Good question, thats something I wanted to touch on. Its set for a gain of 2/4. I was worried this wouldn't be enough to power higher impedance phones like Senns, but with my HD650 it gives me plenty of volume swing. Only a crazy person would max out the volume knob on Senns with this gain. I imagine with a power hungry phone like the K340 one would want to step up the gain to the next level, but for my purposes 2/4 is perfect.

note that this depends on how much gain your source has. My digital source is pretty low output and this gain would definitely not work well with the HD650 in my case, as I felt that 7 (isn't that the next step up that amb lists?) was lacking a bit when listening to swt61 beta22. He listened as well, as I'm sure he'd agree. You can definitely start running into (too) low output source with various CDPs and of course phono stages. Just something to be mindful of.

Its set for a gain of 2/4. I was worried this wouldn't be enough to power higher impedance phones like Senns, but with my HD650 it gives me plenty of volume swing

Cheers! I'd imagine that would still give you good movement at the low end for low impedance phones too......

Hmmm, for all the smilies on this forum there doesn't seem to be a simple thumbs up

note that this depends on how much gain your source has. My digital source is pretty low output and this gain would definitely not work well with the HD650 in my case, as I felt that 7 (isn't that the next step up that amb lists?) was lacking a bit when listening to swt61 beta22. He listened as well, as I'm sure he'd agree. You can definitely start running into (too) low output source with various CDPs and of course phono stages. Just something to be mindful of.

Excellent point. Pulling this out of my ass but I think the 840C has an output of something like 4.4mv from the XLR.

Fantastic looking amp Jack....love the choice in cables too...ive been using a oracle cable i bought from Tyrion and im just totally in love with it.

Lets get some inside shots =)

Excellent point. Pulling this out of my ass but I think the 840C has an output of something like 4.4mv from the XLR.

You're close - ~4.5v via XLR, and ~2.1v via RCA.

You're close - ~4.5v via XLR, and ~2.1v via RCA.

so, just for grins, try the RCA outputs and see if you feel the amp has enough gain

I'm beginning to think that it'd be a very good idea to develop a small pcb that allowed for 3 position gain switch using voltage dividers for amps like this.

I'm beginning to think that it'd be a very good idea to develop a small pcb that allowed for 3 position gain switch using voltage dividers for amps like this.

I could give you a hand if you really wanted to do it

I could give you a hand if you really wanted to do it

Given how limited my building will be for the next year(s) I was merely suggesting that it might be a good idea.

Given how limited my building will be for the next year(s) I was merely suggesting that it might be a good idea.

Ah yes I keep forgetting.

Given how limited my building will be for the next year(s) I was merely suggesting that it might be a good idea.

just think in amortized time, once the kids are 3 or so your output will skyrocket!

Heh, I hope to get back to building a little in the not too distant future but my retirement status will probably stay in place permanently. Gone are the days when I could sit down stairs for 4hrs at a time and solder away while listening to tunes.

Heh, I hope to get back to building a little in the not too distant future but my retirement status will probably stay in place permanently. Gone are the days when I could sit down stairs for 4hrs at a time and solder away while listening to tunes.

agreed. I have 2 kids and it's really frustrating when you do get 2-3 hours and you either create more work for yourself my screwing something up, or something as trivial takes 20x longer than it should have. That's when DIY gets really annoying.

so, just for grins, try the RCA outputs and see if you feel the amp has enough gain

At least on my Luminous Audio Axiom, the difference on the output level is really noticeable.

Good question, thats something I wanted to touch on. Its set for a gain of 2/4. I was worried this wouldn't be enough to power higher impedance phones like Senns, but with my HD650 it gives me plenty of volume swing. Only a crazy person would max out the volume knob on Senns with this gain. I imagine with a power hungry phone like the K340 one would want to step up the gain to the next level, but for my purposes 2/4 is perfect.

note that this depends on how much gain your source has. My digital source is pretty low output and this gain would definitely not work well with the HD650 in my case, as I felt that 7 (isn't that the next step up that amb lists?) was lacking a bit when listening to swt61 beta22. He listened as well, as I'm sure he'd agree. You can definitely start running into (too) low output source with various CDPs and of course phono stages. Just something to be mindful of.

First off congrats on a beautiful β22 Jack! That one is really stunning!

My β22 is set at a gain of 7 from what luvdunhill says here, but I thought it was 5 from what he said while he was working on it. It drives my K340 effortlessly, it also drives my Chocolate Donuts effortlessly, and they're even more power hungry than the K340.

I would think that a gain of 2 would drive the Senns. without breaking a sweat. I have to turn my volume down a fair bit when driving my HD 580.

That said, my source has a high gain.

I find that the amp drives low impedance phones just as well. My deep woody CD3000s sound amazing with this amp.

Again congrats on a very, very nice amp Jack. Welcome to β22 heaven.

Heh, I hope to get back to building a little in the not too distant future but my retirement status will probably stay in place permanently. Gone are the days when I could sit down stairs for 4hrs at a time and solder away while listening to tunes.

Says the rookie Dad, in truth there will be a time when you go down there to work on projects just to get some peace and quiet. That may be 3 kids away yet, but mark my words.

Says the rookie Dad, in truth there will be a time when you go down there to work on projects just to get some peace and quiet. That may be 3 kids away yet, but mark my words.

Right now I'm thinking one kid will be plenty. She's been working mom and dad overtime the last few days and I'm totally spent.

In beta22 news, without the addition of some sort of gain adjustment I'd personally go with a gain of ~6 or so and make sure that whatever pot I used had good adjustment (more than 24 steps).

Right now I'm thinking one kid will be plenty. She's been working mom and dad overtime the last few days and I'm totally spent.

In beta22 news, without the addition of some sort of gain adjustment I'd personally go with a gain of ~6 or so and make sure that whatever pot I used had good adjustment (more than 24 steps).

Give her beer. Kids love beer.

Right now I'm thinking one kid will be plenty. She's been working mom and dad overtime the last few days and I'm totally spent.

You do realize 2 is less work than 1, right? Integrated over the life of the children, that is.

You do realize 2 is less work than 1, right?

I'll just attribute that crankiness to lack of sleep.

I'll just attribute that crankiness to lack of sleep.

That'd probably be appropriate.

Last night: finally asleep at 1am, up from 4:30 to 5, up for good at 6:30.

That'd probably be appropriate.

Last night: finally asleep at 1am, up from 4:30 to 5, up for good at 6:30.

I went to bed at 10:30 and slept like a non-Lily baby until 6:00

I fell in and out of sleep at my computer ripping music till 2:30am, went to bed, got to work at 6:30

I have a caffeine withdrawal headache that is only just going away.