Modhouse Tungsten Single & Double Sided Headphone Review - When a Cover Band Writes Originals
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- Опубліковано 1 лип 2024
- Thanks to Mimic Audio for loaning the Tungstens and to Modhouse Audio for facilitating the loan!
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Timestamps...
00:00 Intro, Pricing, Disclaimer
01:58 Shameless Self Promotion
02:22 Set Up
03:32 More Pricing, Features & Build
09:49 Test Gear
13:16 Sound: Single Sided
16:15 Sound: Double Sided
22:43 Amp Pairings Intro
23:18 Amps that Do NOT Work
24:41 Amps that MIGHT Work
29:38 Amps that Work Well!
36:21 Which Amps with Each Tungsten?
38:15 1S Comp w/ HiFiMan Arya Organic & HE1000 Stealth
44:06 2S Comp w/ HE1000se
48:55 2S Comp w/ Meze Empyrean II
50:22 2S Comp w/ Focal Utopia
53:53 2S Comp w/ Susvara
57:34 Wrap Up
This is the best video review of the Modhouse Tungsten I’ve ever seen. While other reviewers merely mention one or two aspects in comparison with other headphones, you have thoroughly expounded on the sound of these headphones with such honesty. It’s a breath of fresh air in the audiophile space, where many ‘flavors of the month’ headphones are often overhyped. Thank you so much for this review.
The single-sided model seems like a better choice for me tho, since I prefer a bit of lushness in my sound. It also appears that both the single-sided and double-sided models compete very well against the ZMF Caldera’s…
the HiFimans and to an extent the Tungstens, win in bang for your buck tho at the price point...
Did you order a pair? 🎧
Probably your best review so far - very thorough (especially with amp pairings) , very specific to the differences and thank you for taking down the hype. Still going to get the tungsten ds because as my headphone collection expands I've become a fan of tonality and naturalness (also have the argons from waay back so will buy anything ryan puts out). Already have the arya v2, susvara and og utopia for context.
Everytime a Wavetheory review drops, I listen so I can stay happy with my HE1000SE
Have you compared those with the Susvara? I want to ASAP.
absolutely love the he1000se
@@JagadguruSvamiVegananda The HE1000SE is the Susvara Jr at a bargain price and Easy to Drive unlike the Susvara and Tungsten
Mine gets here tomorrow. Have to hear this thing before the dollar crashes.
@@JTB--I'm looking forward to comparing the Tungsten, HEKse and Susvara as soon as the Tungsten arrives (it will be MONTHS, however).
Lake People G111 MK2 keeps reminding me that I made a good decision getting them, thanks to your recommendation too!
Thanks, Wave, a completely honest and impartial review after all the hype. You've reassured me after I bought the HEKS instead.
Thank you Modhouse for sharing the review samples.
Your reviews are great and I enjoy them very much. Thanks!!
Once again an outstanding review 🙏🏾👌🏾👍🏾
I own a Susvara and a DS Tungsten. I won’t call a Tungsten a “baby” Susvara. It’s more like the cool younger brother or cousin of the Susvara.
On my May/Bliss set up, I get better technical performance from my Tungsten presumably due to the fact that the Tungsten has a higher impedence that imparts a greater driver control.
In general terms, the Tungsten has bass that hits a little harder than Susvara, with a bit more rumble or energy that comes from bass speakers. Its treble is darker, it’s not as airy or bright as the Susvara but the detail is still there. Imagine wet cymbals that don’t have peaks or float in your head, that’s Tungsten treble. Dynamics I think are actually better on my Tungsten, which I tested using objective tests, I get about 6 more DB. This translates into hearing details that the Susvara pushes to the back so to speak.
I know the Susvara can utterly pull ahead with the Tungsten in terms of awesomeness, but that’s on 15k+ USD amps (Tungsten DS also scales well on these amps too). On my current setup, Susvara can sound better for some genres due to better sub bass presentation or its more coherent imaging/layering. It can also sound wider than Tungsten but not as tall.
Tungsten has somewhat better imaging, like when I watch movies or tv episodes, it’s far more engaging and dynamic. Songs have layering in 3d space that is pretty unique that the Susvara can’t do.
