[busseysound]

Extreme clarity is precisely what I'm after with my VC. You think the Universe Suedes are the best option there? Any others that fit the bill?

I think they are. I also shy away from a V shaped eq curve as well and some of the other pads sound that way to me. The Universe Suede pads are neutral and bring out every frequency evenly to my ears.

 

[busseysound]

How would you compare the Universe Suedes to either of the [Universe] Hybrid or Lambskin?

I think the hybrid (for me) started to add a bit more bottom end (600hz and below) and more super top (7khz) and above. It's subtle, and maybe it's more what some are looking for. This went a step further with the Universe lambskin. Again no two sets of ears are the same of course and you might find that the Universe Suede is too neutral for what you like.

 

[DAPpower]

I think they are. I also shy away from a V shaped eq curve as well and some of the other pads sound that way to me. The Universe Suede pads are neutral and bring out every frequency evenly to my ears.

I've never tried the Universe Suedes but the BE2 or the Verite Pads should have a neutral and even tonality with great stage depth.
The Universe Hybrids are a good balance for me at the moment.

 

[ken6217]

deleted

 

[SLC1966]

My VC African Blackwood arrived. I had one of the first Desert Ironwood ones when they were released. I quickly sold it due to guilt over paying so much for a personal audio item. I then got heavily into IEMs. I wanted to try the VC again since it now does not seem that expensive anymore since the TOTL IEM prices are over the top (how is that for faulted justification).

I recently purchased the DCA Stealth HP to start off my HP re-entry. I have to stick with closed back due to others around me and noises in my environment that need to be attenuated by a closed back HP or inserted IEM. I do not have the Stealth on hand to directly compare. I was worried that VC could not keep up with the Stealth. I am such a mids and detail retrieval guy that once I heard Stealth I was in heaven. The Stealth is about the mids and AMAZIING detail retrieval.

VC arrived and I of course stared at it for a long time until my wife started chanting "Narcissus" and pulling up pictures of that painting on her phone and trying to put them in front of the VC. I saw right through her phone into the reflection of the VC!

Now, back to reality: The VC was a little muddy the first 4-5 hours. I was a little worried. Then either brain burn or burn in of the drivers started taking affect. Wow!! These are really good. I would say that all frequencies are represented well. Nothing stands out as above the rest and everything is good. The DD bass is such a wonderful dynamic driver bass sound. The vocals and mid section instruments are not recessed at all (otherwise I would have to sell them for that reason alone).

The overall presentation is about an "analogue" sound. A very musical sound with enough detail to keep me involved. The detail retrieval is excellent for a "musicality" slanted HP. It really can be a compliment to the Stealth. The Stealth cuts right to the heart. Each note that is. The VC plays around your heart and seduces you.

What a hobby!!!

I will post pictures soon once I have no one else around to bring me back to reality as I stair at my Narcissistic pond of pleasure.

 

[SQ13]

My VC African Blackwood arrived. I had one of the first Desert Ironwood ones when they were released. I quickly sold it due to guilt over paying so much for a personal audio item. I then got heavily into IEMs. I wanted to try the VC again since it now does not seem that expensive anymore since the TOTL IEM prices are over the top (how is that for faulted justification).

I recently purchased the DCA Stealth HP to start off my HP re-entry. I have to stick with closed back due to others around me and noises in my environment that need to be attenuated by a closed back HP or inserted IEM. I do not have the Stealth on hand to directly compare. I was worried that VC could not keep up with the Stealth. I am such a mids and detail retrieval guy that once I heard Stealth I was in heaven. The Stealth is about the mids and AMAZIING detail retrieval.

VC arrived and I of course stared at it for a long time until my wife started chanting "Narcissus" and pulling up pictures of that painting on her phone and trying to put them in front of the VC. I saw right through her phone into the reflection of the VC!

Now, back to reality: The VC was a little muddy the first 4-5 hours. I was a little worried. Then either brain burn or burn in of the drivers started taking affect. Wow!! These are really good. I would say that all frequencies are represented well. Nothing stands out as above the rest and everything is good. The DD bass is such a wonderful dynamic driver bass sound. The vocals and mid section instruments are not recessed at all (otherwise I would have to sell them for that reason alone).

