Just as an experiment I tried my Tungsten DS v1 with my Cayin HA-3A, and with “reasonable” volume levels it will drive Tungsten very well, even with pretty bass heavy music.
Now I’m sure I could drive it to clipping, but what’s the point? With volume between 12-2, it plays very to extremely loud, and sounds great! I’m using XLR in, which gets 4V from my DAC, and XLR out on medium impedance.
I was certain the Cayin couldn’t drive it, but that’s totally wrong. Plus with the Tungsten being so insensitive there’s no noise whatsoever!
Anyway, if you have an OTC tube amp give it a shot.
Also, since the Cayin works so well a sounds so good with it I’ve decided to sell my Violectric V590 v2, which I bought largely for Tungsten. At this point, it seems pretty extravagant to keep the amp for a single pair of headphones.
If anyone is interested, PM me. I’m th original owner, purchased new from Power Holdings.
Valencia runs Tungsten DS effortlessly. Not even 50% on the knob and it’s really loud already. Only listen to it for about an hour and it’s pretty good so far. I can see why people like this headphone. It reminds me of why people like the ZMF Atrium Open. It doesn’t have the best clarity and detail, but the tuning is really nice and smooth. The Supratek Cabernet DHT Preamp is a high gain preamp and it usually get any amp I plug into it really loud. I might try different preamp later in the week to see if the other preamp pairing can run Tungsten with no sweat like the Valencia + Supratek combo.
Topping A70 Pro balanced mode high gain on both 4.4mm and XLR output. Almost max out with pretty much no headroom for my listening preference.A little surprise on this one since this was supposed to be a powerful amp.
Allnic HPA-5000XL, around 2 o clock for my normal listening level.
Yep, Mod House Tungsten DS ver 1 is a meme headphone. 5 amps and only 2 of my amps can I guess drive it to normal listening with a good amount of headroom. I didn’t get any clipping yet because 3 of my amps could not get it loud enough to even clip without running out of headroom. All the testing above is me using EDM music and Jpop music. They are heavily produced music that is just loud. I got curious on the Allnic amp on how well it does on classical and orchestra music for dynamics since those type of music is always quieter. I played a Violin Concerto piece and I only had to put the Allnic amp to 3 o clock and it still got good dynamics.
No pictures above, but I did tried the HiBy R8ii when I first got the Tungsten and it was able to drive the Tungsten to my normal listening level with the HiBy R8ii on turbo mode, high gain at 80. So the only amps I can run Tungsten DS Ver 1 is my Valencia amp with ease and my Allnic HPA-5000XL amp.
TBF, I have been listening to music almost non stop since I got Tungsten today on the Valencia so my ears are probably tired. I will spend the rest of the night listening Tungsten on the Allnic amp to see how it sounds on a tube amp.
I ended up listening to Tungsten all day Sunday as well… I did a shootout comparison on Valencia vs HPA-5000XL and a little shootout with ZMF Atrium Open and DCA Stealth and I am pretty impressed with what I heard for Tungsten.
HPA-5000XL vs Valencia using Tungsten DS Ver 1. Both are using my Supratek Cabernet DHT preamp with the following tubes: (2) EML 45 Globes, (2) Psvane Summit 6SN7 (2) RCA 6L6GC, and (1) KR Audio 5U4G
Sounds like you get more subbass extension on the Valencia. Bass just sounds more complete on the Valencia.
Bass hits harder on the Valencia with Tungsten.
Imaging is more solidify on the Valencia.
Valencia just sounds overall cleaner and more clearer than the HPA-5000XL.
Mids sounds more real, more texture, and more body on the HPA-5000XL.
I preferred the Tunsten DS on Valencia over my Allnic HPA-5000XL amp because it sounds clearer, more complete, and more fun on the bass to me vs the Allnic amp. Allnic amp + Supratek is definitely a mood maker though with the Tungsten while the Valencia is just overall more technical with Tungsten.
I will say though that I prefer listening to the ZMF Atrium Open on the Allnic + Supratek combo more than the Valencia + Supratek combo. ZMF Atrium Open female vocals in particular sound much clearer on the Allnic + Supratek combo and it sounds more tonally pleasing and addicting that I just don’t get with the Tungsten on Valencia or ZMF Atrium on Valencia. Atrium open treble on where the cymbal crashes sound a lot better and brighter on the Allnic combo vs the Valencia combo where I thought it sounded a little more muted and less detailed.
ZMF Atrium Open (Ultra Perf Suede Pads) vs Tungsten DS Ver 1 (Ultra Perf Pads) Notes:
Bass does not feel complete as Tungsten since Atrium Open is lacking subbass, but it have a more punchy midbass than Tungsten.
