songmic's DAC/amp/headphone shootout

Eddie current didn't.

 

That's high praise for the Jotunheim.

My Ragnarok was hampered by "dirty power", but in full flight, I really loved it with the HD800 and HD650.

Care to elaborate on what elevates the Jot just above the Rok?

 

@songmic

Very nice write-up!

It's funny that you ended up with SBAF + SD-mod as well because that's exactly what I've been doing. It's a great combo.

 

I didn't regret selling my ZDSE. The ZDS, on the other hand, is a different story.

I didn't like the HD800 with Rag. The Rag seems a bit more fuller bodied and has a slightly wider soundstage, but the Jot edges Rag out in transparency and detail.

Well I ended up selling all HD800(S)'s along with all mods. But if I had to keep an HD800(S), it would be HD800 with both of those mods.

 

Just because I'm an evil person I'm going to say that if you had tried the modded HD800 with a copper cable it would have completely changed your experience

 

In fact I did use a copper cable, a Norne Draug v2. I still have it around although I haven't decided whether to sell or reterminate it for another headphone.

 

@songmic

Interesting. So what did you end up going with in the end? Yggdrasil + Studio + HD650? I can see that being a very good combo.

And the HD650 does scale amazingly well, I don't think I know another headphone on this planet which scales like HD6X0. But I still think the modded HD800 is very special myself.

 

Yes, AES16e/Yggdrasil/Studio/HD650 (modded and driven balanced). I recently got a balanced cable for HD650 because I suck at DIY and have been using it since. Never has the HD650 sounded better, and I don't think I've ever heard a headphone system that surpasses this, not even Orpheus, BHSE/SR-007, LAu/Abyss, ZDS/HD800, etc. I think the only way to move forward from here is to swap in better tubes, or upgrade to something like the Utopia. Then again, I'm not sure if I'll like the tonality of Studio/Utopia as much as I like Studio/HD650.

But I should also point out that Jot/HD650 is also ridiculously good for its price, too good to be true. Not quite there with Studio/HD650 in terms of resolution and soundstage, but I daresay 80-90% there.

 

Sounds like a one hell of a combo, I must say I'm intrigued by the AES16e interface. Maybe I'll try it one of these days.

But you should be happy I guess, seems like you've found your ultimate dream system at a relatively young age.

Will be interesting to hear what you make of the Utopia later as well.

 

Well, all of this was possible because I'm young AND unmarried. No family responsibility or WAF for me... yet.

 

PART II: UTOPIA ENTERS THE FRAY

It all happened less than a week ago, after I posted the same impressions at a Korean headphile community which I rarely frequent. Unfortunately, Eddie Current amps are virtually unknown in this part of the world and only a few have ever heard it here. In fact, I believe I'm the only ZDS and Studio owner in Korea. The chap I sold my ZDSE to in Seoul several years ago has apparently brought it with him to Saudi Arabia, so only 2 EC amps in the country at this moment, sitting next to each other on my little desk.

Then a guy--who's quite well known in the Korean headphile community, I guess equivalent to the Messiah or Ayatollah in a way--noticed my Studio and contacted me. I actually met him a couple times in the past at mini-meets a few years ago, and he recently gained attention for being one of the earliest owners of Utopia in Korea and posting what is probably the first Korean review on it. Utopia was officially launched in Korea for sale this week, but he managed to get one in his hands long before that... somehow.

Bottom line is, I don't know where or how he heard about the Studio (his English is not very good) but he recognized it as an amp he has been dying to hear, and he happened to have the Utopia which I was dying to hear as well. Well, I did hear Utopia on 2 separate occasions, but they were fed from a mediocre amp so I had no idea what they were really capable of. So we arranged a secret mini-meet just between the two of us, he came over to my place earlier today and... what a blast we had!

It hasn't been a long meet, but this mini-meet of ours was simply the best meet I've ever had in terms of sound quality. Again, I'll try to keep my impressions brief, but I'm not sure if I can.

He brought a few other cans, but the highlight of the show were my modded HD650 and his Utopia. No other headphones stood a chance. To make life easier, I'll narrow things down to 3 combinations:

SH (Studio/HD650)
ZU (ZDS/Utopia)
SU (Studio/Utopia)

I'm not going to mention ZH (ZDS/HD650) because while this is arguably the 2nd best HD650 setup I've heard, it clearly falls short of the above 3 combos which are all ridiculously TOTL in their own ways.

They were all fed from my Lynx AES16e/Schiit Yggdrasil.

Also, it should be noted that while my modded HD650 was driven balanced from Studio, we only had the stock Utopia cable and could not drive it balanced. All my impressions of SU are strictly based on Utopia driven from the SE output. Since I noticed a clear improvement moving from SE out to balanced out of Studio with my HD650, I'm pretty sure Utopia would too. So, keep in mind that that the SU was somewhat "gimped" and that the HD650 had an unfair advantage here. If I buy a Utopia someday, I would most likely acquire a balanced cable for it too.

