Been messing around with my why-is-everything-so-bright/harsh issue, and found some very interesting and dramatic results…
PC → Audioquest Jitterbug → AQ Forest → Douk U2 Pro → coax/opticle → Gungnir → 3XP
= The usual, bright, harsh, no-chill output.
PC → Audioquest Jitterbug → AQ Forest → Sanskrit → RCA → 3XP
= Moderately smoother and more relaxed!! Able to listen louder. Nice improvement, though I feel more can be done on the source and/or DAC side. (On top of that, the $42 Douk U3 Mini amp adds further smoothness, VS the 3XP)
I don’t think the Jitterbug made any difference, but the Forest cable certainly did with Sanskrit, compared to a random USB cable. But why is the Douk → Gungnir system so harsh…? Is the AK 4493 chip in the Sanskrit just much smoother? Or is the Douk, or Gungnir, ruining the signal? Hmmm
This is just a thought, but while the Sanskrit is a smoother dac, it’s a whole lot less technically capable, which can significantly contribute to smoothness. The Gumby isn’t going to forgive lesser recordings, while the Sanskrit won’t really care to be honest. So by getting less, you end up with a less fatiguing and intense presentation. That also really might be why a lot of the higher end headphones you try and up fatiguing for you while the lower end ones don’t. Perhaps it’s really just a case of too much information causing the perceived fatigue, so too revealing of the music basically
You could end up swapping to a warmer and smoother amp that’s similarly good as the 3xp, but I still kinda wonder if you’d end up in the same place you are now
I had the same experience when I added the Douk U2 pro. It was a bump in resolution with a bit of added brightness. Also, are you using Balanced from the Gungnir to the 3xp? The balanced in Gungnir is better than the SE out, maybe more resolving, brighter, and forward in this case.
Nah, just using SE, with my simple M40X for now They are a bit bright in stock form, and the DT880’s I’ve also been using lately. The connection from Gungnir to 3XP is XLR, though, in XLR output mode. I didn’t hear any difference, when I tested SE and bal.
Yeah it’s something that seems too intense and too much at first, but as you get accustomed to using it often and hearing what you are missing out on, it becomes a non issue (at least for me)
Oh so you’ve been using se out on the 3xp for all your hps? If you are, that might contribute as well. Ime the se out does sound harsh compared to the bal out of the 3xp. Maybe trying out bal will help…
And just to clarify, you’re talking about the inputs not the ouputs on the 3xp, right?
I don’t think this is the case, as stock M40X and DT880 are definitely brighter than I like. HE6 is smooth, even dull, except for that one HiFiMaN spike at 4K-ish. HE6 and XS have more elevated & extended treble tuning than I like, also, I’d say. Too linear and cool(neutral-brite), probably.
How would something like Ares II and Qutest fit in this? I’ve heard they are notably smooth, and the only higher end DACs I’ve tried so far have been Gumby & Bifrost 2. I was happy with my D50s, then things probably got brighter and more revealing with Bifrost 2, and maybe even moreso with Gumby… Never had them both on-hand to test. I know for sure that the BF2+G111 combo was a bit too smoothed/veiled and bass weak for my taste.
I think this would for sure make a difference(as Douk U3 and G111 did), but what amps…?
Gotcha, I haven’t heard the XS but personally I don’t know if I’d consider the he6 neutral bright (at least a 6 screw, I would agree with that for a 4 screw)
This is really why I just don’t want to comment because I clearly hear things differently than you do as in no perceivable way would I hear the bifrost 2 as brighter and/or more forward than the d50s but it is more revealing. I do think the Gumby is brighter than the bf2, but still not to d50s brightness and forwardness
Yes I don’t like that pairing as much either with most headphones (although great with things like a dt880), and the bf2 with things like an older violectric is a no go for the same reasons
I want to KNOW that the/a DAC is not causing the brightness/harshness(=perhaps subjective!)… so I’m not just changing amps, and overly compensating to fix the DAC. I guess I just don’t have enough hardware to test this, though. A lesser-than-bright DAC would probably lend better going into Stax, I’d think, and of course for dynamics & planars. So I feel like the DAC has higher priority over an amp (though you can reach a similar result with several DAC+amp combos, I’m sure, in a less idealistic way).
I would like to try Qutest(and Ares II) at this point, and step away from Schiit.
So what was up here? Significantly too bright…? And hot? Now much smoother?
Did you try the Classic opamps with 3XP? What DAC(s) are working for you with GSX? Same DAC(s) as with 3XP?
Part of the reason I kinda prefer using the power amp mode is that it occasionally overemphasizes some of the upper treble at times and I think it’s from going through two sets of slightly v-shaped opamps and coming out a bit sharp. Might not take the bit off nearly as much as some v6 classics or some other opamps. The classics are significantly less bright and I’d bet you would like them in either of the stages but might take more edge off in one or the other (can’t remember which stage made more of a difference anymore lol). Might be worth a shot and you can usually find pairs used for pretty cheap.
Definitely too bright to my ears, was using it at the time with a Ares II, RME ADI-2 and Pontus II and always preferred the GSX. Must be said that the mini is to this day one of my favorite pieces of gear even though I moved on to much higher end gear.
I’m a bit sensitive to bright sound, treble emphasis, glare etc and the mini was a tad smoother and nicer sounding. I didn’t try the other opamps but tried with and without the power supply and still heard the same and sold it.
In reading through many of your posts I am stumbling back and forth in your assessments but i am getting a general feel for your inclinations and dislikes. Based on some of what you have stated you will probably hate the Qutest, even on its warmest setting it presented details in a well accentuated manner. If you want to tame things down to a very pleasing smooth level with little top end accentuation with no possibility the DAC could ever cause any “brightness” research the Border Patrol DAC. It would fall within your budget and basically never allow enough detail through to possibly cause anything else in your chain to over accentuate the upper registers that seem to cause you so much grief. Just another suggestion. Check it our for yourself. Happy listening
With something like Ares II, or a Violectric DAC, with tons of options for filter settings and nitty-gritty tweaks not found in most DACs, would these tweaks still NOT change the overall sound much…? (this is my guess/assumption)
so I think I’m starting my journey towards my next amp and convinced myself $10K would be ok (will probably sell the Enleum when a real deal presents itself). As most of you probably know I’m driving the Susvara, 1266 TC and VC here.
From reading around and talking to a few of you I’ve narrowed down my list to the following:
Woo Audio WA33 (hoping for Elite)
Feliks Audio Envy
Riviera AIC-10
Viva Egoista 845
Aries Cerat Genus
Trafomatic Primavera
Wanted to ask for any feedback or thoughts on synergy with the Rockna Wavedream and the headphones (should be good I believe) and if I’m missing anything on my watchlist?
Is the AK 4493 chip in the Sanskrit just much smoother? Or is the Douk, or Gungnir, ruining the signal? Hmmm
They are a bit bright in stock form, and the DT880’s I’ve also been using lately. The connection from Gungnir to 3XP is XLR, though, in XLR output mode. I didn’t hear any difference, when I tested SE and bal.
at 4K-ish. HE6 and XS have more elevated & extended treble tuning than I like, also, I’d say. Too linear and cool(neutral-brite), probably.
