Sash Deaux V2 Impressions

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by ChaChaRealSmooth, Oct 29, 2019.

  1. muths66

    muths66 New

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2019
    Likes Received:
    5
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Location:
    singapore
    You should get that spacer then u know the power of the close version.
     
  2. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophileâ„¢

    Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2016
    Likes Received:
    10,831
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    East Coast
    Will send them out likely this Friday or next Monday at the latest. Please pm me if the address has changed since you gave me it last time.
     
  3. Krassi

    Krassi New

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2019
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Location:
    cologne
    Hi!

    I also got my tres and i really like the sound with the open version.
    One thing that really was important .. there where some layers of blue cloth over the inner driver for tuning. when i removed them they sounded really good!

    I also have those spacer rings and closed has a really crazy soundstage space feeling.
    I guess with pdv2 i can do some insane EQ tweeking on all versions.

    So to early for a real review but especially for jazz, classic and electronic music they deliver an amazing detailed pleasant sound! I love the bass on them!! Jazz is so alive with this.
    Sash already burned them in for me wich is nice!

    Also very comfortable!


    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]


    i also use the same anti slip mat that ZMF uses in their Eikon.. well it looks exactly like that one
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jan 30, 2020
  4. Roderick

    Roderick Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2018
    Likes Received:
    208
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Finland
    Those spacer thingies seem cool but I think closed tres is big enough as it is. Even without spacers these look more like cosplay ornaments than actual headphones. Hell... My JVC dx1000 looks allmost normal in comparison. :)

    So for the time being I think I focus on finding proper damping material/air flow for the semi open cups. I've managed to move the midrange dip from one place to another and improve the bass extension but I'd like to get a flatter frequency response all over.

    @Vtory contact info or adress has not changed. And If you like to have them around longer please do. I was prepared for a long tour. Of course with few more people involved but I'm glad I atleast got two experienced sbaf members to take a listen. :)

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2020
  5. penguins

    penguins Friend, formerly known as fp627

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2018
    Likes Received:
    3,451
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    SouthernCA
    @Roderick @Vtory If we want 1 more listener I wouldn't mind listening for 1 week before sending it back to Vtory.

    No big deal if it's too much hassle, expense, etc. though or they're about to be sent back to Finland though. Note that I don't have the ability to (easily) ship internationally right now if that will present an issue.
     
  6. Roderick

    Roderick Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2018
    Likes Received:
    208
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Finland
    @fp627 sure, you two can organize that if it's fine with vtory. Take your time :)
     
  7. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophileâ„¢

    Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2016
    Likes Received:
    10,831
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    East Coast
    @fp627 Please pm me your address, phone, etc etc.
     
  8. penguins

    penguins Friend, formerly known as fp627

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2018
    Likes Received:
    3,451
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    SouthernCA
    Received today. Sent PM to Vtory and Roderick.

    Initial thoughts within first 10 minutes: Competitive against Verum but a noticibly different sound. This headphone has a more colored sound.

    1st edit: After only 30 minutes using the open back, I agree with @ChaChaRealSmooth - Initial impression is these sound great on DNA amps with SE cable and Z set to low. Bass is more present and impactful on these than Verum if I recall sound of Verum correctly but it still doesn't reach "that low". You can definitely hear down to 35hz, but it lacks full impact, tactility, and "thereness". Above maybe 42 or 43-ish Hz, it's fine.

    In short, the Sash Deaux headphones have some real potential with DNA amps. I suspect other SBAF members with Starlett or Stratus will enjoy these too. Interestingly enough, when I first heard Verum, it was on Donald's Stellaris and prototype Starlett and I was similarly impressed by how much both DNA amps synergized with Verum.

    Only other amp I have right now is rHead, which admittedly isn't a mind blowing amp, this headphone doesn't have the magic touch on that amp to me. And no, it's not just a case of "Stellaris makes everything good". There are many popular SBAF headphones that IMO aren't ideal with Stellaris to my ears.

    2nd edit: Yes, tonality on these V2 is off as reported by others, but then I see this is supposedly fixed on V3. You know it's off in the first 10 seconds, but after 1.5 hours, I'm a little annoyed.

    [[WILL ADD A NEW POST WITH MORE THOUGHTS AND IMPRESSIONS LATER]]
     
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2020
  9. penguins

    penguins Friend, formerly known as fp627

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2018
    Likes Received:
    3,451
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    SouthernCA
    More detailed review:

    Summary: Very unique and different sound due to the tone and timbre sounding really odd to me. Otherwise this is really good for $350. Natural desire to compare to Verum (also $350 planar). Fix the tone and timbre (which has already happened per all additional reports I've seen on V3 - keep in mind these are from unknown people) and this is a great competitor under $500. Also all above comments still stand after more listening time and I still suspect a lot of people here would like this.

