[DJJEZ]

Yes, I do.
I don't mean of course that they cannot afford to buy the Valkyria...
I just happen to think that some (many?) people overestimate certain elements and underestimate other ones.
And - as Exekuhtor said - before you spend a fortune (especially if your fortune is quite limited ) on cables or/and - I would add- on a power plant-like-headphone amplifier, "make sure you check out a lot of headphones. You might be suprised what awaits you behind the standard horizon that is Hifiman, Audeze, Focal etc."

Most people who own Valykria have been through all the other headphones. Valkyria is a super unique headphone

 

[beaverton]

I feel like a drug dealer that gave the first shot at No charge now.

Guess what I'm trying to say is, "I'm sorry for your wallet" but welcome to our circle

Excellent comment.

 

[beaverton]

Well, my plans to get into some Stax actions this year (or the Caldera Closed) have changed. Instead there's an extremely expensive headphone on the way. Crazy how listening to the Pulsar has changed my opinion. All it took was one day. At first i compared the Pulsar to the Verite Open. On the same day later, i listed the VO in the classified and compared the Pulsar to the Susvara. The Susvara did sound thinn in comparison. Every string instrument on the Pulsar had so much note weight and lifelike timbre, i totally became obsessed with it. Lucky for me that a chance to get the bigger brother presented itsself, in less than one hour. I love this community. I honestly can't wait to hear it. I will compare the Valkyria to the Pulsar when it arrives.
I have to agree that some genres do sound very bad, but i listen to a lot of rock, metal, and also a good amount of classic. The Pulsar is just unbelievable with those genres. I played piano for ~8 years or so myself and truly know the timbre of that instrument inside and out. It's so easy for me to tell if a song has a keyboard in it or a real piano. The Pulsar brings out string instruments like no other headphone, not even the Susvara can touch it.
It's such a damn shame that the resemblance to the much worse Grado headphones are there, including the non-removable cable, which honestly doesn't bother me at all because it's so well made. I didn't see any Pulsar recommendations, ever. I can't speak for the other headphones of Spirit Torino, i read that most of them have a very wonky tuning. I honestly don't think the Pulsar is as overpriced as many other people think, the problem is rather that because of the scarcity it almost never pops up on the used market. Of course everyone just smiles and moves on when they see the pricetag of the Valkyria, but a few units are circling around inside a very small community here in head-fi that truly appreciates what it can do. I will also join that community and am very eager to experience it.
This hobby always suprises me, it's quite nuts.
To anyone: Before spending a fortune on cables / DAC's etc, make sure you check out a lot of headphones. You might be suprised what awaits you behind the standard horizon that is Hifiman, Audeze, Focal etc.

"This hobby always suprises me, it's quite nuts."

Yes. Soon, you will be saving pennies for a 50000 euro DAC...

 

[alxw0w]

I feel like a drug dealer that gave the first shot at No charge now.

I've never received one, still waiting

 

[Exekuhtor]

Valkyria will likely arrive on Thursday.
In between some more thoughts about the Pulsar:
I love this headphone. For me it sounds like the next step up from an Utopia (i only had the OG) on tubes, which boosts the bass, enhances the soundstage and makes it a bit less aggressive, but it looses some speed overall.
It does also sound similiar to a Campfire Audio Trifecta with more resolution (and a bit less bass), but that weighty live-factor is the thing that these both have in common.
The upper midrange is never too forward (like with the Utopia), everything sounds very heavy and weighty. Resolution is on par with other similiar TOTL dynamics, we all know that planars (and estat) have the advantage here.
The one thing i highly prefer on the Pulsar versus the Utopia is the aggressive, but not overly disturbing nature of the headphone. The upper midrange on the Utopia was often too much for me, on some tracks it got shouty, never with the Pulsar. It is by no means a laid-back headphone like an LCD-4, but also not extremely aggressive like a 1266.
Some facts versus the Susvara:
Susvara has more details, seperation, is faster, is more airy, bigger soundstage.
Pulsar has more noteweight, the midrange (voices) are a bit closer (but never in any way too close), much more of a live-factor.
Texture and timbre is exceptional with both headphones. String instruments are both a 10/10 on both. If it's just a violine i probably prefer the Susvara, but if the instrument has any beat in it (like the initial strike of a piano key), i prefer the Pulsar.
Voices are are exceptionally good, i prefer male voices on the Pulsar and female voices on the Susvara. Bass is clearly better on the Pulsar except when it comes to subbass. Treble is interesting, i think the Pulsar is rather neutral in that regard, it handles treble very delicately but it never pops out as much as a Hifiman.

Can't wait what awaits me on Thursday.

 

[chesebert]

Historically it has been difficult for a new brand to gain traction despite their high quality products. Many of the more recent "hot" new brands and excitement generated around those brands were the result of carefully planned marketing efforts - i.e., shills and reviewers in incognito mode.