Sounds a little more veil on vocals compare to Tungsten on Valencia. But Atrium Open is more upper midrange forward while Tungsten is more laid back on the upper midrange. So female vocals get a little more in the spotlight on the Atrium over Tungsten which I do like. Tungsten vocals may sound smoother, but Atrium Open also has this realism on female vocals that I really like over Tungsten.
Treble sounds more muted on the Atrium Open compare to the Tungsten on Valencia. Cymbal crashes just sound more real and is more present in the music on Tungsten. But on Allnic, Atrium cymbal crashes sounds a lot better and brighter, but Tungsten still did it better, but a little better.
I think depending the setup, you can’t go wrong with both headphones. It just all depends on the setup. I think if I had my RCA UX-245 and RCA 6SN7GT smoked glass, the ZMF Atrium Open would be more amazing vs my current EML 45 Globes and Psvane Summit 6SN7, which focuses more on clarity and resolution.
This is where Tungsten kinda surprise me. I did not think Tungsten resolution and details was all that when I first got it. Maybe because I was testing my Mon Acoustic Platimon speakers with the dual subwoofer setup all week before I got the Tungsten, so Tungsten did not sound all too impressive coming of my Platimon speakers. But… when I finally compared it to the DCA Stealth, I was a little mind blown. When I compared DCA Stealth to Modhouse Tungsten, its only on the Valencia + Supratek combo because I like both those headphone on this setup the most.
DCA Stealth with Clamp Force kit mod vs Tungsten DS Ver 1 Notes:
A little more step up in midrange clarity. A little surprising that Modhouse tungsten DS is pretty close to Stealth in midrange clarity. Its a little hard to compare because DCA Stealth is more upper midrange forward than the Tungsten so its hard to volume match the midrange. Besides clarity, I prefer the DCA Stealth more forward upper midrange compared to Tungsten.
DCA Stealth bass sounds more complete as it goes deeper in the subbass and rumbles more, but Tungsten midbass punches harder than Stealth.
DCA Stealth is more pinpoint on imaging and layering details better than Tungsten.
DCA Stealth treble is more smoother and detail than Tungsten.
DCA Stealth is still a step up from Tungsten in terms of technicalities, but it sounded pretty close. Like maybe baby steps behind DCA Stealth in terms of resolution and technicalities which I think is pretty insane considering Tungsten is a $2.2K MSRP headphone and DCA Stealth price went up recently making it a $4.5K MSRP headphone. The price to performance on Tungsten is really good if I think about it like that. I heard the Tungsten V2 is suppose to be a little more resolution and a little more technical than the Tungsten V1. Its vague on what little mean, but I wonder if that little technical and resolution buff the V2 get will put it in the same category of resolution as the DCA Stealth? If so, Tungsten will pretty much dunk so many headphones if that is the case because there is only a handful of headphones I thought was better resolution wise than the DCA Stealth.
The previous owner of the V1 Tungsten I got sold his to upgrade to a V2… I might poke my nose around to see if I can get lucky or wait for people to make a comparison of Tungsten DS V2 with other really high-priced headphones. I will also see if I can get the spacers mod just to see what it is about, but I don’t think it affect subbass.
Overall, 2 whole days of barely eating and just listening to Tungsten all weekend were fun. I think I still prefer the DCA Stealth over every headphone I currently have right now because of the tuning. DCA Stealth is still my favorite headphone because it hits the subbass really deep and clean. No other headphones hit deeper than DCA Stealth and have that elevated subbass like the DCA Stealth. That makes the DCA Stealth more of a complete headphone for me and is the easiest headphone for me to transition to from my speakers with dual subwoofer setup because I don’t really feel like I am missing much on the DCA Stealth. Tungsten gets close which is really nice from an open back, so now I got an open back alternative that hits the subbass. I am most likely going to primarily listen to DCA Stealth and Tungsten DS Ver 1 until I either get a HE1000 Unveiled on loaned if that happens or my Draupnir comes in (which probably be next year honestly).
I got the V2 for about a month, but the new mod I got for it, its only been a week. Short version, V1 vs V2 is very similar tuning. V2 is little better clarity, little better soundstage width, and a little better at layering. It doesn’t have the same vocal warmth like the V1 though, but that is probably why it sounds clearer. I liked the V2 for a bit, but nothing too exciting. But after I started making changes on my tubes and started using the mod, I really started to like the V2 more and I am glad I went for this “upgrade”.
