Pre-amps and OPAs inside Total Airhead - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

3602 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 03:54 AM

I don't want to open it up and void any applicable warranty.
What is the pre-amp chip and power-amp chip inside the Total Airhead? And what is (are) the chip(s) that realise Crossfeed? How does the clipping indicator know that the amp is clipping? If you (HeadRoom) cannot answer because of some industrial secret, please reply so and I won't ask any further.

Tyll Hertsens · #2 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3602

I don't want to open it up and void any applicable warranty.
What is the pre-amp chip and power-amp chip inside the Total Airhead? And what is (are) the chip(s) that realise Crossfeed? How does the clipping indicator know that the amp is clipping?

You know, these are great questions, and I'm sorry I don't know the answers well enough to comment off the top of my head. But I tell you something, I have been thinking about blog posts and what I should write about, and very high on my list is "The Anatomy of a _______" where the blank is filled with AirHead, BitHead, Micro Amp, Micro DAC, etc

I'm going to do the AirHead and BitHead first, so if you don't mind I'll ask you to hang on about a week or so and you'll see the post on my blog.

http://www.headphone.com/rightbetweenyourears

TheSloth · #3 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 12:23 PM

All active stages (gain and crossfeed) are handled by AD8397 opamps, which also serve as the power amp stage.

3602 · #4 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheSloth

All active stages (gain and crossfeed) are handled by AD8397 opamps, which also serve as the power amp stage.

Oh, good. The same stuff they use in Xin Micros and whatnot. Rail-to-rail, right?