1. SH

This is my current reference rig. The best HD650 has ever sounded, period. Perfect tonality, incredible resolution, very smooth treble and a terrific genre master. Really makes you appreciate what a TOTL performance this measly $300 set of cans is capable of. Maybe a hair or two behind Studio/HD800(S) in terms of imaging/detail/soundstage, but once you get past a point it really doesn't matter anymore. Besides, the Studio/HD800(S) is unbearably overwhelming to my ears, I can't listen to it for more than 30 minutes. In a way, the SH reminds me of the best electrostat setup I've owned, which was the BHSE/SR-007MK1. Both BHSE and Studio are amps that provide a very transparent and clear window to your source while adding as little coloration to the overall sound as possible, and maximizing the performance of the headphone at the same time. Both SR-007MK1 and HD650 are headphones that scale extremely high, may fall a bit short in technicalities compared to their bigger brothers (SR-009 and HD800 respectively) but has a much more natural, forgiving and genre-friendly tonality. The only difference is that SH is far more dynamic and resolves much better than BHSE/SR-007MK1, which sounds too ethereal and thin in comparison. Honestly, I could live with SH and be perfectly happy. It was only curiosity that got me to audition the Utopia. I'll use the SH as a reference to describe the other 2 combos: ZU and SU.

2. ZU

This is an interesting comparison. SH has an advantage in the amp whlie ZU has an advantage in the headphone. Like SH, ZU is a genre master too, but in a different way. The HD650 is usually considered a warm headphone; modding it makes it a bit less warm but still somewhat warmer than neutral. And I do prefer slightly warm compared to dead neutral. However, I wouldn't call the SH warm at all, it is actually very neutral but maybe very slightly warm in the fact that it has a very smooth treble. I think Utopia is supposed to be a less warm, more neutral sounding than HD650, but overall ZU is warmer than SH and also more romantic sounding with an emphasis in the mids and presence region. This is attributable to the characteristic of ZDS, which is what I liked about this amp. In a way, the ZU sort of reminds me of ZDS/HD800, but far more natural and listenable. So SH is more neutral but laid-back and has a smoother treble, while ZU is warmer, more romantic, intimate sounding and would be wonderful particularly with female vocals.

The ZU is also more transparent than SH. While I don't consider SH veiled anymore, it does sound a bit veiled and grainy compared to ZU, although not by much. As for resolution, the SH was a step or two ahead. Yep, the HD650 resolved better than Utopia in this particular case. Also, the SH had a noticeably wider and deeper soundstage than ZU. In overall terms of technicalities, I say the SH was superior to ZU although both are excellent in this regard.

But technicalities isn't everything, if it were, why wouldn't I be using the Studio/HD800(S) right now? I understand why Marv said ZDS and Utopia has a perfect synergy. The Utopia is a neutral sounding headphone but could sound bright to some people. With the warmth of the ZDS, they make a terrific combo. Ultimately, I didn't feel that ZU was inferior to SH at all. I'm sure many people, especially those who listen mostly to female vocals, would prefer the ZU to SH. Although neither HD650 nor Utopia are headphones that try to impress you by drawing your attention, the ZDS is. The ZU has a greater initial "WOW" factor than SH does. It's just that for me, who listen to a wide array of genres, the SH will serve me better in the long run.

3. SU

Okay, this was a rather difficult combination to evaluate. While the Utopia owner said this is a genre master too, I did not agree with him. Although the SU was nowhere as unlistenable as Studio/HD800(S), it was a hair bright for my tastes. But only a hair, it still worked well with nearly 90% of my music collection, whereas Studio/HD800 was 70-80% at best.

Compared to SH, the treble wasn't as smooth but overall the music sounded very natural, and most importantly, coherent. This level of coherence and "rightness" was something we could not hear in neither SH nor ZU. It was the most transparent sounding combo of the three, and if memory serves, more transparent than Studio/HD800. I would say the SU is equal to SH in terms of resolving capabilities, but maybe less so than Studio/HD800. The SH had a slightly larger and more holographic soundstage, with the SU being a bit more intimate (but still laid-back compared to the most intimate sounding ZU).

Overall, the SU was quite different from what SH and ZU had to offer. Surprisingly, in contrast to my expectations, I didn't think that the SU was vastly superior to either SH or ZU. Each have its strengths and weaknesses, and will ultimately boil down to each person's preference toward music. But one thing's for sure: the SU will make one hell of a complement to the SH. Or, if own SU, just get a used HD650 for cheap, mod it, and you're done for good.

But who knows? Like I said, the Utopia was driven from Studio's SE output in our meet. I wonder how much of Utopia's last potential could be squeezed out with a balanced connection. Most Utopia owners I've seen have paired theirs from SE amps, and I'm not sure if Utopia is one of those headphones that benefit greatly from going balanced. I say the Utopia doesn't scale as high as the HD650, but that's probably because Utopia already has a very high baseline performance from the start.

