Headphone Amplification

Hey all, first of all, I've searched. Now, picked myself up a CA Azur 840C yesterday and want an amp to match. I'm using modded Denon D5000's. I tend to prefer SS over tubes as I'm a detail/analytic freak. A rule of thumb I assume holds is that the amp doesn't cost more than the source, so that limits the playing field to $1500-ish, which is more than ridiculous for an amp mated to a $1500 source IMO. I was thinking used GCHA, but want to know what others suggest. No op-amps here preferably, unless the circuit is well designed, and designed for said op-amp. I looked into a B22, but don't know who I can get to build one. I'd DIY it, but don't know wher…

Hello, EDIT: the original "solution" proved to be a coincidence. So, I was writing a big long post (saved below) and may have solved my own problem whilst doing so. I'm still posting just because, while the solution was one of those "d'oh" things, it might help someone else in the future. TL;DR, I think my cheapo Amazon Basics power cable isn't grounded/shielded properly and was creating a static sound in the left channel. So, if someone from Google pops in with a similar issue, check a different cable before pulling your hair out like I have. ------Problem------ I recently purchased a used Mjolnir Pure BiPolar (S/N 020) and have an intermittent i…

via: Schiit Audio reveals gorgeous six-watt Lyr headphone amplifier, dares you to touch 11 -- Engadget Product details: [url=http://schiit.com/products/lyr/]Lyr

http://vivaaudio.com/en/products/egoista-stx/ Came across this amp, anyone know of it or heard it?

Hey guys, wanted to ask you for some advice. I'm about to make an amp purchase and I've always wanted to hear some of Justin's amps. However now I'm stuck in one of those am I making the right decision by spending this much money for the source that I have. What's my lame source? An iPod with Lossless codecs going through line out. I know its not the greatest source but it's also very hard to match the convenience of an iPod. This is mainly for office use so I'm not in the market for a portable amp anymore. I'd rather invest the money into something a little more solid. So I guess my main question is... Is the GS-1 overkill for the iPod or should I just stick …

I just checked Craig's site...

Man this is a killer amp and as many of you may know I am one fickle motherfucker when it comes to gear. Having gone through a number of amps this year I am really struck by this amp. It sounds absolutely amazing with the balanced HD2s and RS1s. It does a wonderfull job with the k1000s as well, it is super linear without sounding dry at all. To refresh folks on what this amp is and the story, I had been in talks with Craig to design a balanced amp after hearing the Zana. After several months he came up with an amp that used a 12ax7 driver and 6c41cs as output tubes with my choice of Tango or Electra print output trannies. So after I demoed the amp in SoCal Craig shi…

I found a post by "morphsci" listing his ES-1 options in his thread titled "Custom ES-1 about to find its new home" on that other site. 1). Power Transformers Plitron Custom Toroidal 2). Cardas Silver Solder surcharge 3). Cardas Audio Wiring 4). Audio Note Silver Foil in oil coupling capacitors 5). 4 Channel GoldPoint Attenuator 6). Solen Plate Voltage Input Capacitor 7). Black Gate Power Capacitors Stage I . Black Gate Cathode bypass capacitors ES 9). Dual Umbilical cord upgrade for maximum separation 10). Quad Regulators for maximum separation Other than these options, plus maybe some extra inputs and preamp outputs, what other options would be nice to ha…

After my recent experience with the Zana Deux in Cinci I was again reminded what a difference power can make. As I have found more powerful tubes to run in the Singlepowers they just keep getting better. Mikhail, I believe, has a little bias against the bigger power tubes like the 2a3/ 300b etc.. because he doesnt feel they maintain the amps refinement .... and you have to admit at a certain point how much output power is necessary. But me ... I think if you have a refined gain tube that sets the character of the amp ..... the more power you add ..... things only get better. With this in mind I contacted Mikhail about a 6c33 amp. I had discussed this about a year ago …

Since I saw a pic of the board, I was wondering if it is worth it to "clone" as a DIY project the amp. I found two very useful pics of the inside. Based on it, I tried to fill in the parts: Is it a AC coupled amp ? The two closest cap from the potentiometer are input caps and i'm wondering if the two electrolytic caps close to the 1W resistors are output caps. Also, I don't know the name of the componant below the left 1W resistor. There are two of them. I think the output stage is push-pull, it probably looks like this: here is what I got so far. What do you think ? PS: I don't know if it is the right section and if it is allowed on this forum, mods fell fre…

Considering the overwhelmingly negative sentiment on Head-Case regarding RSA and its designs I have up until now stayed silent. I defer to KG technical expertise. I do read most of the anti-Ray propaganda that is posted. I believe that all of this propaganda has given me a slight predisposition against liking the Sonics of RSA?s products. It is with this predisposition that I attended this weekends NYC meet. I tend to pay attention to products that might be considered very high end. I already own what I consider to be the finest portable amp so I had little interest in listening to the new Tomahawk or even the Hornet, so I won?t comment on their performance or value ex…

Looking for an "endrig" in "till death do us part" or "till my ship comes in." Was leaning toward Pete's new Monster TTVJ but concerned about it's brightness and reports that it may not be as involving as some other choices and well it is $6000! Then there's the BHSE but that marries me to electrostatic when the Monster has such dynamic versatility. And now I'm hearing alot about Craig's amps: the Nautalus and the Balancing Act. However I just talked to him yesterday and they really seem to be on the back burner in terms of production and distribution. So that leaves the Zana Deux and the HD-2(which I know nothing about but have only heard about in passing) I know t…

I've heard a few Zana's at the meets but the only Beta I heard was Nate's first one......... and meet conditions are, far from optimal, so what do you guys think? Thanks USG

First A Little Background Trafomatic is a ten employee privately held audio, industrial, medical equipment and transformer manufacturer located in Mladenovac, in the Republic of Serbia. As noted in another thread, the transformers in the Trafomatic line are manufactured in house by Trafomatic but Trafomatic also provides transformers for Korato tube amplifiers, another audio manufacturer whom they declined to disclose, DIYers as well as power conditioners. Head One is their transformer coupled headphone amplifier employing two Russian 6S45P-E triode tubes and one EZ80 as the rectifier tube. A brief internet search found the three tubes costing from $45 to $90 dollars to…

So I chose to buy the AKG 450, however I saw a review that said these headphones should be listened with a 320kpbs and my music is only 256. Will it really be a big deal? Would buying a portable amp for it fix it? I also listen to classical. Also, what amp should I buy? I am looking for under $70 I thought about the Fiios E11. Any other reccomendations? Please help!

