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GUSTARD H10 High-current Discrete Class A output Stage Headphone Amplifier
Oct 22, 2015 at 10:45 PM Post #3,391 of 5,553
stuartmc said:
   
Welcome aboard Swabbie!  I'm an old school tube guy and I too found much to love about the H10.   Thank goodness that op-amp "swabbing"  is much less expensive than tube rolling. That being said, you might want to try out some of the less expensive op-amp combinations like the 797/832 before popping for something as pricey as the Bursons. I haven't listened to the Bursons, so I can't say anything about whether the price matches the performance. If you can get the 797BRZ variant pre-mounted on an adaptor, I would definitely go for that over the 797ANZ.   I got mine from Analog Metric in Hong Kong and the price for two shipped was only $26. Well worth the few extra bucks, in my opinion. http://www.analogmetric.com/goods.php?id=2030
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Thanks for the warm welcome!  I still own a few tube amps and I have the Feliks Audio Elise on on order right now.  I can't get away from the glow. 
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I'm using the H10 for my work desk setup.  Tubes and work don't mix.  I love the H10 so much that I may buy a second for home.    
 
Arrrrrrrrr...swabbing it is then.... I've ordered the 797/832 ANZ combo and the 797 BRZ from your link.  I'm going to try some other combos mentioned here too.  I'll wait on the Burson's though.
 
Oct 23, 2015 at 4:17 AM Post #3,392 of 5,553
jerick70 said:
 
Thanks for the warm welcome!  I still own a few tube amps and I have the Feliks Audio Elise on on order right now.  I can't get away from the glow. 
atsmile.gif
I'm using the H10 for my work desk setup.  Tubes and work don't mix.  I love the H10 so much that I may buy a second for home.    
 
Arrrrrrrrr...swabbing it is then.... I've ordered the 797/832 ANZ combo and the 797 BRZ from your link.  I'm going to try some other combos mentioned here too.  I'll wait on the Burson's though.
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Hi Jerick and welcome
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With the Elise you will be addicted to Tube Rolling.
With H10 to OPA rolling, RFI armouring, ..... (you wil need some screwdrivers but will be less expensive)
But at the end, you will have reference gears (or at least the best bor the value) for almost all the cans you can get !
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Oct 23, 2015 at 11:38 AM Post #3,393 of 5,553
Been running in the H10 for about a week now. 
 
Op-amps are the  AD797ANZ and the AD823ANZ. +6 gain for the HD800. 
 
Cans used - HD800 W/ stock cable, source is my fidelized PC with tidal streaming feeding an ifi iUSB and ifi IDSD. 
 
Over the course of the week, i found the bass a tad too light and treble too harsh as first. The unit was new so before jumping to conclusions i let it run in first (cans are at least 2 years old with the anax mod). 
 
It's about past the 50 hour mark where it started to settle down very nicely. 
 
The bass has started to blossom, not in an exaggerated way mind you. It has heft and rumble IF it is in the recording. It is not going to make poorly mastered records suddenly have bass. But for properly mastered / recorded tracks, the bass will be there, tight, tuneful and quick - it does not overwhelm the music but integrates beautifully.  ( I never thought i would be able to enjoy John Digweed with the HD800s but that's made up the bulk of my listening the past couple of nights, the bass is so quick and tuneful it makes the bass on other headphones seem ponderous and plodding - there is simply no overhang).
 
The highs have settled as well, with the treble being particularly delightful on hard-bop jazz, it fizzles and sizzles BUT in a realistic way that does not threaten to shear your ears off. Hi-hats shimmer with scary realism. I've never been a treble-head but this combination seems to be edging me in the direction. (In comparsion, my previous setup of the HE6 powered directly via a 18W Almarro SET speaker amp had thunderous bass that had more slam than the HD800 but treble was an issue as it always toed the line of being a little too hot). 
 
Shall let it run in more and report back again. I might be getting a Valhalla 2 next week with some copper litz cables for the HD800, should be an interesting comparison between the H10 and Valhalla. 
 