The overall presentation is about an "analogue" sound. A very musical sound with enough detail to keep me involved. The detail retrieval is excellent for a "musicality" slanted HP. It really can be a compliment to the Stealth. The Stealth cuts right to the heart. Each note that is. The VC plays around your heart and seduces you.

What a hobby!!!

I will post pictures soon once I have no one else around to bring me back to reality as I stair at my Narcissistic pond of pleasure.

congrats. its going to be tough taking photo of the blackwood, you probably need to increase the exposure or good lighting to capture the wood grains in your shots.

 

[DAPpower]

My VC African Blackwood arrived. I had one of the first Desert Ironwood ones when they were released. I quickly sold it due to guilt over paying so much for a personal audio item. I then got heavily into IEMs. I wanted to try the VC again since it now does not seem that expensive anymore since the TOTL IEM prices are over the top (how is that for faulted justification).

I recently purchased the DCA Stealth HP to start off my HP re-entry. I have to stick with closed back due to others around me and noises in my environment that need to be attenuated by a closed back HP or inserted IEM. I do not have the Stealth on hand to directly compare. I was worried that VC could not keep up with the Stealth. I am such a mids and detail retrieval guy that once I heard Stealth I was in heaven. The Stealth is about the mids and AMAZIING detail retrieval.

VC arrived and I of course stared at it for a long time until my wife started chanting "Narcissus" and pulling up pictures of that painting on her phone and trying to put them in front of the VC. I saw right through her phone into the reflection of the VC!

Now, back to reality: The VC was a little muddy the first 4-5 hours. I was a little worried. Then either brain burn or burn in of the drivers started taking affect. Wow!! These are really good. I would say that all frequencies are represented well. Nothing stands out as above the rest and everything is good. The DD bass is such a wonderful dynamic driver bass sound. The vocals and mid section instruments are not recessed at all (otherwise I would have to sell them for that reason alone).

The overall presentation is about an "analogue" sound. A very musical sound with enough detail to keep me involved. The detail retrieval is excellent for a "musicality" slanted HP. It really can be a compliment to the Stealth. The Stealth cuts right to the heart. Each note that is. The VC plays around your heart and seduces you.

What a hobby!!!

I will post pictures soon once I have no one else around to bring me back to reality as I stair at my Narcissistic pond of pleasure.

Which pads did you use with the VC testing?

 

[SLC1966]

Which pads did you use with the VC testing?

I started listening with the ones they came with: Auteur Leather. Then I went to the second pair the Be2 leather.

I did like the intimacy the Be2 added but my ears touched the driver which bothered me. I went back to the Auteur pads. I like the staging the Auteur pads seem to add and my ears stay away from the driver

 

[DAPpower]

I started listening with the ones they came with: Auteur Leather. Then I went to the second pair the Be2 leather.

I did like the intimacy the Be2 added but my ears touched the driver which bothered me. I went back to the Auteur pads. I like the staging the Auteur pads seem to add and my ears stay away from the driver

Thanks, I've been using Auteur Lambskins too but some people have gotten me interested in a Auteur Suede, I'm gonna have to test out some of these suede pads when I get my hands on them.

 

[kumar402]

My VC African Blackwood arrived. I had one of the first Desert Ironwood ones when they were released. I quickly sold it due to guilt over paying so much for a personal audio item. I then got heavily into IEMs. I wanted to try the VC again since it now does not seem that expensive anymore since the TOTL IEM prices are over the top (how is that for faulted justification).

I recently purchased the DCA Stealth HP to start off my HP re-entry. I have to stick with closed back due to others around me and noises in my environment that need to be attenuated by a closed back HP or inserted IEM. I do not have the Stealth on hand to directly compare. I was worried that VC could not keep up with the Stealth. I am such a mids and detail retrieval guy that once I heard Stealth I was in heaven. The Stealth is about the mids and AMAZIING detail retrieval.

