[Greggo]

So far I am happy with all the feedback I am reading about and I stand by my original plan to start with an Element 2, which should arrive any day now... and that I will probably buy the T1.3 at some point soon. I would not hesitate to argue against tubes for the T1.3, that makes zero sense to me for a low impedance headphone that is already being accused of having too dark of a tonal signature, with a little too much weight in the bass and maybe a little muddy in the upper bass and lower mids... I am not saying that I will agree with these characterizations, just that I am hearing similar things around the net and it reminds me of the push back on the, you guessed it, AQ Nighthawks, which I also defended on these boards numerous times as a very satisfied owner and someone with a dozen mid to high end headphones and multiple DACs and amps back in the day. I think the industry has leaned towards bright signatures for way too long now, and that most listeners on these boards mistake brightness for space and resolution, and thus have a very different listening experience through headphones than they would have in a good 2 channel hifi rig in a room with conventional loudspeakers. The Element 2 is held back by the DAC, and in that regard I would agree it is at the higher end of general entry level gear, but the amp section makes it into the mid-fi tier IMHO and with reasonably tight bass and energetic but smooth highs (if you believe the DMS review and a few others), I would argue this is exactly what the T1.3 needs for a partner. I would then look to upgrade to a nice external DAC next year and then maybe an upper tier amp after that. But I can tell you that, after owning many amps all the way up through multi-thousand dollar Cavali's in the past, I think most of it is hype. With something as easy to drive and efficient as a Focal Clear or T1.3, I could easily live with the Element 2 being fed by something like a Bifrost 2 or Ares 2, would definitely be happy long term with something like a Topping A90, and even if I had plenty of extra money would never spend more than something like a GS-X mini for around 2k. Based on what I am hearing about the T1.3 so far, I am going to predict that the best pairings are going to be mid-fi solid state amps and DACs that lean towards a tighter and more detailed sound. I am very treble sensitive so I will lean towards something like a Denafrips DAC, but I will bet the absolute sweet spot for the T1.3 for most folks will be something like a D90/A90 stack.

 

[kman1211]

Honestly these headphones pair very nicely with the Beyerdynamic Impacto Universal(which is an ESS Sabre DAC/amp unit). It adds some air but it's quite smooth and it adds some liveliness and brightness to the overall sound, the bass is tight and punchy with a lot of heft, and it adds this certain addictive quality to the sound like it did on the Amiron Home and T1.2 but the T1.3 sounds the best on it of the Beyers I tried. The headphone completely changes on it. I don't think the Schiit amps are the best match for this headphone imho in terms of synergy, they paired better with the DT 1990, Amiron Home, and T1.2. The Impacto doesn't resolve as well as my desktop system but the synergy is simply better. The Lyr 3/Bifrost 2 combo is simply too mellow, these need a lively yet smooth system/amp imho. May need to reconsider my entire headphone system or at least the amp.

 

[Greggo]

Honestly these headphones pair very nicely with the Beyerdynamic Impacto Universal(which is an ESS Sabre DAC/amp unit). It adds some air but it's quite smooth and it adds some liveliness and brightness to the overall sound, the bass is tight and punchy with a lot of heft, and it adds this certain addictive quality to the sound like it did on the Amiron Home and T1.2 but the T1.3 sounds the best on it of the Beyers I tried. The headphone completely changes on it. I don't think the Schiit amps are the best match for this headphone imho in terms of synergy, they paired better with the DT 1990, Amiron Home, and T1.2. The Impacto doesn't resolve as well as my desktop system but the synergy is simply better. The Lyr 3/Bifrost 2 combo is simply too mellow, these need a lively yet smooth system/amp imho. May need to reconsider my entire headphone system or at least the amp.

That makes perfect sense to me, and is consistent with much of the feedback I have read from experienced headphone addicts. I have the DT1990 but gave it to my son because the treble was just too much for me, and while I don't own any Schiit gear as of yet, I did hear my DT1990 on a Bifrost/Asgard rig and felt that it helped a little. On my portable Meridian Explorer it was a mess, and on my mid level pro audio gear it was just too fatiguing for me even though I do think the DT1990 makes a great studio monitor/mixing tool for most folks with that kind of need/application. I really regret selling my Nighthawks, so I am hoping I can feel better about my fresh start in this hobby when I pick up the T1.3 and/or the T5

I wonder if anyone has tried the T1.3 with a GS-X mini, I would think that would be a killer pairing.