Susvara may be very transparent about the source you feed your music, so depending on how it’s recorded it may sound boring or congested or somewhat lackluster. It will take some sort of EQ or equipment to bring it to life, while Tungsten usually takes those lifeless tracks and injects liveliness without EQ.
When ABing Tungsten vs Susvara I don’t feel like I lose a lot of something, occasionally it’s just coherence of instruments. But I don’t lose resolution or speed.
And for a 2K headphone, I don’t see it as a competitor to the HE1000, they may have that same fun signature but I honestly hear bits of LCD-5, Abyss 1266 and of course Susvara.
Anyway, major caveat is that this is based on my hearing which has middle age issues and my equipment which has its own quirks.
Ryan used Susvara as his baseline model of what good sound should sound like and then added flavor to give female vocals more weight and bass more oomph and so on. Tungsten is not a Susvara slayer but it certainly can hang. And that’s why it’s my daily driver.
When my SS Tungsten arrives in a few months (assuming they were broken-in before being shipped, as per my instructions), I plan to take them to the headphone store in my city, and compare them with the Susvara et altri.
A guy in New York with whom I occasionally chat on Discord, sold his Susvara after receiving both version of the Mod House Audio Tungsten.
@@JagadguruSvamiVeganandayou asked Ryan to burn in your headphones for you?! WTAF is wrong with you. Like he hasn’t got enough on his plate.
@@invisiblekid99, I did not order mine from Mr. Ryan Dieter.
Thanks for the fast reply.
I'll check out the video
Best reviewer on youtube hands down.I am sure you will blow up!
I've been waiting for this! Glad I did. I've had a HEkse for 6 months now and have decided to build a chain around it. The Tungsten was very interesting to me as some have said it was a spiritual successor to HE-6. I love the 6 and 500 but don't have either anymore, because I have a HEkse. Looks like I won't have to scratch that itch after all. Thanks, WT.
Gotta strap down for this one
I was very close to ordering BOTH versions but opted for the single-sided, at least for the moment (it takes about half a year for it to be manufactured, anyway). 🎧
Excellent review, you went into detail whilst staying clear to understand. Exactly what I was looking for!
On comparisons I fully agreed with every point. Utopia part made me laugh; I love Utopia but it's true about the fussiness/ear daggers
Here we goooooo!
Always love your reviews. And I have no reason to doubt your assessment. I can see where the tipping point for one person vs another is just going to be personal preference if absolute technical ability is not necessarily the top priority. I kinda fall into this category but do very much appreciate a great performing headphone. But if I love something, I can overlook to a point technical proficiency. Kinda why I still love the HD800s, it's not the very best technical performer in all aspects. But I love what it does for sound presentation so much it is still one of my all time favorites.
Great Review as always brawo totally agree with you assessment specifically your comparison DS with 1000se that is the real comp. I feel like they compliment each other and are great to have.
You need to build signal chain for both. Thank you again.
good review... thanks for putting this out here... what I think is the DS Tungsten with a Tube amp some Tube rolling and cable rolling to fine tune the setup... a slight bass shelf and you should be very well set in headphone nirvana
Thanks for the extensive amp section. I have the LTA MZ 2 so it's good to know this is not an option for me (yet).
love that you did compare the meze empyrean ii with tongsten, nobody really go in depths to compare them , will love to see the vedio of the meze empyrean ii headphone review comparing them side by side,thanks!
Great video Wave, I'm saving my pennies for the HEKse. Can you share your top 3 amp picks to pair with the HE1000se?
Class is in session
Apologies if you talked about this, I'm only about halfway through the vid and it didn't seem like it was going to be brought up. Quick question, are your sound impressions based solely on the stock pads? Because from what I've heard the pads are a significant part of the tuning differences, the hybrid pads on the DS providing a warmer sound signature.
Great review and good comparison, I am happy with my HEKSE which your review influenced me. Can you recommend which amp dac pairing is in your opinion get the best out of HEKSE and smoothes the treble. My current chain is Topping D90 AK4499 with Burson Solist 3XP and also Xduoo 05 Pro with all33 modular dac
After six months, (I placed an order on December 23, 2023), I received my SS Tungsten on June 18th, 2024.
I have been burning them in for about 80 hours as of this writing - and listening to them too.
My chain:
Gustard A26 DAC
Burson Soloists 3XP with Supercharger 3A and the new V7 opamps.
