New Ultrasone Edition 15

[The Grongle]

need to step up your amp game.. you havent heard what ultrasones capable off..

I have been eyeing up the possibility in the future of getting the ibasso DC elite with a tube amp, but I'm currently limited by space and budget. So this is a long-term plan.

 

[santsant]

I have been eyeing up the possibility in the future of getting the ibasso DC elite with a tube amp, but I'm currently limited by space and budget. So this is a long-term plan.

Despite their low specification requirements, Ultrasones are current hungry. Try to find an amplifier with at least 1 watt RMS to extract its full potential.

 

[Redwingnine]

need to step up your amp game.. you havent heard what ultrasones is capable of..

I have a Aurouasound HEADA headphone amp, which is one the best headphone amps I've ever heard.
The Schiit Mjolnir 3 is very good as well. Both drive the Ultrasone 15 Vertais very well.

 

[santsant]

I have a Aurouasound HEADA headphone amp, which is one the best headphone amps I've ever heard.
The Schiit Mjolnir 3 is very good as well. Both drive the Ultrasone 15 Vertais very well.

That is a beautiful amplifier with great power, I think it will drive them great.

 

[The Grongle]

Speaking of amps. I have to say my xdsd gryphon does a really good job but... does anyone else notice balanced seems to make the audio sound really closed in?
I thought It was better at first due to the volume but I think it after some critical listening I think its actually kind of distorted with claustrophobic dynamics and soundstage. Single ended just sounds more effortless, calm and natural.

Can anyone verify this? I had this issue on the xduoo as well. Im going to see if its the 2.5mm > 4.4mm adapter i bought.

 

[mungster]

 

[santsant]

Speaking of amps. I have to say my xdsd gryphon does a really good job but... does anyone else notice balanced seems to make the audio sound really closed in?
I thought It was better at first due to the volume but I think it after some critical listening I think its actually kind of distorted with claustrophobic dynamics and soundstage. Single ended just sounds more effortless, calm and natural.

Can anyone verify this? I had this issue on the xduoo as well. Im going to see if its the 2.5mm > 4.4mm adapter i bought.

I think it depends on the amplifier. In my experience, balanced out always has better soundstage.

 

[The Grongle]

Update. I got this cable: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BL9GQHPM
I didnt want to break the bank on a balanced cable, not knowing if it would help.
Spoiler alert: IT DID. Balanced is no longer strained and congested. The sense of space and weight is definitely better. if anything, simply replacing that outdated iem cable is a bonus. I wish ultrasone would make better cables...

 

[santsant]

Update. I got this cable: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BL9GQHPM
I didnt want to break the bank on a balanced cable, not knowing if it would help.
Spoiler alert: IT DID. Balanced is no longer strained and congested. The sense of space and weight is definitely better. if anything, simply replacing that outdated iem cable is a bonus. I wish ultrasone would make better cables...

With ultrasone (especially old tuned ultrasone), changing every single component of the system is significant.

 

[Redwingnine]

With ultrasone (especially old tuned ultrasone), changing every single component of the system is significant.

Changed out the DAC with the headphone setup to a Topping DX9. Then played CD files using foobar 2000 with the PGGB-RT plug in running upscaled to 705 KHz. What a difference. The Edition 15 really comes alive when fed a high quality input. It's almost like a completely different headphone.

 

[The Grongle]

Changed out the DAC with the headphone setup to a Topping DX9. Then played CD files using foobar 2000 with the PGGB-RT plug in running upscaled to 705 KHz. What a difference. The Edition 15 really comes alive when fed a high quality input. It's almost like a completely different headphone.

It really is such a unique quality how every element in the source chain matters. They change a lot in balanced and with a new cable. Have you tried swapping out the cable for the edition 15?

 

[Redwingnine]

It really is such a unique quality how every element in the source chain matters. They change a lot in balanced and with a new cable. Have you tried swapping out the cable for the edition 15?

The cable itself, no. What I have done is used an adapter to run XLR from the headphone amps. That does improve sound from standard single ended.

I have a cable change on my to do list.

 

[The Grongle]

The cable itself, no. What I have done is used an adapter to run XLR from the headphone amps. That does improve sound from standard single ended.

I have a cable change on my to do list.

If you do one company that makes cables for the edition 15 is called oidio

 

[santsant]

Changed out the DAC with the headphone setup to a Topping DX9. Then played CD files using foobar 2000 with the PGGB-RT plug in running upscaled to 705 KHz. What a difference. The Edition 15 really comes alive when fed a high quality input. It's almost like a completely different headphone.

A Chameleon, thats what I called the Ultrasone. No headphone has changed as much as Ultrasone from different systems, and this can be attributed to somewhat polarizing impressions of them.

For example, many people say that the Edition 11 has huge bass, but in my system I find the bass can be considered neutral.

 

[The Grongle]

Has any one tried a tube amp with ultrasone edition headphones? how did it effect the sound?