Spirit Torino is perhaps old school in terms of marketing or it maybe because they don't want to spend the funds. They don't have shills, fake reviewers, social media influencers, paid Facebook mentions, etc. I respect their integrity but not sure if they can survive when their competitors are doing a whole lot more in terms of marketing.

As a product, Pulsar sounds better to me as a whole than Stealth, Auteur, VO/VC, Atrium, 009S, CRBN, X9000, 007, 1266TC in a back to back listening session.

Neutral and almost perfect midrange timbre and transparency. Close to SOTA (among headphones) across the board in terms of bass, sub bass, visceral impact, resolution in general, spacial resolution, soundstage, treble, holographic feel, and PRaT. Slight emphasis on 2k and 4k that can be easily corrected with system matching and possibly headphone positioning (also easily EQed out). Overall, a great sounding pair of headphones with no obvious faults or deficiencies; very well rounded.

Bricasti M3 -> GSXmk2 -> Pulsar balanced. M3 is holding it back as I think the headphones can scale with better front end.

As a whole, you are basing things entirely off a noisy floor, unfamiliar gear, and five minute listening progressions, right?

So how did I do after 2 years and 40 more pages of impressions?

I am glad the company is doing just fine and not going away.

 

[ThanatosVI]

So how did I do after 2 years and 40 more pages of impressions?

I am glad the company is doing just fine and not going away.

Damn 2 years already, I remember when I Read those posts initially.

"Close to SOTA in terms of subbass" turned out to be so goddamn wrong though.

Valkyria will likely arrive on Thursday.
In between some more thought on the Pulsar:
I love this headphone. For me it sounds like the next step up from an Utopia (i only had the OG) on tubes, which makes it boost the bass, enhance the soundstage and makes it a bit less aggressive, but it looses some speed overall.
It does also sound similiar to a Campfire Audio Trifecta with more resolution (and a bit less bass), but that weighty live-factor is the thing that these both have in common.
The upper midrange is never too forward (like with the Utopia), everything sounds very heavy and weighty. Resolution is on par with other similiar TOTL dynamics, we all know that planars (and estat) have the advantage here.
The one thing i highly prefer on the Pulsar versus the Utopia is the aggressive, but not overly disturbing nature of the headphone. The upper midrange on the Utopia was often too much for me, on some tracks it got shouty, never with the Pulsar. It is by no means a re
Some facts versus the Susvara:
Susvara has more details, seperation, is faster, is more airy, bigger soundstage.
Pulsar has more noteweight, the midrange (voices) are a bit closer (but never in any way too close), much more of a live-factor without
Texture and timbre is exceptional with both headphones. String instruments are both a 10/10 on both. If it' just a violine i probably prefer the Susvara, but if the instrument has any beat in it (like the initial strike of a piano key), i'll prefer the Pulsar.
Voices are are exceptionally good, i prefer male voices on the Pulsar and female voices on the Susvara. Bass is clearly better on the Pulsar except when it comes to subbass. Treble is interesting, i think the Pulsar is rather neutral in that regard, it handels treble very delicately but it never pops out as much as with a Hifiman.

Can't wait what awaits me on Thursday.

Very nice impressions, thx for sharing

 

[paradoxper]

So how did I do after 2 years and 40 more pages of impressions?

I am glad the company is doing just fine and not going away.

Still poor. It takes quite some time to appreciate the minutiae the Valkryia brings to the table aside from evaluating its technical tier.

I'm just glad you didn't group it together with misnomers.

 

[Exekuhtor]

Those who know, know.

I will post impressions and comparisons to the Pulsar in a few days.
Sadly the seller lied about the cable length and it's 3 meters, it's so long... I don't know, can i contact Spirit Torino and they cut it?

 

[ThanatosVI]

. I don't know, can i contact Spirit Torino and they cut it?

Yes they change length or connector to whatever you desire.
Just contact them

 

[Exekuhtor]

Which means shipping that big package to Italy... Hmmm...

 

[ThanatosVI]

Which means shipping that big package to Italy... Hmmm...

Since it's within the EU that's quite easy and also not uber expensive.

You could also ask for a return Label

 

[Exekuhtor]

I just wrote Spirit Torino an email. Yeah, inside the EU it's probably not that big of a deal, even if it's a large package.
I am captivated by the sound, so that's a plus!

 

[kawhia]

This headphone is in my head. I need to audition it one day. Hmmm. I am not sure I would like to part with my 1266, but I could not and would not want to afford both. The V would have to wow me int the first three minutes. We will see

 

[kawhia]

I am in Toscana at the moment enjoying the weather and listening to Enrico Pieranunzi playing Scarletti. Pretty great album.