I think that just leaves tube-hybrid amps and turntables/arms/carts/phono-stages to go β¦
6 Likes
Interesting list! It gives an interesting perspective of your tastes and preferences. You seem to lean towards a greater representation of treble than I do. Have you ever tried the Elysium? I know someone who has similar preferences and he swears by it.
2 Likes
Hard to say if it is just that I am choosing IEMs with higher treble levels, or if I actually prefer higher perceived treble levels, since that would be dependent on our respective hearing profiles as much as the IEMs in question.
In general, with IEMs, I tend towards a mild U, V or W shape signature. Thatβs not the case so much with full-size headphones.
Oh, and no, Iβve not tried the Elysium β¦ it was on my list to β¦ but the AAW Canary were such a good contrast to the tia FourtΓ©, and I liked them so much, I decided not to bother.
5 Likes
In which way did you find the Calyx M to be a special player sonically? What was special about the sound?
It had a rich, but detailed, and powerful sound, great impact and a very smooth delivery. Which was in stark contrast to pretty much every other ESS 9018 based unit Iβd heard β¦ most of which sounded more like a screech owl with terminal laryngitis.
Another nice feature was the dual-card slots (something sorely missing from players today), especially where one was a full-size SD card slot, allowing for more mounted storage than any other player (even now, only the A&K KAAN can do that).
4 Likes
Thatβs funny!..
1 Like
Only if you donβt have to listen to it!
4 Likes
Random stuff/thoughts:
How is it that one of HiFiManβs least-expensive products (DEVA) looks and feels so much more substantial, and of higher build-quality/finish, than their most expensive (Susvara)? If the eventual successor to Susvara is built more like the DEVA I might actually have to buy one.
I have an interesting new, speciality, amplifier coming in this week. Itβs one Iβm personally interested in buying, and as a result will be something I do a proper review on (especially with all the extra time at home I have at the moment).
Pictures/details when it arrives.
Unique Melody MEST continues to delight. Looking forward to the world going back to normal so I can get a custom version underway.
Contemplating offering a run of my modular cables, at cost*, so I donβt have to keep storing (or move) all the parts I had on hand when I did put them all in storage ahead of my departure.
And while enduring a random selection of old UK TV crime/mystery shows (which my wife adores, but I saw when they were originally aired in the UK β¦ so not much mystery), I spent an hour or two putting together a little (115 SLoC, including comments and help text) Python script to generate headphone power-requirement tables/data:
ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β HEDD Audio - HEDDPhone β
β (42 Ξ© @ 87 mW/dB) β
ββββββββββββ¬ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β β Required β
β SPL (dB) βββββββββββ¬βββββββββββββ¬βββββββββββββ€
β β V (rms) β mA (rms) β mW β
ββββββββββββΌββββββββββΌβββββββββββββΌβββββββββββββ€
β 80 β 0.092 β 2.180 β 0.200 β
β 85 β 0.163 β 3.876 β 0.631 β
β 90 β 0.290 β 6.893 β 1.996 β
β 95 β 0.515 β 12.257 β 6.310 β
β 100 β 0.916 β 21.796 β 19.953 β
β 105 β 1.628 β 38.760 β 63.096 β
β 110 β 2.895 β 68.925 β 199.527 β
β 115 β 5.148 β 122.568 β 630.958 β
β 120 β 9.155 β 217.960 β 1,995.263 β
ββββββββββββ΄ββββββββββ΄βββββββββββββ΄βββββββββββββ
With an option for headered/headerless CSV output:
dB/SPL,V,mA,mW
80,0.092,2.180,0.200
85,0.163,3.876,0.631
90,0.290,6.893,1.996
95,0.515,12.257,6.310
100,0.916,21.796,19.953
105,1.628,38.760,63.096
110,2.895,68.925,199.527
115,5.148,122.568,630.958
120,9.155,217.960,1995.263
And a single-line output for a specific SPL value:
ZMF VΓ©ritΓ© Closed - (300 Ξ© @ 99 dB/mW) needs 0.062 V and 0.205 mA (0.013 mW) for 80 dB/SPL.
