Hello, have been lurking. Signed up now so I can use classifieds and waste all of my money.
4 Likes
Hi! Thank you. Currently have a number of random gear. My favorite set up is running an older laptop (converted to ssd to keep noise to a minimum) asio (type B 3.0 to type A 3.0) ā iFi dsd neo ā (LA Pro Audio) 1ā xlr patch ā Schiit Magnius ā balanced into a Sennheiser HD650. Works very well with next to no perceivable noise.
Been researching the Focal Clearās, and ended up ordering them the other day. Definitely excited!! 
6 Likes
Looking forward to reading your thoughts on the Clear vs 650, @thevishnu.
I havenāt heard the Clear yet but from what Iāve read, it has a different sound to the 650. Thatās a good thing, because it forces your brain to reset itself. Just be prepared that your brain may resist change at first, or at least thatās been my own experience when getting a new pair of headphones and being initially disappointed that it doesnāt sound the same as my old pair.
1 Like
Hello all. Iām new here and just wanted to introduce myself. Iām still relatively new to hifi, though Iāve long considered myself something of an audiophile, I just only recently started putting my money where my ears are so to speak. Like many of you Iāve spent a lot of time at home for the past year, and the silver lining has been that it gave me the chance to dig into audio in a way I hadnāt ever done before. And I sorta dove in head first (when I go in I go ALL IN lol). Iāve devoured every bit of online info, reviews, videos, & blogs that I could find, and now that I feel Iāve gotten up to speed and have specific questions and topics I want to discuss I thought this might be a good place for that sort of thing.
For reference, hereās what Iām currently working with:
: HD800S / Hifiman Arya / Thieaudio Monarch
Sources: Schiit Bifrost 2 / E.A.T. C-Sharp w Ortofon Quintet Black
Amps: Schiit Valhalla 2 (w/ NOS Siemens) / Topping A90 / PS Audio Stellar Phono Preamp
I live in a NYC apartment with paper thin walls, so while I do have a 5.1 surround system, itās nothing impressive or that Iāve put much energy into. Iām planning on moving next year, hopefully to a place with more space and thicker walls where I can build a respectable 2 channel system. For now Iām pretty much all āhead-fiā all the time.
Anyway, I look forward to many good discussions with you fine folks.
9 Likes
Hi @chrisnyc75.
I believe last year brought many of us back to music and audio gear.
Itās been and is a good way to avoid getting mad while weāve lost the world as we all knew it before pandemic.
Welcome here among us and enjoy.
5 Likes
Welcome @chrisnyc75 , you really did dive in head first. You have a great set up.
LOL I did exactly the same as you last year. So Iāll warn you that now youāve caught the bug, donāt fool yourself that youāre done buying stuff.
5 Likes
lol yeah, it quickly added up to a lot more than I ever thought Iād spend on audio equipment, but tbh it has brought me so much joy I regret nothing. Plus, itās not like Iām spending money on literally anything else right now (no vacations, eating out, bars/clubs, concerts, etc), so if ever there was going to be a time to go ALL IN on my personal audio this seemed like it.
Iām really happy with most of it - I would even go as far as to say I think most of it is āendgameā for me. The a90 & valhalla will surely be upgraded sooner or later, and I kinda still kinda want a ZMF Verite, (even though I donāt really know where it would fit in my listening rotation? 
lol). Mostly though Iām just trying to slow my roll before I go broke. lol
2 Likes
Itās nice to see another local! Youāve got a great setup there - it would be interesting to read some comparative impressions of your HD 800S and Arya.
Iām likewise a thin-walled apartment dweller for whom a 2-channel setup doesnāt make good sense, and one of the attractions of my HD 800 SDR is precisely to get as spacious and open a soundstage as I can with headphones (as far as thatās possible).
3 Likes
Thanks! Great minds think alike. 
The Arya is very new, just got it last week (from .com of course!), but I will definitely share my thoughts once I get them in order.
