[UntilThen]

Again this is very significant because I know that many professional reviewers use the Studio Six as a baseline for their reviews.

Very glad that you rated it your amp of the year, very well deserved by the sound of it, and the designer and builder should be congratulated. Also glad that your family let you back into the lounge,- sorry music room -, to do the review!

I very much enjoyed reading your review on a damp, grey, New Years day morning over breakfast!

Now will you stop raiding my music for your reviews…. Rebecca Pidgeon is also one of my great favourites, and Fourplay, I would go so far as to say, is my all time favourite smooth jazz groups LOL
.

You got me talking and I'm trying to keep my post count down.

Studio Six is a very capable headphone amp. Many seasoned reviewers in the Studio Six thread considers it their TOTL amp. Tom Six the designer and architect is an eloquent and articulate writer who expresses himself very well. I bought the Studio Six from an audiophile whose HiFi stereo system is quite amazing for it's room acoustic treatment and lovely gear. He considers the Studio Six a top notch headphone amp. Yet to my ears Oblivion sounds better and not just marginally. Once you've heard Oblivion details and expanded soundscape, it's hard to do without.

I was busy in my music room as you call it - on New Year's Eve ! This is the scene as I compare Redgum, Sansui AU-717 and Sansui 907mr big muscle amps. A buyer came that day and pick up the Sansui AU-717. I had to let one go. 3 amps is too much. The 907mr has so much control over the speakers and the 3D image is why speakers listening is so much more favoured amongst audio enthusiasts.

Spanish Harlem - Rebecca Pidgeon was one of the songs used in judging when I was in Car Audio comps many many years ago. I was a participant. I have about 20 audiophile CDs and they are still in mint condition. Had that Fourplay CD many years now. About 20 years would be correct. All the CDs are ripped in as flac files to my hard drives and my play back is JR River Media Centre 24.

 

[omniweltall]

This will be another iconic photo to my collection.

I'm liking HD800 with Oblivion and Yggdrasil a lot ! It's crystal clear but soothing to my ears. No peaks no troughs no glare. Just a clear Spring day. Verite is more like Autumn. Which do I like better... well I do not have to pick a favourite because I will just enjoy them for their diversity.




Oblivion is nothing like Jotunheim. I could not enjoy HD800 with Jot which I had at one time for a while. It's too sharp and bright. Oblivion on the other hand is clear and has that tube tone which makes it easy going. With an expanded soundscape, it's like the horizon has expanded, the mountains in the distance receding and the prairie below revealing minute details of flowers and grass, with rays of light shining through the clouds.

How's the bass compared to the Jot?

HD800 is also still my main can at the moment, along with the Auteur.

 

[Maxx134]

I did a lot of comparisons between Studio Six, Glenn OTL amp and Oblivion. A clear favourite is appearing but the report will be published on New Year's eve.

My review.

Oblivion

I added your review link to the first page.

I will post other's reviews in future there as well

 

[Maxx134]

How's the bass compared to the Jot?

HD800 is also still my main can at the moment, along with the Auteur.

Those two headphones are safe favorite pics.

Both will slam great with Oblivion version.

I tested the LCD3 and found it too easy to drive on it. Could not pass 11oclock on volume.

I also tested the hardest to drive Susvara...
I was able to match the signature of a best solid state amp pairing for it (Pass Labs INT-150, which is a speaker amp), with just a slight EQ bass boost.

Anyways, the Jot is squarely a mid-tier amp which is dynamic, solid-state, forward and a one-dimemsional in soundstage..
I found the Jotunheim matches well with soft or distant sounding Headphones like an original HEK or a HD650.

The Oblivion is a rather big jump up in sound from a jot, which is a good move.
I always recommend to save up for true upgrade, rather than a side-grade.

 

[Maxx134]

There are no bad amps here. I would have been happy to settle down with any one of these amps if I were to have only one amp but Oblivion stood out for a number of characteristics that makes listening to music holographic, even surreal.

I agree this is the strong point of the amp.

Besides Yggdrasil can only output to 3 amps via one pair of xlr balanced interconnects and 2 pairs of rca interconnects. Connecting all 3 amps (Oblivion, Studio Six and GOTL) to Yggdrasil makes comparison less difficult as I can repeat each song through each amp and make notes as I go.

Some amps can be affected by the yggy balanced outputs, which have been noted in threads to be a bit better or louder sound than the line-outs.

...Oblivion on the other hand is clear and has that tube tone which makes it easy going. With an expanded soundscape, it's like the horizon has expanded, the mountains in the distance receding and the prairie below revealing minute details of flowers and grass, with rays of light shining through the clouds.

He considers the Studio Six a top notch headphone amp. Yet to my ears Oblivion sounds better and not just marginally. Once you've heard Oblivion details and expanded soundscape, it's hard to do without.

I like to note that some other amps manage to get a similar large soundstage, but with added harmonics, or diminished clarity, or a skewed image perspective.

The Oblivion gave me the most refined, large, detailed and accurate soundstage I heard so far.

The only other great amps that come to mind with a large magnificent soundstage that I have heard, are the EC studio and the Viva Egoista845, but I have not been able to compare them yet.

 

[leftside]

Those two headphones are safe favorite pics.

Both will slam great with Oblivion version.

I tested the LCD3 and found it too easy to drive on it. Could not pass 11oclock on volume.

I also tested the hardest to drive Susvara...
I was able to match the signature of a best solid state amp pairing for it (Pass Labs INT-150, which is a speaker amp), with just a slight EQ bass boost.

