[shimmer n roar]

 
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Japanese consumers seem to be quite fond of fabric jackets on their cables. Aesthetically it looks nice enough, but I find they're prone to twisting up more than rubber jacketed cables, sometimes to a very annoying degree.

 
 
 
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It's also pretty microphonic when the rough material rubs against itself.
Looks nice though.

 

i agree that the cable is more prone to twisting and microphonic but the cloth covering is such a lovely feature. i love the japanese aesthetic and their fastidious attention to detail.

 

[Telstar]

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Alright. Out with the GS-1 (amazing amp) and in with the AT-HA5000. I scored one from a fellow Head-Fi'er that has already been modded for 120v. Should be here late this week or early next. 

I'm definitely looking for your comparison!
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Thinking about getting a DAC upgrade too. Something neutral or just slightly warm is preferred. Solid state only. Any ideas?

audio-gd ref 7.1.
 

 

[AppleheadMay]

 
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According to him: "I removed the 100v wire around the armature and resoldered a 125v thinner one. Rewiring keeps the amp more stable than a step down converter. "

 ​

Plausible? I have no idea about these things. But if he did actually make it 120v and did it well, I am content.​

 
Maybe I can't quite tell from the pictures.
 
It doesn't make anything more "stable" though.

There was more that I didn't quote. He was mainly referring to if I bought a low quality step down converter. Because I don't really want to spent a great deal on one of those anyway.

Anyone else know if what he says he did is possible? Seems like a nice enough guy, but I just don't know anything about this subject.

 
I really don't know how to change voltage on a transfo but if the guy did it it is possible then.
You would have to find someone who can do it for you and knows what's he's doing.
Another possibility would be to put in a new transfo alltogether, but would it have the same quality?
A 200W Churi step down is what a lot of people use here, it should cost you about 100$ before shipping I think and you can order it together with the Luxman if you order from Japan anyway.
 
By the way, the DA-200 is indeed a preamp as well. For both outputs you have the choice to make them fixed or variable output, derpending on what you want to connect.
The phones out is pretty good as well, you might not need an extra solid state amp. I'd add a tube amp for the choice of flavor.  
 

 

[ZenErik]

 
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I really don't know how to change voltage on a transfo but if the guy did it it is possible then.
You would have to find someone who can do it for you and knows what's he's doing.
Another possibility would be to put in a new transfo alltogether, but would it have the same quality?
A 200W Churi step down is what a lot of people use here, it should cost you about 100$ before shipping I think and you can order it together with the Luxman if you order from Japan anyway.
 
By the way, the DA-200 is indeed a preamp as well. For both outputs you have the choice to make them fixed or variable output, derpending on what you want to connect.
The phones out is pretty good as well, you might not need an extra solid state amp. I'd add a tube amp for the choice of flavor.  
 

Yea, I'm paying $1000 so my concern is whether it could be a botched job or a flat out lie. I doubt it. I am inclined to believe him, but I just wanted to see what other people that may have experience with the HA5000 think about it.
 
I will soon find out! Should be shipping tomorrow. Very excited. Hope it's a smooth transaction. i haven't had a bad Head-Fi transaction yet!
 
Edit: And if it is a good job, perhaps I will see if he'd be interested in modding the Luxman if I get it.
 

 

[Telstar]

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I really don't know how to change voltage on a transfo but if the guy did it it is possible then.
You would have to find someone who can do it for you and knows what's he's doing.
Another possibility would be to put in a new transfo alltogether, but would it have the same quality?
A 200W Churi step down is what a lot of people use here, it should cost you about 100$ before shipping I think and you can order it together with the Luxman if you order from Japan anyway.
 

It's possible to change the voltage IF the transformer is winded in a way that makes the operation easy, typical from 240V to 120V. Going from 100V its a big unknown.
Replacing the transformer it is also possible (you just need to read the output voltages), but this will impact the sound much more, and a quality transformer may cost more than 100$. I would avoid this option with a product of the quality of AT.
When the draw current is LITTLE like for an headphone amp, an AC-AC transformer shouldn't degrade the sound much, if not at all.