 

[lexterminator]

Honestly these headphones pair very nicely with the Beyerdynamic Impacto Universal(which is an ESS Sabre DAC/amp unit). It adds some air but it's quite smooth and it adds some liveliness and brightness to the overall sound, the bass is tight and punchy with a lot of heft, and it adds this certain addictive quality to the sound like it did on the Amiron Home and T1.2 but the T1.3 sounds the best on it of the Beyers I tried. The headphone completely changes on it. I don't think the Schiit amps are the best match for this headphone imho in terms of synergy, they paired better with the DT 1990, Amiron Home, and T1.2. It doesn't resolve as well as my desktop system but the synergy is simply better. The Lyr 3/Bifrost 2 combo is simply too mellow, these need a lively yet smooth system/amp imho. May need to reconsider my entire headphone system or at least the amp.

Thanks for the feedback ! I really liked the pairing of the Violectric V100\V200 with T1.1, T1.2, T5.2, AKT1P, AKT5.1P that I have had so far. Teac UD-505 and SMSL M300MKII DACs both pair well with Violectric and Beyerdynamic at least for my taste. The T1.1 are by far the ones I prefer and use everyday... I ended up selling the T1.2 and the T5.2. I kept the AKT1P due to its 32ohm and easier to listen on lesser good recordings. I recently put a Nordost SPM Reference XLR between the amp and DAC and it definetly helped the AKT1P to be brighter. The AKT1P is quite darker and bassier than the T1.1. I don't think anyone tested the AKT1P vs T1.3 yet, I would be interested in such feedback. I would think they sound quite similar. I really doubt the T1.3 would be brighter unless the extra foam inserts would get removed. If I ever buy some T1.3 I will post impressions.

 

[SSL443]

So far I am happy with all the feedback I am reading about and I stand by my original plan to start with an Element 2, which should arrive any day now... and that I will probably buy the T1.3 at some point soon. I would not hesitate to argue against tubes for the T1.3, that makes zero sense to me for a low impedance headphone that is already being accused of having too dark of a tonal signature, with a little too much weight in the bass and maybe a little muddy in the upper bass and lower mids...

Seems like everyone missed what I actually said and instead jumped to what they expected to read.

I recommended caution with *entry-level* solid state. I did not categorically declare tubes to be better for the T1 gen 3, or suggest that solid state should be avoided. Although, the mischaracterization of tubes as necesarilly warm or rolled off is a bit sad to see on an audio forum. Note, output impedance is a non-issue with hybrid designs.

The main issue is even though the T1 gen 3 leans dark, the treble still has some peaks and will be very transparent to any glare, grain, or edge from upstream. You really need something clean, but not overly soft or blurred over.

The Element is an entry level DAC/amp at a mid-fi price point. You're leaving performance on the table with the T1, even if you don't find it to sound terrible.

 

[Greggo]

Seems like everyone missed what I actually said and instead jumped to what they expected to read.

I recommended caution with *entry-level* solid state. I did not categorically declare tubes to be better for the T1 gen 3, or suggest that solid state should be avoided. Although, the mischaracterization of tubes as necesarilly warm or rolled off is a bit sad to see on an audio forum. Note, output impedance is a non-issue with hybrid designs.

The main issue is even though the T1 gen 3 leans dark, the treble still has some peaks and will be very transparent to any glare, grain, or edge from upstream. You really need something clean, but not overly soft or blurred over.

The Element is an entry level DAC/amp at a mid-fi price point. You're leaving performance on the table with the T1, even if you don't find it to sound terrible.

Fair enough, those are all good points that I would tend to agree with. I am hoping that you are right about the T1.3 having more to offer than the Element II can bring out, and at some point as I slowly build up my collection/rig and hear more of what's new I will definitely be upgrading. I just wanted to start at a point that, for me, gives me a level of performance that meets my own definition of mid-fi and is at a level that I am comfortable living with for the next 6-12 months.

 

[yeboyi]

Seems like everyone missed what I actually said and instead jumped to what they expected to read.

I recommended caution with *entry-level* solid state. I did not categorically declare tubes to be better for the T1 gen 3, or suggest that solid state should be avoided. Although, the mischaracterization of tubes as necesarilly warm or rolled off is a bit sad to see on an audio forum. Note, output impedance is a non-issue with hybrid designs.

The main issue is even though the T1 gen 3 leans dark, the treble still has some peaks and will be very transparent to any glare, grain, or edge from upstream. You really need something clean, but not overly soft or blurred over.

