[Tubewin]

It’s interesting as there is, as best I can tell, absolutely zero reason why that shouid be the case. My Innuos/Chord front end is matched by a few others on this thread who have purchased the Enleum and absolutely don’t recognise what I heard and the Zu speakers, with a sensitivity of 101db, should have been perfect. Where it got interesting for me was moving it to a different location and system. I would not have expected it to have been a good match there but if anything, because that’s a vastly superior system to my own, it was a better match but the sane traits were on display. .

The Zu speakers should be a great match with the Enleum, I agree. Am I correct to assume from your previous posts that you are coming from Naim separates? If yes, I would imagine the Naim being much more expressive and dense in the midrange which could synergize better with Chord (which I've heard from many people can be thin comparatively to r2r dacs).
You've said that it sounded better at a different location but with the same recession in the midrange. What was the chain you used at that location just curious, and with what speakers if you don't mind. I wonder if you had brought your zu speakers to the second location with the enleum, if that wouldn't have produced a better result.

 

[Tubewin]

And these are the second unit.

Apologies for the poor quality of the photos. Definitely no-one at the factory inspecting those feet.

Hmm, yeah, for a brand new unit that is in disappointing condition. I purchased mine brand new from headphones.com and it was/still is pristine. Again the only gripe (small gripe) is that the down volume button on the remote is not as responsive as the other buttons.

 

[Mike Hughes]

The Zu speakers should be a great match with the Enleum, I agree. Am I correct to assume from your previous posts that you are coming from Naim separates? If yes, I would imagine the Naim being much more expressive and dense in the midrange which could synergize better with Chord (which I've heard from many people can be thin comparatively to r2r dacs).
You've said that it sounded better at a different location but with the same recession in the midrange. What was the chain you used at that location just curious, and with what speakers if you don't mind. I wonder if you had brought your zu speakers to the second location with the enleum, if that wouldn't have produced a better result.

I think I detailed that in my review. Yes, looking to leave Naim amplification. Does work well with Innuos/Chord but there’s an impedance mismatch with the speakers I‘d like to sort and also downsizing with an uptick in overall quality is the plan.

Very broadly the other system was a TotalDAC streamer into their DAC. That goes into the Nagra 300B which in turn fed Soul Sonic speakers. Very warm and flowing on the mid range as one would expect with a 300B at that price. Lots of other stuff in there from Less Loss but that’s the gist of it I think.

Zero possibility of moving the Zu to the other location but then equally we didn’t discuss it because if the Enleum couldn’t produce mid range warmth etc. in that context then it wasn’t going to.

I find myself torn between “that’s just what it sounds like and it just doesn’t do it for you” and “surely given the reviews there has to be something wrong“. Overall I lean to the former but it’s an open question for me. The box itself is such a perfect solution for my system that I’m almost reluctant to give up on it and would love to hear it at work in someone else’s system.

 

[Mike Hughes]

Hmm, yeah, for a brand new unit that is in disappointing condition. I purchased mine brand new from headphones.com and it was/still is pristine. Again the only gripe (small gripe) is that the down volume button on the remote is not as responsive as the other buttons.

Interesting what you say about the down button. For me it was definitely the up button. That again would suggest there are some quality control issues.

 

[Tubewin]

I think I detailed that in my review. Yes, looking to leave Naim amplification. Does work well with Innuos/Chord but there’s an impedance mismatch with the speakers I‘d like to sort and also downsizing with an uptick in overall quality is the plan.

Very broadly the other system was a TotalDAC streamer into their DAC. That goes into the Nagra 300B which in turn fed Soul Sonic speakers. Very warm and flowing on the mid range as one would expect with a 300B at that price. Lots of other stuff in there from Less Loss but that’s the gist of it I think.

Zero possibility of moving the Zu to the other location but then equally we didn’t discuss it because if the Enleum couldn’t produce mid range warmth etc. in that context then it wasn’t going to.

I find myself torn between “that’s just what it sounds like and it just doesn’t do it for you” and “surely given the reviews there has to be something wrong“. Overall I lean to the former but it’s an open question for me. The box itself is such a perfect solution for my system that I’m almost reluctant to give up on it and would love to hear it at work in someone else’s system.

