I don’t think the 2020 version and something that’s still in warranty can be bought for $2k flat. Maybe $2400-$2500 if you’re lucky. If you’re looking for older pairs absolutely no need to go over $2K.
Soli is not worth replacing my current headphones, not really saving anything by doing that.
Thanks for the prices of the Final and Bravura. Will consider them.
Tbh the more I think of it though I want to keep the Susvara. It’s too much exactly what I like and it’s so good I don’t know I can go back. I want to give the Arya a try, it’s so much cheaper that maybe it can justify itself but the 2-2.5+ range makes me feel I should keep sus.
Honestly I think if you step down you should go for a hekse if you go with another hifiman, the arya is going to be very different to where I don’t think it shares many characteristics with a susvara even at a lower level (although I have not heard the stealth arya, only the older ones). But keeping the susvara and downsizing the chain is also a reasonable option if you really enjoy the headphone
Yeah that’s why the hekse is on the list but honestly not sure for the ~1K in savings I want to go through that. It does become more tempting if I think about downsizing the whole chain because it’s a much less demanding headphone.
My reference starting point I guess is my minimal chain WD to WA33 or Enleum and the Susvara. That’s about $15K for all three components (DAC, amp, headphones).
I’m trying to think of nice triads like that that’ll give me a good experience ideally for much less (3k, 5k, 8k, 10k maybe?) and figured I need to start from the headphones and pair it to a chain.
Honestly, i would give some other chains a try. Some lower cost chains with specificaly good synergy for sus i have heard that woule save you a boat load are
Spring 3 w/ pre → ahb2
Gold Note DS-10 → GSX-mini (idk what the ds10 was doing but mini usualy doesnt seem to have enough powrr for sus and it 100% did here)
Wild card: Luxury Precusion LP6 (if it fits your use case it ran sus damned well, and they are like 2k used. Its at the very least worth consideration)
Fair warning, focal warenty does not transfer and if they get even an incling you arent first owner they will slam the door. I would treat all second hand focal as 0 warentee
those are some cool ideas. I thought you really didn’t like the ahb2 (lifeless no?). The gsx mini is one of my favorite amps ever.
I’m surprised you didn’t bring up the CFA3 as a good option for under $3K that just needs a good amp next to it, might fit in the under $8K chain including sus…
I dont. I dont like the spring 3 or sus either as a general rule. But this chain just has some great synergy going on. The etch of the ahb2 makes up for the smoothness of spring and dullness of sus extremely well while both focusing on a hyper holographic stage (not natural mind you, but its my personal prefered kind of stage). Speaking of cfa3, i imagine it would work awesome here as well. I just didnt mention it since i havent tried that chain specificaly.
Rofl. I actualy dont like it much at all on most setups due to the (imo) quite blunted leading edge transients. The gold note seemed to fix that which is why i recomended it.
This is just down to that i havent tried it on much. Yhe cfa3 is quite spicy so you need something to tame it a bit. I imagine holo works super well and im hoping totaldac does as well but i havent heard either combo so i didnt recpmend them aince i only wamted to give you sure shot systems
Probabaly my single largest pet peve in audio is smoothing over texture to remove harshness. Sus does this on litteraly every setup ive ever used except aic. A clarinet honk should not be pleasent. It should be gruff and dirty. If something doesnt give me stank on clarinet i probabaly hate it
Nah. I like a little bit sweetness to take the edge off. My benchmark is always doreen ketchens. If you dont feel her playing in your soul its self i am gurenteed to not like your chain
Can’t speak for the 3F, but between the PF’s and the X’s, the X’s have more forward details, but, and this is a big but, they are not a headphone for everyone, and seem to be a love it or hate it thing, and variance seems to be a big thing with them, with some people just getting a bright and honky horror experience from their tuning and others, like myself, getting a pair that had most of, like 90% of the good attributes of the PF’s but also the increased resolution. I did the swap to the newer pads on mine from the memory foam and that was also something that helped. After the 2021 revision a lot of people said they did or didn’t like the newer tuned X, with remarks about them not taking to EQ as well as the older version. I wish it was easier to audition these things. The LCD-3 was a set of cans I’ve looked at over the years, and one of the reasons I bought the LCD-24’s, because I figured I’d just jump the line and go grab what should be the highest expression of the old Audeze house sound with the added articulation and speed and whatnot, while also not being harsh. I’d love to hear what others have to say about the LCD-3. I know there is quite a following for the LCD-3PF. All that said, the 2PF is a damned great headphone, and a steal at its usual used price. I paid like under $650 including shipping for mine off of Ebay a couple of years ago, and I think they’re still going for around that price. The X’s are a lot more picky with sources though the 2PF’s also benefit highly as well. But they are a magic can that still has the details, they’re just less forward than the X’s. Had I the 2PF’s first, I truly think I’d have preferred them, I wouldn’t choose one over the other, but the X’s, at least mine, do have a sparkle that I miss when I’m listening to the PF’s. YMMV. You found a pair of PF’s, if I remember correctly. Are you looking for that sound but with a smidge more resolution and detail? I’d recommend taking a look at the 24’s, but that’s all I have experience with, and the 24’s will let you know when you’ve got a bad recording much more than the PF’s, while for me my X’s sit in the middle.
I’ve been trying to figure which my Ideal audezes are for a long time, I really like the whole concept of what they do but they are expensive so I cant freely try
Lcd2c = Extremely good vocal concept but the resolution and tuning are not good
lcd2.2pf = lacks the forwardness and detail I crave, its very close but not there yet
Lcd X= I really really like them and their presentation but theres literal lost data in the upper range, I cant stand that.
Lcd XC= great headphones, same as lcd x but a bit better.
2.2pf>XC>X>2c
This is what I love about them, but I cant stand the treble info they lack
I loved that tuning
Same boat here, I really think the LCD 3 might be answer for me, maybe @M0N can help here?
the LCD24 might also be the solution but too expensive (plus import taxes) just to take the risk and get them
Didnt know this
Is not only a smidge more resolution, I want the presentation to be a bit more forward and aggressive as well, actually the regular lcd4 might work better for me over the 24s but I cant know that with my current knowledge, Too risky to try.
its a horrible feeling when the lcd 2.2pf are 90% there for me of being a perfect headphone and I cant stand the idea the remaining 10% might be in another LCD
I’d say a 3pf is a good option, same with a 24, a 3pf would be more economical to try, although admittedly I’m not super confident it would be fully to your taste. Skip the fazored, and the lcd 4 is super hit or miss
you were almost the best