The Element is an entry level DAC/amp at a mid-fi price point. You're leaving performance on the table with the T1, even if you don't find it to sound terrible.

Any solid state amp recommendation ? I need one for Ananda and possible T1.3 or maybe T1.2

 

[cfranchi]

Do you think Chord Mojo would be a good pairing with T1.3 ?

 

[Arcamera]

010032 checking in

Right off the bat, I like them a lot. They're just what I expected: still that precise Beyer sound/style, but smoothed out top end. Really nice.

 

[kman1211]

010032 checking in

Right off the bat, I like them a lot. They're just what I expected: still that precise Beyer sound/style, but smoothed out top end. Really nice.

Glad you're enjoying them. I have 100004 on mine. I wonder why some start with 1 and others start with 01 on the serial number.

Seems like everyone missed what I actually said and instead jumped to what they expected to read.

I recommended caution with *entry-level* solid state. I did not categorically declare tubes to be better for the T1 gen 3, or suggest that solid state should be avoided. Although, the mischaracterization of tubes as necesarilly warm or rolled off is a bit sad to see on an audio forum. Note, output impedance is a non-issue with hybrid designs.

The main issue is even though the T1 gen 3 leans dark, the treble still has some peaks and will be very transparent to any glare, grain, or edge from upstream. You really need something clean, but not overly soft or blurred over.

The Element is an entry level DAC/amp at a mid-fi price point. You're leaving performance on the table with the T1, even if you don't find it to sound terrible.

Sadly it is a problem people seem to forget about hybrids with tubes and also the prevalent notion that tubes equals warm, slow, dark is still common. Just as many tubes are brighter, extended, tight, and/or energetic. While for example I do like the Impacto's synergy it's quite obvious it's fidelity isn't up to bringing out the best the T1.3 and the Lyr 3 still gets most of my listening due to the fidelity increase.

One thing I have noticed with the T1.3 is like the T1.2 they take a good while to fully break-in. Some of it's pads, reduction of clamp, brain-adjustment, driver, etc. but some reason it takes these headphones like 3-4 weeks of moderate to heavy use for them to fully break in my experience.

 

[CTR640]

@kman1211
So you own the Amiron Home too, right? How does the T1.3 compare to it? Bassier than the A.Home? What about the treble and sibilance?
Do they sound different from each?

Oddly enough the T5.3 topic looks dead.

 

[kman1211]

@kman1211
So you own the Amiron Home too, right? How does the T1.3 compare to it? Bassier than the A.Home? What about the treble and sibilance?
Do they sound different from each?

Oddly enough the T5.3 topic looks dead.

Don’t have the Amiron Home anymore, it competed too much with the T1.2. The T1.3 has notably more bass heft and impact. The Amiron Home has more treble, it’s a bit sharper and more sibilant than the T1.3. They are very different. The Amiron Home is more akin to the T1.2 in sound signature. I do want to hear more about the T5.3, maybe eventually I’ll consider one.

 

[Arcamera]

Now listening to the German jazz-rock of Passport-- sweet! Really loving the tuning of this headphone. This is the way the T1 should have sounded originally, for my ears at least. (Even though Beyer's have tended to be a little too bright for my tastes, nonetheless I've still liked them for their otherwise virtues for a while now, since the DT880. This T1.3 though is an unqualified winner).

 

[rasmushorn]

Oddly enough the T5.3 topic looks dead.

There are now new impressions on T5 in the T5.3-thread.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/beyerdynamic-t5-3rd-generation.940660/post-15897694

I still like the T1.3 more and I would recommend anyone to go for the T1.3 if you do not need a closed headphone.

 

[Terriero]

Not sure why this thread has devolved into nothing more than justifying and rationalizing the product under discussion. I think there have been about a 200 posts to the effect of "give the headphone time" at this point.

Why not cover music or gear synergies? Talk about the sound in more detail, what the headphone does well, does not do well. This endless lament about how Beyer is controversial and misunderstood really has no value in the scheme of things, unless you're so insecure as to worry about liking something panned by a select few.

I think that the most important thing to comment about these HPs is to give them time. Why? Because if you try them with a few songs that you love and know perfectly (thats what I do with all my new cans, and with T1 v3), at first you are not going to appreciate them and think in returning them (I think that even Kman, that loves Beyer HPs, had this thought)... When I put a full album and let these HPs sing, was when I started to appreciate it's particular tuning and starting to love them.