[tylerindianapolis]

Hey nice setup!

Are you able to explain the sound signature of EF499 by any chance?

Maybe comparing to existing gear you have, thanks!

Thx.

Maybe the best way to explain. If I am trying to multitask while listening with this setup it becomes distracting. There is so much things going on with details it will become tiresome quicker.

If I sit the recliner back and focus on the music it is more enjoying. These have a sharpness still (less than from I remember with the Audeze lcd-x) and they have bass too.

I am trying to become detailed with the verbiage used though.

 

[Hyde00]

Thx.

Maybe the best way to explain. If I am trying to multitask while listening with this setup it becomes distracting. There is so much things going on with details it will become tiresome quicker.

If I sit the recliner back and focus on the music it is more enjoying. These have a sharpness still (less than from I remember with the Audeze lcd-x) and they have bass too.

I am trying to become detailed with the verbiage used though.

Nice, that's interesting to hear!

I thought they might want to go for a more classic R2R sound which is a bit warmer and less detailed and fuzzier.

Interesting to see they went with a different approach.

Curious to try this one day, thanks for letting us know!

 

[NewEve]

Nice, that's interesting to hear!

I thought they might want to go for a more classic R2R sound which is a bit warmer and less detailed and fuzzier.

Interesting to see they went with a different approach.

Curious to try this one day, thanks for letting us know!

Indeed, not what I expected either.

Thx.

Maybe the best way to explain. If I am trying to multitask while listening with this setup it becomes distracting. There is so much things going on with details it will become tiresome quicker.

If I sit the recliner back and focus on the music it is more enjoying. These have a sharpness still (less than from I remember with the Audeze lcd-x) and they have bass too.

I am trying to become detailed with the verbiage used though.

@tylerindianapolis Just to make sure I understand correctly, your above impressions are with the Hifiman Ayra Organic and Sennheiser HD660S2, plugged in the Schiit Midgard, using the EF499 as the DAC connected to your source?

Or was it straight from the EF499?

 

[jclyle]

deleted

 

[llysender]

Just got the EF500 as well and would like to know as well.

Still buring it in but the sound signature is like a nice mix of EF600 dry precise and serenades smooth hyped uped sound. One not that good thing is the very focused soundstage. Can be fixed with tubes but that would mean extra amps.

@Hyde00 EF500 at lest out of the box is highly detailed. Its just quite 2D sounding as expected of R2R. That being said the warm sound doesnt come at the expense of treble. If anything its pretty flat sounding but full bodied like e old class A amps.

 

[bomxtr]

For those who were wondering which chip is used in the ef499, this is the tda1543.And the characteristics are most likely indicated when using oversampling.The standard values for this chip are thd 001-003% and snr 90-96 dB.

 

[chris0815]

I think the amplification of the ef500 is its weakest attribute.
The soundstage is s lot bigger with my cayin ha-3a in direct comparison. And the bass really improves a lot. More depth, more energy, better subbass. You can litteraly feel it physically. And it definitely does not sound flat any more.
And on paper the ef500 has tons of power but it does not deliver like the cayin.
In comparison it's like torque and horse power with cars. Ef500 has enough horsepower but lacks the torque for a very dynamic experience - at least that's my experience. But as a dac I like it a lot.
I use it with R10D for female vocalists like kelly clarkson or pop aongs like tate mcrae for extra mid lows.
For classic I use my AkG K701 for perfect neutrality and authentic sounding piano and violins.
Everthing else goes to my R10P.
But all headphones will be used with himalaya dac.

 

[EitanDainn]

For those who were wondering which chip is used in the ef499, this is the tda1543.And the characteristics are most likely indicated when using oversampling.The standard values for this chip are thd 001-003% and snr 90-96 dB.

makes sense for them to use the worst 154x since it is the cheapest. my main problem is that it is not a pure r2r dac. which makes the whole r2r thing a beautifully packed lie.

to me the ad1865 would be a much smarter choice, a real r2r dac.

 

[bomxtr]

I had dacs from ad 1865 and ad1866 and I would say that this is not really my sound.A more analytical and cold feed.Philips is usually murkier, but more musical and warmer.I ordered an ef499.Let's see what it is when he arrives.Technically, 1543 is just r2r.

 

[Loftprojection]

I think the amplification of the ef500 is its weakest attribute.
The soundstage is s lot bigger with my cayin ha-3a in direct comparison. And the bass really improves a lot. More depth, more energy, better subbass. You can litteraly feel it physically. And it definitely does not sound flat any more.
And on paper the ef500 has tons of power but it does not deliver like the cayin.
In comparison it's like torque and horse power with cars. Ef500 has enough horsepower but lacks the torque for a very dynamic experience - at least that's my experience. But as a dac I like it a lot.
I use it with R10D for female vocalists like kelly clarkson or pop aongs like tate mcrae for extra mid lows.
For classic I use my AkG K701 for perfect neutrality and authentic sounding piano and violins.
Everthing else goes to my R10P.
But all headphones will be used with himalaya dac.

