[Widell]

^ This

All my headphones benefitted from the H2. Clear, Elegia, and Empyrean.

Guess as I am when Covid has passed enroute to buy a complementary pair of HP below 4k, to have to visit the shop and spend some time compare the utopia, empyrean etc...maybe bybthwn another stellar HP has emerged..!

 

[dontfeedphils]

Guess as I am when Covid has passed enroute to buy a complementary pair of HP below 4k, to have to visit the shop and spend some time compare the utopia, empyrean etc...maybe bybthwn another stellar HP has emerged..!

I'm a big fan of my Utopia/Hugo 2 combo. Moved up to the Hugo 2 from a Schiit Bifrost MB/Asgard 2 setup about 2 years ago and haven't looked back.

 

[MacedonianHero]

I'm a big fan of my Utopia/Hugo 2 combo. Moved up to the Hugo 2 from a Schiit Bifrost MB/Asgard 2 setup about 2 years ago and haven't looked back.

I agree...brilliant combination!

 

[surfgeorge]

I spent an hour listening to the Focal Elegia today with my Hugo, and comparing it with my IEMs.
I was expecting a lot, but was somewhat disappointed and found my Sony IER-M9 to be better in almost every way.

Background:
Music styles: Classic, Jazz, Acoustic, vocals, some Pop, Rock, and electronic
(I used to play the piano and am quite sensitive to correct reproduction of classical music)
Only started with headphone Hifi a few years ago with a Chord Mojo, first Audioquest NightHawk, then got into IEMs
My top IEM is the Sony IER-M9, runner up is the Moondrop Blessing 2

Got the Hugo 2 a week ago, love it, and am thinking about getting a pair of over ear headphones, mainly for my aging father to use with the Mojo, but also to use with the Hugo.
I’d like to keep the costs low, ideally below €500, not more than 700, but it can be used too.
Looked around and identified the Focal Elear, Hifiman Sundara, Sennheiser HD 6... and maybe a used Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 closed as possible candidates.

Testing the Elear today, compared to the Sony IER-M9 I found:
- soundstage of M9 much deeper, much better positioning and separation. Elear sounded open, but soundstage still more in my head and no clear positioning.
- detail, resolution and clarity was better by a big margin with the M9
- the M9 is a warm IEM, but the Elear was warmer, with a more veiled and muffled midrange
- even dynamics felt better with the M9, with crisper leading edges and transients, the Elear had good punch though

Sooooo...
I will have a chance to listen to a Sundara, maybe I’ll also listen again to the Austrian Audio Hi-X55.
I have a chance to get a used DCA AEON 2 Closed, but can’t test it beforehand.

What would be your recommendations for a lower price headphone which does well with classical and acoustic music, has good detail, soundstage and positioning?
Am I expecting to much?

For those who use the Hugo with both full size headphones as well as IEMs, what are your experiences?
I was honestly shocked that the M9 had a much better soundstage than the Elear....

 

[miketlse]

I spent an hour listening to the Focal Elegia today with my Hugo, and comparing it with my IEMs.
I was expecting a lot, but was somewhat disappointed and found my Sony IER-M9 to be better in almost every way.

Background:
Music styles: Classic, Jazz, Acoustic, vocals, some Pop, Rock, and electronic
(I used to play the piano and am quite sensitive to correct reproduction of classical music)
Only started with headphone Hifi a few years ago with a Chord Mojo, first Audioquest NightHawk, then got into IEMs
My top IEM is the Sony IER-M9, runner up is the Moondrop Blessing 2

Got the Hugo 2 a week ago, love it, and am thinking about getting a pair of over ear headphones, mainly for my aging father to use with the Mojo, but also to use with the Hugo.
I’d like to keep the costs low, ideally below €500, not more than 700, but it can be used too.
Looked around and identified the Focal Elear, Hifiman Sundara, Sennheiser HD 6... and maybe a used Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 closed as possible candidates.

