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Holo Audio Bliss
Dec 1, 2022 at 3:23 AM Post #467 of 3,298
Derek Dean said:
I'm curious. Does a piece of gear like Bliss need a certain amount of burn-in time to reach it's maximum potential?
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Here's the Spring 3 burn-in progress chart (source: internet):
1669882987885.png
 
Dec 1, 2022 at 7:53 AM Post #474 of 3,298
incredulousity said:
This picture is a joke, right? Love it!

Though I know May/Spring take 500 hours. Amps will likely take less time than that.
Click to expand...
I own May for 1.5 years now and I swear it still burns in ...
 
Dec 1, 2022 at 10:09 AM Post #475 of 3,298
BobWrights said:
Is there anyone out there who can compare the Holo Bliss to the Enleum AMP-23R?

EDIT: Headphone outputs only, of course. For reference, I am using the Susvaras, AMP-23R, and a Holo May lvl 2.
Click to expand...
This would be interesting as well. I have never heard Enleum, but it keeps popping up.
 
Dec 1, 2022 at 11:17 AM Post #477 of 3,298
Just wrote Magnahifi if they could upload the manual PDF on their website. Someone from US could also email their dealer. Or maybe pics from manual? :)
 
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Dec 1, 2022 at 11:40 AM Post #478 of 3,298
Very early impressions, less than 5 hours of use, mostly comparing with Burson Soloist GT. I no longer have a Susvara, so I will be using other headphones in my comparison.

Some notes about me:
  • I'm going to be saying things like, "a bit," and, "a little," a lot in my comparisons in these impressions. All these "little" differences add up to a lot, though.
  • Primarily using "electronic music" as my preferred genre of choice.
  • I love closer, engaging, dynamic driver headphones more than planar. In fact, I don't have any planars. Sorry / not sorry.
  • I'm not some famous audio reviewer, nor am I super proficient in technicalities of amplifiers and their innards. I'm just some guy who started this hobby 2 years ago.
General:
  • Bliss has a big footprint on the desk, but I knew this going into the Bliss. Soloist has a more compact design and a nice stand to turn it vertically to save desk space.
  • Bliss's volume knob is extremely gratifying to use. This knob should be considered a "feature" on its own.
    • They could literally sell the knob as a stand-alone toy and I'd buy one for myself and more as Christmas gifts for my family.
  • In comparisons, I would say Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE is to the Holo Audio May KTE as Burson Soloist GT is to the Holo Audio Bliss.
  • This is probably the last headphone amp I'll buy.
    • I say "probably" because I said that about the Soloist GT, too, and here we are.

ZMF Verite Open:
  • My only Bliss criticism: The 4.4mm headphone out seems to elevate the bass a little, a little blurry with some tracks. Wonder if other Bliss owners will experience the same.
  • Bliss's headphone XLR out is nice. Feels more 'in control' with the XLR out. Going to probably use XLR out primarily, but maybe once in a while will switch to 4.4mm out.
  • Staying on XLR out for the rest of these impressions. ZMF Verite Open & Bliss sound is simply fantastic. Clear and not fatiguing at all. Has a little bit more control, cleanliness, and "realism" than Soloist GT did. It's certainly not night and day, though. Incremental. One could be absolutely happy with the Soloist GT as their end-game headphone amplifier and stop their audio journey for amps due to diminshing returns.
  • Volume was at Low Z, -30 db by default, and it is a nice, comfortable place to stay at for these headphones honestly. Going to -20 db, volume becomes a bit too much and you have to go back down. Even -28 db as me reaching to my volume knob to bring it down to -30.
  • It does not do what tube amps do to music, so there will still be room in one's collection for a tube amp for that type of sound.
Sennheiser 560s - Standard headphone out:
  • Bliss is more realistic than Soloist GT, adds a bit more resolution/detail to drums, but Soloist GT worked very well with the 560s and was no slouch, either. Edge barely goes to the Bliss.
HarmonicDyne Zeus - XLR out
  • Easier to drive than the Verite Open, I had to turn volume down to -40 db.
  • Just a wonderful headphone experience, glad I haven't sold these headphones. Everything is just a bit faster on the Bliss than the Soloist GT. "Snappier" is probably the word GoldenSound would use.
  • Bliss gives a little more "verticality" and "soundstage" on these than the the Soloist GT.
Focal Elex - XLR out
  • These are pretty much the same on these two amplifiers as far as my hearing goes. Maybe 1-2% faster highs/treble on Bliss, really hard to tell, though.
Sennheiser 650 - XLR out
  • For some reason I never really liked how the Soloist GT drove these, and only kept these headphones to use on tubes.
  • Harder to drive, turning these up to -27 ~ -25 db.
  • Just a wonderful experience with the 650 & Bliss. Preferred Bliss over Soloist GT.
 
