[quawn0418]

While not as specific as I'd like, he seemed to explain the two current modes differently than Sandu of Soundnews did. Sandu described it as a toggle between Class A operation (100 mA) and Class AB operation (50 mA). The iiWi reviewer (I'm not sure if he ever gives his name on the channel) appears to describe both modes as always operating in Class A, but with two levels of current. This would seem to be what Aune states: "The S17 Pro specially designed two levels of class-A current: 50mA/100mA per transistor." In any case, this is really just a matter of academic curiosity, especially since I expect to almost always run it in 100mA mode; I like it cool and the weather is finally cooling down here in New Jersey. I'll be buying the S17 next week (when I get a check).

Yes i believe sandu may have been confused in this regard, to my understanding, the amp is always in class-a operation (50ma or 100ma/transistor)…i have to say I’ve owned 3 dedicated amps all under $600, and a few all-in-ones under $1300…but the s17 is the only dedicated amp so far that really shocked me in this price range

 

[MindBreak]

It is great that there is another decent balanced Class A SS option under $1k. It would have been nice if this was an option when I was shopping for my first Class A amp. My Burson Soloist 3 XP + supercharger cost me around $1,500.

 

[labeelen]

I don’t know how one would or could correctly dimension the optimal ‘volume-steps’ when you have 64 steps available to cover the full range from complete silence to full volume.
In my opinion there will always be a trade-of and the Aune engineers will have made design choices where to have more resolution and where it is acceptable to have less. In addition you can change the gain as an extra variable in order to find your volume sweet-spot.

In other words, I’m not convinced Aune sees this as something that could or should be ‘fixed’, maybe it’s by-design.

Hi All,

I checked with the distributor and received the response below:

“we know about the increase from 55 to 56, it is to due the R2R design and to bring all the wide range of 7,5 Watt to 64 resistor steps.This is why there is a different circuit design below and above 56. With a digital volume control or a potentiometer it is easy to cover all steps, but with a complex R2R circuit you have to cut back because with 64 steps the feasible for 7ßß € are more than exhausted. The result of the extraordinary R2R circuit is precision and the best sound. The fact that only about 20 steps are relevant for your headphones is due to the fact that in the 64 steps from small in-ear to real power devices had to be accommodated.
The S17 Pro is well tested with a prototype status of 18 months and there will be no technical changes”

 

[Shane D]

Hi All,

I checked with the distributor and received the response below:

“we know about the increase from 55 to 56, it is to due the R2R design and to bring all the wide range of 7,5 Watt to 64 resistor steps.This is why there is a different circuit design below and above 56. With a digital volume control or a potentiometer it is easy to cover all steps, but with a complex R2R circuit you have to cut back because with 64 steps the feasible for 7ßß € are more than exhausted. The result of the extraordinary R2R circuit is precision and the best sound. The fact that only about 20 steps are relevant for your headphones is due to the fact that in the 64 steps from small in-ear to real power devices had to be accommodated.
The S17 Pro is well tested with a prototype status of 18 months and there will be no technical changes”

Nice work!

I am guessing that I would Never come close to 55. I am a quiet listener that never goes above 75Db's. I am curious though how much headroom I would have with 32 Ohm headphones. Or even 55 Ohms.

 

[Coolmoose]

Nice work!

I am guessing that I would Never come close to 55. I am a quiet listener that never goes above 75Db's. I am curious though how much headroom I would have with 32 Ohm headphones. Or even 55 Ohms.

Probably all the headroom, literally, since someone mentioned a few post back that the radiance was loud for quiet listening with the volume at 1

 

[motberg]

Hi All,

I checked with the distributor and received the response below:

“we know about the increase from 55 to 56, it is to due the R2R design and to bring all the wide range of 7,5 Watt to 64 resistor steps.This is why there is a different circuit design below and above 56. With a digital volume control or a potentiometer it is easy to cover all steps, but with a complex R2R circuit you have to cut back because with 64 steps the feasible for 7ßß € are more than exhausted. The result of the extraordinary R2R circuit is precision and the best sound. The fact that only about 20 steps are relevant for your headphones is due to the fact that in the 64 steps from small in-ear to real power devices had to be accommodated.
The S17 Pro is well tested with a prototype status of 18 months and there will be no technical changes”

I'm pretty sure that there are other r2r volume controls on the market without this problem. I've had Schiit, Audio-GD, Douik, Topping, no-brand, etc. and they all functioned as expected. Aune should, at minimum, publish a detailed graph with their sales literature to inform potential customers.