Testing the Elear today, compared to the Sony IER-M9 I found:
- soundstage of M9 much deeper, much better positioning and separation. Elear sounded open, but soundstage still more in my head and no clear positioning.
- detail, resolution and clarity was better by a big margin with the M9
- the M9 is a warm IEM, but the Elear was warmer, with a more veiled and muffled midrange
- even dynamics felt better with the M9, with crisper leading edges and transients, the Elear had good punch though

Sooooo...
I will have a chance to listen to a Sundara, maybe I’ll also listen again to the Austrian Audio Hi-X55.
I have a chance to get a used DCA AEON 2 Closed, but can’t test it beforehand.

What would be your recommendations for a lower price headphone which does well with classical and acoustic music, has good detail, soundstage and positioning?
Am I expecting to much?

For those who use the Hugo with both full size headphones as well as IEMs, what are your experiences?
I was honestly shocked that the M9 had a much better soundstage than the Elear....

I have the Hugo 2 and it is my goto dac, with the Aeon Flow Closed headphones.
However a few months ago I took advantage of Massdrop closing their european warehouse to grab a pair of these Koss electrostats.
https://drop.com/buy/massdrop-x-koss-esp-95x-electrostatic-system
These give me the sound signature of the Aeon Flow Closed, but with a little extra 'air' for jazz tracks containing sections of cymbals.
I don't use the Koss everyday, but some nights I decide the Koss are the best solution for the music I plan to listen to that night.
Might just suit your aging father.

 

[LCMusicLover]

I'm a big fan of my Utopia/Hugo 2 combo. Moved up to the Hugo 2 from a Schiit Bifrost MB/Asgard 2 setup about 2 years ago and haven't looked back.

I agree...brilliant combination!

See, that’s the thing, Hugo2go ==> Utopia | HEKse | Hedd | RAD-0 | Auteur all seem like brilliant combinations to my ears, with each retaining its special character.

Makes a great portable solution. Obviously not ‘stick it in your pocket and go for a run’ portable, but ‘set it on the table next to you while watching the playoffs with the sound off’ portable.

 

[surfgeorge]

I have the Hugo 2 and it is my goto dac, with the Aeon Flow Closed headphones.
However a few months ago I took advantage of Massdrop closing their european warehouse to grab a pair of these Koss electrostats.
https://drop.com/buy/massdrop-x-koss-esp-95x-electrostatic-system
These give me the sound signature of the Aeon Flow Closed, but with a little extra 'air' for jazz tracks containing sections of cymbals.
I don't use the Koss everyday, but some nights I decide the Koss are the best solution for the music I plan to listen to that night.
Might just suit your aging father.

Thanks for the tip, these look interesting!
How is the soundstage on the Aeon and the Koss? And do you have experience with good IEMs?
I think I might drive to the guy selling the Aeon C2.
The review from Headphone.com gave me the impression that they give up on soundstage, but are otherwise very good.

 

[Widell]

I agree...brilliant combination!

Better than Hugo 2 and Empyrean? and is there any competition in addition these within 4 K budget?, just to make a shortlist when I go for a listening session?

 

[LCMusicLover]

See, that’s the thing, Hogo2go ==> Utopia | HEKse | Hedd | RAD-0 | Auteur all seem like brilliant combinations to my ears, with each retaining its special character...

Just to punctuate that:

Right now I’m listening to London Grammar via H2go ==> HEKse off Qobuz. One of the things I really like about HEKse is its headstage. London Grammar vocals are mixed with a haunting reverb/echo effect. Different cans bring that out more or less, as do different source chains. H2go => HEKse is tops — literally as great as my Gumby ==> DSHA-3F (with Amorphous core transformers) stack for that.

<edit> Switching to H2go ==> Auteur and now the H2go delivers a warm, rich and wonderfully euphoric sound. Emma Ruth Randle ‘Hand of God’ &‘Staying Power’ are gripping in their intensity. </edit>

 

[dontfeedphils]

Better than Hugo 2 and Empyrean? and is there any competition in addition these within 4 K budget?, just to make a shortlist when I go for a listening session?

