[labeelen]

Interesting. I have an iFi that does great with my HE6se V2's.

So, 100mA acts like high gain, without the extra volume?
I know that with my Schiit Valhalla 2, the high gain does sound better. But I really don't need the extra power and so I am limited to the 9:00 pot range.

Do you have any efficent headphones to try on it? Maybe Grado's, CFA Cascades, iBasso SR2's, etc.?

No, cuiescent current relates to bias not to gain.

The way I see it increasing the cuiescent current biases the amplifier into a higher Class A which results in less distortion not higher output volume.

I have had my he6se v2 for a some time and used them on several amplifiers (including Singxer AS-1) … but on the S17 I first became aware what they are capable of and what I have been missing all that time.

I do have several other headphones but most have high impedances and/or are not very sensitive like: Sennheiser HD650, Audio Technica ath-r70x, Hifiman HE400i, Beyerdynamics T90, AKG K712 Pro, Fostex t20rp.
My two more sensitive headphones are Audio Technica ath-a990z and Philips Fidelio X2.

Anything specific you would like me to check ? as mentioned before if the headphone is revealing enough you can hear an increase in sounds quality when increasing the cuiescent current from 50mA to 100mA.
As far as I can judge a higher gain does increase the volume but not the character of the sound.

 

[Shane D]

No, cuiescent current relates to bias not to gain.

The way I see it increasing the cuiescent current biases the amplifier into a higher Class A which results in less distortion not higher output volume.

I have had my he6se v2 for a some time and used them on several amplifiers (including Singxer AS-1) … but on the S17 I first became aware what they are capable of and what I have been missing all that time.

I do have several other headphones but most have high impedances and/or are not very sensitive like: Sennheiser HD650, Audio Technica ath-r70x, Hifiman HE400i, Beyerdynamics T90, AKG K712 Pro, Fostex t20rp.
My two more sensitive headphones are Audio Technica ath-a990z and Philips Fidelio X2.

Anything specific you would like me to check ? as mentioned before if the headphone is revealing enough you can hear an increase in sounds quality when increasing the cuiescent current from 50mA to 100mA.
As far as I can judge a higher gain does increase the volume but not the character of the sound.

The HE6se V2's are the fussiest headphones I have ever owned or touched. They were good with several amps, but didn't show their true capabilities until the iFi.

I guess on the headphone front, I was just wondering how much gain the amp has in low gain. For instance, with a really efficient headphone, can you get the volume knob past 9:00?
I am a quiet listener with several efficient headphones. I sold the Liquid Platinum because it just had too much gain and I couldn't get it much past 8:30 with several headphones. It had a beautiful sound with Focal's and planar's, but was very limited with several headphones.

That is why I was looking hard at the SA-1 with the logarithmic volume pot.

 

[labeelen]

The HE6se V2's are the fussiest headphones I have ever owned or touched. They were good with several amps, but didn't show their true capabilities until the iFi.

I guess on the headphone front, I was just wondering how much gain the amp has in low gain. For instance, with a really efficient headphone, can you get the volume knob past 9:00?
I am a quiet listener with several efficient headphones. I sold the Liquid Platinum because it just had too much gain and I couldn't get it much past 8:30 with several headphones. It had a beautiful sound with Focal's and planar's, but was very limited with several headphones.

That is why I was looking hard at the SA-1 with the logarithmic volume pot.

Please be aware that there is no such thing like a 9:00 position on the S17 (indefinite) volume knob.
Volume is defined by a R2R (resistor ladder) with 63 positions.
To give you an idea, on the low gain setting this would translate to:
50-55 for headphones with low efficiency or sensitivity (balanced)
40-45 for medium sensitive headphones (single ended)
25-30 for sensitive headphones (single ended)
… and below for sensitive IEMs

 

[fidshimmer]

Why in high gain ? (What would the equivalent volume position be in low gain ?) + do you hear a difference between low/high gain ?

These are high impedance headphones 420 ohms. In high gain I am listening mostly with volume between 35 and 40

 

[labeelen]

These are high impedance headphones 420 ohms. In high gain I am listening mostly with volume between 35 and 40

Thanks, but is there a specific reason you switch to high gain ?
My ath-r70x are higher impedance (470 ohms), less sensitive (99dB) and they sound just fine in low gain.

 

[labeelen]

Thanks, but is there a specific reason you switch to high gain ?
My ath-r70x are higher impedance (470 ohms), less sensitive (99dB) and they sound just fine in low gain.