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Dec 1, 2022 at 11:52 AM Post #479 of 3,298
Xevv said:
Very early impressions, less than 5 hours of use, mostly comparing with Burson Soloist GT. I no longer have a Susvara, so I will be using other headphones in my comparison.

Some notes about me:
  • I'm going to be saying things like, "a bit," and, "a little," a lot in my comparisons in these impressions. All these "little" differences add up to a lot, though.
  • Primarily using "electronic music" as my preferred genre of choice.
  • I love closer, engaging, dynamic driver headphones more than planar. In fact, I don't have any planars. Sorry / not sorry.
  • I'm not some famous audio reviewer, nor am I super proficient in technicalities of amplifiers and their innards. I'm just some guy who started this hobby 2 years ago.
General:
  • Bliss has a big footprint on the desk, but I knew this going into the Bliss. Soloist has a more compact design and a nice stand to turn it vertically to save desk space.
  • Bliss's volume knob is extremely gratifying to use. This knob should be considered a "feature" on its own.
    • They could literally sell the knob as a stand-alone toy and I'd buy one for myself and more as Christmas gifts for my family.
  • In comparisons, I would say Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE is to the Holo Audio May KTE as Burson Soloist GT is to the Holo Audio Bliss.
  • This is probably the last headphone amp I'll buy.
    • I say "probably" because I said that about the Soloist GT, too, and here we are.

ZMF Verite Open:
  • My only Bliss criticism: The 4.4mm headphone out seems to elevate the bass a little, a little blurry with some tracks. Wonder if other Bliss owners will experience the same.
  • Bliss's headphone XLR out is nice. Feels more 'in control' with the XLR out. Going to probably use XLR out primarily, but maybe once in a while will switch to 4.4mm out.
  • Staying on XLR out for the rest of these impressions. ZMF Verite Open & Bliss sound is simply fantastic. Clear and not fatiguing at all. Has a little bit more control, cleanliness, and "realism" than Soloist GT did. It's certainly not night and day, though. Incremental. One could be absolutely happy with the Soloist GT as their end-game headphone amplifier and stop their audio journey for amps due to diminshing returns.
  • Volume was at Low Z, -30 db by default, and it is a nice, comfortable place to stay at for these headphones honestly. Going to -20 db, volume becomes a bit too much and you have to go back down. Even -28 db as me reaching to my volume knob to bring it down to -30.
  • It does not do what tube amps do to music, so there will still be room in one's collection for a tube amp for that type of sound.
Sennheiser 560s - Standard headphone out:
  • Bliss is more realistic than Soloist GT, adds a bit more resolution/detail to drums, but Soloist GT worked very well with the 560s and was no slouch, either. Edge barely goes to the Bliss.
HarmonicDyne Zeus - XLR out
  • Easier to drive than the Verite Open, I had to turn volume down to -40 db.
  • Just a wonderful headphone experience, glad I haven't sold these headphones. Everything is just a bit faster on the Bliss than the Soloist GT. "Snappier" is probably the word GoldenSound would use.
  • Bliss gives a little more "verticality" and "soundstage" on these than the the Soloist GT.
Focal Elex - XLR out
  • These are pretty much the same on these two amplifiers as far as my hearing goes. Maybe 1-2% faster highs/treble on Bliss, really hard to tell, though.
Sennheiser 650 - XLR out
  • For some reason I never really liked how the Soloist GT drove these, and only kept these headphones to use on tubes.
  • Harder to drive, turning these up to -27 ~ -25 db.
  • Just a wonderful experience with the 650 & Bliss. Preferred Bliss over Soloist GT.
Click to expand...
Is your Soloist 3X GT in stock form or with upgraded op-amps?
 