I swap tubes on my Supratek Cabernet DHT 45 Tube preamp. I swapped the Psvane Summit 6SN7 and EML Globe 45 Tube with RCA smoked grey glass 6SN7GT and RCA UX-245 (with the bulleyes plate). Yep, its only been almost 1 year since I only use the EML 45 Globe and swapping tubes confirmed my favorite tube combo is still almost all vintage RCA tubes on my Supratek (KR Audio 5U4G (the only non RCA tube), RCA 6L6GC, RCA smoked grey glass 6SN7GT, and RCA UX-245 (with the bulleyes plate)). EML 45 Globe got the resolution, but nothing beats the tonality that the old school RCA produces. Plus, this RCA combo got more subbass than the Psvane Summit 6SN7 and EML Globe 45 Tube combo and that was a pleasant surprise when I first tried it with the Tungsten. Vocals really just sound like honey to my ears lol and I don’t know how to describe it better than that. Plus the added subbass and the lower treble energy really helps my preference, especially since I got the Yamaha and the treble energy on that headphone is pretty high, so the tube combination also help that headphone as well.
Obviously with the above statement, my favorite combo with the Tungsten V2 is still the Valencia + Supratek 45 Tube Preamp, but I like it better with the old school RCA tubes. I feel pretty similar to my V1 impression on Valencia vs Allnic HPA-5000XL with the V2. I haven’t tried Allnic HPA-5000XL + Supratek, but I always get lazy with that because I have to swap the XLR cable on the Supratek input to RCA to keep the source from getting too hot. Maybe after April or something. With the sensitivity change from the V1 78db/mW to V2 80db/mW, so only 22 voltage is needed now instead of the insane 27 voltage for 115db headroom (not like I listen to that loud anyway). Most of my amps are more usable and I don’t need as much gain on my amps on the V2. I still just prefer using it on the Valencia just because it got more punch, clarity, and its the best amp to use with my Supratek preamp.
Ok, this one gets a little more cooler with the V2 and it makes it more worth getting the V2 over the V1. Future mods are going to be more cater to the most updated version. I don’t really understand why mods on the V1 works differently compare to the V2 even though they sound very similar. I read its mainly because the chassis is pretty different. V2 chassis is less flimsy compare to the V1. Headphone jack input is less deep on the V2. The biggest thing on the V2 is that drivers are replaceable because it no longer needs soldering. I wonder if that mean if there is a V3 driver if I can just get the drivers and replace it myself?
Whatever… because the headphone is essentially built different, this new mod apparently only works for the V2 version of Tungsten.
This mod is pretty slick. It was a little confusing at first, but I gotten better at putting it in and pulling it out of the pads. I was a little spoil on what it did and I kind want to see what other people had to say about them without anyone saying anything in other forum. I only tried both the fusion pads (1 hourish) and ultra perf pads (a couple of days). I got the hybrid pad, but I just don’t like that pad so I never tried it on that. On the fusion pads, the mids gotten a little more closer on what I like on the ultra perf pads on being a little more airy, clear, and vocals stands out a little more in the music. Bass still got that thump to it as I remember on the fusion pads, but didn’t think it thump harder compared to other people impression.
I swap back to the ultra perf pads and honestly, the fusion pads with the ATS clip retain a lot of good things from the ultra perf that I like but with added benefit on the bass. ATS Clip on the ultra perf though… god damn that is really good! At first, this was my impression,
“It takes why I like about the Ultra perf pad like vocals sound clarity, soundstage and separation and take it up a little better. I think vocals sounds really good with how I got the Tungsten V2 which is hex grills with ultra perf pads and now with the added ATS Clip.
At first I thought bass quantity was missing when listening to a few tracks, but I took off the clips and it was actually the subbass being less present. Bass quantity to me feels the same and like you said, it’s just less bass extension.
I always prefer the ultra perf pad, so I will probably keep using them for this mod. I still have the hybrid pads, but never really like using them. I might try them out just to see what happens, but I think ultra perf with the ATS clip might be a win for me.”
The original creator told me the trade off that he perceive it is, loss of some focus and very low subbass before I had my first impresssion with the ultra perf pads and I probably would not notice that without him pointing it out. The website does say other things and I seen people impressions elsewhere and it seems different. I wonder if the ATS clip got different effect depending on the pad and people position of the clip is different?
After a couple of days of listening to the mod and going back to ultra perf (no clip), I can say I like the ATS Clip on the ultra perf sounds like a overall level up on the ultra perf. You will get a decrease on the deep subbass, but the mids gets more clearer, more airy, soundstage sounds more open and micro details is heard a little better. It’s kinda hard going back to no clip unless you really care about the deep subbass. I always like my DCA Stealth for deep subbass even compared to Tungsten V1 with the DTR mod, so it doesn’t bother me that the Tungsten V2 is going to be missing that.
Long winded of a text wall . TLDR: V2 is only an upgrade to the V1 imo if you get the ATS Clip. Without it, very similar sounding to the base V1, just easier to drive. Old school RCA tubes with Tungsten is an extremely good combo, that is all.
. TLDR: V2 is only an upgrade to the V1 imo if you get the ATS Clip. Without it, very similar sounding to the base V1, just easier to drive. Old school RCA tubes with Tungsten is an extremely good combo, that is all.