[George Hincapie]

Rubbish, my baseline is what attenuator am I able to produce? obviously zero. So could I sanley criticize anyone making something I know nothing about? Like sportsfans, list goes on...

But when upgrading f.e. to a Niimbus I would not go for the non pro version with same alps pot.
Also having a reference for another set up like DAC w pre or DAC+pre I know what to look for.

So putting OOR in bypass only shifts attention.

I kinda struggle loosing money on selling OOR and finding a truly "better" SS HPA... no side grade with just slightly different flavor (Bliss...) strictly SS no tubes!

CMA doesn't think Bliss is a side grade compared to Oor. Having heard both, Bliss does sound better to me. But it isn't night and day.

 

[ChJL]

CMA named diablo as one of his products of 2023 and Cameron called them out for misleading specs, marketing... rightfully so this piece is ca 1.2k and I don't care about that on the go market... but CMA is suspicious with now head trip is reference and all this expensive stuff.

Maybe synergy May/Bliss would make a bigger difference but then you have Hypsos/WANDLA/OOR and back to arguing over pretty much nothing imo.

 

[George Hincapie]

CMA named diablo as one of his products of 2023 and Cameron called them out for misleading specs, marketing... rightfully so this piece is ca 1.2k and I don't care about that on the go market... but CMA is suspicious with now head trip is reference and all this expensive stuff.

Maybe synergy May/Bliss would make a bigger difference but then you have Hypsos/WANDLA/OOR and back to arguing over pretty much nothing imo.

They're only opinions. Trust your own ears.

 

[shaylin3]

Based on my experience, I recommend you try replacing the DC power cable between OOR and HYPSOS.
For example, I use 4x17awg single core single crystal silver wire.
If Hypsos helps oor add 15 points, replacing the silver DC line will give you at least +5 points
For the overall analysis, the three-band extension has made significant progress.

 

[hypnos1]

Based on my experience, I recommend you try replacing the DC power cable between OOR and HYPSOS.
For example, I use 4x17awg single core single crystal silver wire.
If Hypsos helps oor add 15 points, replacing the silver DC line will give you at least +5 points
For the overall analysis, the three-band extension has made significant progress.

Agreed s3...and this goes for all power cables in my book, if one can stretch to it lol ... it's not just interconnects/headphone cables that benefit from mono crystal OCC silver wire (preferably solid), especially if combined with OCC copper (again solid) for the latter 2

 

[duas2noites]

Based on my experience, I recommend you try replacing the DC power cable between OOR and HYPSOS.
For example, I use 4x17awg single core single crystal silver wire.
If Hypsos helps oor add 15 points, replacing the silver DC line will give you at least +5 points
For the overall analysis, the three-band extension has made significant progress.

Where can I find these silver cables to buy online?

 

[shaylin3]

I ordered it from a manufacturer in Taiwan.

https://www.facebook.com/NornWire

You can also find a local wire manufacturer to make it, it shouldn't be difficult.

 

[nae45ro]

Hello guys. Been listening to HD800 for the past 10 years and recently added Susvara to the list. Came across this thread and after reading all, became interested in the Ferrum stack. My system at this time consists of :

- Streamer > Aurender N10 with internal HDDs
- Dac > Emm Labs DAC2X v2
- Amp > Benchmark HPA4

At this point, although the general SQ is good, I feel it can be better. While the streamer & dac are very musical (they are also used in my stereo system along with Pass Labs amplification), I feel the Benchmark is a bit sterile sounding and underpowered for the Susvara (vol knob almost at max all the time, lack of slam in the midbass and bass area). What can those that have listened to both say about Benchmark vs Ferrum ? Will this be a good upgrade ? Also, I can use the Pass Labs XP-10 preamp instead of the one in Ferrum if this one would be better. Unfortunately, I’m stuck with unbalanced connection from dac or preamp to the hp amp since the balanced connection is already used in my stereo system

 

[Honeypot]

I don't want to hijack the topic, but:
Has anyone tested violectric v550 pro against por+hypsos. I'm having a mixed opinions. Some people says one is warmer than the other, and the other way around. I am trying to use it with zmf caldera and a pontus ii r2r dac

 

[Aetherhole]

Hello guys. Been listening to HD800 for the past 10 years and recently added Susvara to the list. Came across this thread and after reading all, became interested in the Ferrum stack. My system at this time consists of :

- Streamer > Aurender N10 with internal HDDs
- Dac > Emm Labs DAC2X v2
- Amp > Benchmark HPA4

At this point, although the general SQ is good, I feel it can be better. While the streamer & dac are very musical (they are also used in my stereo system along with Pass Labs amplification), I feel the Benchmark is a bit sterile sounding and underpowered for the Susvara (vol knob almost at max all the time, lack of slam in the midbass and bass area). What can those that have listened to both say about Benchmark vs Ferrum ? Will this be a good upgrade ? Also, I can use the Pass Labs XP-10 preamp instead of the one in Ferrum if this one would be better. Unfortunately, I’m stuck with unbalanced connection from dac or preamp to the hp amp since the balanced connection is already used in my stereo system

I will say, my time with the HPA4 was pretty limited, but as an owner of the Oor, I have a good amount of experience with it. I do think it is an upgrade. I am not sure if your DAC can output at a higher voltage current to the Oor, but the Oor can take plenty of gain staging, which will only help withy dynamics, bass, etc.