Dec 1, 2022 at 12:00 PM Post #480 of 3,298
Xevv said:
Very early impressions, less than 5 hours of use, mostly comparing with Burson Soloist GT. I no longer have a Susvara, so I will be using other headphones in my comparison.

Some notes about me:
  • I'm going to be saying things like, "a bit," and, "a little," a lot in my comparisons in these impressions. All these "little" differences add up to a lot, though.
  • Primarily using "electronic music" as my preferred genre of choice.
  • I love closer, engaging, dynamic driver headphones more than planar. In fact, I don't have any planars. Sorry / not sorry.
  • I'm not some famous audio reviewer, nor am I super proficient in technicalities of amplifiers and their innards. I'm just some guy who started this hobby 2 years ago.
General:
  • Bliss has a big footprint on the desk, but I knew this going into the Bliss. Soloist has a more compact design and a nice stand to turn it vertically to save desk space.
  • Bliss's volume knob is extremely gratifying to use. This knob should be considered a "feature" on its own.
    • They could literally sell the knob as a stand-alone toy and I'd buy one for myself and more as Christmas gifts for my family.
  • In comparisons, I would say Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE is to the Holo Audio May KTE as Burson Soloist GT is to the Holo Audio Bliss.
  • This is probably the last headphone amp I'll buy.
    • I say "probably" because I said that about the Soloist GT, too, and here we are.

ZMF Verite Open:
  • My only Bliss criticism: The 4.4mm headphone out seems to elevate the bass a little, a little blurry with some tracks. Wonder if other Bliss owners will experience the same.
  • Bliss's headphone XLR out is nice. Feels more 'in control' with the XLR out. Going to probably use XLR out primarily, but maybe once in a while will switch to 4.4mm out.
  • Staying on XLR out for the rest of these impressions. ZMF Verite Open & Bliss sound is simply fantastic. Clear and not fatiguing at all. Has a little bit more control, cleanliness, and "realism" than Soloist GT did. It's certainly not night and day, though. Incremental. One could be absolutely happy with the Soloist GT as their end-game headphone amplifier and stop their audio journey for amps due to diminshing returns.
  • Volume was at Low Z, -30 db by default, and it is a nice, comfortable place to stay at for these headphones honestly. Going to -20 db, volume becomes a bit too much and you have to go back down. Even -28 db as me reaching to my volume knob to bring it down to -30.
  • It does not do what tube amps do to music, so there will still be room in one's collection for a tube amp for that type of sound.
Sennheiser 560s - Standard headphone out:
  • Bliss is more realistic than Soloist GT, adds a bit more resolution/detail to drums, but Soloist GT worked very well with the 560s and was no slouch, either. Edge barely goes to the Bliss.
HarmonicDyne Zeus - XLR out
  • Easier to drive than the Verite Open, I had to turn volume down to -40 db.
  • Just a wonderful headphone experience, glad I haven't sold these headphones. Everything is just a bit faster on the Bliss than the Soloist GT. "Snappier" is probably the word GoldenSound would use.
  • Bliss gives a little more "verticality" and "soundstage" on these than the the Soloist GT.
Focal Elex - XLR out
  • These are pretty much the same on these two amplifiers as far as my hearing goes. Maybe 1-2% faster highs/treble on Bliss, really hard to tell, though.
Sennheiser 650 - XLR out
  • For some reason I never really liked how the Soloist GT drove these, and only kept these headphones to use on tubes.
  • Harder to drive, turning these up to -27 ~ -25 db.
  • Just a wonderful experience with the 650 & Bliss. Preferred Bliss over Soloist GT.
Click to expand...

Awesome initial impressions! I'm wondering if the bit of bass bluriness you're seeing on 4.4 is based off the output impedance of the two inputs. XLR is 0 ohm output impedence on Low Z and 4.4 is 2 ohm output impedance on Low Z. Not a huge difference, but could be potentially leading to slight bass bloat? Did you try your ZMF's on the Hi Z setting? I would actually figure Hi Z would be a better match for ZMF Dynamic cans :)
 
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