Balanced inputs and balanced outputs
Other headphones I use on this setup:
• Meze Empyrean, Hifiman HE1000 v2, DCA Aeon Closed X, AKG k702 (modified) (Austria edition)
I have over 8,000 songs in FLAC format.
• Jazz, soundtracks, classical, house, hip-hop, reggae, beatless, lounge, rock, world, R&B, et, et, pretty much everything except K-pop & country.
Impressions:
• Driving the Tungsten is not an issue with my setup. Of all the headphones I’ve tried, the Tungsten is the only pair I had to use high-gain. I’ve been comfortably listening at levels between 40 and 70 out of a max level of 99 on the Burson. Yes, this is a lot of power/voltage.
• The sound is balanced and musical. Extremely enjoyable. They sound more realistic than any headphones I’ve heard -> am I listening to live music?? Details stand out. Bass is strong, clean, and impactful. Male and female voices come thru clean and are placed where they should be. Separation is great. Details shine.
• Every genre sounds great. These are extremely enjoyable and comfortable to listen to.
• I could not be more happy considering the value-to-performance and FUN the Tungsten (combined with the Burson and Gustard) offers.
Update: 7/1/2024 After hours of listening, the Tungsten is, by FAR, a more enjoyable experience than I have ever heard. Enough said!
Are they better than the HE1000 Stealth you think?
Hello, cool reviews. I heard the only competitor to focal radiance is ATH-awas, if possible, compare them please!
Glad to see the G111 MKII in the upper tier .
Great review - very thorough. Have one question, which I don't recall was mentioned during the review. Did you switch the pads on both models?
Sounded a bit like your impression of the SS may have been heavily influenced by the hybrid pads warmer signature and DS by the more neutral ultra perforated pads.
Tungsten DS on a TS120 Stereo Tube Integrated speaker amp is fantastic.
Just ordered the SS Tungsten on Mimic. Wanted the more dynamic, impactful HP with a little warmer leaning tuning. Now the wait begins 😔
I tried the OG Utopia on the Chord TT2 & M-Scaler and the treble was murdfering my ears. It was a brutal pairing. VERY amp picky HP
This is interesting. You would literally have to have a very special set up. I'm assuming whatever amp you choose, would work with other head you might have as well.
Could you add a preamp to the amp to improve gain?
I'm really happy not to have ordered this and then waited almost 6 months to be underwhelmed. I'm very happy with my E3 and Diana MR after having owned and sold probably a dozen from various manufactures.
👍😎👍
Any chance pre amping the pietus maximus with a mojo 2 could drive the tungsten DS?
On a side note, what headphones do you think pair well with the pietus? Im looking to upgrade but not sure what would work
Tungsten finally un-hyped...😮
From sound perspective only and money no object are the HekSE and DS version different enough to keep both or there are too many overlaps to justfiy it.
Nice video.
Do you have a link for the cayin tube amp.
Could not find it.
There's a mk2 unit that I found.
Are they similar to the mk1?
Thanks in advance.
Another quick note.
I found it interesting that you are the only reviewer that did not do back flips over this set.
( especially on the double sided unit).
Nice to see a critical in depth analysis.
2 k is a lot to drop on a set.
The HA-1Amk2 is the only of the HA-1A that I've heard. I have a review of it on YT and that video has a link to a more in-depth written review.
Also the thought of doing backflips makes my back hurt lol.
Could you please tell me what Amp in the 1-2k range you feel is the most holographic/3D?
Do you have a recommended DAC for these paired with the V222?
Awesome, thank you! I'm very interested in your review of Aune s17 pro amp and it's test with those headphones (if you could still get your hands on them). and it looks like double sided is on the "future list"
Sourcing an S17pro is proving to be difficult
Others have said that the S17 Pro isn't "man enough" to drive them (I have one and was considering Tungstens but went for HEKS instead).
@@SimonP2can confirm S17 pro definitely can't drive these
Please include Heddphone 2 impressions against meze emp 2 in your review for the meze ones. (If you have access to Heddphone 2 I.e.)
Very important note at 42:00.
A90 owners complaining about hifimans don't understand where the real problem lies ;)
First off, great review. I feel you've sufficiently put a realistic synopsis together and not conflated the cans as other reviews I've seen. One question I have is did you pad roll each of the DS and SS?
