Rthomas

Messaging them through ebay hasn't worked?

probably trying to get an "off ebay" deal.

It literally took me 3 seconds to search and find their non ebay website

Soon

I sent you a message

Sent you a message as well

I would like them too but just for prank calling purposes.

Not an expert, but just learned a lot about it.

There will be an update in 2023. Some already got a few hints from their go-to vendor and probably trying to make less loss. Ha! Lessloss!

Newer versions of HFMs are not always known to be better than their OGs.

Not what the hype train thinks that's for sure

1. Blame users for not following training. 2. Blame the process approved by company Security Officer. 3. run.

I disagree with the "big bass" part :) I have 2 pairs and they were both bass light stock.... to kind of an extreme

I should have been more precise! I meant to say tight, impactful, detailed bass with EQ. These will never be bass monsters like some ZMFs and Abyss headphones but to my ears they are superior to the Susvara and Utopia and get very close to the LCD4. That's a win for the much smaller form factor.

Sounds about right.

There is indeed a lot of...sifting shall we say, to get to the good stuff on Head-Fi.

https://i.imgflip.com/1j9mml.jpg

Everyone wants their points, hard to tell unless you know who runs the numbers.

Stax is low margin, low volume sales and not very easy to work with (language barrier).

Can't comment on Utopia, but used Clear with both 3F and SW51+. I must say I preferred 3F. But since my Clear broke some time ago I now listen my Arya and the synergy with SW51+ is great.

Do you have DHSA3F? Utopia is great with it, I would venture better than sw51

3F is on another level compared to SW51. This is true for Utopia too. Just keep in mind neither amp will "fix" any tonality issues you may or may not have with Utopia

I tried sonarworks years ago on the 650 & 800. At least 1 of them it flattened the 3.5khz hump level to 1khz, sounded rubbish. Those measurements did not reflect subjective listening or measurements from other sources. I think they were applying a speaker compensation to the headphones as well (?!), or maybe that was optional.

I EQ to the 650 FR, but flat from bass rolloff-1khz, with a few db more 5.5khz on up.

Chalk it up to preferences perhaps, but I'm still skeevy of what passes for neutral treble with the HT. Again that could just be my ears not wearing in yet (poking fun) or having horrible taste in music (completely serious), but the target doesn't nearly have good balance for my ears and gear. I'm in agreement that it's better than FF or DF, but preference remains so.

Preference still has to start from a point accuracy to be done well. But no one FR will ever be right for all as we have differing HRTFs. I should have qualified my statements with the HD6*0 being widely, though subjectively, considered the most accurate. Even that can only be an average at best due to HRTF variations, which perceptually vary further with individual sensitivities to diaphragm, materials, cup etc.

It's a consumer preference target that many tout as THE ONLY proper way to voice headphones. The voicing is aggressive (much as I appreciate a bass shelf) and it gets mildly irksome when people call this neutral. Not sure if others have the same sentiment about its sound.

IME headphones voiced first and foremost by ear tend to sound best - ZMF, LFF, etc. I trust my ears to decide whether or not a response is editorializing on my source (albeit in a pleasant or unpleasant way) moreso than whatever compensation curve or target the measurements follow.

Asgard 3 is better in that respect. But I'd wait a little bit more because many new products launched in the fall. Saving money up to tubes could be an option.

Gilmore Lite mk2 is smoother and much more musicality than the 789.

Ragnarok 1 used may be a safe bet as well. Maybe Rag 2 would work but it's more of a speaker amp. Jotunheim probably has enough juice to run it.

Secondhand First Watt clone. Phonitor E?

I also vote Phonitor or First Watt / Nelson Pass amp of some sort (which one depends on preferences + gear synergy). I have only heard good things about the BHA-1 but haven't heard it myself.

However, If you are open to hybrid and can find a used Audeze "The King", it beats the above for me and to date it's still tied for first as my favorite LCD 2, 3, or 4 amp.