[jh7000]

  Interested to hear your comparison of the Essence One Muses vs the HDVD800. Then use the Muses dac with the HDVD800 and see what you get.

I have the Essence One Muses (and I used to have the HDVD800) I spent quite a bit of time trying to find differences between them, but to my ears they sounded so close, I was not able to pick an amp that sounded better to me. So I decided to keep the cheaper amp (Essence One Muses)
 
I have a April Music Eximus DP-1 ordered ($3000 Dac/amp) so I will be spending quite a bit of time comparing the E1 and the DP1 ... I hope the DP1 sounds way better to me...

 

[Swolern]

 
I have the Essence One Muses (and I used to have the HDVD800) I spent quite a bit of time trying to find differences between them, but to my ears they sounded so close, I was not able to pick an amp that sounded better to me. So I decided to keep the cheaper amp (Essence One Muses)
 
I have a April Music Eximus DP-1 ordered ($3000 Dac/amp) so I will be spending quite a bit of time comparing the E1 and the DP1 ... I hope the DP1 sounds way better to me.

Wow! Thats great to hear! I need to look for some Muses chips! Thanks. 

 

[Dionysus]

  Wow! Thats great to hear! I need to look for some Muses chips! Thanks. 

 
I have another 2 muses-01 in coming I ordered them overnight from Mouser.com yesterday, These are the last 2 to fill, I will be placing them in the Low pass filter sockets.
 
I too am very interested in the HDVD800, I had my E-1 non Muses (I've Moded now to a full Muses Edition) for sale but it didn't work out, so I kept it for now. The DAC on the E-1 is very very good,
 
I have a pair of LME49720/ in the headphone sockets currently and I have another pair of LME49990 so I'll do some Op Amp rolling and report my impression later over on in the weekend.
 
Swolern---Mouser.com is an authorized dealer for Muses-01 so if your interested they have them in stock, the stuff on eBay is a roll of the dice and mostly fakes many thread on this subject, now Mouser isnt cheap but I have negotiated prices with them and I paid 65.00 ea.

 

[jh7000]

 
I have the Essence One Muses (and I used to have the HDVD800) I spent quite a bit of time trying to find differences between them, but to my ears they sounded so close, I was not able to pick an amp that sounded better to me. So I decided to keep the cheaper amp (Essence One Muses)
 
I have a April Music Eximus DP-1 ordered ($3000 Dac/amp) so I will be spending quite a bit of time comparing the E1 and the DP1 ... I hope the DP1 sounds way better to me...

I also ordered a Questyle CMA800R amp. I will pair it with either the E1 muses or DP1...
 
I really hope I can hear differences with all of this new High(er) end gear I am getting... I will report back in a week or two when everything shows up to let you know what combination ended up sounding best to me with the HD800 (as well as the other cans I own).

 

[roguegeek]

Welp, my DAC died last night. Looks like I wont be using my new HD 800 anytime soon now.

 

[palmfish]

I also ordered a Questyle CMA800R amp. I will pair it with either the E1 muses or DP1...

I really hope I can hear differences with all of this new High(er) end gear I am getting... I will report back in a week or two when everything shows up to let you know what combination ended up sounding best to me with the HD800 (as well as the other cans I own).

Im also enjoying my E1 Muses. Ive tried a lot of amps and the E1 is definitely a keeper. Im looking forward to hearing your impressions too!

 

[pdrm360]

  Welp, my DAC died last night. Looks like I wont be using my new HD 800 anytime soon now.

 
The Bifrost Uber?

 

[roguegeek]

   
The Bifrost Uber?

Si.

 

[LilBuck]

Im also enjoying my E1 Muses. Ive tried a lot of amps and the E1 is definitely a keeper. Im looking forward to hearing your impressions too!

You have a BH Crack also right? How would you compare the amp portion of the E1? (I guess that is assuming you use the E1 as DAC for both)

 

[palmfish]

You have a BH Crack also right? How would you compare the amp portion of the E1? (I guess that is assuming you use the E1 as DAC for both)

Yes I do have a Crack (no Speedball) and I do use the E1 as a DAC for both.

The simple answer is that the Crack has more mid-bass which makes it sound a bit "lusher" and "thicker." It gives the HD 800 a little more meat on the bone but a slightly softer focus. In comparison, the E1 gives a feeling of more clarity and speed. It sounds more "athletic."

But the E1 is not a "detail monster." Unlike the Objective2 and Benchmark DAC1, the E1 does not lean on the thin sterile side. I think the E1 walks kind of the ideal middle ground, if that makes sense...lol.

 

[jh7000]

Yes I do have a Crack (no Speedball) and I do use the E1 as a DAC for both.

The simple answer is that the Crack has more mid-bass which makes it sound a bit "lusher" and "thicker." It gives the HD 800 a little more meat on the bone but a slightly softer focus. In comparison, the E1 gives a feeling of more clarity and speed. It sounds more "athletic."

But the E1 is not a "detail monster." Unlike the Objective2 and Benchmark DAC1, the E1 does not lean on the thin sterile side. I think the E1 walks kind of the ideal middle ground, if that makes sense...lol.

I had a crack with speedball (which is now sold) that I used to use with the E1. I could hear "slightly" more bass with the crack, but again, to me the difference wasn't enough to make me want to keep the crack over the built in amp on the E1.  I can get almost the same sound by applying a little EQ...

 

[TwoEars]

  Which specific freq band do you boost ?

 
Just the very, very low end. Below 200 Hz or so. I even scaled it down to be just a +1.5 dB bass boost recently.
 
Honestly though, it's not needed most of the time and doesn't effect most music I listen to. It's just for electronica where it gives the music an overall slightly "fuller" presentation.
 
It's very subtle and there is definitley no booming bass but there is a slighly tonality shift towards having more "body" that I personally prefer.
 
I could all be synergy based of course, I use a Anedio D1 sabre dac which has a presentation that is "drenched in sunlight" as I think John Darko so eloquently put it.  It's quite possible that if you, for instance, use a Audio GD reference 7 (which I think has a pretty dark tone) there is no need for a bass boost.
 
Let you ears be your guide...

 

[SoupRKnowva]

Well guys, Ive got a brand new pair of HD-800s coming and along with an Eddie Current Super 7, with some apparently sweet NOS tubes. So I am about to join the club. Gonna do some lengthy comparisons against the HV and 009s
 
Edit: though both the amp and headphones will be in here a week or so, my dac, the master 7, is on the same slow boat as my KGSSHV and 009s, so it won't be here for like 3 more weeks at the soonest. So I guess I will be using my computers headphone out till then 

 

[Greed]

  Well guys, Ive got a brand new pair of HD-800s coming and along with an Eddie Current Super 7, with some apparently sweet NOS tubes. So I am about to join the club. Gonna do some lengthy comparisons against the HV and 009s
 
Edit: though both the amp and headphones will be in here a week or so, my dac, the master 7, is on the same slow boat as my KGSSHV and 009s, so it won't be here for like 3 more weeks at the soonest. So I guess I will be using my computers headphone out till then 

 
Good choices! 

 

[akhyar]

Good choice and congrats...