With various command-line arguments to control the output/range of values:
Usage: headphonepower.py [OPTIONS] IMPEDANCE SENSITIVITY [SPL]
Headphone IMPEDANCE
IMPEDANCE of the headphone in question, specified in ohms.
Headphone SENSITIVITY
SENSITIVITY of the headphone in question, default unit is dB/mW; --unit
option allows specification in dB/V
Output [SPL]
dB/SPL to calculate headphone power requirement for.
If specified, NO table is generated and the simple power calculation is
output; otherwise a table is output with default low/high dB/SPLs.
Options:
-u, --units [v|mW] Sensitivity units: dB/V or dB/mW [default: mW]
-l, --low INTEGER RANGE Low dB/SPL table value [default: 80]
-h, --high INTEGER RANGE High dB/SPL table value [default: 120]
-s, --step [1|3|5|6|10] dB/SPL table steps [default: 5]
-n, --name TEXT Name of the Headphone for table title
-o, --output [table|csv] Output table or CSV [default: table]
--header Include header with CSV [default: False]
--help Show this message and exit.
So if thereβs interest there, Iβll package it and post a link to the repository.
Now to decide which color VΓ©ritΓ© Closed Iβm in the mood for today β¦ 
*Theyβre still not exactly cheap, due to the parts used β¦ and donβt make sense if not used as a modular system. Pointless for a single amp/headphone combo. The cheapest of which would be a 4-foot (total) 4-pin XLR to Focal 3.5mm TS (fits all but the Utopia, which is higher) at $350.
11 Likes
I have no idea about what those scripts mean, but it looks cool 
3 Likes
Love the old uk productions to re-watch from time to time!
2 Likes
Best telly in the world. No ifβs no buts. 
.
4 Likes
Iβd be interested if it happens.
Shoot me a PM with what headphone and amplifier adapters youβd want, and what length(s) of core cable. I can a) tell you what itβd cost and b) let you know if I have the necessary parts (since Iβm not ordering more and Iβve got lots more of some things than others) β¦ for what youβd actually need.
And then Iβll let you know if I decide to do it and you can make a go/no go call at that point.
5 Likes
With the caveat that it depends on how power hungry your headphones are, I think Iβd revise my DAC/amp favorites list to move the Hugo 2 up two spots (above the Matrix Element:X and Focal Arche) when itβs fed from the 2go.
4 Likes
Given the current, unfortunate, global madness, there is something inescapably decadent (and probably a little insane) β¦ about sitting on the deck, in 43ΒΊF weather, listening to βVegasβ (The Crystal Method), via a fully wireless Roon end-point (2go -> Hugo 2) and the MySphere 3.2 β¦
Binaural version of Amber Rubarthβs βSessions from the 17th Wardβ up next β¦ and back to The Macallan.
In between talking to myself β¦ this is the kind of βlong nightβ I can really get into.
10 Likes
Iβll be having a long night tomorrow! New bottle of bourbon showed up todayβ¦it is a gold medal winner this year (well one of the barrels was lol) looking forward to cracking it open tomorrow!
7 Likes
Had to convert 43F. It never gets that cold where I live.
3 Likes
About 6ΒΊC β¦ not nearly as cold as it can get here, but still a bit brisk for a spring evening/night on the water.
Still, refreshing in general and an interesting contrast to the warmth of liquor and music.
5 Likes
Tell me your thoughts on Hillrock once you do.
1 Like
So Iβve finally looked in to these MySphereβsβ¦ sigh. I thought I was set in going with the Verite as my next headphone purchase now I must think about these. They do have a loaner program although not sure if thats worldwide.
More research for a later date I guess.
As for decadence, Im pretty happy when I get to sit on my couch and watch anime while eating ice cream. 
4 Likes