I just think it's sound signature doesn't jibe with you. You're coming from much more expensive separates and tube amplifiers that excel primarily in the mid range. You might have to spend twice the amount of an Enleum to get what you're looking for possibly. I personally don't hear the midrange as recessed, the enleum just doesn't exaggerate or emphasize the mids as much as some other amps. It may not be as dense as you would like, but it has it's own color and flavor in the mids that I really enjoy. Best solid state headphone amplifier I have heard yet. You might need to look elsewhere for a dedicated speaker amplifier.

 

[Mike Hughes]

I’d really like to hear one in someone else‘s system before moving on.

I think that bar the two obvious reviewers who heard what I heard to some degree there was near unanimity between reviewers with regard to to very specific characteristics i.e. a wide and deep sound stage which disappears your speakers; valve like mid range and vocals etc. Those aren't nebulous hard to quantify things. They’re either there or they’re not. I can accept that what I perceived as a lack of natural flow to the music and a lack of engagement are much more personal and subjective but the lack of those first three is what leaves me unable to shake the idea something was amiss. Of course I’m alone in this position as my friend concluded that that’s just what it sounds like and the dealer found no issue. I guess that goes to show that there really is no substitute for your own ears.

I think the thing for me is that my Naim stuff is low end and cost less than the Enleum. Not all integrateds would be expected to outperform even that but I’d have thought the Eleum would have come close and had it done no more than matched the Naim then, for me, that would have been sufficient to purchase but alas it’s not to be.

 

[RubyTiger]

At the volume controls lowest position, is the amp supposed to be totally silent? I'm still hearing some sound on both low gain and high gain modes.

 

[Zielarz]

At the volume controls lowest position, is the amp supposed to be totally silent? I'm still hearing some sound on both low gain and high gain modes.

It's ok. If you have heavy to drive headphones or speakers it'll be quieter (or if you are listen to vinyls then the signal is lower). It works this way.

 

[Tubewin]

At the volume controls lowest position, is the amp supposed to be totally silent? I'm still hearing some sound on both low gain and high gain modes.

No hiss on low gain with utopias. What headphones are you using?

 

[RubyTiger]

No, no problem like hiss. It's actual music playing on my pc. I'm using hd800's. I bought the amp used so just getting the feel of it. Powering on, the left channels volume is higher than the right. It balances out after it warms up. Just wondering if I should be really concerned or not.

 

[Tubewin]

No, no problem like hiss. It's actual music playing on my pc. I'm using hd800's. I bought the amp used so just getting the feel of it. Powering on, the left channels volume is higher than the right. It balances out after it warms up. Just wondering if I should be really concerned or not.

Oh that's normal, if you're hearing music at the lowest setting on the amp. It lets it through.

 

[Tubewin]

Anyone try the HD650 with the Enleum 23r? Curious to know how it synergizes with that headphone.

 

[Inoculator]

Anyone try the HD650 with the Enleum 23r? Curious to know how it synergizes with that headphone.

I have dug the Sennheiser 580/600/650 and the 800 out of the Enleum, with the caveat that most of them have been JAR modded. Very atmospheric sounding, very well sorted. Maybe lacking a slight wow factor, but no major weaknesses. I would say it is a step behind the synergy I have found with the EC ZDS or the DNA Starlett for example, they just shine the best with tubes. But It is my favorite SS amp I have heard them on, beat out the DSHA 3F and the Holo Bliss in my experience.

 

[Tubewin]

I have dug the Sennheiser 580/600/650 and the 800 out of the Enleum, with the caveat that most of them have been JAR modded. Very atmospheric sounding, very well sorted. Maybe lacking a slight wow factor, but no major weaknesses. I would say it is a step behind the synergy I have found with the EC ZDS or the DNA Starlett for example, they just shine the best with tubes. But It is my favorite SS amp I have heard them on, beat out the DSHA 3F and the Holo Bliss in my experience.

Thanks for trying it out! I ordered the HD650's yesterday. I heard a few sound demo's on youtube and preferred the sound of the 650's over the other sennheisers. Figured I'd give it a try, well, also because a few people have said it shares similarities with the HE-1... so was curious.

 

[TaronL]

Since measurements are a topic here I figured I'd post @GoldenOne 's measurements that are public on his website for anyone curious! https://goldensound.audio/2022/07/12/enleum-amp-23r-measurements/

He also did a video review 6 months ago