[HBen]

As many of us know system synergy is one of the most important aspects in this hobby. Yet most gear is discussed and reviewed in isolation or in just one specific setup.

After all those years I still haven't found many combinations of amplifiers, DAC's and headphones (and eventually additional gear) that create that "magic" sound, a sound that lets you sink into the music and is so addictive that you could listen on forever.

I'm curious to know what systems you have built/found that create that magic for you.

 

[BournePerfect]

Ath AD2000>>>>Eddie Current Studio B (Eml 300b mesh)
HD800>>>>>>>Eddie Current ZDSE (Sophia driver)

Eximus dp1 dac in both chains. Only two rigs I felt I've captured lightning in a bottle, uncanny synergy, out of hundreds of combinations over the years.

 

[HBen]

Ath AD2000>>>>Eddie Current Studio B (Eml 300b mesh)
HD800>>>>>>>Eddie Current ZDSE (Sophia driver)

Eximus dp1 dac in both chains. Only two rigs I felt I've captured lightning in a bottle, uncanny synergy, out of hundreds of combinations over the years.

Thanks a lot for sharing. Curious to give it a listen

 

[BournePerfect]

Thanks a lot for sharing. Curious to give it a listen

Actually sold my HD800, ADX5000, Esl R10, AWKT, and Bryston bha-1 after hearing my Studio combo above...5x subjectively enjoyable to my ears, and the Studio brought the lowly ad2000 nearly to the technical lvl of those other cans. Perfect, astonishing synergy to my (and other's who heard all of these combos) ears. Like you said: magic.

 

[paradoxper]

I've been through all iterations of STAX, dynamics, planar, etc it's the tube pre that is Bilröst or at least the single most influential piece of gear in the chain.

Magic realized: Berkeley Reference 3 DAC > Supratrek Cabernet with Elrog 300B / MELZ 6SN7 > CFA3 > 1266: it's "there" all of it.
Which now proves equal listening time as my speaker system.

 

[HBen]

I've been through all iterations of STAX, dynamics, planar, etc it's the tube pre that is Bilröst or at least the single most influential piece of gear in the chain.

Magic realized: Berkeley Reference 3 DAC > Supratrek Cabernet with Elrog 300B / MELZ 6SN7 > CFA3 > 1266: it's "there" all of it.
Which now proves equal listening time as my speaker system.

Looks like a great chain! Yeah I found out as well that Abyss headphones in general benefit immensely from tubes somewhere in the chain
The approach of a separate tubes-pre has not crossed my mind yet ... might have to give this a try as well. Thanks for the hint!

 

[normie610]

It’s my current setup now:

iMac M1 (w/ Roon) or Lumin L1 -> Lumin T2 -> Manley Neo Classic preamp with WE300B, Linlai E-6SL7, Mullard CV1377 brown base, Sylvania 0D3 -> CFA3 -> DHC Complement C15 w/ S-Mod headphone cable -> 1266 TC and SR1a. Cables used are full loom Triode Wire Labs.

 

[Wes S]

Gear:

iMac 27' with Roon > Sonnet Hermes (streamer) > Sonnet Morpheus (DAC) > Cayin HA300mk2 (Elrog ER300B, RFT 6SN7 Welded Plates, Raytheon 22DE4 Black Plates) > ZMF Verite Closed (Auteur Lambskin Pads w/ Norne Audio Solvine 2s Headphone Cable)

Cabling:

Audio Envy Power Cables (Ocean Elite 3P)
Audio Envy Interconnects (O’nestian XLR)
Wireworld Chroma 8 Ethernet Cable


This system sounds so lifelike it's nuts, and the synergy is flat out perfection.

 

[George Hincapie]

Gear:

iMac 27' with Roon > Sonnet Hermes (streamer) > Sonnet Morpheus (DAC) > Cayin HA300mk2 (Elrog ER300B, RFT 6SN7 Welded Plates, Raytheon 22DE4 Black Plates) > ZMF Verite Closed (Auteur Lambskin Pads w/ Norne Audio Solvine 2s Headphone Cable)

Cabling:

Audio Envy Power Cables (Ocean Elite 3P)
Audio Envy Interconnects (O’nestian XLR)
Wireworld Chroma 8 Ethernet Cable


This system sounds so lifelike it's nuts, and the synergy is flat out perfection.

What output are you using from Hermes > Morpheus? I use AES between Ambre > Adagio and that sounds awesome, but I tried the Ambre in my headphone system last night feeding my Musette via SPDIF Coax and thought it sounded flat in comparison to a Pi4 with VitOS via USB or a DigiOne via SPDIF Coax.

 

[helljudgement]

WD Signature > EC Studio B > ZMF Atrium

Great synergy and few comes close in terms of enjoyment for me.
Studio B>Utopia and DNA Starlett>Verite/Atrium deserves a mention.