[betula]

Can you elaborate on why you like the Elites more? I'm thinking of selling the SolP and getting some Elites to pair with the Susvara.

It is like selling supercars at this level. Highly personal and pursuing that last 5% percent of individual enjoyment. Sure I chose the Elite, but I think both the Susvara and especially the Soli P are absolutely exceptional headphones.

 

[Somatic]

It is like selling supercars at this level. Highly personal and pursuing that last 5% percent of individual enjoyment. Sure I chose the Elite, but I think both the Susvara and especially the Soli P are absolutely exceptional headphones.

I see. To my ears I feel the Susvara have a sweeter midrange than the SolP. SolP sounds almost too precise in my mind with older recordings etc. I feel they excel in electronic music or something with new production. I used to own the Empys. Wanted more detail and less mid bass hump thats why I sold them. They excelled in emotive vocals. Even Susy is not hitting that mark. I find the Susvara to be uber detailed and looking for a more emotive partner for her. Elites sound like they might hit that mark.

 

[betula]

I see. To my ears I feel the Susvara have a sweeter midrange than the SolP. SolP sounds almost too precise in my mind with older recordings etc. I fell they excel in electronic music or something with new production. I used to own the Empys. Wanted more detail and less mid bass hump thats why I sold them. They excelled in emotive vocals. Even Susy is not hitting that mark. I find the Susvara to be uber detailed and looking for a more emotive partner for her. Elites sound like they might hit that mark.

Sounds like the Elite will hit that mark. They certainly hit it to me.

 

[BassicScience]

I see. To my ears I feel the Susvara have a sweeter midrange than the SolP. SolP sounds almost too precise in my mind with older recordings etc. I feel they excel in electronic music or something with new production. I used to own the Empys. Wanted more detail and less mid bass hump thats why I sold them. They excelled in emotive vocals. Even Susy is not hitting that mark. I find the Susvara to be uber detailed and looking for a more emotive partner for her. Elites sound like they might hit that mark.

My $0.02, FWIW: I recently listened to the Elite again, and liked them quite a bit more than when I first auditioned them. The perceived midbass hump that had bothered me previously seemed to be gone completely, and I actually preferred the Elite's bass to the Susvara's overall. Whether this was due to using a different amp, or perhaps different pads, I couldn't say at this point. In any case, I've always considered the Elite's tuning perhaps the closest there is to a Susvara, but to my ear you do lose a small measure of resolution and also soundstage dimensionality. If the Elite were more like $2k, I'd almost certainly buy one and use it for rock, primarily.

OTOH, if you're trying to find a headphone to deliver vocals with more emotion than the Susvara............. good luck, Sir! Based on admittedly very limited auditioning of the Elite, I didn't get the sense that it did vocals better than the Susvara, but perhaps you'll hear things differently. Honestly, I'd recommend auditioning a tube preamp at some point (with any of your headphones) if you're not happy with the midrange.

 

[Somatic]

My $0.02, FWIW: I recently listened to the Elite again, and liked them quite a bit more than when I first auditioned them. The perceived midbass hump that had bothered me previously seemed to be gone completely, and I actually preferred the Elite's bass to the Susvara's overall. Whether this was due to using a different amp, or perhaps different pads, I couldn't say at this point. In any case, I've always considered the Elite's tuning perhaps the closest there is to a Susvara, but to my ear you do lose a small measure of resolution and also soundstage dimensionality. If the Elite were more like $2k, I'd almost certainly buy one and use it for rock, primarily.

OTOH, if you're trying to find a headphone to deliver vocals with more emotion than the Susvara............. good luck, Sir! Based on admittedly very limited auditioning of the Elite, I didn't get the sense that it did vocals better than the Susvara, but perhaps you'll hear things differently. Honestly, I'd recommend auditioning a tube preamp at some point (with any of your headphones) if you're not happy with the midrange.

Thanks. I appreciate your take. The Susvara has great midrange. I'll play with options before buying a different set of cans.

 

[jlbrach]

My $0.02, FWIW: I recently listened to the Elite again, and liked them quite a bit more than when I first auditioned them. The perceived midbass hump that had bothered me previously seemed to be gone completely, and I actually preferred the Elite's bass to the Susvara's overall. Whether this was due to using a different amp, or perhaps different pads, I couldn't say at this point. In any case, I've always considered the Elite's tuning perhaps the closest there is to a Susvara, but to my ear you do lose a small measure of resolution and also soundstage dimensionality. If the Elite were more like $2k, I'd almost certainly buy one and use it for rock, primarily.

OTOH, if you're trying to find a headphone to deliver vocals with more emotion than the Susvara............. good luck, Sir! Based on admittedly very limited auditioning of the Elite, I didn't get the sense that it did vocals better than the Susvara, but perhaps you'll hear things differently. Honestly, I'd recommend auditioning a tube preamp at some point (with any of your headphones) if you're not happy with the midrange.

I agree, given market prices for the elite and the susvara to me there isnt even a question that the susvara is the choice...as mentioned at say 2000 dollars the elite might compete although IMHO the new RAAL CA-1A at 2500 with the amp converter box is a far better choice

 

[adrianm]

Can you elaborate on why you like the Elites more? I'm thinking of selling the SolP and getting some Elites to pair with the Susvara.

