It’s so nice to see how these three TOTL amps take a different approach that is so clearly evident in all of the choices their makers made and their origin:
the German - utalitarian, compact and dense, full of features and just an engineering prowess
the Italian - a bit egocentric, big and powerful and it knows it, wants everyone to know it’s here and what it can do, always reminds you of its existence but it’s Italian after all - so it has a soft touch to it that makes you feel warm and fuzzy
the Japanese - simple but in a good way, honest and light, does one thing but does it to perfection, and with humility to not stand in your way of anything
Not too happy with the current synergy in my chain:
K50 → Tubulus concentus V2 i2s → WD Sig → DHC Chimera → MK465 → DHC Prion4 → Susvara
It’s a little bit too intense (forgive me for not figuring out yet the audiophile terms that’ll fit here) and I think AIC10 fits better with its characteristics in the current system.
Everything around AIC was intentionally picked with a bit more bite (Sus, Prion4, Wavedream) and K50 is intentionally inoffensive and organic/natural.
I’m going to explore switching the HP cable first (first attempt is probably a DHC Chimera on loan) and then try another DAC since those are what I associate most with the presentation I’m hearing too much of.
If I’m remembering correctly, it’s not a balanced cable. So, it might not perform best on what you have (I’m assuming balanced is better for the equipment you have).
You have a pretty substantial system imo. I would at least aim for prion4 level or more. In case of the brise, that would be the yatono. But since the Japanese yen is low in value right now, the orochi would be the better value. The shirogane isn’t a custom one so you’ll have to pay a price I bet you’re not willing to pay for lol.
Orochi is custom so you would have to go through a ticket ordering process. Send them an email for the exact price and appropriate links.
Shirogane for headphones is available but only fanboys get the private link lol. But I don’t mind sharing it since this isn’t your typical public forum. It’s just shy of $4k btw.
The shirogane and orochi should be very similar in level so pick according to your preference. According to brise, they tuned the orochi to be as balanced as can be while the shirogane has more high frequency character and color. Because of that, the low frequency on the shirogane may be a tad more reserved than orochi.
I haven’t heard shirogane but I do have orochi which I think is spot-on balanced with confidence and boldness in the low frequency range. I think it’s a great cable.
Other than the cables i guess the biggest thing to swap would be the WD Sig? Do you still have the MA3 and the SWX? Maybe the tube DAC will relax the presentation?
I shipped out SW1X yesterday. Will share impressions of it a little later. I couldn’t tube roll it so it wasn’t a perfect audition and it was set to quite natural neutral presentation.
Will test MA3 with 465 later tonight and the following days. Just need to move some stuff around.
Today my system sounded perfect. Replaced the Prion4 with Chimera and everything clicked between my ears today (could be that I’m at the exact right amount of THC for audio enjoyment lol).
K50 → tubulus i2s → Wavedream Sig → DHC Chimera XLRs → MK465 → DHC Chimera HP cable → Susvara
It just sounded excellent at all levels and with all genres. I moved through my test playlist and found myself dive much more into every song than usual, just enjoying the music and not moving quickly between songs to check a few more things…
465/Chimera brought back to the bass something I felt only WA33 has done before with Susvara, added stage size, heft and decay…
It was so easy to imagine myself in the room with the artists today, perfect realism and timbre.
I’d say 465 is like Adderall and AIC10 is more like MDMA. They both give you a crazy good time but one is more focused and locked in and and the other is more fun and seductive. With 465 I feel like I’m really focused on the technical capabilities, to a point where the gear is a little in the way. With AIC it’s more about just pure enjoyment even if it’s not the most neutral.
My current preferences probably lean towards AIC, there’s something about the sound that just sits right for me. 465 is crazy good, very energetic and resolving, probably the most detailed amp I’ve heard. Also very transparent to the chain (more than AIC).
I’m not posting a WTS for it but if you’re interested in one of only 20 amps in existence, hit me up for details.
I’ve had them here separately but Tungsten is closer to Susvara than MR in sound from memory. It’s definitely bigger sounding than MR. Can’t really compare warmth from memory but they are both a little warmer than neutral.
Tungsten is very very hard to drive so you have to make sure you have the right amplification for it.
I’d say MR with suede pads are more comfortable and the build quality is better. Tungsten feels like it’s 3d printed (it is).
Tungsten is the value for money king right now and rightfully so. Depending on what you’re looking for either can be an excellent pick.
Easy buy at that price. What sale are they having on it? Didn’t see anything on their website for it.
Awesome. When you say close to Sus do you mean signature or technicalities? And did you use the single or double? I think I would go single sided. Do you think the MJ3 would push the single? I’ve heard from some it can and others no.
If you’re a sonic rewards member there’s a code for 15% off and I have some headphones gift cards to bring the price down more. You earn points as a sonic member and can redeem them for gift cards.
I tried the double sided and it’s supposed to be easier to drive and not as warm as single sided. No idea about MJ3 but there’s a big telegram chat you can ask over there (or Ryan directly).
It was close both on signature and technicalities but not close enough if you like Sus and have a good chain for it. It’s definitely in the TOTL realm, I’d say similar to D8KP and its tier (all of this is the double sided).
I tested the SS on MJ3 and wrote up the following comparison. It’s fine but you can do better with the Tungsten. I now have DS so will be able to test that as well. Maybe we should move this over to the MJ3 thread since this is getting a bit off topic from orrman’s experiences
MJ3 vs Tyrs, tungsten SS stock hybrid pads no mods and stock cable
Both are good. I am feeding MJ3 with a 2V source via RCA and feel like I might run out of volume even in high gain but would have to be one of those high dynamic range classical recordings which I don’t listen to much of. Tyrs have infinite headroom, I’m at -30 on the serene which maxes out at +7.
MJ3 is warm and smooth. Compared to the Tyrs it feels a bit dark in the top end and lacking grip in bassy parts of the music. But the stage is nice and wide and sound is fairly detailed, it just doesn’t present resolution in a forward way like the Tyrs can do. It sounds laid back basically.
Tyrs are more forward but not in a harsh way. They present instruments and vocals in a larger more full way. They are faster and have more top end extension. It sounds more alive and energetic. Can also hear the decay and size of the room more clearly. Everything has more space around it
