[nfandi]

Sorry, I was unclear.
When I said SET, I meant a speaker amp, and I lumped the Envy in "headphone amps".

The confusion has evaporated and all is again well in my world. Thank you Alex.

 

[Aleksandar R.]

Thank you Kai. I started with the 16Ohm connection on the TI-1b last night but will switch to the 32Ohm for tonight‘s listening. There’s also the low, mid, high impedance settings on the Envy to take into account.

I used it at High Gain setting.
With that, it had the highest volume before onset of audible distortion.

At Low Gain, it distorts at low volume...

Anyhow, now I know why it didn't work fro me and Danny when we tried it before.
Before, that setting was called not Gain, but Impedance, so naturally, we used it at Low Impedance, but we shouldn't have.

Now, judging by how Envy behaves, I bet that this gain setting is a resistor voltage divider after the input stage, reducing the level that first triode sends to the next triode (the driver for 300B), so when you want higher level at the output at Low gain setting, while you're cranking up the Volume knob, you begin to overload the input triode, all the while the Low Gain voltage divider reduces it back down, so before the output starts to get loaded and show distortion, the input is already overloaded and distorts more than the output.

My advice for using Envy with any RAAL is to always use High Gain setting, as that way the input would generate the least amount of distortion and you'll get the most power before you overload the input.

 

[SteveM324]

I'm thinking of placing an order for 1 of the 2 new headphone systems but I have a few questions. I prefer a warm full body unfatiguing sound, detail retrieval is secondary for my preferences. Which of the 2 new headphones will be better for my preferences? For reference, I tried the SR-1a and the HSA amp in my system shortly after they were introduced (2019?) but they didn't provide enough of the full body sound and bass for my preferences.

Being the owner of 3 large speaker systems and several headphones, I own a lot of amps, but I don't know if any or all will drive these new headphones. I have the following amps at my disposal:

1) Woo WA23 Luna
2) Auris Nirvana (original 2 wood chassis)
3) Enleum 23R with the WA23 used as a preamp
4) Holo Bliss KTE with a Aric Motherlode II vacuum tube preamp
5) First Watt F7 with Motherlode II preamp
6) Pass Labs XA-25 with Motherlode II or WA23 used as a preamp

My DACs and sources are an Aurender W20SE > Holo May KTE and Grimm Audio MU1 > Bricasti M1 S2 DAC.

Alek or anyone have any thoughts regarding these amps and my question above about the 2 headphones? Thanks!

 

[nfandi]

I used it at High Gain setting.
With that, it had the highest volume before onset of audible distortion.

At Low Gain, it distorts at low volume...

Anyhow, now I know why it didn't work fro me and Danny when we tried it before.
Before, that setting was called not Gain, but Impedance, so naturally, we used it at Low Impedance, but we shouldn't have.

Now, judging by how Envy behaves, I bet that this gain setting is a resistor voltage divider after the input stage, reducing the level that first triode sends to the next triode (the driver for 300B), so when you want higher level at the output at Low gain setting, while you're cranking up the Volume knob, you begin to overload the input triode, all the while the Low Gain voltage divider reduces it back down, so before the output starts to get loaded and show distortion, the input is already overloaded and distorts more than the output.

My advice for using Envy with any RAAL is to always use High Gain setting, as that way the input would generate the least amount of distortion and you'll get the most power before you overload the input.

I’ve just switched over to the 32Ohm interface connection and switched on the amp. Last night was not great, I was not a happy bunny, the sound was not what I was hoping for. I also briefly tried the low, mid and high gain settings before I read what you‘ve written above and it was really obvious that the best sound is on the high gain setting. It’s also too easy to listen at too high a volume; the sound is still very good. This is with the CA-1a and the DAC to Envy connection is with the XLR’s. I’ll try the RCA’s later.
The overriding thought though…..is if this is how things sound with the CA-1a…..I really cannot wait to hear it with Immanis at home.

 

[Aleksandar R.]

I’ve just switched over to the 32Ohm interface connection and switched on the amp. Last night was not great, I was not a happy bunny, the sound was not what I was hoping for. I also briefly tried the low, mid and high gain settings before I read what you‘ve written above and it was really obvious that the best sound is on the high gain setting. It’s also too easy to listen at too high a volume; the sound is still very good. This is with the CA-1a and the DAC to Envy connection is with the XLR’s. I’ll try the RCA’s later.
The overriding thought though…..is if this is how things sound with the CA-1a…..I really cannot wait to hear it with Immanis at home.

