Samuels Audio Emmeline HR-2 Headphone Amplifier-Full review review

[Tuberoller]

This is an exciting time for headphone audio enthusiasts.The range of products is growing almost daily and existing products are being improved drastically.MarkL's letter to Stereophile and the subsequent responses by headphone audio nuts like ourselves has bought this hobby to the attention of the mainstream audio crowd.I think this is a good thing.

The growth of our hobby has bought some truly gifted Audio Designers and Engineers to our neck of the woods.One of those Designers/Engineers is Ray Samuels of Ray Samuels Audio.I had the great pleasure of meeting Ray and his partner Mike a few weeks ago and procuring the Emmeline HR-2 headphone amp for an audition.Ray is an a really nice guy, in a business full of really nice guys he stands out as one of the really decent people.His gift for Audio design is one that I am sure he was born with.His audio designs seem to have been conceived of the knowledge that simplicity breeds excellence.Without saying it Ray has conveyed his philosophy of providing a clear,black,silent backround on which a precise,detailed sonic performance can be enjoyed.This is made evident in each of the audio components he has designed and builds.So,on the the meat of the review.

Associated equipment:

Sources:
VPI Scout W/Dynavector 10X4 Cartridge.Grado PH1 phono amp

Philips DVD963SA

Musical Fidelity A324 Dac

Phones:
HD 600 W/Equinox Replacement cable

Grado RS1

Beyer DT880

Cables:

Interconnects:

Acoustic Zen WOW!

Radio Shack Generic power cord.

No line conditioning was used.


Music:

Joe Sample -The Pecan Tree (CD)

Rene' Marie -Vertigo (CD)

Terence Blanchard -Let's get Lost (Pure DSD SACD)

Ron Blake Quartet -Up Front and Personal (CD)

Van Morrison -His Band and Street Choir (Audiophile Vinyl)

Bill Lee -She's Gotta Have It Soundtrack -(Vinyl)

Jimi Hendrix -Blues (Audiophile Vinyl)

My reference headphone system Consists of:

Headroom Max W/Stepped Attenuator

Wheatfield HA2 w/NOS tubes

HD600/Equinox


When I picked up the HR-2 from Ray Samuels he didn't include the long list of specific requests that usually accompany an audition/review request.This seemed an obvious act of extreme confidence that I would like his amp.I love it ,so I his confidence is not misplaced.


I listened to the Emmeline HR-2 over a period of three weeks concentrating my listening for a solid week with only the HR-2 and the HD600/Philips Combo.This allowed me a solid baseline from which to form opinions on changes to this set-up.

The Emmeline is a nice looking two-chassis design featuring a small head unit with a nice,smooth volume pot and the input jacks and a high quality phone jack.The seperate power supply is housed in a slightly larger chassis which is meant to be placed on the floor or other remote location.The two units are attached via a high quality, heavy gauge umbillical cord.A detachable power cord plugs into the remote power supply.The head unit is very discrete looking and easily slipped past my wife though it was placed right next to one of the of audio components I own that she really hates.

The first thing you notice when listening to the HR-2 is NOTHING .It is dead silent.That term is never more true than when applied to this amp.Imagine the darkest,most spookily silent place you have ever been and I think you can get a sense of how black the backround is with the HR-2.When an amp is this quiet the circuit is allowed to shine it's brightest.Imagine that same place with the lights suddenly turned on(in a pleasing way) and you again,get the idea.A poor circuit placed against this backround would be amplified in the most unpleasant way.Mr. Samuels' circuit makes the most of this silent backround.I'm sure you all have heard me rant about how I feel the best audio components get the low-level detail right.I don't listen at loud volumes so accurate sonic reproduction at moderate volumes is paramount.The HR2 is one of the best at this.Bass is as full and rich at lower volumes as it is at the ear-damaging levels we are all warned against.The midrange is clear and focused and treble is extended as a good solid-state should be.I gravitated towards Piano jazz because this amp really seems to love it and female vocals.Joe Samples' keys are stroked to perfection and the Bill Lee Vinyl sounded near perfect.We really can't speak in terms of "soundstage" when discussing headphone audio but the HR2 does convey a feeling of presence and stage depth.Instrument seperation and placement is precise and the oustanding space afforded each instrument and voice is a direct result of the terrificlly extended treble.Treble is never harsh with any of the phones used and is controlled at every high frequency note.That midrange has me in the clouds.This amp harps the midrange and never lets the music get away.Complicated passages won't trip up the HR-2.Bass is big and dynamic without being wooly or boomy.It's good to hear nice,tight snares while at the same time enjoying a sweet keyboard performance.The Emmeline HR-2 seemed astute at driving all the phones with equal authority and finesse.Mike bragged that the HR-2 could drive a dead short and after hearing it drive all the phones with such ease I have no doubts about that claim.It is a not common for an Op-amp based design to perform so well with such a wide variety of music.I searched my collection for some tunes that might cause the HR-2 some trouble.I found the Hendrix LP.It has some crazy acoustic and electric guitar tracks that feature some heavy distortion and spotty recording quality.This recording has never sounded right to me so I have no idea what an accurate reproduction sounds like.The HR-2 got as close(I think) as I have heard it but it still seems a bit "off".I know that's really not fair since I don't know how good or bad this recording actually is,but it's my "ball buster".Fans of Crossfeed should hear an amp that was designed by a guy who hates it.The line forms at the right for crossfeed haters.If you don't like Crossfeed,this is your amp.

I must say that this is a stellar first effort from Ray Samuels in the head amp arena.I find little fault with the Emmeline HR2.My review unit was equipped with the Burr Brown OPA 627bp Op-amps and I didn't get to hear it with the AD 797 Op-amps.Ray offers both configurations and I may offer an update of this review based on an audition of a unit equipped with the AD 797 should the opportunity arise.Ray suggested that upgraded power cords and line conditioners would offer little improvement in the performance of his amp and he was indeed correct.This is the hallmark of a well engineered power supply and Ray knows it.I offer my thanks to Ray Samuels for entering our hobby with this gem of an amp and give the Emmeline HR-2 a big thumbs up.Make room at the top.