SBranson
Headphoneus Supremus
@SBranson , what are your impressions of the Ripples soundstage, and how do you feel it compares to the other 3 sets? Although, if you're mostly focusing on solo performances, perhaps the stage doesn't play as much of a role?
That‘s kind of a difficult question to answer and partially answered by the second part of your question. I think the Serratus has the biggest soundstage in the usual sense and that’s partially due to what I feel is a more recessed midrange and a dryer tone overall. When I listen to non acoustic music like more ambient stuff then the Serratus is magical and vast as there is no personal reference of “actual” timbre to make me question the sound reproduction of said instrument.
The Alpha is more mid focused and timbre focused so gets my nod if I’m listening to solo lute or solo piano for instance. In this case the overt sense of stage is not as prevalent in my attention because it only needs to match the scale of the instrument.
The Ripples on the other hand does something even more than the Alpha and does something I haven’t really heard so well since owning the Traillii. These is a more palpable 3d quality to the staging or the instrument. It’s relatively intimate but that’s also because that’s the kind of music I use it for as you surmise in the second part of your question.
This weekend I’ll try to take some time and branch out a bit with the different sets but for now I kind of approach the evening with a musical choice and mood and then choose the set that matches.
Serratus for ambient or electronic or anything more “busy”, Alpha for timbre and a relaxing listen particularly for putting on an Apple “radio station”. Ripples for really listening and when I really want to fall into another world and listen to “all” of the recording. It’s got that amazing timbre with clarity and nuance. Piano notes ring in the overtones, you can hear the bow and the violin, you can sense the space around the instrument..
So it’s different kinds of “staging” but to be honest I haven’t really tried something as formal as a review where I compare all three on all the different music.. Partially because I’m too obsessive and would be biased by the music choice as well because of mood and also the scrutinizing mentality of being in a “review” frame of mind.