Just started to use the Herus +,
LCD 2.1, Pathos Aurium, Herus +, Tidal and Apple Music.
When I first used the Herus in this set up, I was blown away by the detail retrieval. It was amazing. I tried the dragonfly black before and was left unimpressed. But after like 20 hours of using it, my ears started to fatigue. There was too much and too detailed bass to apply to an already very warm set of headphones. It also removed the treble sparkle the Pathos is known for, or I just didn't hear it as well because my ears were taking a beating from the bass. It sounded awesome but not very realistic. The Herus + exposed the 2.1 and its muddy bass issue, and using flac didn't help. What it did well was fixed one of the biggest issue with the LCD 2.1, having good imaging for a dark set of headphones. It gave it much more energy in pieces that really need it, but also exposed its flaw. I will see if I need to the LCD X, to solve the problems.
I ended up going back to apple music, pathos, and lcd 2.1. It was the best in terms of being enjoyable, accurate, and using lower res audio was actually better then flac. Its laid back and pleasant, but on pieces that are faster and had more layering it is lacking.
Second set up
HD650, ASL MG HEAD OTL III, Herus+, Tidal and Apple Music.
I love this set up, sometimes I wonder why I spend so much more for the next step up. When the 650 are properly matched with an amp, its hard to mess up the sound on them. The Herus + added much more engagement and detail to the music. It is defiantly a good match giving extra life to the HD650 musical characteristics. I initially thought the Herus would sound terrible on the HD650 dark characteristics, but the HD650 bass rolls off pretty early, and don't have all the issues the LCD 2.1 have in trying to produce it. But, if I didn't have the Herus+ in the stream it wouldn't kill me either, because the 3D sound that the Herus is able to produce didn't translate over to the HD650 and amp.
The Herus seems to be good on headphones that are between bright and neutral headphones, making them warmer and more extended. On already warm headphones especially detailed one, it might be too much unless you are a super bass head. I am also on the fence still about highly resolving DACs, they give you too much. It is like watching 4K TV, it is better then going outside. If you want 3D sound, go for these highly resolving DACs. But if you are trying to create a concert, jazz club, or any real listening environment these DACS might add too much. I should be able to hear where sound is coming form but I don't want be able to hear the nuisance of the instruments. It takes too much away from the music and putting focus on things that don't matter unless you are mastering.
If this dac doesn't work out on the LCD - X and Pathos set up, I will probably use cables and tubes and tune the lcd 2.1 problems out.
