[sahmen]

I haven't heard it yet, did you? However I believe the CB design will most likely never breach the laws of physics and be as open and transparent as the Susvara. There's just a ton more acoustical impedance involved with the HE-R10. However I'd be very happy if it reaches, let's say 90% of the Susvara AND offers isolation. Sure, percentages are not a valid currency but you get what I mean.



I still have the Liquid Crimson and currently a custom HPA-1. Previously had a Dual Mono F6 loaner in the house which I found absolutely great. However the Niimbus held itself very well compared to that monster regarding the HE-6 and it does the HD 800, 600, JAR 650 better while having a lower noisefloor. if we go further back I surved amps like the BHA-1, GSX MK-II, Mjolnir 2 and a few others. Out of those the BHA-1 was best.

I don't think Lake People and FOTM go together, don't see a lot of hype around these parts. They are just vastly more known and popular in Europa and Asia than in the US. I get your point though.



No, I really mean round. Round and cohorent as in "not a hallway stage", 3-blob, elliptic or strong on the sides, diffuse or weak in the middle etc.

Great! One more question : Your reference to frontal projection and laser sharp imaging, makes me also wonder how far and how palpable the placement of instruments outside the head appears to be on the US4+/Susvara combo. I know it also depends on the source one is listening to, but if you have any comments on that, they'll be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[paradoxper]

I still have the Liquid Crimson and currently a custom HPA-1. Previously had a Dual Mono F6 loaner in the house which I found absolutely great. However the Niimbus held itself very well compared to that monster regarding the HE-6 and it does the HD 800, 600, JAR 650 better while having a lower noisefloor. if we go further back I surved amps like the BHA-1, GSX MK-II, Mjolnir 2 and a few others. Out of those the BHA-1 was best.

I don't think Lake People and FOTM go together, don't see a lot of hype around these parts. They are just vastly more known and popular in Europa and Asia than in the US. I get your point though.

Thank you.

Violectric has certainly been FOTM. They've also been more rudimentary in design for years.

In any case, it'll be interesting to see what the US4 amps can bring to the table. They're nominally specced within another slew of other $5k headamps.

 

[Fegefeuer]

Great! One more question : Your reference to frontal projection and laser sharp imaging, makes me also wonder how far and how palpable the placement of instruments outside the head appears to be on the US4+/Susvara combo. I know it also depends on the source one is listening to, but if you have any comments on that, they'll be appreciated. Thanks.

That is very DAC dependant imo. Schiit DACs do this better than most DS DACs and some DACs go an extra mile, like the Yggdrasil with noticably going a few fronts back, the Sonic Frontier DACs which even go beyond the Yggdrasil etc. Some DACs like the Convert-2 go very U "stretched" shape. While the US4+ does staging very well it's also windowing into what the DAC delivers.

e.g.: The Hugo 2 did not magically transform with projecting acoustical instruments the same way as the Bifrost 2 when compared. Sure it went wider and deeper but staging is not a strong suit of them imo. Now while I have a bigger OG DAC incoming I am basing this one off the Yggdrasil v1, the Bifrost 2, the Hugo 2 and the V590 DAC. I did not like the Hugo 2 much to be honest.

It's a good reference for reviews or impressions as Chord has many fans and people can relate but I can't have stuff lying around for thousand Euros just to be more relatable. I might look into the TT2 some time.

 

[iFi audio]

I've had a few good days and (unfortunately or not) nights (since I stayed up very late) with the Susvara where the Niimbus gave me the best experience I ever heard from a headphone. I've never had doubts about my HD 800 (felt mod on the ring) since it's so well driven from the Niimbus, making me only really miss the subbass from the HE-6 (and of course now Susvara). It gives the HD 800 huge balls, presence, slam, details, flow etc... Sure there flaws like the overshoot and the timbre, but still...great and it will be a classic.

However the Susvara really changed the game. A stronger and better defined center image than the HE-1000SE (now sold) and then it takes over the laser sharp imaging (which I found very impressive and much welcomed over the Arya, HE-1000V2 etc) and gives me a cohorent, round stage. Now the frontal projection (yes, in headphone terms this should not be compared to speakers at all but you get what I mean) is the icing on the cake. There's nothing the HD 800 can counter except throwing a comparably large(r) stage. Effortless detailing, nothing in your face, extreme transparency and resolve, a flowing, dancing character, great extension to both ends. Very very delicate timbre and tasty decay. There's a bit to go here and there as my 4 screw HE-6 gives me more tactile transients and slam but this is well-known already.