Anyways, the Jot is squarely a mid-tier amp which is dynamic, solid-state, forward and a one-dimemsional in soundstage..
I found the Jotunheim matches well with soft or distant sounding Headphones like an original HEK or a HD650.

The Oblivion is a rather big jump up in sound from a jot, which is a good move.
I always recommend to save up for true upgrade, rather than a side-grade.

Rare to see "too easy to drive" and "LCD3" in the same sentence. Susvara is on my watchlist. I have a couple of amps that drive the LCD4 effortlessly, so I presume the Susvara will also be great with those amps.

"I always recommend to save up for true upgrade, rather than a side-grade"
Agreed.

 

[baronbeehive]

You got me talking and I'm trying to keep my post count down.

Sorry LOL. I'm interested in the amps, the music and the diverse people we get on the thread to this great fun hobby of ours.

I'm trying to get my post count up, still a way to go for Headphoneus Supremus, hence some b**s**t which I apologize for!

Had that Fourplay CD many years now. About 20 years would be correct. All the CDs are ripped in as flac files to my hard drives and my play back is JR River Media Centre 24.

Fourplay albums are superbly produced audiophile albums, very realistic in all departments.

 

[Maxx134]

Rare to see "too easy to drive" and "LCD3" in the same sentence.

Yet it was, and although it sounded juicy nice, the resolve did not reach a top-tier level, as some of the other cans mentioned.

I haven't heard the LCD4, but I assume thats a viable pick.

 

[UntilThen]

How's the bass compared to the Jot?

HD800 is also still my main can at the moment, along with the Auteur.

Not having Jot now would be hard to give an accurate reply but I remember Jot to be very vivid and hard edge. I did not like using HD800 with it. Instead I use my then LCD-2f with it. The planar obviously have more bass than HD800.

Suffice to say that I like how HD800 is sounding with Oblivion. Bass is ample and no less than Jot (from memory) but with a more organic presentation - which I love. Bass is never a strong point of HD800 especially compared to LCD-2f and LCD-3f, both of which I've owned in the past. On hind sight I should have kept LCD-3f but I've too many gear that have come and gone.



I even had the Ragnarok which I bought together with Yggdrasil. Again I did not feel that Oblivion bass is lessor than Ragnarok (again going from memory). I would say bass is how I like it with HD800 and Oblivion. I prefer Verite with Oblivion because bass is much better with this combination.

 

[UntilThen]

The Oblivion gave me the most refined, large, detailed and accurate soundstage I heard so far.

Couldn't agree more. The last 2 days I've just reach to power on Oblivion. I haven't power on Studio Six and Glenn OTL amp since the review. Still amaze at the 3D effect and details swimming in my head.

 

[UntilThen]

Sorry LOL. I'm interested in the amps, the music and the diverse people we get on the thread to this great fun hobby of ours.

I'm trying to get my post count up, still a way to go for Headphoneus Supremus, hence some b**s**t which I apologize for!

No worries. What's a couple more posts before I return to work on Monday.

It has been great to meet and talk to like minded people on Head-Fi.

 

[Gethyn]

Suffice to say that I like how HD800 is sounding with Oblivion. Bass is ample and no less than Jot (from memory) but with a more organic presentation - which I love. Bass is never a strong point of HD800 especially compared to LCD-2f and LCD-3f, both of which I've owned in the past. On hind sight I should have kept LCD-3f but I've too many gear that have come and gone.

I bought my Oblivion some months ago and use it to drive my HD800 and LCD4 headphones. I wrote a brief review at the time, but just to add to this thread that I love listening to the HD800 headphones with the Oblivion as the detail and soundstage remain intact, but the brightness of the treble is tamed, leaving incredible detail without any of the fatigue that I have experienced when using other amplifiers. The LCD4 headphones make a great pairing with the Sennheisers, offering a full-bodied and rich sound that, driven by The Oblivion, just wraps around your head and totally immerses you in the listening experience.

After trying a number of headphones and amplifiers it is great to settle back knowing that I never need to look for anything else again (I know, I know, famous last words . . . !).

 

[UntilThen]

@Gethyn another Oblivion owner. I wonder how many Oblivion has Sonic make in the short time.

Glad you have the same experience as me regarding HD800 and Oblivion. Incredible details and soundstage with no fatigue indeed ! I've heard LCD4 once at MiniDisc, a specialist headphones store in downtown Sydney. It's more my taste than the LCD-3f which has a more pronounced bass.

I've just read your review on page 4 of this thread. Very well written. Should give readers a better idea of the sound signature of Oblivion amp.

 

[Maxx134]

I wrote a brief review at the time

Posted link to first page..

 

[Maxx134]

@Maxx134 Jesus, $1450 amp beating out the 8k wa33? Sounds too good to be true..

It is a denial to the senses at first..
You just can't wrap your head around it being so great.

My experience has been that custom amps built by a good builder will beat an off-the-shelf amp at a similar price point, and often be better than amps costing 2* or 3* more...

Good points.

I'm growing more and more interested in putting the Citadel side by side against my WA33.

I placed the Oblivion against it.

I hope the day will come when you can compare the Citadel with your WA33. I for one will look forward to that comparison.

Initial quick impressions was that the Oblivion was more "clear" sounding, while the wa33 was a thicker and slightly darker presentation, with a bit closer stage.
The most obvious difference was the wa33 heavier initial bass hit, and a more "strident" overall sound, in comparison to the Oblivion.

This is not to take anything away from the wa33 greatness, but just noting the differences in comparison.

The Oblivion was faster and had more delicacy.
This direct comparison was at a later date, separate from the first review.
I was busy comparing daps instead, because the amp comparison differences were both so obvious and quick.