    I would like for 2-3 more people to try this and see if it's just me of if this could compete against Verum assuming V3 fixes are real.
    ------------------------------------------------
    For reference / new people - 5 new headphones that I would recommend at/under $500 (all need an amp/dac):
    HD6xx - great all around, only ~$200, but needs amp/dac, veiled sound, bass is somewhat disappointing in quality, somewhat unexciting and unoffensive sound at times - good for some, bad for others
    Verum 1 - pretty solid all around, planar sound but different (what many call the old school sound), $350
    Sash V2 - if you want something with a little more character but also a few more tradeoffs versus Verum, get this instead. V3 could be a real winner and is something I look forward to hearing someday.
    Fostex TR-X00 - if you are a basshead, $400-500 IIRC
    HFM Sundara, edition xx, and other similar offerings under $500 - read elsewhere for more details, but realize that all the complaints you see about HFM are mostly true. Pro tip - buy these in China or HK if possible (haven't seen these in Japan and Taiwan before, weren't on sale "as much" in Singapore) if possible and save A LOT of $ b/c the warranty for buying in the US is pretty much worthless anyways.

    maybe Meze 99 - if you have a small enough head + ears. sounds ok just plugged into random headphone ports b/c the sound is like drinking cough syrup. may be a really fun sound but ultimately "untrue" to actual sound.
    -------------------------------------------------------

    Other factors:
    - Cable is surprisingly good for a headphone at this level/price. Very minimally microphonic, very soft and flexible, light. Wish it was 1/4" termination instead of 3.5mm though given that this headphone needs an actual amp anyways.
    - Very comfortable on my head. Slightly better than my HD6xx, better than other current headphones (Clear, ZMF Auteur, HE6se), better than many past headphones I've owned including many that are praised here for comfort. Funny enough, this was slightly loose for @ChaChaRealSmooth , this is slightly too much clamp for me with also a big head, but mild enough that it doesn't bother me after 4 hours. Also doesn't bother my crown on my head (this is a big problem for me with many headphones) given how the padding naturally forms a little crease/void at the top. I don't feel the full weight of these on my head. Ear pads and materials are sufficiently comfortable and of very good quality for the price.
    - V2 still looks mostly like a very refined science project or garage prototype - absolutely fine given this is still a 1 man operation for Sasha - keywords being very refined, not science project. Or think of a race car (the stuff that needs to work well is done very well and easily calls attention to itself, other refinements are omitted). And yet these still seem better put together with better fit than many "actual production" headphones. Only mention this b/c some people care about aesthetics of audio gear.
    - No random dumb issues like channel imbalance, sound cutting out, etc.

    Sound:
    Chain: PC with Qobuz --> USB into Yggdrasil A2 w/ USB5 --> Stellaris (didn't go on a tube rolling adventure, and IMO tubes don't make a huge difference on Stellaris anyways).
    - See above first
    - This doesn't have planar bass slam as mentioned above, but bass is definitely enough. Note that other under $500 planars don't have the famous planar slam IMO either. Low to mid bass or just the bass all around could be boosted anywhere between 1-5dB depending on preferences. EDIT: If I turn volume past my normal listening volumes on Stellaris, bass suddenly comes on more. Note this is not a volume issue, I don't normally have "lack of bass" complaints at my normal listening levels - maybe related to how these particular planar drivers work vs tube amp high V low I output??
    - Mids need to be pulled back slightly . Chacha says to dial down 630 to 1250Hz, I would say anywhere between 550 to 600 up to only about 1000-1100Hz needs to be dialed back slightly, exact numbers depend on preference. This could also MAYBE use a 1-2dB boost between 2-3k. Note that I personally wouldn't use a boost here but just based on other common preferences I've seen.
    - Interesting that @Roderick put a FR graph of LCD3 and this together. I can see the FR being similar, but this sounds completely different than LCD3 to me (previous primary headphone). Not sure what revision I had though, late summer 2018 purchase directly at Audeze.
    - Chacha mentions ok timbre - my biggest issue with this as mentioned is the timbre and tone. It's so odd I don't really even know how to describe it and it doesn't sound like any other headphone I've heard before. But I guess that's why that was the primary revision for V3.
    - On a similar note, something else still sounds out of balance to be after EQ correction.
    - Some instruments like cymbals, the natural color of a cello, or the mild ringing of a harp don't ring quite enough sometimes. This is a problem on many other planars IMO.
    - The edges are not quite sharp enough. But yes, fast enough like Chacha also said. Was able to keep up with busy music.
    - Something sounds slightly muffled with some songs - like something is stuck inside. For those who have owned MrSpeakers, imagine stuffing 2 of the filters instead of 1 or 0 inside of the cup. Oddly enough, when looking in through the earholes, I don't see anything stuffed inside. Also odd that this is only on some songs.
    - Yes, still very good on Stellaris, still dislike on rhead. No other amps available.
    - Technicalities are strong for the price otherwise. This includes resolution, timbre, macro, micro, texture, plankton, etc.
    - Layering is probably something more like 7-12 layers (closer to 10 on most songs) rather than 100+ fine steps/gradation.
    - Soundstage is "middle size". Pushes Yggdrasil close sound stage back by about 3-5 rows to row 15ish.
    - VERY important to me - not fatiguing in sound. I have passed over many flagship headphones due to fatiguing sound, even on Stellaris (HD800 including most mods and Utopia immediately come to mind)
    - A little bit of a plasticky? sound. Not a flaw with the headphone per se, pretty much every competent headphone I've heard under $500 still has some kind of general sound category flaw such as veil, haze, plasticky, shouty, etc.
    - Sounds "alive" and "musical" enough. This is more of a yes/no for me than a 0-10 scale. Assumed when over $500, but a lot of <$500 gear, while maybe technically there, doesn't check this box and ultimately defeats the entire purpose of listening to music in the first place.

