Hi, just another question, but would you say that the Cayin N8 is an audible upgrade when compared to the Calyx M (sound alone)?
If you mean of the HSA-1a, no, not yet.
On the upside, my understanding is that that SR1a output wonāt sound any different (no changes to it), so the review will just be dependent on evaluating the conventional headphone output theyāre adding.
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Absolutely, and a fairly significant one at that ā¦ especially in tube-output mode.
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I feared you might say this 
Did you compare them side by side?
@BuffaloWing and @ProfFalkin you guys are funny!
If I do follow that plan, @ProfFalkin has first right of refusal on one of the pairs that probably wouldnāt be staying.
ā¦
While thinking about this, I have found it interesting how many out-of-the-blue (i.e. unsolicited, since Iāve never suggested I wanted to sell either of them) inquiries Iāve had as to whether Iād be willing to sell my stabilized maple burl VĆ©ritĆ© Closed units.
Most such inquiries have been perfectly polite and reasonable - a simple inquiry. I have no problem with those.
A few, however, were quite comical - in that they included the price they were willing to pay.
These are headphones that, on a good day, in less exotic finishes, are a several week to several month wait. There are none currently for sale, and itās probably another month before the first couple or so sets do come up - with no way to know what they will look like until they do. And Iāve not actually seen pictures of any but the two sets I own, though I donāt know if there are any others in this type of wood/finish in the wild at the moment.
Also, from what I gather (only Zach can say for sure), this wood will be the most expensive option offered for the VƩritƩ Closed to date, and priced higher than any other model/finish so far.
So, making offers that are for meaningfully less than a used MonkeyPod model (and there arenāt even any of those currently listed for sale that Iām aware of) would EASILY fetch is really just a waste of everyoneās time.
Thatās not how you talk someone into selling something theyāve not said they want to sell!
Funnier still as the couple that went that path got quite agitated - first that I wouldnāt sell at their low-ball asking price, and then again when I still wouldnāt sell at full-price (plus shipping and fees).
Of course, the other extreme was apparent too ā¦ with at least one offer that was several multiples of what I paid (and Iām still not interested).
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Yep, though really it wouldnāt have been necessary.
As much as I liked the Calyx M, it had been surpassed a while back, and the units that surpassed it are also clearly bettered by the more recent A&K and Cayin models.
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Alright then. Start selling my kidney
One last question: Do you know of there is a difference in sound between the stainless steel version and the brass black?
None that Iāve either heard or measured.
Which is also true of all the different chassis types for the A&K players going back to the 380, too, with one exception on the SP1000 line where there was a small measured difference well above the audible range and that could easily have been measurement error.
I know people on certain forums go on endlessly about how the different chassis materials affect sound, but I think thatās either wishful thinking or confirmation bias. Never seen anyone able to identify the differences/units blind.
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A long, late, night later ā¦
The choices for ribbon and AMT driver headphones are obvious (SR1a and HEDDphone ā¦ once I get the yokes swapped). The MySphere will be part of that, which Iām treating as a unique piece. Which leaves dynamics, planar and electrostatics ā¦
Dynamics are tough-ish ā¦ but currently comes down to VĆ©ritĆ© and Utopia.
Planars ā¦ the candidates are LCD-4, whatever replaces the AB-1266 Phi TC, RAD-0 and whatever replaces the Susvara.
Iām skipping the AB-1266 Phi TC simply because I put it off long enough that another version is probably right around the corner, and I didnāt want to buy a whole new set for a not across-the-board upgrade. Very interested in what Joe comes up with next, however - especially if it doesnāt use the same ergonomically challenged design.
And Iām skipping the Susvara because itās been out longer than most HiFiMAN models without being upgraded (which makes me think itās due, probably in a chassis thatās closer to the MUCH nicer looking and more solid DEVA), the build is still completely sub-standard for the asking price, the cables are garbage and the price (even at what Iād actually pay) is ridiculous with those factors taken into account.
(To be fair, they do sound very good, and are certainly legitimate flagships, if not quite on the same level as the best Iāve heard overall ā¦ but theyāre certainly one of the top two planar options ā¦ depending on your preferences).
Electrostatics are the real problem, however ā¦ even despite the rather limited options.