Hello guys. I'm new here, and want to thank you for welcoming me. After some months of tube trials, I'm thinking of SS to power my orthos. I would like to go balanced all the way, and I want your advices on which KG's amp to go. I've read brilliant things on the B22, but it seems surpassed by the Dynahi family (balanced Dynahi, Dynamite,...) -correct me if I'm wrong-. So what's your experience with those orthos ? Which amp must I build ? I've read the Balanced Dynahi build thread, there are some useful tips and help there. As I'm not deep into electronics, and a lightweight DIYer, is it an utopia to build one ? My very best regards from old Europe.

Over on an other forum, there are 210 pages of posts from people who are wiating 6-10 months for amps made by Xin and then sending them back to get modded and waiting another 6-10 months. I have these questions: 1. Has anyone heard an Xin and what do they sound like? 2. What do they cost? 3. Is this an amp for which there are no close substitutes at the price, and that explains why people are waiting so long? (Sort of the SP explanation for waiting)? 4. If not, then why are they (or you) waiting so long without doing anything about it?

Well I just bought a NuForce Icon Mobile, for my first amp/dac. I will be using it to power my Denon Ah-D2000, which I am absolutely loving so far (Have had for about a month, maybe a bit longer). HeadphoneAddicts review suggests good synergy with them so I figure i'll give them a try. When I get them I will do the same kind of thing I did with my headphones, I will do an initial review and then an After burn in review :] Hopefully will be of use to other people. This will be my first amp/dac experience so I am intrigued on what changes this will make to the sound. The amp will be coming in 1-3 days, wish me luck hopefully I don't spill things in excitement when I…

http://schiit.com/products/ragnarok http://www.head-fi.org/t/731216/oh-schiit-its-the-end-of-the-world-announcing-ragnarok Schiit is doing a public beta. Retail is $1700, public beta folks pay $1500 with a two week return period. Its an interesting amp, the big deal as I see it is it uses the same amplification section for the speakers and for the headphones, not sure if this has been done before in an integrated. Of course this also has the potential for terrible things to happen for that one dumbass who uses his IEMs on the high gain setting. I don't own, nor have I heard, a single piece of Schiit but I admit the company fascinates me. I love of course t…

Is a gain of 5 too much for Audio-Technica W3000Anv?

I very much like the "truth" of the K-701s and I also love the smooth sound of WWII era 6SN7GT tubes as outputs in my SP MPX3 Slam SE. So, I have needed to find hi-gain input tubes. The 12AV7 family of tubes work pretty well as inputs, but they lack the gain to drive the 701s really well, I think. So, in my experimentation I have gone up as high 5751s with good success, but recently settled on the 12AT7WA (Brimar, Sylvania, and Raytheon) as an input with Raytheon 6SN7GT flat black plates, NU Grey Glass, and Sylvania Bad Boys as outputs. Try this tube as an input with the 6SN7GTS. The various models all sound very different, but this combo sounds very good with K-701s. …

I've recently taken delivery of an MPX3 SE, which is to say that the voltage has been raised to take advantage of the more powerful output tubes, namely the 6BL7GT/As, 6BX7GTs, the 5687sw and the like. If you've got a low impedence and/or low sensitivity can (K701, Grado, etc..) then you definitely need to take this into consideration if you're getting a Singlepower. And given that this is Headcase, I'd also like to mention that this is the second/third trnasformation my amp has taken on For me the SE deals with the increased voltage and current bias. I have 2 voltage settings on my amp, one which is 300V and one which is 375. For me it allows me to take full adva…

Hey look, our products are so great we encase our 'special sauce' in a red enclosure so you can't really see what's in our amp. The mystery is what makes it sound so divine! I reckon if you open it up you'll find something like this inside:

Finally after months with all the problems getting the dac(Pico dac lost by shipping company and y2 builder taking ages to order the parts)I just got my refund and decided to go with the DacMagic with a discount from a dude from my home town, and the rig is "complete". Now that I plugged all down, I don't like the sound its to distorted which I describe as a kinda messy metallic sound.. I tested on the dude house to find the problem, and it seems its the minimax tube effect, I tried the rs1+dacmagic with his Lehmann Audio Black Cub and the sound was so much better, still to much bright sometimes but thats just the rs1 and I hope HF2 will be the right tone, then…

Okay. I've been applying to new apartments and they keep asking me about my stuff (Berkeley people are notoriously stressing over conservation and such). The thing is that my rig keeps freaking people out: i use alot of electricity and many power cords and shit. At minimum i use: 1 outlet for my music hard drive, 1 outlet for my sound card, 1 outlet for my transport, 1 outlet for my dac, and 1 outlet for my Zana Deux. This is bad... very bad. It doesn't look good and such. The thing is that I want to say away from making me rig into a "benchmark dac-1 with usb." or worse a corda opera. If i do decide to consolidate, I want something that's gonna be the shit. here ar…