 99 thread. How would compare the SR2's to the 99's? I know they're different types of headphone but both are lean warm so I was curious where either of them excel from one another.

Thanks!
 
Apr 13, 2021 at 3:02 PM Post #15 of 32
Yeah, this is the video that got me curious about the SR2s.
Z posted it on April 8.

I posted mine about a month before, his.

We both hear these, similarly.
Often he favors more treble then i need, but in this case, we both found the Ibasso to be a unique and beautiful sound.
Reminds me of the Emperian, but has more clarity in the top end.
it comes with 2 sets of Pads.
1.) on it, in the box, produces more wamth and lush.
2.) some fabric, takes away much of the full low mids and you get much neutrality. without losing the treble extension.

Sometimes "pad swapping' is a rabbit hole that leads to nothing changed, except for your bank account.
But in this case, its like 2 different headphones, once the pads are swapped.

I'll be reviewing the : Ultrasone M Plus soon, probably.
Also the Kennerton LSA - SP2se., probably.
 
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