I do think the unbalanced connection limitation is going to be a difficulty no matter what, though. Not sure of a way around that.

 

[nae45ro]

These are the specs for the DAC. Unbalanced seems to output @ 2.3V and Balanced @ 4.6V

 

[kumar402]

I currently have Ferrum Oor on loaner from generous group of audio friends. I am using it with FiR XE6 and if I keep Oor stacked up over Hypsos then I hear lot of noise like transformer whining kind of noise and if I move it on the side or even move slightly up like 1ft, it reduces significantly.

I don’t think Ferrum should advertise it as stacked unit. May be ok with hard to drive headphones but with IEM and all it is audible.

 

[GoldenSound]

I currently have Ferrum Oor on loaner from generous group of audio friends. I am using it with FiR XE6 and if I keep Oor stacked up over Hypsos then I hear lot of noise like transformer whining kind of noise and if I move it on the side or even move slightly up like 1ft, it reduces significantly.

I don’t think Ferrum should advertise it as stacked unit. May be ok with hard to drive headphones but with IEM and all it is audible.

Are you using single ended from your DAC?
Balanced may help with this. (Also if you're not already, make sure you're on low gain)

But yeah, if you stack stuff ontop of a transformer some interaction is inevitable. If wanting to use really sensitive IEMs you may not want to stack them

 

[hypnos1]

Hello guys. Been listening to HD800 for the past 10 years and recently added Susvara to the list. Came across this thread and after reading all, became interested in the Ferrum stack. My system at this time consists of :

- Streamer > Aurender N10 with internal HDDs
- Dac > Emm Labs DAC2X v2
- Amp > Benchmark HPA4

At this point, although the general SQ is good, I feel it can be better. While the streamer & dac are very musical (they are also used in my stereo system along with Pass Labs amplification), I feel the Benchmark is a bit sterile sounding and underpowered for the Susvara (vol knob almost at max all the time, lack of slam in the midbass and bass area). What can those that have listened to both say about Benchmark vs Ferrum ? Will this be a good upgrade ? Also, I can use the Pass Labs XP-10 preamp instead of the one in Ferrum if this one would be better. Unfortunately, I’m stuck with unbalanced connection from dac or preamp to the hp amp since the balanced connection is already used in my stereo system

IMHO "musicality" is just one of OOR's (esp +Hypsos) star qualities, along with enough power to do justice to the likes of Susvara (according to most reviewers). And along with 'power', it's dynamic quality is also well documented...not to mention its dynamic range handling prowess.

Apart from no personal experience with Susvara, the above - along with exemplary performance in all other areas, have been especially highlighted since changing source to Denon's flagship DCD A110 (SA)CD/DVD-R player (as transport). This has confirmed to me at least that any perceived weakness in performance will be due solely to gaps elsewhere in one's system...or simply personal preference. However, maximum delivery will undoubtedly come from balanced function...more so than I ever previously believed to be possible lol!

 

[plumpudding2]

Hello guys. Been listening to HD800 for the past 10 years and recently added Susvara to the list. Came across this thread and after reading all, became interested in the Ferrum stack. My system at this time consists of :

- Streamer > Aurender N10 with internal HDDs
- Dac > Emm Labs DAC2X v2
- Amp > Benchmark HPA4

At this point, although the general SQ is good, I feel it can be better. While the streamer & dac are very musical (they are also used in my stereo system along with Pass Labs amplification), I feel the Benchmark is a bit sterile sounding and underpowered for the Susvara (vol knob almost at max all the time, lack of slam in the midbass and bass area). What can those that have listened to both say about Benchmark vs Ferrum ? Will this be a good upgrade ? Also, I can use the Pass Labs XP-10 preamp instead of the one in Ferrum if this one would be better. Unfortunately, I’m stuck with unbalanced connection from dac or preamp to the hp amp since the balanced connection is already used in my stereo system

I "upgraded" from the Oor to the HPA4, and I liked it so much more than the Oor that I used it almost exclusively till I bought the HM1.
I found the HPA4 to be much more accurate to my ears, it was no contest with the Oor in preamp mode and things got closer with the Oor in bypass (the bypass mode is the biggest selling point of the Oor imo).

However the HPA4 is a leaner amp, for certain tracks/headphones the Oor adds a bit of pleasant body to the sound. Also I feel like it smooths the treble a tiny bit which helps with harsher recordings. Finally the HPA4 has a more intimate stage while the Oor stages wider.

So to summarize, the Oor is a bit more "musical" to my ears but not necessarily a better amp than the HPA4 imo, more of a different flavor.
I've heard others describe the HPA4 as "clinical, sterile and boring" so tastes are going to differ. I guess the question is what are you hoping to get out of the Oor the HPA isn't giving you?