 

[AppleheadMay]

Thanks for the info.
Is it any better to get a a voltage converter with more Watt like I did?
I got me a 300 W one and the amp only uses 30W,

 

[ZenErik]

Alright, the guy just refunded me with no explanation. So I will buy a new HA5000.
 
The amp is only about 30 watts. Is there any reason to get anything higher than the 60 watt Churi step down?

 

[MuppetFace]

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Alright, the guy just refunded me with no explanation. So I will buy a new HA5000.
 
The amp is only about 30 watts. Is there any reason to get anything higher than the 60 watt Churi step down?

 
The more watts the better, generally speaking. This is one of those cases where overkill is a good thing, and I'd advise against anything lower than 100 watts.
 
I'll leave it to someone more skilled in conveying technical things to explain exactly why, though.

 

[Telstar]

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The amp is only about 30 watts. Is there any reason to get anything higher than the 60 watt Churi step down?

Yes, its the current that matters, it has to be > than the current draw by the amp, and I would keep a margin of at least 0.5. Check/ask how much current the HA5000 draws (peak) and then multiply that for 1.5 and find the smallest transformer that meets this requirement.
 
The 60W step-up transformer probably is not enough. If the current is not enough, it will struggle the dynamics during transients.

 

[AppleheadMay]

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Yes, its the current that matters, it has to be > than the current draw by the amp, and I would keep a margin of at least 0.5. Check/ask how much current the HA5000 draws (peak) and then multiply that for 1.5 and find the smallest transformer that meets this requirement.
 
The 60W step-up transformer probably is not enough. If the current is not enough, it will struggle the dynamics during transients.

 
Good to know, thanks!

 

[ZenErik]

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Yes, its the current that matters, it has to be > than the current draw by the amp, and I would keep a margin of at least 0.5. Check/ask how much current the HA5000 draws (peak) and then multiply that for 1.5 and find the smallest transformer that meets this requirement.
 
The 60W step-up transformer probably is not enough. If the current is not enough, it will struggle the dynamics during transients.

Do you imagine the 200w step down transformer will be enough? Thanks!

 

[ZenErik]

Another question. Is it okay to plug the step down transformer into a surge protector? I should note clearly that I do NOT mean the other way around. I mean plugging the transformer into the surge protector and then the amp into the transformer.
 
I have read bad things about people plugging surge protectors into the output of step down transformer with bad results. But I would be plugging the step down transformer into one of the outputs of the surge protector.
 
Also, will the transformer always be using 200w when plugged in or just what is needed to get the job done when the amp is powered on?

 

[MuppetFace]

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Is it okay to plug the step down transformer into a surge protector?

 
It's perfectly fine. I do it all the time.

 

[TheOtus]

To share my experiences... My ORB Jade-1 LTD is rated 15W, and I have 60W Churi. Works like it should. The ratings are maximum, so the transformer doesn't need to be able to output any extra. I mean, practically no-one takes everything out of the amp anyway. But I'm still in for overkills, even my transformer kinda is that.
 
To give my opinion on the 30W device and 60W amp, I don't see any problem. There is no way, in normal listening or in any kind of listening, for the amp to draw more than the rated current. (If it does, then the rating is wrong and that's a different thing.) With that transformer, there's 100% extra. I would have chosen that for sure.

 

[ZenErik]

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To share my experiences... My ORB Jade-1 LTD is rated 15W, and I have 60W Churi. Works like it should. The ratings are maximum, so the transformer doesn't need to be able to output any extra. I mean, practically no-one takes everything out of the amp anyway. But I'm still in for overkills, even my transformer kinda is that.
 
To give my opinion on the 30W device and 60W amp, I don't see any problem. There is no way, in normal listening or in any kind of listening, for the amp to draw more than the rated current. (If it does, then the rating is wrong and that's a different thing.) With that transformer, there's 100% extra. I would have chosen that for sure.

Thanks for the opinion. I think I'll still go for the 200w just to play it safe this time. And yea, i usually only go to about 9 o'clock max on my amps. Nowhere close to the max. Depending on the headphones and the amp.
 
If I do end up getting the Luxman DA-200 DAC I will probably try a cheaper one. That DAC is only 10 watts max, I believe.