If you're unsure that the XLR input receiver is an input transformer, always go to RCA.
If it's not a transformer, XLR receiver is an audio op-amp (specialized to be an XLR receiver or not) that even though it may sound perfectly fine, it will remove you a little bit from the simplicity of straightforward tube amplification.
For a proper tube amplification with XLR input you either need a really good input transformer or a balanced circuitry (doubling the number of tubes, etc)...

 

[KaiSc]

I'm thinking of placing an order for 1 of the 2 new headphone systems but I have a few questions. I prefer a warm full body unfatiguing sound, detail retrieval is secondary for my preferences. Which of the 2 new headphones will be better for my preferences?

The Immanis clearly is the warmer sounding headphone.

 

[Aleksandar R.]

I'm thinking of placing an order for 1 of the 2 new headphone systems but I have a few questions. I prefer a warm full body unfatiguing sound, detail retrieval is secondary for my preferences. Which of the 2 new headphones will be better for my preferences? For reference, I tried the SR-1a and the HSA amp in my system shortly after they were introduced (2019?) but they didn't provide enough of the full body sound and bass for my preferences.

Being the owner of 3 large speaker systems and several headphones, I own a lot of amps, but I don't know if any or all will drive these new headphones. I have the following amps at my disposal:

1) Woo WA23 Luna
2) Auris Nirvana (original 2 wood chassis)
3) Enleum 23R with the WA23 used as a preamp
4) Holo Bliss KTE with a Aric Motherlode II vacuum tube preamp
5) First Watt F7 with Motherlode II preamp
6) Pass Labs XA-25 with Motherlode II or WA23 used as a preamp

My DACs and sources are an Aurender W20SE > Holo May KTE and Grimm Audio MU1 > Bricasti M1 S2 DAC.

Alek or anyone have any thoughts regarding these amps and my question above about the 2 headphones? Thanks!

All those amps will drive them well, including the Woo, as it's rated driving loads from 8 Ohms and above, but I haven't tried it.

The new headphones are more open sounding than Susvara, so judge the tone balance with that in mind. They are not the usual warm sounding type of headphones, but the Immanis is warmer of the two.
If you liked what SR1 does, but missed only the "body and bass weight", both have that solved compared to SR1, but they are not emphasizing that part of the spectrum like other "full bodied" headphones. To me, those others are just plain overdone in that regard, so don't expect resemblance to those others.

 

[nfandi]

If you're unsure that the XLR input receiver is an input transformer, always go to RCA.
If it's not a transformer, XLR receiver is an audio op-amp (specialized to be an XLR receiver or not) that even though it may sound perfectly fine, it will remove you a little bit from the simplicity of straightforward tube amplification.
For a proper tube amplification with XLR input you either need a really good input transformer or a balanced circuitry (doubling the number of tubes, etc)...

Hi Alex, thanks again. Was using XLR connections because RCA’s are in use between Holo May and HSA-1b. Not planning on using the HSA-1b while I have the Envy here so I’ll connect the RCA’s into the Envy now.

 

[Lokust]

Wow, that's really cool. What song was she listening to?

 

[nfandi]

Wow, that's really cool. What song was she listening to?

Probably something sweet and romantic like “Never Mind the Bollards” by the Sex Pistols..

 

[Hiker816]

Amazing! What amp was driving the Immanis at the time? One of your upcoming new models? Is there anything you can share with us about them yet?

 

[Axel]

What song was she listening to?

"Keith Don't Go"

 

[SteveM324]

Wow, that's really cool. What song was she listening to?

"Torn Between Two Lovers"

 

[chrisnyc75]

All those amps will drive them well, including the Woo, as it's rated driving loads from 8 Ohms and above, but I haven't tried it.

The new headphones are more open sounding than Susvara, so judge the tone balance with that in mind. They are not the usual warm sounding type of headphones, but the Immanis is warmer of the two.
If you liked what SR1 does, but missed only the "body and bass weight", both have that solved compared to SR1, but they are not emphasizing that part of the spectrum like other "full bodied" headphones. To me, those others are just plain overdone in that regard, so don't expect resemblance to those others.

Dammit I really hoped Magna was the more "full bodied" sounding of the two, because there is a higher possibility I can afford a Magna. lol

 

[Aleksandar R.]

Dammit I really hoped Magna was the more "full bodied" sounding of the two, because there is a higher possibility I can afford a Magna. lol

It takes EQ superbly, so that's one way to get that.
RME DAC has tone controls and it a joy using them. It's like good old Baxandall tone controls that are so natural sounding because of that slow shelving...Superb.