I think it depends on your preferences. I've never really been impressed with the Empyrean. It looks great, is built well, and is super comfortable, but it was just a bit boring to me. I felt like it's detail retrieval abilities were poor for the asking price and it just isn't my preferred FR.

YMMV

 

[Daniel Johnston]

Better than Hugo 2 and Empyrean? and is there any competition in addition these within 4 K budget?, just to make a shortlist when I go for a listening session?

Agree with the depends on what you're looking for.

The Empyrean gives excellent detail, but not the extreme detail of other similarly priced headphones. I can easily pick out individual instruments in complex orchestral passages. I find they are incredibly musical and engaging no matter what genre you throw at them.
They are polarizing, but those who love them (including me) really love them. They pair amazingly well to the H2.

 

[GreenBow]

Anyone interested, What HiFi Awards 2020. https://www.whathifi.com/awards/2020

 

[miketlse]

Thanks for the tip, these look interesting!
How is the soundstage on the Aeon and the Koss? And do you have experience with good IEMs?
I think I might drive to the guy selling the Aeon C2.
The review from Headphone.com gave me the impression that they give up on soundstage, but are otherwise very good.

Sorry for the late reply.
I have no problems with the soundstage with the Aeon, when listening to jazz, electronic, etc.
My iems are AK T8ie mk2, but if i replaced them I would probably try the beyer xelento.
With the Koss, last week when listening to some jazz tracks, I remember at times looking over my left and right shoulders, because some of the percussion seemed to be coming from behind my head. Very impressive, but I assume that a key influence is where the microphone was placed.
The Koss offer great bang per buck - true spending much more on Stax electrostats may deliver more, but at the moment I feel that I am in a good place with the Koss.
I suggest have a read of the @Currawong review of the Koss. https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/massdrop-x-koss-esp-95x-electrostatic-system.24340/
Hope this helps.

 

[surfgeorge]

Sorry for the late reply.
I have no problems with the soundstage with the Aeon, when listening to jazz, electronic, etc.
My iems are AK T8ie mk2, but if i replaced them I would probably try the beyer xelento.
With the Koss, last week when listening to some jazz tracks, I remember at times looking over my left and right shoulders, because some of the percussion seemed to be coming from behind my head. Very impressive, but I assume that a key influence is where the microphone was placed.
The Koss offer great bang per buck - true spending much more on Stax electrostats may deliver more, but at the moment I feel that I am in a good place with the Koss.
I suggest have a read of the @Currawong review of the Koss.
Hope this helps.

I did some more tests today, listening to (in order of preference):

• Austrian Audio Hi-X55: great mechanical design, high clarity (for the price), wonky FR
• Sennheiser HD-660: smooth, balanced, but just a "soundcloud", no soundstage. a bit veiled/muffled
• HifiMan Sundara: similar to HD660 but it actually has a soundstage, maybe a touch less veiled. I like it better
• Sennheiser HD-800S: Amazing clarity, detail and soundstage, holographic imaging, occasionally a little sharp in the treble

Reference: Sony IER-M9 IEM
Very clear conclusion: the only headphone that beats the M9 is the HD-800s, and only by a small margin.
Detail and clarity are a little better
Soundstage is a little bigger
Imaging is similar
M9 is a little warmer and a touch softer, but sometimes that sounds even more realistic

The Sundara looks like good value at $/€350 compared to the other headphones I tested, it is balanced and has a decent soundstage.
But while I'd say the HD800S beats the M9 by a small margin at comparable MRSPs, my IEMs in the $300 range beat the Sundara by a big margin.

 

[romnation]

Hey guys, is Hugo 2 still considered the best small transportable DAC in 2020? Is there anything better out there now that competes with it?

Thanks!