[ken6217]

I share your cost effectiveness concerns. So, integrated dac+amp (which are the best anyway) and you only need one cable. In my case TT2 + Lavricable(pure silver €230) + Empyrean.

So said in another way, integrated DAC and amp is best for you. You're not going to find most people in the headphone or 2 channel stereo community that agree with that.

 

[Coffee Music]

I share your cost effectiveness concerns. So, integrated dac+amp (which are the best anyway) and you only need one cable. In my case TT2 + Lavricable(pure silver €230) + Empyrean.

James, the maker of my Anedio D2 dac shared the same philosophy, that less is more and the best cable is no cable. Given the choice between lengths, the shorter one is always the better one *AHEM*
More often than not, the amp u really want is not integrated into the dac you really want, n that becomes a problem

 

[LCMusicLover]

I share your cost effectiveness concerns. So, integrated dac+amp (which are the best anyway) and you only need one cable. In my case TT2 + Lavricable(pure silver €230) + Empyrean.

So said in another way, integrated DAC and amp is best for you. You're not going to find most people in the headphone or 2 channel stereo community that agree with that.

I was sitting here thinking about the cables in my system:

1 X USB (PC - to - Singxer SU-1)
2 X Coax SPDIF from Singxer to DACs
1 X IIS from Singxer to DAC
4 X 3-pin XLR DACs to pre-amp
2 X RCA from DAC to pre-amp
4 X 3-pin XLR from pre-amp to amps
Headphone cables (too many to list)
Power cables for PC, Singxer, 3 Dacs, pre-amp, 1 amp (Liquid Platinum has dedicated power supply w/ cable)

Headphone cables place I've splurged, although I have bought some modestly priced upgraded power cables.

If I managed to catch a bad case of a.nervosa.cablesus I might have to declare bankruptcy.

 

[ken6217]

I was sitting here thinking about the cables in my system:

1 X USB (PC - to - Singxer SU-1)
2 X Coax SPDIF from Singxer to DACs
1 X IIS from Singxer to DAC
4 X 3-pin XLR DACs to pre-amp
2 X RCA from DAC to pre-amp
4 X 3-pin XLR from pre-amp to amps
Headphone cables (too many to list)
Power cables for PC, Singxer, 3 Dacs, pre-amp, 1 amp (Liquid Platinum has dedicated power supply w/ cable)

Headphone cables place I've splurged, although I have bought some modestly priced upgraded power cables.

If I managed to catch a bad case of a.nervosa.cablesus I might have to declare bankruptcy.[/QUOTE

Well that’s another story. LOL

 

[Coffee Music]

I was sitting here thinking about the cables in my system:

1 X USB (PC - to - Singxer SU-1)
2 X Coax SPDIF from Singxer to DACs
1 X IIS from Singxer to DAC
4 X 3-pin XLR DACs to pre-amp
2 X RCA from DAC to pre-amp
4 X 3-pin XLR from pre-amp to amps
Headphone cables (too many to list)
Power cables for PC, Singxer, 3 Dacs, pre-amp, 1 amp (Liquid Platinum has dedicated power supply w/ cable)

Headphone cables place I've splurged, although I have bought some modestly priced upgraded power cables.

If I managed to catch a bad case of a.nervosa.cablesus I might have to declare bankruptcy.

Forgive my ignorance but do the cost of all your cables add up to 2k or 4k? If they do, I wonder which sounds better, all upgraded cables into the liquid platinum vs stock cables into some of the highly praised amps (2,000 Euforia and 4,000 Cayin HA-300 are the two I have in mind).

MEET UP COMMENCE!!!

p.s bring coffee and weed

 

[joefig44]

Cables should be the last upgrade once one is happy with the DAC/amp/headphone chain. Cables are to bring out the very last bits in your favourite setup.

Does that include moving cables for the purpose of going from an unbalanced to a balanced connection?

