High end Amp for Mrspeakers Ether (First gen Red)

Hello, new here and reading through, I need any help I can get. I am looking for a desktop amp/dac for Mrspeakers Ether (first gen red). I have picked up these headphones through a really good b-stock sale. Great headphones but I feel like I'm not reaching its potential. I have tried it with dragonfly red and I feel it could be better. I have paired it with Nad d1050 and for female vocals and drums, it is sublime realism but can get fatiguing also. I use the dragonfly red with andromeda IEMs and I don’t find myself needing more. I want to do the same with the Ethers. I use a mix of flac and mp3s (which I know aren't ideal).

Any experience with the following picks? My area had limited availability to audition and currently closed due to Covid. Could take a leap of faith given Ethers won’t be my last pair of headphones but some direction would help a long way. I am going for ethereal/lusher mid range sound for easy listening (vocal jazz, pop). I normally listen for 1-2 hours at a time. Sometimes critical listening, mostly to relax and unwind after work. Ideally an amp/dac combo that does it all as limited desk space but open to focusing on amp first, then pairing with dac like nad d1050 or other.

• Schiit Lyr 3
• Burson Conductor Reference 3/3X
• Woo Audio Wa7
• Woo Audio Wa8

If I have missed out on something you need to know to advise, let me know. Many thanks, kindly.

 

Don't mean any offense, I sincerely want to help.

Get a Focal Clear and a $100 amp. Will sound better than the Ethers.

 

No offense taken. Your comment did bring a new light into my thinking... that perhaps trying to alter the sound signature of one headphone with an amp to another spectrum, getting a different headphone entirely may serve a better purpose. zthis may surprise you but I did just buy that headphone on a decent sale in my country. My brother has the elears and loves it, reading and watching reviews of the clear, it does look promising and hopefully something I won't end up selling in a few months time. The amp will probably need to wait and thus sticking with nad d1050 or dragonfly red. Thanks!

 

Which country are you in?

The basic concept is this: start with the highest performance to price ratio headphone you can find. Then buy a competent amp and DAC ( shouldn't cost more than $200 total) and then spend some time listening.

Imho Dan Clark's success is largely due to Headfi marketing hype and good build quality and ergonomics. His headphones have always been mid fi performers with some of them like the Aeon Closed having the deadest dynamics of anything I've ever heard.

 

I bought a pair from this website after reading the clear professionals are just a cosmetic and accessory difference to the standard clears.

https://addictedtoaudio.com.au/products/focal-clear-professional-open-back-headphones

Thanks for the advice.

I enjoy what the ethers produce (neutral) but having contrast in sound is equally important to me so hopefully my ears don't get institutionalised.

 

You're welcome. I much prefer the Clear Pro colour scheme as well. Most Clears look disgusting after a few months due to pad and headband discoloration.

Hope you like them. Have a look at all the Golden Schlong award winners from 2016 to 2019 on SBAF, should give you a good idea of what most experienced members consider great gear.

 

Of the amps you list, I would go for the Lyr3. MrSpeakers headphones aren’t very Macrodynamic or efficient, though I think the sound is better than the general consensus on SBAF. A low impedance high current amp is pretty necessary to get much dynamic range.

 

Between the Lyr 3 and Asgard 3 as an amp only, would one be better than the other for Mrspeakers Ether and Focal Clear Pro?

 

I would just get something that can pump enough power / juice into the Ether for now. Something cheap like everyone else is saying. And I'd probably go SS in this price range.

Also, fwiw, I was fortunate enough to listen to all of the MrS headphones in 2018 in Dan's office - most of his amps were Cavalli stuff. I would have kept my EFO1.1 (and probably LCD3 too) if I had the LC sooner... but I don't want to spend $1k+ to get another EFO just b/c I have an LC now. I do think the main issue with these is synergy can be tricky.

 

BHA-1, First Watt clone w/ banana-4-pin adapter, Phonitor e, Rag 1 or 2. All of these amps will scale with better headphones down the line too.

This should have been posted in the all purpose advice thread.

 

Never heard the A3 but I’ve read that some reviewers like the Lyr3 better. As a tubephile myself, I would probably fall into that camp. I can say the Lyr3 takes off a metallic edge I hear with the clear. If I had to choose between an Ether and the Clear, it would be a pretty easy choice- Clear and mostly because Focal headphones are very dynamic with great imaging (for headphones). The Ether bass may be a little tighter and the ether detail a little better, but the Clears are more engaging.

 

Okay thanks, I'll add Cavelli Liquid to the list. Local shops don't tend to have that brand over here but there are second handed ones.

 

Thanks noted.

 

I am leaning towards schiit for ss amp purposes. I am interested in tubes and without experience, Lyr3 may be the way to go for flexibility with a single tube as it also has a ss option. Yet Asgard3 is half the price so if the sound is as good as Lyr3 for the headphones mentioned, it's a pretty big incentive as I rather spend lean than over do it. I hear the way to go from zeos on YouTube is have a good ss amp and a good tube amp for the long term go, I'm still early in my equipment discoveries...there are so many options.