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New Fostex HP-V1 Portable Amp

Feb 8, 2013 at 10:47 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 220
AnakChan

AnakChan

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This was announced this morning in Fujiya's Facebook (along with Fostex TH-600 which funnily made it to Head-Fi but not the HP-V1).
 
Anyway The HP-V1 is Fostex's first portable tube amp. There's not much info about this amp except :-
 
  1. that the shell is also the heatsink
  2. has a high/low gain switch for IEM and for higher impedance cans
  3. has input analogue front and back for convenience
 
From the picture I would have thought it supported both 3.5mm and 1/4" out however with their comment of having analogue input front and back (and I only see 1x3.5mm in the front), I'm not certain. I'll get to find out tomorrow since the prototype will be at Fujiya's Portable show.
 
Although Fostex's news page doesn't state a price, on the Fujiya blog there's a price of Y50,000 mentioned/rumoured (USD$535).
 
Pictures taken from Fujiya's Blog and Facebook site, and on Fostex's News :-


 
Feb 8, 2013 at 11:21 AM Post #2 of 220
A shame there's no AKM DAC in there too; I thought they were working on an improved HP-P1 with better amp section, since that was where most were a little disappointed...
 
Feb 8, 2013 at 11:30 AM Post #3 of 220
Quote:
the wizard of oz said:
A shame there's no AKM DAC in there too; I thought they were working on an improved HP-P1 with better amp section, since that was where most were a little disappointed...
Click to expand...

 
Funnily last year another Tokyo Head-Fier was asking the same thing. Instead they came out with this surprise. I can guess though MFI is probably a painful exercise to go through, not to mention expensive. So coming up with a non-Apple product is probably faster and cheaper.
 
I kinda welcome more portable tube amps in  the market even if this Fostex one turned up by surprise.
 
Feb 8, 2013 at 12:44 PM Post #4 of 220
Sure, another portable tube is a nice alternative, but, with iDAC & USB DAC options would have made a far more interesting product. But maybe they want to feel the waters and see how much interest they get for this portable tube amp at the price point they will be asking.
 
Feb 8, 2013 at 8:42 PM Post #5 of 220
Thanks AnakChan. Fostex keeps Head-fier's on their toes. It seems the HP-P1 isn't going to be replaced easily. I would like to see how they implemented the valve in HP-PV. Whoever is doing Fostex industrial design for these portable amps is a cut above. Perhaps with the new Lightning connector Fostex thought their is little value in take the digital out anymore? Naturally I would love to have a listen to this, I would probably have to use the line out of the HP-P1. 
 
ADD: There is also a Mundorf Fostex capacitor in the PDF file attached to the blog. That is probably the output capacitor?
 
Feb 9, 2013 at 1:24 AM Post #6 of 220
Quote:
ajheadfi said:
Naturally I would love to have a listen to this, I would probably have to use the line out of the HP-P1. 
Click to expand...

I visualized this too, but it would make for quite a fat stack; therefore I hope Fostex is still considering improving on the HP-P1.
 
Feb 9, 2013 at 1:54 AM Post #7 of 220
Quote:
the wizard of oz said:
I visualized this too, but it would make for quite a fat stack; therefore I hope Fostex is still considering improving on the HP-P1.
Click to expand...

 
Certainly would be getting bigger. Perhaps HP-P1 sound quality cannot be improved yet or if so not to any degree they consider significant. It may be that HP-PV is now offerred as a different quality option. Fostex does not seem to be interested in making a device that does it all, I think that is a good approach. Until someone can examine the HP-PV and expose in detail, we don't know what Fostex has actually come up with here. Is it simply a competitor to the likes of ALO's Continental line?
 
ADD: Good thing for Fostex is they have avoided the high resolution quagmire with this amplifier.
 
Feb 9, 2013 at 10:12 AM Post #8 of 220
Quote:
 
the wizard of oz said:
I visualized this too, but it would make for quite a fat stack; therefore I hope Fostex is still considering improving on the HP-P1.
 
Click to expand...

 
Originally Posted by AJHeadfi /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
 
Certainly would be getting bigger. Perhaps HP-P1 sound quality cannot be improved yet or if so not to any degree they consider significant. It may be that HP-PV is now offerred as a different quality option. Fostex does not seem to be interested in making a device that does it all, I think that is a good approach. Until someone can examine the HP-PV and expose in detail, we don't know what Fostex has actually come up with here. Is it simply a competitor to the likes of ALO's Continental line?
 
ADD: Good thing for Fostex is they have avoided the high resolution quagmire with this amplifier.
Click to expand...

 
Firstly, funny you should ask about how big the stack will be. It seems the HP-V1 casing was designed with the intent of stacking with the HP-P1. Heat dissipation is towards the side heat-sinks.
 
FoStack

 

Secondly, it seems the HP-V1 was announced really early! The prototype doesn't even have some of the features mentioned in the 1st post (e.g. it has 1 input still and currently only has a 1/4" output). Looks like it'll be out much later towards the end of the year. Will share more as I find out.
 
Feb 9, 2013 at 12:03 PM Post #10 of 220
Quote:
rudi0504 said:
Hi Sean 
how  is the sound quality between fostex hp-V1 vs alo continental V2 ?
 
has the fostex hp-V1 more power than alo continental V2 ?
Click to expand...

 
Hi Rudi,
 
Sadly I can't really give a review or even initial thoughts. Firstly I have very little experience with portable tube amps even though I've heard them before, I've not actually owned any to listen critically. Secondly, I couldn't A/B them side-by-side at the show as they were in different booths (also, I didn't see the Continental V2 but saw the V3 instead). Thirdly, I think it won't be fair to give any thoughts on impressions publicly when it's just an early prototype.
 
Wish I could give you more info there.
 
Feb 9, 2013 at 6:30 PM Post #11 of 220
I'm specifically interested in the HP-PV as an adjunct to the HP-P1. I would prefer a 3.5mm headphone socket, but Fostex might intend this unit to be used with native 1/4" headphones.
 
Feb 10, 2013 at 5:08 AM Post #13 of 220
Quote:
anakchan said:
 
Hi Rudi,
 
Sadly I can't really give a review or even initial thoughts. Firstly I have very little experience with portable tube amps even though I've heard them before, I've not actually owned any to listen critically. Secondly, I couldn't A/B them side-by-side at the show as they were in different booths (also, I didn't see the Continental V2 but saw the V3 instead). Thirdly, I think it won't be fair to give any thoughts on impressions publicly when it's just an early prototype.
 
Wish I could give you more info there.
Click to expand...

 
Did you manage to hear it?
 
ADD: Genie is out of the bottle now!
 
Feb 10, 2013 at 8:55 AM Post #14 of 220
Quote:
anakchan said:
 
Hi Rudi,
 
Sadly I can't really give a review or even initial thoughts. Firstly I have very little experience with portable tube amps even though I've heard them before, I've not actually owned any to listen critically. Secondly, I couldn't A/B them side-by-side at the show as they were in different booths (also, I didn't see the Continental V2 but saw the V3 instead). Thirdly, I think it won't be fair to give any thoughts on impressions publicly when it's just an early prototype.
 
Wish I could give you more info there.
Click to expand...

Hi Sean 
Thank you for Your explanation 
 
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