[MacMan31]

Although I have not heard it, the Feliks Audio Echo mk2 might be a good upgrade for you, and it uses the same tubes as the Valhalla, so, you don't nee to start over from square one with tube rolling.

I was thinking that. In Canada it would be over $1,000 brand new. Quite a step up in price over the Valhalla 2.

Also has anyone here compared Aeolus with the Auteur? I have been curious about the Auteur for a while now.

 

[jonathan c]

~ First, on Feliks Echo II versus Schiit Valhalla II: the Echo II is designed to drive h/p of => 100 ohms; the Valhalla II can drive h/p of => 20 ohms (I can drive Audeze LCD-X with Valhalla II ).
~ Second, think of Aeolus versus Auteur as similar to Senn HD-650 versus Senn HD-600: ‘warm’ versus ‘neutral’.

 

[iPaintCode]

I’ve had the Feliks Audio Echo mk2 and felt it could have used more power with the Aeolus but that’s just me. I took a few of my headphones and other gear to a friend's house as I wanted to test out his ZMF Pendant with stock tubes. From my memory, the ZMF Pendant was a miles better pairing than the Echo mk2, it just had way more oomph and magic on the ZMF amp. His Auteurs sounded great on the Pendant as well, all in all, pricey but worth the investment. My go-to solid-state for my Aeolus is a Violetric V280 on a Chord DAC.

 

[LeMoviedave]

I’ve had the Feliks Audio Echo mk2 and felt it could have used more power with the Aeolus but that’s just me. I took a few of my headphones and other gear to a friend's house as I wanted to test out his ZMF Pendant with stock tubes. From my memory, the ZMF Pendant was a miles better pairing than the Echo mk2, it just had way more oomph and magic on the ZMF amp. His Auteurs sounded great on the Pendant as well, all in all, pricey but worth the investment. My go-to solid-state for my Aeolus is a Violetric V280 on a Chord DAC.

Did you, by chance, try any low impedance headphones on the Pendant?

 

[iPaintCode]

Did you, by chance, try any low impedance headphones on the Pendant?

Tried Focal Clear and Clear Mg Pro, both sounded great out of the low z, didn’t test on hi z. Older Audeze LCD-XC with the wooden cups and Hifiman Arya (previous edition to the new stealth) and didn’t care for either, maybe it was planar or just not my liking.

 

[LeMoviedave]

Tried Focal Clear and Clear Mg Pro, both sounded great out of the low z, didn’t test on hi z. Older Audeze LCD-XC with the wooden cups and Hifiman Arya (previous edition to the new stealth) and didn’t care for either, maybe it was planar or just not my liking.

I was more concerned about impedance mismatching with my HEKSE. Just paranoid about dropping that much money into an amp that won't work for me.

 

[jonathan c]

I was more concerned about impedance mismatching with my HEKSE. Just paranoid about dropping that much money into an amp that won't work for me.

The output impedances on the Pendant are 8 ohms (L) and 100 ohms (H). The nominal input impedance for the HEKSE is 35 ohms. The L setting (plug) on the Pendant should be fine for your HEKSE insofar as impedance management is concerned.

 

[LeMoviedave]

The output impedances on the Pendant are 8 ohms (L) and 100 ohms (H). The nominal input impedance for the HEKSE is 35 ohms. The L setting (plug) on the Pendant should be fine for your HEKSE insofar as impedance management is concerned.

I was always told the rule of 8 (8x the output impedance), but then again, as far as I know, bass is created by lots of magical, tiny gnomes in your headphones (obviously elves are for the midrange and sprites or for the treble), so my technical knowledge is.... shall I say limited.

 

[robo24]

I was more concerned about impedance mismatching with my HEKSE. Just paranoid about dropping that much money into an amp that won't work for me.

I don't have the HEKSE, but do very much enjoy Arya on either output on my Chord DAC fed Pendant SE. I enjoy it with the Pendant much more than from out of the TT2 directly. And that's the only other amp I have right now to compare it to.

 

[Another Audiophile]

What did you like more about Aeolus?

Well I can go on and talk about the sound signature, frequency response and bass/mids/treble. But for me it was very simple. The Aeolus sounded like music and the TC sounded fake. With the TC I was listening the headphones and with the Aeolus I was listening the music. I know that the TC is getting a lot of praise but didn't do it for me.

 

[NickT23]

Well I can go on and talk about the sound signature, frequency response and bass/mids/treble. But for me it was very simple. The Aeolus sounded like music and the TC sounded fake. With the TC I was listening the headphones and with the Aeolus I was listening the music. I know that the TC is getting a lot of praise but didn't do it for me.

Hello what is TC ? Sorry !

 

[Marlowe]

Hello what is TC ? Sorry !

I think they are discussing the Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC, the Abyss flagship which starts at a cool $5k. TBH, as a retired audiophile on a very fixed income (and have about as much a chance as ever buying these as getting shot into space by Jeff Bezos), I sort of semi-pretend stuff like this doesn't exist. I do have some pretty decent gear from scrimping and saving (and the Aeolus courtesy of the first $1200 stimulus check; I spent this year's stimulus on an OLED TV) and am planning on saving into next spring for a good planar (probably the LCD-X or Arya), so I'm doing fine. But Abyss headphones are just out of my financial league.

 

[NickT23]

I think they are discussing the Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC, the Abyss flagship which starts at a cool $5k. TBH, as a retired audiophile on a very fixed income (and have about as much a chance as ever buying these as getting shot into space by Jeff Bezos), I sort of semi-pretend stuff like this doesn't exist. I do have some pretty decent gear from scrimping and saving (and the Aeolus courtesy of the first $1200 stimulus check; I spent this year's stimulus on an OLED TV) and am planning on saving into next spring for a good planar (probably the LCD-X or Arya), so I'm doing fine. But Abyss headphones are just out of my financial league.

Hi same here. But am not going to discuss about my wealth, more towards the struggling side I always love audio. The most I can go for is Aeolus

 

[Another Audiophile]

Hello what is TC ? Sorry !

The Abyss TC 1266 headphones

 

[NickT23]

The Abyss TC 1266 headphones

Compare the Susvara vs Aeolus, will be completely different from TC vs Aeolus. Either way does not matter, cant afford anyway.