This is somewhat difficult to explain also for resale...

 

[jjthorn]

Has anyone used sensitive iems with an Aune S17 Pro?

I am new to headphone use and am considering purchasing the Hifiman Arya Organic or the HE1000se.

I am also considering purchasing iems which could have low impedance and medium driver sensitivity, so was wondering how these would operate with an Aune S17 Pro.

If possible I would try the Aune S17Pro with my balanced ME850 Power Amp to compare the preamp section of the Aune S17 Pro to my ME24 Preamp which is unbalanced.

 

[Dimitry188]

Has anyone used sensitive iems with an Aune S17 Pro?

I am using IEMs Yanyin Mahina (8Ω), Snowy A7 (14Ω) and Shanling ME800 (16Ω) and they sound great with this amplifier.
No additional noise or sound distortion appears.

 

[jjthorn]

I am using IEMs Yanyin Mahina (8Ω), Snowy A7 (14Ω) and Shanling ME800 (16Ω) and they sound great with this amplifier.
No additional noise or sound distortion appears.

Thank you for the advice.

 

[Shane D]

I am using IEMs Yanyin Mahina (8Ω), Snowy A7 (14Ω) and Shanling ME800 (16Ω) and they sound great with this amplifier.
No additional noise or sound distortion appears.

How much headroom before the volume gets too loud?

 

[Dimitry188]

How much headroom before the volume gets too loud?

I use these headphones at about 8-10 units of volume, but at the same time I also significantly reduce the overall volume of the system sound.

 

[NexusOne]

Hello,

actually I am looking for a dac, amp and a dongle and saw that there is the new Aune S17 pro available. I want to use Sennheiser IE600 and Hifiman HE-1000 Stealth and I wanted to buy Moondrop Dawn Pro, Topping A70Pro and Topping D70Pro. But now I am thinking about the Aune S17 Pro and Aune Yuki and a Dac from another brand because there is no stand alone dac from Aune.

The topping is stronger, has got 12v trigger, more volume steps and more settings. But it seems to be deadly neutral, maybe sterile and Aune offers a more coloured sound. Maybe Aune is better for a neutral headphone like Hifiman? What do you mean? My questions are:

- Which combination do you think makes more sense? Topping or Aune? And which DAC would you choose? I thought about the SMSL SD-6. Or would you choose another DAC? Aune and SMSL would be a bit cheaper than Topping because its DAC is a bit expensive.

- I saw that there is also a Violectric DHA V590 Pro. It is too expensive but which advantages does it offer in comparison with the Chinese products? Or is there nothing better with an HEK Stealth?

 

[nobela]

Hello,

actually I am looking for a dac, amp and a dongle and saw that there is the new Aune S17 pro available. I want to use Sennheiser IE600 and Hifiman HE-1000 Stealth and I wanted to buy Moondrop Dawn Pro, Topping A70Pro and Topping D70Pro. But now I am thinking about the Aune S17 Pro and Aune Yuki and a Dac from another brand because there is no stand alone dac from Aune.

The topping is stronger, has got 12v trigger, more volume steps and more settings. But it seems to be deadly neutral, maybe sterile and Aune offers a more coloured sound. Maybe Aune is better for a neutral headphone like Hifiman? What do you mean? My questions are:

- Which combination do you think makes more sense? Topping or Aune? And which DAC would you choose? I thought about the SMSL SD-6. Or would you choose another DAC? Aune and SMSL would be a bit cheaper than Topping because its DAC is a bit expensive.

- I saw that there is also a Violectric DHA V590 Pro. It is too expensive but which advantages does it offer in comparison with the Chinese products? Or is there nothing better with an HEK Stealth?

I have ordered S17 Pro, and to fully take advantage of its capability, I'm now looking for an R2R DAC. Schiit Bifrost 2/64 or Denafrips Ares II are my candidates. Gustard R26 would be my first choice, but it's WAAAAY too expensive...

 

[Dimitry188]

Which combination do you think makes more sense?

I use S17 Pro with DAC Singxer SDA-6.
The result is pleasing.

 

[Hengstenberg]

Bought the S17 for testing only. This amp is insane value, i´m speechless.
Call me crazy but ´ve sold my Vio V280FE, Phonitor XE and ADI2 - no need anymore
Not much more to say, except, the Aune S17 with MLD II is arrival on stellar sound heaven 4 my ears & my soul<3