dude5OO
AKA hennyo
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2014
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Your second note hits it on the head, I think. I always liked the clarity and detail of stats but the tonal balance always left me feeling like these were not right for me. In general I perceive an emphasis on upper upper order harmonics on stats (speakers too) that is not consistent with how I experience live music, things just get too lean to project the visceral impact and dynamics that make me connect to live music. I may well hear detail differently from those who prize a headphone like the 009, or to me detail may literally mean something different, because to my ear VOCE is every bit as detailed as any other stat I have heard, but in a very different way, which I think you are calling "realism."
People who know me have probably heard my POV that "Hifi" is a deconstructionist view of "Music," and while there is nothing wrong with HiFi it's that I prefer gear that simply let's me be there and politely steps aside. HiFi to me feels "more real than real, more there than there" and that's not how I connect to music, though it is a perfectly valid way for others so inclined.
When I listen to violin in a small venue I don't listen to the rosin on the bow, I listen to the emotion in the intonation, the space between the notes, or the interplay of melodies. I don't experience live music through detail (though the absence of detail or veiling would be a reason to perceive something isn't live, as would excess) and gear that renders it this way is not what I enjoy. As you note this is purely subjective; there is no "wrong way" to enjoy music, what matters is that it's enjoyed.
So with that as a backdrop, experience is literally what I set out to create via VOCE; an emotionally engaging rendering of music and one where I could listen all day without fatigue, tap my feet, maybe get goosebumps or cry, or want to dance. Detail doesn't define a great headphone by itself, much as more horsepower doesn't equate to a better car to drive, unless horsepower is what you care about most.
Loosely speaking there are probably a few types of folk in the market, those for whom Stax are the perfect headphones and have no need/interest in other options, Stax owners who've been open to/waiting for options, and those for whom the current offerings didn't work for whatever reason. Obviously the latter two communities will consider us.
FWIW I very much love how the Dave pairs and we've demoed with my BHSE and the Dave at a number of events, and I do plant to acquire one. I have also upgrade the BHSE EL34s to Siemens tubes. If you enjoy your BHSE, it's worth it to acquire some NOS Siemens tubes from Ram Labs.
Lastly, we experimented with AL and other materials, and numerous hole sizes and patterns. The parts we use are not machined, and the material, hole size and density was arrived at through a pretty robust optimization process, which was part of why this project took about 18 months longer than I had expected. But I do thank you for the suggestions and who knows, maybe for a different project with different goals these parameters would work well.
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I have the same question about pairing the Voce with the iESL. I have not tried electrostatic before, so is it a good starting point if I use this combo? No review could be found on this pairing.Same answers here. Yes, iFI works fine.
Most VOCE sales are retail, perhaps that just isn’t a heavy head fi demographic.
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Make every day a fun day filled with music and friendship!
Stay updated on Dan Clark Audio at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
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