    Have not tried closed back cups yet.
    I suspect these would be very good with SPL Phonitor series for an amp. For lower priced stuff maybe Vali2, Massdrop CTH, or maybe Cayin iha-6.
     
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2020
  10. Roderick

    Roderick Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2018
    Likes Received:
    208
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Finland
    @fp627 thank you for the detailed review! I lack the words to describe headphones in such detail.

    This is fine by me if anyone is interested.

    Cable lenght and connectors are customizable. I chose 3.5mm as lot of my listening is done wandering around the house with my portable setup. XLR connection is not a must either, so if one prefers 3.5/2.5mm/mcxx or whatever it is up to the customer.

    At that point I had he560/Sundara/Ananda/verum/lcd3f. Of that bunch deux2 had most similarities with Audeze. Mainly because I consider verum quite neutral, hifimans bright (Ananda not so much) and lcd3f dark. Deux2 is quite forward in it's presentation and audezes more laid back but both share that dark undertone on which they build their character. Also I assume my lcd-3f was rather old. It was pre-fazor and later upgraded, I assume quite soon after fazors were introduced. However despite their resemblances they're different in many ways. If not it would have not been that easy for me to pick a favorite.

    Thats strange. Must be very song dependent. I had AFO's for a while and found them unbearable(fall a sleep unexiting,veiled,dark).


    About V3 versus V2:

    I can't say I found the timbre to be strange on deux2. That emphasis on 1khz certainly made them unique but not enough in my books to make them sound off in general. All I can say is that V3 fixes that weird 1khz thingy, has larger soundstage and more impactfull bass. Soundstage is quite easily explained by thicker pads and bass performance is better because driver is given more room to move(according to Sasha). Of course it is a new driver completely so that is bound to have an impact.

    Anyway, thanks again @fp627 for an excellent review!
     
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2020
  11. Roderick

    Roderick Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2018
    Likes Received:
    208
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Finland
    @fp627 did you try the closed back cups? They're not that good IMO. If nobody else is interested in trying these we should propably start working on the return process.

    So, last call: anyone interested in auditioning these hit me a pm.
     
  12. penguins

    penguins Friend, formerly known as fp627

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2018
    Likes Received:
    3,451
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    SouthernCA
    Edit: Tried the closed backs before I sent them off. Didn't like very much. I also tried some silly combos such as putting my hands over the outside of the open cups in different ways, using cotton pads (the ones for makeup), using different paper, etc. Conclusion was varying degrees of dislike and these headphones are probably for 90%+ of people best as open headphones.
     
    Last edited: Mar 21, 2020
  13. penguins

    penguins Friend, formerly known as fp627

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2018
    Likes Received:
    3,451
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    SouthernCA
    IIRC Sash headphones is in Kharkiv Ukraine. Is anyone on SBAF in contact with him?
     
  14. Roderick

    Roderick Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2018
    Likes Received:
    208
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Finland
    I talked with him few days back, on a day that invasion started. I ordered headphones with the idea that he would build them after things are better again. I can wait and perhaps now he needed a new order more than usual. I had been curious about the new higher impedance Tres for a while anyway.

    He is online on facebook right now so thats good.
     

Share This Page