I'm sure the 560S would serve you well! Sounds like it's a good middle of the road headphone out of the ones you tried. I'm not sure how the 560S will sound on tubes. My guess is they'll sound great, but not as great as the 6XX/650 will. Those, and many other 300 ohm headphones, really come...

If you didn't like the 3-blob effect of the 600's, just know that you'll find the same thing with the HD650/6XX. At least until you use them with a quality tube amp. However, it IS almost exactly an HD600 with more bass (midbass anyway), and a smoother, more resolving upper midrange. It's a much...

Yeah I think that's the main thing. The Auteurs are just SO sensitive to source gear, that they can easily sound overly warm and "crowded" on a bloated tube setup. I don't really like my Auteurs on my Bottlehead Crack, for example. A more neutral tube amp experience will give you a more...

That’s so awesome! And so relatable. The Auteur is like the headphone you forget is so good because it has the tendency to just sound “right” and not try to “wow” you with this or that. But with the right combo, it’s just incredible. I’ve been wanting to buy a Caldera for a while now, but I...

Ohhh is that the palladium cable with it? Seems like the perfect fit with the color scheme!

If you can find a good deal on a used Arya Stealth (they can get down that low in price these days), those with movies were incredible when I had them. VERY open back, though, and they leak sound everywhere. The sub bass rumble was incredible on them. I use the 8XX these days, and the...

I did not like the Michanikos/Auteur combo at all. It took away so much of the bass impact and softened the overall sound of the Auteurs too much. It upped the resolution for sure, with a very smooth treble presentation, but I wouldn't use it. I'm using the Forza Audio Works Noir Hybrid HPC...

😯 What lookers!!

PM

It's not as shouty in the upper midrange, and has a lot more extension on both ends. So the tonality is a few steps closer to "natural" and "balanced" to me. Along with the better technicalities, like soundstage, imaging, impact, resolution, etc.

I personally prefer the 6XX to the Aeolus, but I prefer the Auteur to the 600. The “super” part of the Aeolus just adds too much excitement to the sound. I like the 6XX exactly because of its laid back, smooth nature. The Aeolus added too much of an edge after a while.

So true! The one dimension of soundstage I really do love with the Pendant is the sense of forward depth. The Auteurs have a relatively flat presentation on other gear, but the layering and forward depth it throws really complements the headphones well. And totally, that impact is :ok_hand:

Yeah these are really mesmerizing. GLWS!

The thing I love about these higher end A&S models is the multiple input impedances. The 8 and 100 ohms on the Pendant are good for most things, but having a 32 ohm and 300 ohm available for things in between would be super handy. And nobody else is building amps like this. It's pretty unique.

Ohh that IS a good deal! Bigger Ben is a great amp, I hear. I honestly like where I'm at with my Pendant, but it makes me happy to see everyone here climb up the A&S ladder!

Well then, I stand corrected! Good to know.

Haha I think that comment about the ZMF/Decware OTL from the other thread is getting to you. Will they improve on the Pendant with stock tubes? Maybe. Has anyone actually stuck with stock tubes on those high end amps? I very highly doubt it.

I would if I found a pair. Those things are hard to track down.

The graininess was something I started hearing when comparing the Pendant with my solid state amp. I didn't hear it on its own, but as soon as I had something to compare it to, it sounded off to me. And then there was no unhearing it. These Sylvania actually sound cleaner than that solid state...

Yeah Bigger Ben, Agartha, and Mogwai SE are all around the same form factor. Nautilus and Red October start getting into super heavy territory. I have my sights set on a DNA amp one day. I have feelers out for a Starlett. If I find one, that'll likely be what replaces my Pendant.

I have no info about the Bokeh Open, no. Zach said it’ll likely come out late summer, so I’m thinking of going to CanJam SoCal at the end of October and fingers crossed it’ll be ready by then! But you can definitely find some awesome used Auteur Classics (and OG Auteurs) for sale here! It’s not...

They’re cheap! You can find them around $50/pair. Much cleaner sound than the more forward and slightly grainy Valvos. The Valvos are a little closer in stage-wise, with noticeably more bass, but these have such a natural midrange that’s not forced and is perfectly present. Not too bright at...

Warming up the pendant on a cool PNW evening. Magic. Can't stop listening to these Sylvania Black Plates. I ordeered another pair from the same seller. Only downside is a *very* slight transformer hum in the right channel, but it virtually disappears when the music plays. I'm kinda hoping this...

I may be picking up a Holo Cyan 2 soon, and will be really curious to hear it compared with my Unison A2 Gumby. From what I hear, the Cyan 2 is as neutral and natural as they come in terms of R2R DACs, but I can’t imagine how I wouldn’t miss the Gumby’s personality. The bass slam, the way the...