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Hifiman HM-801: what is the "headphone amp board v.2.0"?

post #1 of 20
11/27/11 at 5:58pm
Thread Starter 

I'm just getting my HM-801 working (WOW, sounds terrific!), but I am not sure what the amp board that came with it marked  "headphone amp board v.2.0 for Ganqi bay" is all about.  Is this an alternative amp?  What are its characteristics or purposes?  Thanks for your help!

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post #2 of 20
11/27/11 at 8:01pm

I only know of two optional amp modules for the 801 - the GAME module for IEMs and the balanced amp module for anything up to HE-500 (not sure about HE-6).

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post #3 of 20
11/27/11 at 10:05pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks for getting back to me!  But I'm trying to figure out what the two amp cards are that came with my new HM-801: one was installed in the player, the other came in a small plastic bag in the box.  Any ideas?

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post #4 of 20
12/3/11 at 8:18am

Let's see if this helps. First is a picture depicting the game with the standard, then a 2nd picture of the same two boards but the opposite side.

 

92d7f84b_LL.jpeg

 

bf1cd74b_LL-1.jpeg

 

Next is the version 2 of the standard module.

 

DSCN0961.JPG

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post #5 of 20
12/3/11 at 1:56pm
Thread Starter 

Interesting!  Thanks for posting the pictures.  Neither of my boards is exactly like either of the two above. 

The uninstalled amp card that came with the HM-801 is similar to the two "standard amp modules" you have above, except that the four round parts (capacitors?) are marked "CS 100 10V":

extra amp card that came in HM-801 box, uninstalled.jpg

 

 

 

And here is the picture of the other amp card, installed in the HM 801, which doesn't look like any of the pictures you posted:

amp card that came in my HM-801.jpg

 

 

 

Here is a picture of its other side, with some Chinese characters which I can't read; maybe they identify it -- can anyone read this?:

other side of the amp card that came installed in HM 801.jpg

 

 

I love the HM-801 a lot, it sounds just terrific (I'm using AKG 802 headphones primarily), but it's frustrating how little information comes with it.

 

Thanks for your help!

 

KR

 

 

 

 

 

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post #6 of 20
12/4/11 at 4:41am

I too received two amp modules with my new HM801. I started a duplicate thread which I will abandon. The extra green board appears to be the standard amp module. The installed blue board is the mystery however. The only blue board on the Head Direct site is the new balanced board, however the balanced board has a pigtail which ours does not. The blue board is I think lower current than the standard module so maybe it can be used for IEMs. Which one are you using to drive your 802s? I will be using IEMs so I am wondering if I can use the mysterious blue board for that or if I need to buy the GAME module.

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post #7 of 20
12/4/11 at 12:48pm
Thread Starter 

I'm using what appears to be the new standard board, rather than the blue board (which I'm guessing is the new GAME module -- why is it called that, by the way? -- for IEMs), but I used the blue board with my AKGs, with very good results at first.  I haven't tried either board with my Westone 3s yet -- I just like the AKGs so much more.  I'm not doing a lot of back and forth testing right now, since I stripped the screws on the Ganqi bay the first time I opened it ... still hoping to find a source for replacement screws!

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post #8 of 20
12/4/11 at 7:01pm

Bummer about the stripped screws, those have got to be the tiniest screws I've ever seen.

 

You could be right about the blue module being for IEMs, I read a thread about a couple years ago where Fang said he was going to start shipping with GAME modules installed because the JH16s had just come out. It's really excellent to get both modules if that is the case.

 

I still haven't got mine up and running yet but that is next on my list. I noticed there is a new firmware load available to fix a bug in the charger. Wondering if my HM801 has the new firmware or if I should load it first.

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post #9 of 20
12/4/11 at 7:20pm
350x197px-LL-6568c70d_extraampcardthatcameinHM-801boxuninstalled.jpeg

This is the "standard amp module", sometime refer as the V2 because it was the second version of standard amp module. The 1st version only has been long discontinued and only came with the easiest batch of HM801. The V2 is more common. It was designed to drive both earphones and headphones.

350x197px-LL-98c201e2_ampcardthatcameinmyHM-801.jpeg

This is the "Power amp module', which is supposed to replace V2 and becomes the new standard module for HM801. But the gain and output is a little too high for sensitive IEM, so HifiMan now also pack the V2 with the HM801 in case the user find the Power amp module's output too high and want something lower in gain for their IEM.


350x621px-LL-1e98d949_othersideoftheampcardthatcameinstalledinHM801.jpeg

It said "For full sized headphone".
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post #10 of 20
12/4/11 at 7:34pm
Thread Starter 

fantastic!  Thanks for clarifying.

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post #11 of 20
12/4/11 at 7:39pm
Thread Starter 

You can tell what firmware you have by going into "settings" and then "system info"; it'll be listed as "version."

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post #12 of 20
12/5/11 at 6:05pm

Thanks reinhard, I checked and my HM801 came with v0.21 which is the same version I downloaded from the Head Direct site. No need to upgrade firmware at this time.

 

Thank you ClieOS your information was valuable and accurate. Since I am using an IEM I swapped out for the V2 and what a difference.

 

OK I'll admit after listening to the blue board I was ready to chuck my new HM801. My JH's haven't arrived yet so I'm listening on my trusty Shure SE530's. The sound was so warm, so bass-heavy that it was blasting me out. OK I'll admit it had a lot of "impact." But at home I use an Apogee mini-DAC with Denon AHD2000's, so I was looking for the clarity of an upscale DAC not pure bass.

 

All that changed after installing the V2 module. The sound was layered all the way to the top, the bass didn't overwhelm, and I could hear...cymbals. Still lots and lots of bass. OK it's no mini-DAC but it blows the roof off my Cowon S9.

 

I don't know whether the blue module just sounds that way with my SE530's and gets better with big phones. Then again, it's a sound signature that many prefer - just not me.


Edited by IH8RDNX - 12/5/11 at 6:09pm
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post #13 of 20
12/5/11 at 8:53pm

Way to go, ClieOS - you even deciphered the Chinese on the blue board ! Sir, I don my hat in your presence.

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post #14 of 20
12/15/11 at 5:05am

Why is the so called amp board for earphone different from the Game Card Amplifier module at Head-Direct website?

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post #15 of 20
12/15/11 at 11:07am
Thread Starter 

I'm not sure, but I think that what's new is the blue board, which seems to be higher gain than the board that originally shipped with it.  I'm guessing that people thought that the original amp board didn't give enough gain for more demanding full size headphones, like some of Hifiman's.

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