VC arrived and I of course stared at it for a long time until my wife started chanting "Narcissus" and pulling up pictures of that painting on her phone and trying to put them in front of the VC. I saw right through her phone into the reflection of the VC!

Now, back to reality: The VC was a little muddy the first 4-5 hours. I was a little worried. Then either brain burn or burn in of the drivers started taking affect. Wow!! These are really good. I would say that all frequencies are represented well. Nothing stands out as above the rest and everything is good. The DD bass is such a wonderful dynamic driver bass sound. The vocals and mid section instruments are not recessed at all (otherwise I would have to sell them for that reason alone).

The overall presentation is about an "analogue" sound. A very musical sound with enough detail to keep me involved. The detail retrieval is excellent for a "musicality" slanted HP. It really can be a compliment to the Stealth. The Stealth cuts right to the heart. Each note that is. The VC plays around your heart and seduces you.

What a hobby!!!

I will post pictures soon once I have no one else around to bring me back to reality as I stair at my Narcissistic pond of pleasure.

Mids are great in VC. I have Ironwood. Compared to VO it may be slightly on back foot but it’s just in right amount for my listening preference + my R2R DAC does help

 

[qboogie]

My VC African Blackwood arrived. I had one of the first Desert Ironwood ones when they were released. I quickly sold it due to guilt over paying so much for a personal audio item. I then got heavily into IEMs. I wanted to try the VC again since it now does not seem that expensive anymore since the TOTL IEM prices are over the top (how is that for faulted justification).

I recently purchased the DCA Stealth HP to start off my HP re-entry. I have to stick with closed back due to others around me and noises in my environment that need to be attenuated by a closed back HP or inserted IEM. I do not have the Stealth on hand to directly compare. I was worried that VC could not keep up with the Stealth. I am such a mids and detail retrieval guy that once I heard Stealth I was in heaven. The Stealth is about the mids and AMAZIING detail retrieval.

VC arrived and I of course stared at it for a long time until my wife started chanting "Narcissus" and pulling up pictures of that painting on her phone and trying to put them in front of the VC. I saw right through her phone into the reflection of the VC!

Now, back to reality: The VC was a little muddy the first 4-5 hours. I was a little worried. Then either brain burn or burn in of the drivers started taking affect. Wow!! These are really good. I would say that all frequencies are represented well. Nothing stands out as above the rest and everything is good. The DD bass is such a wonderful dynamic driver bass sound. The vocals and mid section instruments are not recessed at all (otherwise I would have to sell them for that reason alone).

The overall presentation is about an "analogue" sound. A very musical sound with enough detail to keep me involved. The detail retrieval is excellent for a "musicality" slanted HP. It really can be a compliment to the Stealth. The Stealth cuts right to the heart. Each note that is. The VC plays around your heart and seduces you.

What a hobby!!!

I will post pictures soon once I have no one else around to bring me back to reality as I stair at my Narcissistic pond of pleasure.

My experience with both the VC and Stealth is very similar to yours. I believe the Stealth is a better headphone technically and tonally, but the warm, enveloping and analog flavor of the VC is just something else.

The VC sounds pretty good with various amps, but out of my gear, Stealth can only be paired with the Formula S, for my tastes. Even out of the TT2 rear XLR there isn't enough juice to get satisfying bass.

 

[fuhransahis]

My VC African Blackwood arrived. I had one of the first Desert Ironwood ones when they were released. I quickly sold it due to guilt over paying so much for a personal audio item. I then got heavily into IEMs. I wanted to try the VC again since it now does not seem that expensive anymore since the TOTL IEM prices are over the top (how is that for faulted justification).

I recently purchased the DCA Stealth HP to start off my HP re-entry. I have to stick with closed back due to others around me and noises in my environment that need to be attenuated by a closed back HP or inserted IEM. I do not have the Stealth on hand to directly compare. I was worried that VC could not keep up with the Stealth. I am such a mids and detail retrieval guy that once I heard Stealth I was in heaven. The Stealth is about the mids and AMAZIING detail retrieval.