So, to put things simply,

Transparency: SU > ZU > SH
Resolution: SU = SH > ZU
Imaging: SU > SH > ZU
Soundstage: SH > SU > ZU
Intimacy: ZU > SU > SH
Warmth: ZU > SH > SU
Tonality (highly subjective): SH > ZU > SU
Naturality/coherence: SU > SH > ZU

But seriously, all 3 are exceptionally good, too good to be true. I'm not sure if this comparison is really meaningful. Just because the SH is 3rd place in transparency does not mean it's veiled, in fact it's f'ing transparent and probably clearer sounding than over 95% of all so-called TOTL rigs out there. Likewise, it does not mean that ZU sucks at resolution and soundstage, it's phenomenal as a matter of fact. At this end-game point, such comparisons in regard to technicalities may have little meaning. Your subjective preference will play a greater roll in choosing what's best for you.

On a side note, my Jotun did no favors to the Utopia. Both of us preferred HD650 with the Jotun behind the wheels. Again, Jotun/HD650 is a killer combo that is impossible to beat at sub-$1K.

 

Excellent write up! So now the question that I am sure that everyone is wondering, will you be picking up a Utopia to compliment SH or just staying with SH?

 

@songmic

Fantastic comparison. Another thing to consider is that if the SU combination was slighty too bright for your tastes it might be possible to change that by using a different DAC, different cables or possibly even the Elear pads instead of the Utopia pads. Or it might change if you just drive them ballanced, who knows.

That's the difficult thing when you get to this level I suppose... you can't just evaluate single components anymore. You have to evaluate systems against systems.

Of course - no one would think any less of you if you just stayed with SH and called it a day... end game rig for sure. And I can understand that the synergy with Yggdrasil + Studio + HD650 is really good. The HD650 comes alive with fast and and transparent dacs and amps, it does not like warm or slow gear.

 

Haha, difficult question but here is what I think.

First of all, I don't think I'll be changing my DAC, at least not for a while. I know I got a bit carried away by the Pagoda Balanced for a while, but at the end of the day, Yggdrasil is still the king of the hill. I believe I bought Yggdrasil before Gungnir Multibit was released; if I had waited a bit, I might have opted for Gungnir Multibit with its cheaper price, 90% of Yggdrasil's performance and more forgiving signature, but I just don't want to go through the trouble of selling Yggdrasil and buying Gungnir Multibit. Maybe, if another used SFD-2 MKII pops up in the market, I'll snatch it in the blink of an eye and have it SE+ modded by pcX... but other than that, nah.

I actually did think of using Elear pads with the Utopia, the only problem was I didn't have them. Honestly, I think I didn't do Utopia justice with today's meet, Marv did say use Elear pads with Utopia if I find it to lean on Studio, which is kind of what I felt. And not having a balanced cable... ouch.

I want to give Utopia another chance. Maybe I'll persuade the Utopia owner to get Elear pads, a balanced cable (sadly he currently owns an SE amp and I'll have a hard time convincing him) and give it a fair chance. Me buying my own Utopia isn't gonna happen for a long time, I may not have a family to feed but I'm still seriously broke now. I hope Utopia's price drops in the next few years, or I stumble upon a used one at a good price.

So, until I get a chance to evaluate Utopia properly, the Studio/HD650 stays. Based on today's listening, I wasn't entirely compelled to upgrade from HD650 to Utopia for $4K, as it won't really be an upgrade but more of a sidegrade and I'll still be holding onto my HD650 for listening to a wider range of genre. The HD650 has less faults than Utopia for sure.

Haha, I'm not doing this hobby because I'm concerned about what people would think of me, but purely for my own enjoyment and sharing that enjoyment with others. But I'm not gonna deny, it would feel good owning the best DAC (Yggdrasil), amp (Studio), and headphone (Utopia) in the world and I would have something to brag about. As for synergy, the Studio/HD650 and ZDS/Utopia exhibits much greater synergy than Studio/Utopia. The reason the Studio/Utopia doesn't fall behind despite not being as synergistic as the other two is because the two gears are already TOTL by themselves they have little to scale each other.

Unless the Elear pad-modded Utopia with balanced cable beats the tonality and soundstage of HD650 (I personally consider tonality and soundstage very important, so I may be biased... YMMV), the HD650 will always stay with me.

Oh, and without spoiling anything, there'll probably be a PART 3 with a few new, pleasant surprises. It won't be another mini-meet like PART 2 but done all by myself. Won't be as big, as by then my rig will have been noticeably downsized. No promises, though.

 

@songmic Great write up! I'm really tempted now to pick up an Yggdrasil and ZDS with the funds I have set aside for Utopia. My current setup is Mojo + Liquid Carbon + (stock) HD650.

 

The Yggdrasil would be such an upgrade over the Mojo that it's not even funny. I would change out the Mojo before you do anything else with your chain. In fact - Yggdrasil + Liquid Carbon + HD650 should be quite good.. you might not need the ZDS.

 

@zerodeefex

Don't get me wrong, I understand the ZDS is on another level. But you just can't build a high-end system with the Mojo... so I'd upgrade the DAC first. That's all I'm saying.

 

SFD MKII now on sale on partxconnection.