Oct 24, 2015 at 12:17 PM Post #3,394 of 5,553
hpamdr said:
 
Hi Jerick and welcome
beerchug.gif
.
 
With the Elise you will be addicted to Tube Rolling.
With H10 to OPA rolling, RFI armouring, ..... (you wil need some screwdrivers but will be less expensive)
But at the end, you will have reference gears (or at least the best bor the value) for almost all the cans you can get !
o2smile.gif
 
L3000.gif
 
atsmile.gif
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Thank you! 
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I'm really looking forward to the OPA swabbing.  I did a little with the Fiio E12DIY and really liked the differences it made.  This will be a welcome change from tubes.  $150 + a pop for good tubes is getting a bit to much. Unfortunately I can't stop though....
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Oct 24, 2015 at 8:38 PM Post #3,400 of 5,553
Not sure if this has been discussed previously, but I am finding the synergy with the h10 and dt770 250 is excellent. Every genre, just wonderful!
 
Oct 25, 2015 at 1:31 AM Post #3,401 of 5,553
Stock opamps and Focus pads.

hongant said:
A question for the people who use H10 with HE-500. Which opamps and earpads are you using and recommending?
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Oct 25, 2015 at 8:53 AM Post #3,402 of 5,553
Oct 25, 2015 at 2:03 PM Post #3,403 of 5,553
hongant said:
  A question for the people who use H10 with HE-500. Which opamps and earpads are you using and recommending?
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I use the cheap hifiman Velvet earpads as for op-amp's it depends on what type of sound your looking for, or if your not happy with the stock op-amps. I know I wasn't happy with the OPA134's in the single channel's and was the first one i changed as i didn't like what it did to the bass and the sound as it made the bass boomy and wasn't clear to me thats was one thing i didn't like with it off the top of my head.
 
Also I have a Gustard X12 as my source so the results might be different for you if your using a sound card as a source or another dac. Since I don't know what you have your H10 plugged into. Also it depends on the type of improvement that you want too. I haven't mentioned the LT1489 with OPA627AU as i currently running it and wont post how it sound to me til it's done burning in(Rather you belive burn in or not)

 The Gustard has Two dual channel op-amp socket's at the rear of the unit where the input connections are and Two single channel sockets at the width of the unit.  Also when you do swap the op-amps make sure yo match the notch on the op-amp or circle with the dip-8 , also your gonna have to bend the op-amp legs so they look like |-| from /-\ so they slide in. Also I explaining how the combo sounds to me the best way i can.
 
2xDual Channel +2x Single channels
LT1358             + AD797Brz = Smooth Clean highs,Clear forward mids with good bass, Tight Lows, narrow Sound stage that is 3Dish
LT1358             + LME49990 = Smooth and tad Detailed highs,Neutral accurate Mids but a tad recess,Tight lows with wide airly sound stage.
LT1469             + LT1357 = Highs clear Very Detailed , Mids was clean and a tad forward with mid bass impact, Lows are Tight and accurate, Sound Stage is good
LT1355             + LT1122 = Smooth Clean Airly Highs, Mids are a tad Forward with Medium Bass impact and Very Good Vocals,Tight Lows with Big Sound Stage
LT1489             +LT1122 = Smooth Airly Highs with Good Details,Clean  Mids with Great Vocal and Controlled bass, Tight Lows with 3Dish Sound Stage and Wide
 
Oct 25, 2015 at 6:29 PM Post #3,404 of 5,553
My DAC is a Yulong D100 II. Atm. I use the XLR output from D100 to a set of Focal CMS 50 active speakers. I was thinking of using the RCA output to the H10 when it arrive next week. Will I loose some power and sound quality by using RCA from D100 to H10 compared to XLR?  Does the RCA connection have enough power for the HE-500?
I also have the opportunity to use RCA from D100 to active speakers instead and use XLR for H10, but would like to hear some opinion from you guys.  
 
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