[Ciggavelli]

@Ciggavelli I tested the Song now several times with both the Solitaire P and Empyrean for reference.

It seems fine to me.
On the Empyrean the Bass is more in your face, as it is usually the case.
On the Solitaire P it's more spacious and the Bass feels like from a good subwoofer (except that you can't feel it), a powerful Bass Fundament without overpowering the rest (while it it slightly dominating On the Empyrean, but the Empyrean has elevated Bass anyways)

From 1:30-2:00 the bass line stops mostly, I guess this is in the Song like that.
The Bass line starting at 2:00 is mighty impressive On the Solitaire, well textured authorative and strong.

all my testing has been on my Octave V16.
While the Empyrean has more quantity as expected, it was cery obvious and strong Bass On the Solitaire as well.(especially after 2 minutes, loving that part)

I appreciate you testing that out

Perhaps there is something wrong with my Ps or some component in my chain. I will do further testing. Thanks again!

 

[ThanatosVI]

I appreciate you testing that out

Perhaps there is something wrong with my Ps or some component in my chain. I will do further testing. Thanks again!

Keep us updated if that happens on the HSA-1B as well

 

[Ciggavelli]

Keep us updated if that happens on the HSA-1B as well

I just tested it out of the HSA-1b (Dave to HSA-1b, and removing the WA33 completely from the chain). I’m encountering the same problem. So, I know it’s not my WA33 messing up (luckily).

I think perhaps the TCs have just spoiled me with hip-hop. Nothing can compare to TC bass. I’ll keep doing some tweaking with Ps, but they just might not be a good fit for me with certain genres.

I appreciate you testing that album out on your Ps

 

[ThanatosVI]

I just tested it out of the HSA-1b (Dave to HSA-1b, and removing the WA33 completely from the chain). I’m encountering the same problem. So, I know it’s not my WA33 messing up (luckily).

I think perhaps the TCs have just spoiled me with hip-hop. Nothing can compare to TC bass. I’ll keep doing some tweaking with Ps, but they just might not be a good fit for me with certain genres.

I appreciate you testing that album out on your Ps

You're welcome.
The only rap I listen to is Kollegah, for that the Solitaire P works great.

Good to hear that it has nothing to do with the Wa33

 

[vonBaron]

Final Sonorus X - very warm and dark, small soundstage, not very comfortable.

HD800 - no bass, artificially stretched soundstage, sharp high tones.

Rosson RAD-0 - too gentle, not enough treble, comfort is a disaster.

 

[Barone Birra]

I appreciate you testing that out

Perhaps there is something wrong with my Ps or some component in my chain. I will do further testing. Thanks again!

Unfortunately I think several headphones have rare units that are defective in sub-bass rendering, with shaking drivers. Whether it is due to bad assembly, a loose screw or resonances somewhere inside I can't tell.
For example I returned a brand new Fostex 909 because the right driver was rattling around 30 - 40Hz, promptly replaced by a new 909 under warranty.

I always use Tidal's low frequency test on every headphones I listen to.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Unfortunately I think several headphones have rare units that are defective in sub-bass rendering, with shaking drivers. Whether it is due to bad assembly, a loose screw or resonances somewhere inside I can't tell.
For example I returned a brand new Fostex 909 because the right driver was rattling around 30 - 40Hz, promptly replaced by a new 909 under warranty.

I always use Tidal's low frequency test on every headphones I listen to.

Where do I find that?

 

[Barone Birra]

Where do I find that?

First track

https://tidal.com/browse/album/94976096

 

[ThanatosVI]

First track

https://tidal.com/browse/album/94976096

Thank you

 

[iFi audio]

HD800 - no bass, artificially stretched soundstage, sharp high tones.

I agree, though severity of these drawbacks heavily depends on a setup. HD 800 can make quite the transformation.

 

[vonBaron]

Well i heard they play well with warm OTL tube but i only listen them with Pro ICan and they sound bad.

 

[iFi audio]

Well i heard they play well with warm OTL

Haven't heard HD 800 with any so am clueless about what I've missed

 

[Somatic]

This was a fun thread to read through. Here are some of my personal disappointments

Meze Empyrean - TOTL build and comfort, great soundstage, but bloated and boomy bass that doesn't even go down that low. Resolution was also not that great for the price. The driver tech sounds like it should be amazing, but it ends up sounding like a headphone half it's price.

Sennheiser HD800/S - Amazing soundstage, one of the absolute best in terms of wide and detailed presentation, but where the bass at? Really great for acoustic stuff though.

Hifiman Arya - Given all the great reviews, I put this on and within a day or two, I knew the peaky and shouty treble were going to be a big problem. I just couldn't keep them on my head for too long without listening fatigue. Also the long shaped ear pads don't suit me at all, which is one of the reasons the Susvara works so well, shorter and rounder earpads.

Empys soundstage was narrow. Should have been priced around 2k. Clean detailed than Arya. Poor sub bass performance. It had a better sound signature than Arya. More cohesive. Arya harsh highs got better after being powered by speaker amps. Regarding the bloated mid bass hump on the Empys, it was easily rectified with EQ. I would have kept it if it wasn’t for narrow soundstage, lack of detail, poor sub bass performance. Female voices sounded divine on it though.

 

[Roasty]

First track

https://tidal.com/browse/album/94976096

Lol the binaural recording test startled me and made me look right and left..

 

[number1sixerfan]

I just tested it out of the HSA-1b (Dave to HSA-1b, and removing the WA33 completely from the chain). I’m encountering the same problem. So, I know it’s not my WA33 messing up (luckily).

I think perhaps the TCs have just spoiled me with hip-hop. Nothing can compare to TC bass. I’ll keep doing some tweaking with Ps, but they just might not be a good fit for me with certain genres.

I appreciate you testing that album out on your Ps

I think you've probably just been spoiled lol. I tend to listen to bass heavy genres through speakers, but the few times I do with my setup, the TC definitely does make just about everything else seem lacking. And it's very apparent on some tracks.