Swapped each one's pads onto the other, switched back really fast.
@@wavetheorysound So perf pads for the DS and Hybrid for the SS? Would love to know what you found for each. I know the video was super long but sooo valuable for us heads.
I like the human companion bit.
Wow such an impressive and thorough review WT!
Has anyone tried a quicksilver hp amp with the double sided? Wondering if it has enough juice to drive to decent levels.
I’ll let you know in about 3 months. I have the Quicksilver & an order in on the DS
@@beefsupreme510 I’ve used it to drive he6 and 1266 phi tc just fine but the DS presents a new level of trouble.
Can u Please review Gustard A26 dac...Ur reviews r so so good. Its like Gods opinion in Audio
I'm (mostly) at the mercy of what gets sent to me. Got one?
Great review!!! What was the cable brand you recommended at 33:55? Sorry, never heard of it but wanted to research it. Thanks!
Ansuz cables.
@@JagadguruSvamiVegananda Thank you!!
Hifiman seems to disrupt the market at many price points. I recently picked up a B stock 400se at $60, which is insane for the price. The fact that Tungsten competes with a former $3500 headphone is even more insane. Someday I'll get one. Great time to be in the hobby, at any price point.
Quick glance at the thumbnail, I thought these were dual Rinnegan for a second lol
question. What is your estimated listening db you listen at?
thank you!
Background listening usually around a 68db avg. For attentive listening around 72-75db avg.
@@wavetheorysound thank you~
What about V202?, SPECS: 16ohm-1000mW(4v), 32ohm-2000mW(8v), 50ohm-2700mW(11.6v), 100ohm-2200mW(14.8), 300ohm-930mW(16.7v), I'm guessing if Lake People G111 MK2 is ok the V202 should be?, Also surprised you didn't mentioned V550?
He doesn't have the 550 anymore but power to power you're looking at more juice from the v222 at those impedances.
Tungsten requires an output voltage of at the very least 25, I've been told.
25v? Are you sure, by who?@@JagadguruSvamiVegananda
I've given up on even trying to get these ... Can never get a pair .. sale out instantly
Only problem being you have to provide them a 24 week interest free loan
And technically that's just to get the order placed with Modhouse that takes several more weeks. xD I've had my preorder from Mimic in for a while now. I just want these headphones and they are providing an option that no one else does. The only other way is to get lucky in the first minute of the drop to get one fast enough.
@@wtcamer I only tried them on canjam, they are priced accordingly which is not that common now. I just don't see a reason to wait at least half a year for them.
Agree, it is getting ridiculous because it is abundantly clear Ryan has no capacity to honor these timeframes at all. He needs to up the price so demand matches supply. And so that the increased price can go towards hiring more ppl to deliver in the advertised timeframe.
... not ready for prime time.
33:33 ?
Just too heavy for everyday long sessions.
Need to get it down below 300 or at least 400g.
When a review of 'good (SS)' and 'excellent (DS)' still isn't good enough to appease the fan-base. 😂
Aune S17...
Others have said that the S17 Pro isn't "man enough" to drive them (I have one and was considering Tungstens but went for HEKS instead).
@@SimonP2 seems like these phones need a couple more years development. You shouldn't need several watts with drivers millimeters from the ears. Not a fan of orthos anyway. Too many deviations from neutral for the money spent.
Won't drive these
@@aRc11-11Darn good for a first try though. :)
Arya Organic is NOT more resolving than Tungsten and definitely not more technical.
For the amp I can recommend Soncoz SGP1, it's just $1100 and it's better for Tungsten than any amps from this review.
I was comparing to the single sided there. For double sided I agree with you.
@@wavetheorysound many Tungsten owners have Arya, and no one agrees with that statement. That's why I purchased my Tungsten, I was listening SN#1 next to Arya last summer and I was blown away. I ordered DS next day so I could compare SS to DS. The pads make more difference than SS vs DS.
👀 "Promo SM"
An expensive, extremely hard to drive set of cans whose best virtue when you do power them properly is how a crash cymbal sounds. Hard pass. Great review though WT….content on this channel is must watch if you are an audiophile.
Too fussy for the money for me.
Man this is hard to listen to... very disorganized flat....Seems like a lot of info but snore....
Try Ritalin?
too expensive, I move on.
What are the best amps to drive Tungstan?