Have you compared it to another DAC with your ha-3a? If so would be interesting to read your feedback. Thanks.

 

[chris0815]

Hi indeed.
My journey started with my wish to go from loudspeakers to headphones. And I used my canton reference K8 together with an all-in-one AVM CS2.3. The AVM sounds very good and has excellent reviews, it's expensive and of good quality ($5000+).
The brighter hifiman headphone sound does not work with the avm. It has ess9038q2m chips.
The himalaya sound a lot less sharp and a lot less analytic as the ess9038q2m and resolution is also a bit less.
In any case the cayin ha-3a did not really improves the sound of the AVM CS2.3. AVM has excellent amplification but the dac ruined it for me with headphones.
I also use the cayin RU7 dongle with xlr cable into my cayin hp amp.
It has a perfect timbre in the mids, upper mids from my point of view Norah Jones sounds best with the RU7 in DSD64 on my R10P. Better as with the himalaya.
But it is not as good as the himalaya when music is more dense and comprehensive.

But I did not test any super expensive dacs for 1000€+.
For my ears the current setup is good enough.
A good headphone makes the biggest difference. My R10P is mostly used. It needs a dac that is not too resolving as it's on its own and a bit of energy in the bass but neutral mids.
So it fits well with himalaya and my cayon ha-3a. There is no single setup that sounds best with all songs.
As I said my old AKG K701is perfect for piano solos.

 

[Loftprojection]

Hi indeed.
My journey started with my wish to go from loudspeakers to headphones. And I used my canton reference K8 together with an all-in-one AVM CS2.3. The AVM sounds very good and has excellent reviews, it's expensive and of good quality ($5000+).
The brighter hifiman headphone sound does not work with the avm. It has ess9038q2m chips.
The himalaya sound a lot less sharp and a lot less analytic as the ess9038q2m and resolution is also a bit less.
In any case the cayin ha-3a did not really improves the sound of the AVM CS2.3. AVM has excellent amplification but the dac ruined it for me with headphones.
I also use the cayin RU7 dongle with xlr cable into my cayin hp amp.
It has a perfect timbre in the mids, upper mids from my point of view Norah Jones sounds best with the RU7 in DSD64 on my R10P. Better as with the himalaya.
But it is not as good as the himalaya when music is more dense and comprehensive.

But I did not test any super expensive dacs for 1000€+.
For my ears the current setup is good enough.
A good headphone makes the biggest difference. My R10P is mostly used. It needs a dac that is not too resolving as it's on its own and a bit of energy in the bass but neutral mids.
So it fits well with himalaya and my cayon ha-3a. There is no single setup that sounds best with all songs.
As I said my old AKG K701is perfect for piano solos.

Hey thanks for this info, very useful. I also don't like so much ESS chip based DACs, I've tried a few and was never happy after a while. My preferred DAC for the last few years is an MHDT Orchid tube NOS DAC that is in the same price bracket as the Hifiman Serenade. Since that one uses the same R2R "chip" as the EF500 I am curious at how it sounds compared to other stuff. Thanks again.

 

[chris0815]

Ef 500 has the himalaya LE, senerade has the pro version. Whatever the difference might be.

 

[tylerindianapolis]

Indeed, not what I expected either.




@tylerindianapolis Just to make sure I understand correctly, your above impressions are with the Hifiman Ayra Organic and Sennheiser HD660S2, plugged in the Schiit Midgard, using the EF499 as the DAC connected to your source?

Or was it straight from the EF499?

Ayra Organic sounds better thru the Midgard using balanced from the ef499 in NOS. The music source being usb via iOS, Windows’s or Android playing Apple Music.
-to me when I am rested and ready to listen to music I get to decide on paying attention to all the details I want and it’s clean and sounds great. If I am not rested or have too many distractions going on it becomes very much like a virtual knife stabbing my brain and making it bleed without any pity on me.

Once I became adjusted to the ayra the 660s2 feels to confined but if I have many distractions going on they do not virtually knife my brain.

I have been playing around with different inputs to the ef499 via my Wiim pro, WiFi, thru FiiO k7 and so far the best is usb via an iOS device because it is the most stable for Apple Music.

 

[chris0815]

This problem sounds like mine that I had with the He1KV2. I returned the headphone. Trebles were to bright, everything too artificial, too exhausting. Listening for 3 hours was nit enjoyable at all.
Sometimes less is more.