First impression: the Arya has a hint of the soundstage-y magic that the 800 is famous for, but the 800 is still in a league of its own. Arya is much tighter all around, particularly in the low end, and generally better for electronic music where sub-bass is key. 800 is still miles ahead for jazz, classical, and anything where bigger sound is better. Theyāre similar enough that the sound of the Arya still appeals to my ears which are very used to the 800, but different enough to complement each othersā [very few] weaknesses. At least thatās my story today, very subject to change as these things always are. lol
5 Likes
Thatās interesting. I hadnāt really thought of the Arya and HD 800S as complementary. Iād assumed theyād be an either/or proposition. (Iāve only auditioned the Arya briefly). But what you write about the tightness and the sub-bass makes great sense. I have a pair of the Clear for those qualities but now Iām more intrigued by the Arya.
Happy listening - I hope you settle into the Arya nicely! Are you using the Valhalla 2 or the Topping A90 with them?
Nice turntable, btw!
3 Likes
I had a Focal Elex which I just sold to get the Arya instead. To my ears the Elex always sounded like a downgrade when A/Bāing with the 800S. So far the Arya sounds to my ears like a different flavor but still on par (or nearly on par) with the 800S. I was worried they might be too alike (or in a perfect world that the Arya would wow me so much that I wouldnāt even need the 800 anymore, but no such luck lol), but my first impression is that they work well as counterpoints that arenāt totally opposite one another.
Mostly the A90 so far, though they seem to work reasonably well with the Valhalla too. Need more time to figure that out, though. I have a love/hate relationship with the Valhalla. More on that later, iām sure. lol
Thanks, the C-Sharp is a keeper for sure. I spent decades with a cheap Numark tt, decided it was time to buy a big boy unit. lol I suspect itās the last tt Iāll ever buy unless I win the powerball and decide I need a VPI. 
3 Likes
Iāve not heard the Elex but itās often said that the Elexās resolution is a step back from the Clear. It would be cool to have a do-all, single headphone but having the counterpoint is appealing - and is why Iād love a pair of the VĆ©ritĆ© eventually as it would make for a strong contrast, in tonality, with the HD 800 SDR.
My Thorens turntable is decades old, but it has very few miles on the clock. My father got it ca. 1990 but then seldom, if ever used it when he went all in with digital sources, so itās essentially a NOS turntable! I hear you on the lottery. I canāt believe I didnāt win the $970 million Megamillions the other week. Iād have spent it so well on headphones etc.!
I look forward to your megaimpressions posts to come re. the Arya/HD800S and the Valhalla 2!
4 Likes
That Thorens is a keeper for sure, thatās a classic. What phonostage do you use?
I hear you on the Verite and agree 100%. Zach confirmed thereās a third batch of LE stabilized VCs coming. I really need to stop though. 
2 Likes
Just a temporary one - the phono in an old classic Adcom GTP-500 II preamp and tuner that Iāve got on loan from a friend. Itās entry-level but a decent unit nonetheless. Adcom had great budget gear back in the day, I gather. Iām trying to decide if Iāll go deeper into the vinyl rabbit hole and get a dedicated phono stage. A DAC upgradeās the next item on the agenda!
The Thorens is definitely a keeper, in part for reasons of nostalgia, in part because it was a solid mid-fi table back in a day when that tier of hi-fi equipment was very well made.
1 Like
Welcome to all the new members this month!!!
5 Likes
lol, my avatarās my cat with his dj turntable scratcher. He tore it up!
1 Like
Yes, the Thorens is a keeper. Check vinylnirvana for maintenance and upgrade parts.
2 Likes
Hello and welcome @chrisnyc75. You have some really great gear. Youāve also done a great job with your comparison piece too. Great to have you here.
3 Likes
Hello and @chrisnyc75, @procyonHabilis and @hottyson.
3 Likes
This is so well said! 
And same here - spend more on audio last year than in the decade before combined!
2 Likes