VC arrived and I of course stared at it for a long time until my wife started chanting "Narcissus" and pulling up pictures of that painting on her phone and trying to put them in front of the VC. I saw right through her phone into the reflection of the VC!

Now, back to reality: The VC was a little muddy the first 4-5 hours. I was a little worried. Then either brain burn or burn in of the drivers started taking affect. Wow!! These are really good. I would say that all frequencies are represented well. Nothing stands out as above the rest and everything is good. The DD bass is such a wonderful dynamic driver bass sound. The vocals and mid section instruments are not recessed at all (otherwise I would have to sell them for that reason alone).

The overall presentation is about an "analogue" sound. A very musical sound with enough detail to keep me involved. The detail retrieval is excellent for a "musicality" slanted HP. It really can be a compliment to the Stealth. The Stealth cuts right to the heart. Each note that is. The VC plays around your heart and seduces you.

What a hobby!!!

I will post pictures soon once I have no one else around to bring me back to reality as I stair at my Narcissistic pond of pleasure.

Great impressions!

Have you been listening mainly out of the DX300 Max?

 

[SQ13]

Thanks, I've been using Auteur Lambskins too but some people have gotten me interested in a Auteur Suede, I'm gonna have to test out some of these suede pads when I get my hands on them.

agreed with @SLC1966 on Auteur lambskin and Be2. Will check if the local distributor has the Hybrid Auteur. How will the suede sound compared to Auteur or Uni lambskin ?

 

[SLC1966]

Great impressions!

Have you been listening mainly out of the DX300 Max?

Thank you and there is a story behind that question! My father-in-law was visiting two weeks ago. I had the Stealth but not VC yet. He owned a very high end audio store from the 70's to 2007 at which time he sold the business and retired. Right before the economy crashed and right when High End 2 CH systems became less in style. He started out making 2CH speakers and selling them from his apartment and then moved on to selling other peoples high end audio equipment. He recently opened up with stories about the owner of Wilson Audio and staying at his house when Wilson Audio started etc. Also stories about Jim Thiel from Thiel audio for example. Even stories about Mike Moffat from Schiit Audio since Mike has been in the business for a long time.

After he left the business he had no interest in talking about audio nor listening to audio. His house is full of AMAZING speakers that I have never seen being used. He did mention audio stuff the first time I met him 10 years ago and he saw my 2Ch system. He told me every detail about it and what model and what years each unit was produced and the interconnects I was using and the speaker cables etc. He did say that my system was a good low end of the high end systems from the early 2000's That was a "nice to meet you" flex! The only other audio conversation we have had is that he very humbly came to me about 8 years ago and said "Mark can I please move your speakers into a position that will give you optional sound quality."

So last week when he came to visit he saw my Stealth HPs and liked how they resemble the exact color scheme and leather and carbon fiber look as a certain high end vehicle. So he wanted to try them. After 5 minutes of listening with his eyes closed he described every detail of the sound of the Stealth in a way that I could never do. When he sold HPs there were no closed back HPs that could compete with open back HPs. He was EXTREMELY impressed with the sound of the Stealth. He was listening to music through the DX300Max. DAPS were not a thing in 2007 so such a device that could produce amazing music was new to him.

So to finally answer your question. I listened to the Stealth with DX300Max and loved it. I was very happy with the dynamics of the combination. I know I could probably do Stealth better but I loved the combo. My father in law now has the Stealth and DX300Max with him. He was that impressed with both devices.

So, no I have not heard VC with DX300Max. I have an audio friend that will sell me his Stealth most likely. Otherwise I will hunt a used one down. Another audio friend is sending me his DX300Max Ti next week. So I will be able to comment then on that combo.

Sorry about the long story but I do hope it is an interesting one

I have only heard VC on Jot 1 with built in MB DAC and Jot 2 with Bifrost 2. I have been using those with IEMs (and love what they do for IEMs with DD and/or Estat drivers). I am loving those combos with VC and I know I can do a better by VC. I sold my HP amps when I got into IEMs about three years ago. I am waiting to see how much I like DX300Max Ti with the VC before I look into any other amps.

 

[SLC1966]

VC LTD African Blackwood! No picture does them justice!