Sorry mate, been pretty caught up with work lately. I'm not sure what the SolP is like, but the Elites and Susvara are very similar. To me, they are Susvara with better bass and a bigger soundstage. Susvara sounded a bit smoother (both balanced, off Oor+Dave). I found it hard to really get excited by anything with them. Everything just sounded..polite. I get why some people love them but they are definitely not for me.
Elites feel more dynamic and exciting, bigger, the bass slams much harder when needed. Susvara might be a tiny bit deeper, with the Elites being considerably wider.

Luckily, there's a new, respectable review for the Elites available where some differences are touched upon
https://www.stereophile.com/content...ktcBmVCHeZaWO7oaQ_K6nneUHgje7s_wPqRg6FOUlkPWA

 

[ckhirnigs113]

Sorry mate, been pretty caught up with work lately. I'm not sure what the SolP is like, but the Elites and Susvara are very similar. To me, they are Susvara with better bass and a bigger soundstage. Susvara sounded a bit smoother (both balanced, off Oor+Dave). I found it hard to really get excited by anything with them. Everything just sounded..polite. I get why some people love them but they are definitely not for me.
Elites feel more dynamic and exciting, bigger, the bass slams much harder when needed. Susvara might be a tiny bit deeper, with the Elites being considerably wider.

Luckily, there's a new, respectable review for the Elites available where some differences are touched upon
https://www.stereophile.com/content...ktcBmVCHeZaWO7oaQ_K6nneUHgje7s_wPqRg6FOUlkPWA

I just read the Sterophile review and wonder what pads he was referring to. He said he preferred the thinner full leather pads to the stock hybrid pads. He didn't appear to even receive the Alcantara pads at all with his demo. The only full leather pad I know of from Meze is the one that comes stock with the Empyrean, and those pads are substantially thicker than the hybrid pads. They aren't even recommended by Meze to be used with the Elite. Is there a thin, full leather pad available for the Elite that I haven't heard of?

 

[ThanatosVI]

I just read the Sterophile review and wonder what pads he was referring to. He said he preferred the thinner full leather pads to the stock hybrid pads. He didn't appear to even receive the Alcantara pads at all with his demo. The only full leather pad I know of from Meze is the one that comes stock with the Empyrean, and those pads are substantially thicker than the hybrid pads. They aren't even recommended by Meze to be used with the Elite. Is there a thin, full leather pad available for the Elite that I haven't heard of?

No there is not.
The full leather pads are those from the Empyrean

 

[ckhirnigs113]

No there is not.
The full leather pads are those from the Empyrean

The reviewer must have been confused because he referred to the hybrid pads as the thicker option. I also find it strange that Meze would have sent the all-leather pads from the Empyrean with the Elite demo. Maybe it was a mistake.

The weirdest part is the reviewer definitely preferred the all-leather pads to the hybrids that almost everyone else finds to be better on the Elite.

 

[BassicScience]

Sorry mate, been pretty caught up with work lately. I'm not sure what the SolP is like, but the Elites and Susvara are very similar. To me, they are Susvara with better bass and a bigger soundstage. Susvara sounded a bit smoother (both balanced, off Oor+Dave). I found it hard to really get excited by anything with them. Everything just sounded..polite. I get why some people love them but they are definitely not for me.
Elites feel more dynamic and exciting, bigger, the bass slams much harder when needed. Susvara might be a tiny bit deeper, with the Elites being considerably wider.

Luckily, there's a new, respectable review for the Elites available where some differences are touched upon
https://www.stereophile.com/content...ktcBmVCHeZaWO7oaQ_K6nneUHgje7s_wPqRg6FOUlkPWA

With all due respect, driving the Susvara with the Oor won't optimize its soundstage dimensions, particularly width. I've listened to the Elite on a handful of different headphone amps, and even a Purifi-based speaker amp, and have never found the soundstage particularly expansive. This was confirmed on my last audition when I then switched to the LCD-5, and thought the stage got noticeably larger and more open. The LCD-5 was also clearly faster and more technically accomplished. Still, between the two, I'd opt for the Elite for its more accurate timbre, given that I don't like to deal with EQ. As much as I enjoyed the Elite, I don't think I'd be happy with it as my only headphone. It's just not quite reference level for genres like jazz. IMHO.

All that said, it's a superb headphone (sonically and aesthetically!) and I certainly understand why it's the #1 choice for a lot of people.

 

[betula]

The reviewer must have been confused because he referred to the hybrid pads as the thicker option. I also find it strange that Meze would have sent the all-leather pads from the Empyrean with the Elite demo. Maybe it was a mistake.

The weirdest part is the reviewer definitely preferred the all-leather pads to the hybrids that almost everyone else finds to be better on the Elite.

It is confusing which pads the reviewer is referring to. They should sort this out.

 

[ckhirnigs113]

It is confusing which pads the reviewer is referring to. They should sort this out.

I registered at the site just so I could leave a comment about this. Hopefully the reviewer will see it and respond. I’m just curious at this point.

 

[betula]

I registered at the site just so I could leave a comment about this. Hopefully the reviewer will see it and respond. I’m just curious at this point.

Thanks for doing the legwork.

 

[ckhirnigs113]

There's something weird/shady going on at the Stereophile site. I registered, left a very polite comment asking for clarification on the pads used in the review. Now my comment is no longer present, and I can't log in to the site. Very strange...