[carm]

Great write up, warp08 !!!
 
I am going to print these awesome pictures and frame them !!!! 

 

[Snil]

Wow awesome review. Keep up the good work!

 

[Soaa-]

... Wait, did you say, burning in cables?

 

[warp08]

Quote:

... Wait, did you say, burning in cables?

Yup, both ends with a lighter...

 
The R10 vs. R10 review is now posted here. I'm done for the weekend, guys.

 

[tvrboy]

Quote:

Sony gets smashed  when it comes to headphones, cause they also mass produce a lot of Sxitty headphones.. But when Sony wants to, they can creatre the best dynamic headphones known to man... I just see them lacking in that now. BR & the PS# has taken center stage. the CD300/SA5000, while excellent headphones, are not in the same league compared to the R10/010..Although some owners of the CD3000 can debate how much  better the R10 really is.. & add price to performance ito the mix.. I'd still bet the NAGRA's are more ploarizing then the 010... Would love to compare both to see which is truly more love/hate type of headphone. Still feel the Quaila is the most beautiful headphone I ever seen. & the owner is a rich man.. Probablly 20,000 worth of gear right there.

The CD3000 is not a very good headphone for its greatly inflated price. The only thing it has in common with the R10 is a forward presentation. In every other way the R10 smashes it to pieces, as it should for the price. Anyway, thanks to the OP for the great write up and pictures, and thanks again for letting me try out the R10s at canfest!

 

[warp08]

Quote:

The CD3000 is not a very good headphone for its greatly inflated price. The only thing it has in common with the R10 is a forward presentation. In every other way the R10 smashes it to pieces, as it should for the price. Anyway, thanks to the OP for the great write up and pictures, and thanks again for letting me try out the R10s at canfest!

It was my pleasure, even though with the Apache it wasn't at the top of its game.  Hopefully at the next Meet Craig will have his Cary gear with him along with his new pair of R10s to exhibit.  

 

[FortisFlyer75]

Nice informative write up & photos on the Qualias Warp, they look like a millions dollars and can only imagine they sound like that with the Twag cables in your very refined reference system there. 
 
What genre do you prefer using overall with the Qualias?
 
Just a shame about the size  fit system they have, even if i had the money for a pair of these it would be hard to find one out there that fits my potato head!
 
The Qualias are a piece of art in their own right......
 
Enjoy & cherish them Warp ; ) 

 

[warp08]

My preferred genres include smooth Jazz, new age, classical and even some indie stuff.  The bass had smoothed out considerably since the review and got a bit tighter still, but for hard rock, the similarly recabled HD600/650s are preferred over the Qualias since that extended treble range and clarity does not come into play as much there.
 
The comfort of these are just unbelievable, due to their extremely light weight.  Think of them as wearing your JH16s, just without the feeling of the presence of the earplugs.
 
It's truly a pity they didn't make more of them.

 

[carm]

Warp,
 
Maybe you can tell, which headphones one should examine before sinking funds into Qualias ?
I mean, maybe you know which headphones share similar sound reproduction as Qualias do ?
 
Maybe SONY SA-5000 ?
 
Thanks.

 

[warp08]

I understand those were derived from the Qualia R&D and kinda like the HE60s were to the HE90 Orpheus by Sennheiser, a more affordable, less capable version.  I had not listen to the SA5Ks first hand so I could not tell you more.
 
The closest headphone in my inventory even remotely similar to the Whiplash recabled Qualias are the similarly recabled HD800s.  It's just that the Qualias do most everything the HD800s do a bit better.  You really got to hear both of them on a high-end system to really appreciate.  For more impressions try pinging CodeScripted, he has heard both on my system.

 

[carm]

Recently I have acquired Qualias. I am wondering, is it just my ears, but sibilance on some tracks are so intense that I can't bear it....

Warp, I remember that fellow, from which you had bought Qualias, after some time have visited you and he was so impressed with recabled Qualias, that he would had never sold them in the first place. Anyway I would like to know, was he listening using your system ? 
 
Maybe this flagship would benefit from tube amp ? 

 

[Decel]

Couldn't get my hands on a 010 because Sony didn't sell them online
Wish Sony would be managed by passionate engineers again. They are now but a shell of their former self.
 
Wish I found out about Head-Fi a bit sooner. Joined around right off the climax of the R10/Q010/ATH-L3000 era, when the last units were being sold.
 
The SA-5K is great and all -I have one-, but the simple fact that it needs recabling pisses me off (Note: Need to contact APS when I'm back from my trip)

 

[warp08]

Quote:

Recently I have acquired Qualias. I am wondering, is it just my ears, but sibilance on some tracks are so intense that I can't bear it....

Warp, I remember that fellow, from which you had bought Qualias, after some time have visited you and he was so impressed with recabled Qualias, that he would had never sold them in the first place. Anyway I would like to know, was he listening using your system ? 
 
Maybe this flagship would benefit from tube amp ? 

Yes, he was listening to them using both my Apache and my souped up Cary SLI80 Signature tube amp.  It's a jaw-drapping difference, especially from the Cary.  Classical or new-age music never sounded so good, as it does on the Qualias.  I would imagine it would be even better with the newer TWag V2 cable.
 
I have actually acquired an SA5K as well and it's in being hardwired with V2 in balanced mode.  Looking forward receiving it back soon.
 

 

[carm]

Looking forward to your impressions SA5K vs The Good stuff 

Warp, what would you suggest to do first regarding Qualias, to get the best of them:
 
a) change cables;
b) look for a new amp;
c) else ?
 
PS As always you pics are just awesome !!!
Quote:

Yes, he was listening to them using both my Apache and my souped up Cary SLI80 Signature tube amp.  It's a jaw-drapping difference, especially from the Cary.  Classical or new-age music never sounded so good, as it does on the Qualias.  I would imagine it would be even better with the newer TWag V2 cable.
 
I have actually acquired an SA5K as well and it's in being hardwired with V2 in balanced mode.  Looking forward receiving it back soon.
 

 

[vrln]

Such a fantastic post! Thanks a lot, was a great read