I did some further listening with the ath-r70x volumematching both the low and high gain settings.
On high gain the sound is more punchy and on the low gain setting it is smoother and (to my ears) overall more pleasing.
In both cases 100mA gives more depth and spacious sound whereas 50mA flattens the sound somewhat.

 

[kopczas]

Has anyone compared it with Topping A90d?

 

[Hooster]

Has anyone compared it with Topping A90d?

In the conclusion he mentions the Topping. According to him the S17 is a cut above it.

 

[Dimitry188]

The heating was turned on in the apartment, it became warmer and now the temperature in the 100mA mode is stabilized at 66 degrees...

 

[svmusa]

The heating was turned on in the apartment, it became warmer and now the temperature in the 100mA mode is stabilized at 66 degrees...

If you can share a bit on sound signature would be greatly appreciated in your own way, specifically treble/mids and bass. Personally I am looking for smoother highs and a bit lush mids rather than a hyper presentation. I just tried out Hifiman EF400 and contrary to the reviews being warmer amp/dac I find the Treble to be too hot and fatiguing for my likes, it adds a bit of air to mids with ssss.. sound, probably a great Amp/DAC for many but the sound is not for me.

 

[quawn0418]

The heating was turned on in the apartment, it became warmer and now the temperature in the 100mA mode is stabilized at 66 degrees...

Also, whats the temperature in your apartment?

 

[Dimitry188]

Also, whats the temperature in your apartment?

Approximately 25 degrees Celsius.

 

[quawn0418]

Approximately 25 degrees Celsius.

That’s very good to know, my s17 is behaving the same exact way, i initially thought my apartments temperature was 21c while my s17 was stabilizing at 66c but when i bought a thermometer and put in the same area as my amp the thermometer read 24.7c, all this time i had thought my s17 was running hotter than normal but it’s actually running just fine, aune states that at 25c the s17 should stabilize around 66c

 

[todd95008]

I posted this on the Youtube (Soundnews & Z reviews) reviews comments of the HP amp.

Beware that the volume control is wacky to say the least !
Below vol 55 it takes 4 steps of the control to make any change.
For example: 48,49,50 & 51 are the same level and 52,53,54 & 55 are the same level.
Each volume change (4 steps total) is a 2dB step.
Above from 55 to 56 there is a whopping 6 dB step and then from 56 to max, one volume change per step but in 2dB steps again.
In my case I just leave the vol at 50 and adjust the output of the source down as needed.
If your source is fixed this volume control will NOT work so BEWARE !!!

Note: I did not check the volume setting below mid 30's and the behaviour is the same high or low gain.

Very strange they set up the JRC volume control like this.
I believe they could have had many more finer steps with that chip ?

With my headphones (name withheld to protect the innocent), the low gain volume setting of 50 and bias at 50mA is fine.
I could not hear a difference between the 50mA and 100mA bias settings on most material (minimal when I do).
Since my output current (with 26 Ohms phones) is never going to exceed 50mA, the output devices are still in Class A mode.

Your mileage may vary with higher voltage/current headphones...

 

[motberg]

I posted this on the Youtube (Soundnews & Z reviews) reviews comments of the HP amp.

Beware that the volume control is wacky to say the least !
Below vol 55 it takes 4 steps of the control to make any change.
For example: 48,49,50 & 51 are the same level and 52,53,54 & 55 are the same level.
Each volume change (4 steps total) is a 2dB step.
Above from 55 to 56 there is a whopping 6 dB step and then from 56 to max, one volume change per step but in 2dB steps again.
In my case I just leave the vol at 50 and adjust the output of the source down as needed.
If your source is fixed this volume control will NOT work so BEWARE !!!

Note: I did not check the volume setting below mid 30's and the behaviour is the same high or low gain.

Very strange they set up the JRC volume control like this.
I believe they could have had many more finer steps with that chip ?

With my headphones (name withheld to protect the innocent), the low gain volume setting of 50 and bias at 50mA is fine.
I could not hear a difference between the 50mA and 100mA bias settings on most material (minimal when I do).
Since my output current (with 26 Ohms phones) is never going to exceed 50mA, the output devices are still in Class A mode.

Your mileage may vary with higher voltage/current headphones...

I noticed similar problems with the volume control. That 55 to 56 step is ridiculous and most times I need something in between. Also I have 2 remotes and neither work at all. I bought this as a main room speaker preamp after watching the Soundnews review, very disappointed so far... I'll contact the factory and report back here any updates.