Will write a little review next week.

That's a very telling take on Susvaras with your amp, thanks a lot. I know exactly what you mean. I agree that HD 800 can sound spectacular with a carefully selected amp (...and they aged well too!), but they're no Susvaras

 

[jlbrach]

May I ask if I use a chord dave single ended out to the nimbus 4+ can I then access the balanced outputs with my headphones and achieve the balanced out power?In other words is the amp single ended in and blanced out?

 

[thecrow]

May I ask if I use a chord dave single ended out to the nimbus 4+ can I then access the balanced outputs with my headphones and achieve the balanced out power?In other words is the amp single ended in and blanced out?

I m used rca in and xlr headphone cable out.
(if that answers your question without details of what happens to signal when coming in)

page 12 of manual should give more detailed info of circuit

https://doc-0s-08-docs.googleuserco...131630Z&hash=5qm96qoro0rjajd8iqd4r091604drcp4

 

[jlbrach]

I appreciate your response, what I am trying to figure out is if I use a single ended source into the nimbus if the xlr output will produce a balanced signal out that has the enhanced power

 

[roskodan]

Yes, the output power is the same, regardless of the input used. Here you can find the manual.

 

[jlbrach]

thank you, I had trouble understanding if this was the case.....the manual does not make clear whether connecting a single ended source would allow for a balanced output to headphones...glad to hear it does that is something that concerned me

 

[thecrow]

looking for ideas on dacs for the us4

i currently have the us4 paired with a metrum hex dac. The hex is serving me well with a great “analogue sound” - superb with my woo wa2 and hd800 and other amps i have used

i’m wondering if there might be a better pairing dac i should consider with the us4, particularly with the susvara

budget is probably about $5k usd, maybe a bit more as i can keep an eye out for 2nd hand gear

if you have had personal experience with something quite special do let me know

i’m probably looking for a dac with great detail amd spaciousness and not too much control since the niimbus brings a bit of that anyway and so does my current dac

and happy to look outside the usual group of daca that come up inside the land of headfi

(I’ll probably walk into a local non headphone store in the new year and see what they think too)

thanks in advance

ps i have demoed the qutest a few tines and that did not better what i had and i found the hugo tt2 was on a similar level of the hex dac i have so probably no need to go there
a friend has the dcs debussy dac so i may have a listen to that to see what that brings

 

[Fegefeuer]

Rockna Wavelight

 

[ken6217]

Sonnet Morpheus. It replaced my Metrum Pavane Level 3. Built by the same person that did the other Metrum products.

Maybe Project86 can chime in. He has an upcoming review of it in Darko.

 

[sahmen]

Sonnet Morpheus. It replaced my Metrum Pavane Level 3. Built by the same person that did the other Metrum products.

Maybe Project86 can chime in. He has an upcoming review of it in Darko.

+1. (actually + 2 since @thecrow is already a fan of the NOS DACs of Cees)

 

[saudio7]

Note sure if you can find used Dave in your budget, but this was great partner for Niimbus and Susvara.

 

[sahmen]

Note sure if you can find used Dave in your budget, but this was great partner for Niimbus and Susvara.

Only Dave? What about the Sonnet Audio Morpheus? The Denafrips Terminator? Yjr Rockna Wavelight? My point is that new (not to mention "cheaper") options in DACs are always coming by the dozen, so there's absolutely no need to be dogmatic in recommending "Dinosaurs" as if they're the only game in town...

Okay, I am not saying the the Dave is a Dinosaur, since it is obviously not, but it is too damn expensive, and I'm betting that one does not need to spend that much in the present overcrowded DAC market to get a performance that rivals the Dave. Nothing against the Dave, which is obviously a great DAC. I just think that DAC technology us evolving very fast, and that there are new iterations on the horizon that could rival or even outpace grand uncles in the field, such as THE DAVE, if one gives them the opportunity to show and strut their stuff. Just saying...