This will probably wind up being either the original Sennheiser Orpheus HE90 (the set, not just the cans), or the HE-1. And Iād MUCH prefer the HE90 ā¦ the challenge there is getting a set in suitable condition and with appropriate spare parts.
Otherwise itāll wind up being a BHSE or T2 and a couple of sets of Stax (early 007, new 009S).
The VOCE didnāt do it for me at all, even with top-flight solid-state amplification. The Jade II was utter shite*, and I didnāt care for either version of the HiFiMAN āShangri-laā at all (comically overpriced and underperforming**).
*The first time I heard the Jade II was at CanJam @ RMAF 2018. It was so bad, I thought it might be broken. But I was unable to attract the attention of Fang to check. Having heard it a couple of times since, it sounded the same ā¦ so I was forced to conclude that it wasnāt broken, just awful.
**A friend of mine in Hong Kong collects electrostatic headphone rigs. To my knowledge he has a complete set, and more than one set of several of them. Heās my best path to a good set of HE90. Heās also how I got to compare the two Shangri-La systems ā¦ neither of which I thought were good enough to beat a SR-007MK1 with any of the better KG or HA amps), let alone a 009S, HE90 or HE-1.
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Whatās the difference between the mk1 and mk2?
Iāve read and heard several people praising the 007 as the ābestā Stax variant, Iām curious as to why you prefer the mk1.
Thanks.
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Sound wise?
The Mk2 is brighter, less smooth on the top-end, and a tendency to be fartier (thereās a port mod that largely addresses that).
The original had some early reliability issues.
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Thatās what Iām interested in, the standard HP output, between the numbered volume dial and what I guess will be a Standard / Ribbon toggle switch, Iāll finally be able to draw some conclusions for my self regarding the SR1a vs my 1266 Phi and Utopia and HD800 & 800S driven by the same amp. Something that obviously canāt be done with the āRā. (Although for the two Sennās I already have a dedicated, custom, hand built OTL coming that sounded exceptional on the demo I evaluated and my version should arrive end of next week possibly). I expect sound quality to be identical from either output on the updated HSA-1a the only difference could be volume levels and if that is so, that numbered dial face will be something I have wanted on every HP amp Iāve purchased since 1/2016. While maybe not as exacting as making SLM measurements on every HP change, it will be close enough for me.
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As I understand the coming update, it wonāt be a toggle switch.
One of the 4-pin XLRs is being swapped to the opposite gender and will simply be configured for conventional headphones 100% of the time. No switches or toggles needed.
Printable transparency film would let you add that to any amp. Iāve done it.
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Iāve always wondered if there was something that could be done. Do you know where I can source this.
Thanks
Literally any Staples or Office Depot, as well as Amazon, HP Direct (and others) has several options in stock.
Just make sure you buy stuff marked for the type of printer you use (ink-jet vs. laser), as adherence/results are better, and you wonāt risk melting the film in your laser printer.
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As I contemplate the final reductions in my āmainā headphone rigs ā¦ I should also be looking at my āportableā setups.
Theyāre a bit easier, as they are so relatively compact.
As it stands, I see keeping the A&K SP2000, Cayin N8 and Chord 2go/Hugo 2, as DACs/amps (there are no standalone portable amps that I like enough to bother with currently).
That leaves IEMs ā¦ to which I will probably apply the same āone of each class/typeā philosophy. Of which there are several ā¦ pure BA, pure Dynamic, pure electrostatic, and then various hybrids, which probably plays out as follows:
Pure Electrostatic: Shure KSE1200/KSE1500.
Pure BA: Up for grabs ā¦ but probably either Anole VX or 64Audio A18t.
Pure DD: Definitely undecided ā¦
BA/DD Hybrid: tia FourtƩ
BA/DD/EST Hybrid: AAW Canary
BA/DD/EST/BC Hybrid: UM MEST
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BA/D/U/KN/OW/IT Hybrid: Astell&Kern JH Billie Jean
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I donāt know what all your designations are meant to reflect, but the Billie Jeanās are just dual BA units ā¦ nothing hybrid about them, and not in the same class as Etymotic ER4-XR (or SR) as far as Iām concerned ā¦
Much less on the level I am considering ā¦
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Read it again 
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Aha!
Well, there you go!
Must have been one too many B&Rs today ā¦
VERY funny!
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