THE COMPOSER OPEN BACK FLAGSHIP by AUSTRIAN AUDIO

[swedishpat]

Composer owners should take Italian lessons and try out the incredible M2 Tech Marley Mkii

You got me curious about the Marley. I see it has crossfeed which jamesjames says benefit the composer. Do you use the crossfeed? Does it drive your susvara too or just the composer? How is it compared to Austrian’s full score one?

 

[FiGuY1017]

You got me curious about the Marley. I see it has crossfeed which jamesjames says benefit the composer. Do you use the crossfeed? Does it drive your susvara too or just the composer? How is it compared to Austrian’s full score one?

Unfortunately I haven't heard the full score one but I've heard some really nice totl amps and the Marley Mkii is equal or greater than the best I've heard and highly recommended for the Composer

It's also one of the most powerful I've heard, it's not as powerful as my Volot but it still puts 5wpc into Susvara and it sings beautifully!

A very resolving, holographic, versatile amp and very compact.

It was a no brainer for me as I'm vested in Marcos brand, even if I wasn't it's one of the best I've heard

It's actually very popular in Italy and Europe just not the biggest following here in the U.S unfortunately.

The cross feed I've found on alot of tracks to be really really good, it's a fun amp and has many features but none are "gimmicks" or are they the reason for the price tag, it's a 3k level or above in its SQ, but also has the benefits of having crossfeed, the ability to change output impedance 0,10 or 47, Tone control etc

The very wide stage on this amp is a head scratcher though as it's a very small amp about the same size as my old Burson 3xp but more powerful and on a different level SQ wise. It's transparency of a Bryston BHA-1 with the musicality of that 3xp

I took a chance on it as I had to order from Italy with little hope of returning it if I didn't like it, but after listening to the headphone output of my Young IV I knew it'd be excellent and wasn't disappointed.

On that note, if you are interested I have some information you might want to hear, but you'll have to message me.

Ps the Marley Mkii does for the Composer what the headphone out of my Young Mkiv does except much better and to another level or two, and that was, to increase the ss depth, it has really transformed the listening experience with Composer

 

[jamesjames]

how's this thing compare to hd800s, soundstage smaller?

I own both. The imaging is good, I think. But not so adept as the HD800S at presenting depth or width when the recording calls for it.

 

[Whazzzup]

I own both. The imaging is good, I think. But not so adept as the HD800S at presenting depth or width when the recording calls for it.

Well that begs the question, which do you prefer?

 

[FiGuY1017]

I own both. The imaging is good, I think. But not so adept as the HD800S at presenting depth or width when the recording calls for it.

That was my impression as well until Marley came in,, now so beautiful and holographic... So I'm thinking it's really picky not for general SQ rather that nice bloom we expect from totl cans

Ps this little monster drives Susvara with authority, very good imo No, not a M2Tech employee nor am I paid to say anything about their products, just my experiences w/ this hidden gem, I'd love others to know more about it and try it out, it really turns the Composer into a holographic sounding headphone that I couldn't replicate even with my Volot, and that's before using its crossfeed or impedance options.

 

[jamesjames]

Well that begs the question, which do you prefer?

To my ear (I listen to classical music), the HD800S is the most satisfying. The ADX5000 is also very good, as is the Composer. In my opinion the Composer needs crossfeed, whereas the other two are simply better with it. I don't find planars or e-stats very appealing - I've owned many.

EDIT
I've explained in some detail earlier in this thread how the Composer strikes me, and how I think it compares to the other phones I've mentioned.

 

[shabta]

how's this thing compare to hd800s, soundstage smaller?

The HD800S has a bigger soundstage. I am one of those people who thinks that is a superpower of the HD800S

The treble on the HD800S is smoother and more refined, but the Composer has a very finely resolving treble response. It just isn't at exactly the same level.
Bass is where the Composer is much better than the HD800S, even with eq. Overall I prefer the composer (because the depth of the bass is more important then the slightly better treble response of the HD800S in terms of overall sound) with a few caveats.

For classical I prefer the HD800S, unequivocally.

For certain acoustic bass light genres, HD800S, but even small combo jazz, if it is ECM level recording quality, I like the composer slightly better.

For modern pop, hip hop, edm Composer is much better.

That should give you some food for thought. As usual, YMMV

 

[FiGuY1017]

These went to one of the least holographic headphones I've ever heard to one of the most holographic headphones I've heard. Not sure what to credit except this new amp, unless it just magically broke in at the same time I received it

 

[swedishpat]

These went to one of the least holographic headphones I've ever heard to one of the most holographic headphones I've heard. Not sure what to credit except this new amp, unless it just magically broke in at the same time I received it

I think I’d like to find a used amp. If anyone got one let me know!

 

[musicday]

Fingers crossed, we may get high quality leather earpads from Dekoni Audio in the future for the Composer.

 

[FiGuY1017]

Anyone who doubts the depth or 3d staging ability of Composer needs to check out M2 Tech's Marley Mkii this amp is overwhelms my senses in the same way as my Susvara on Volot

I remember when i talked to Marco about 5 years ago about buying one of these yet I put it off until a week or so ago

I shouldn't have waited!

I remember telling Marco a few weeks ago that the after thought headphone out of the Young Mkiv already bested my old Burson 3xp so wasn't sure how much better the Marley would be, he said "Marley is a whole new world compared to that" So I bought it, finally! And man was he right!

All that to say if you want to turn The Composer from a high end headphone to a summit level headphone, talk to me about it in a private message..

 

[F700]

Having relaunched my journey into headphones (after a long period exclusively spent in the IEM world) by purchasing the Composer was one of the best idea this year.

I have been looking for closed headphones being as near as possible to the Composer from a presentation and sound perspective. Although open-back and closed-back cans cannot be really compared, I have found a very nice alternative with the Denon AH-9200. Really enjoying them as a complement to the Composer.

Both have these silky, extended and non-fatiguing high frequencies. Difficult task to achieve without sacrificing the quality of the mids (whether too recessed nor too forward) and the quantity/presence of the lows.

Both headphones deserve high praise in that regard. Classic and « zeitlose » cans here.

 

[FiGuY1017]

[These Composers continue to get better and better, they will join my Susvara as the best I've personally ever heard, beating even some of my former all time favorites hek v2, Ca1a, MySphere

These, much like Susvara just do not offend and are a pleasure to listen to with all my music also while being technically very good at the same time.

These do what I find difficult for totl cans. While there are others that may be better at this or that, it's usually at the cost of something else that irritates me eventually, but not the Susvara or the Composer IMO.

Very wide, very deep, very immersive sound.. very well neutral tuned what more could I ask for.. Now have two systems that I feel could serve as my only. Thinking of a M15 cma for travel. Thinking of selling my MySphere as they don't get time since these Composers "woke up"

 

[John Buchanan]

[These Composers continue to get better and better, they will join my Susvara as the best I've personally ever heard, beating even some of my former all time favorites hek v2, Ca1a, MySphere

These, much like Susvara just do not offend and are a pleasure to listen to with all my music also while being technically very good at the same time.

These do what I find difficult for totl cans. While there are others that may be better at this or that, it's usually at the cost of something else that irritates me eventually, but not the Susvara or the Composer IMO.

Very wide, very deep, very immersive sound.. very well neutral tuned what more could I ask for.. Now have two systems that I feel could serve as my only. Thinking of a M15 cma for travel. Thinking of selling my MySphere as they don't get time since these Composers "woke up"

Sacrilege!!!!

 

[FiGuY1017]

Sacrilege!!!!

But honestly MySphere do things normal cans simply can't so they'll probably stay forever as well