The only other cable I found that would fit the Empyreans that is balanced other than the Meze one is the Moon Audio Silver Dragon one, and it's more expensive than the one from Meze!

Again, really mainly just looking to move to a balanced cable from the stock unbalanced one packaged with the Meze.

 

[Ragnar-BY]

I’ve finally joined the #TeamEmpyrean

Can’t say much yet, but the midrange is absolute winner. Never heard so good vocals from any other headphone.

 

[nwavesailor]

Welcome Ragnar-BY

You have gear that should make the Empy's sing!

 

[LCMusicLover]

Forgive my ignorance but do the cost of all your cables add up to 2k or 4k?...

I guess I was unclear. I haven’t upgraded any of my interconnects, just headphone cables and power cables a bit.

 

[Coffee Music]

Does that include moving cables for the purpose of going from an unbalanced to a balanced connection?

The only other cable I found that would fit the Empyreans that is balanced other than the Meze one is the Moon Audio Silver Dragon one, and it's more expensive than the one from Meze!

Again, really mainly just looking to move to a balanced cable from the stock unbalanced one packaged with the Meze.

Silver dragon, Meze silver plated, the wywire platinum nvwavesailor praised looks good too. But if you wanna go balanced just for balanced sake there are much cheaper alternatives.

 

[Coffee Music]

I’ve finally joined the #TeamEmpyrean

Can’t say much yet, but the midrange is absolute winner. Never heard so good vocals from any other headphone.

AGREE. Midrange so worldclass I can hear what the singer had for lunch. Vocals with so much emotion, I feel like I can close my eyes and reach into the singer's soul.

 

[AlexKx3]

The Empy is super detailed compared to the HD650. Not super detailed compared to the Utopia.

Do you know how they fair to the Stellia?

 

[thecrow]

Yes, that's exactly what I just ordered. Thanks!

Have to say, in the first few hours of listening the Empyrean sounds really good but not super outstanding. Almost a little bit veiled on some rock music. Hoping with break in it gets better.

Super comfortable cans though.

as the iphone only outputs digital (unlike macs) then yes you do need the cck.
unless you have an mfi certified cable or dac amp that you use with your phone (eg the fiio q5s i believe)

re the empyrean I have found that the source/amp was important for what i got/get out of it
with some gear (my previous gear such as the cayin iha6 amp) i found it a little too warm or bottom end heavy (or maybe bloated) - not quite balanced enough and i did not buy the hp
with other gear (such as my current setup - auralic taurus) it sounds noticeably better balanced and i did buy the empyrean

then again maybe it's me and my preferences or mood just changed. I think it's the gear but i won't rule out the later

i guess see how you go

 

[thecrow]

and for newcomers, if you haven't already tried it, eq at 1k up about 3db.
It works for me and some others too (at 1K or 1.5K)

i also have a norne silvercable - the silver draug - thrown in there too that I'm happy with but throws another $600 USD or so in there.
But with a few adapters to use that cable with some other headphones the average cost per headphone makes it look less expensive...for my mind

 

[betula]

Do you know how they fair to the Stellia?

I have never had a chance to audition the Stellia, but as far as I know the detail level is on par with the Utopia.

re the empyrean I have found that the source/amp was important for what i got/get out of it
with some gear (my previous gear such as the cayin iha6 amp) i found it a little too warm or bottom end heavy (or maybe bloated) - not quite balanced enough and i did not buy the hp
with other gear (such as my current setup - auralic taurus) it sounds noticeably better balanced and i did buy the empyrean

I agree with this observation and you are not the first person mentioning it. The higher quality (and more neutral, more analytical) gear you use with the Empy the more details, resolution and balance you get.
I used to own more affordable amps (CMA600i) and I felt the same way as you did with the IHA6 (which is also a good amp for the money). I also owned the Qutest with the Taurus and the balanced out of the Taurus was indeed a great improvement regarding overall clarity on the Empy. That said the Hugo TT2 was another giant leap compared to the Taurus in this regard.