REVIEW: Qinpu Q-2 and A-3 Amplifiers and V-5 Speakers
Nov 18, 2009 at 11:10 PM Post #77 of 140
Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Do you need the speaker output? I can help more once I know that.

Last night I compared the A-3 and my EF2, both driven by my Pico DAC-only and using my HD600, and the A-3 was very nice - but the EF2 with Raytheon 6AK5 tubes was slightly more open sounding with a deeper soundstage (the A-3 is slightly more forward sounding).

I could be happy with either as a budget amp, and if you need the built-in speaker amp more than the built-in USB DAC, the A-3 is a good choice. The speaker out of the A-3 driving Stax SRD-7 Pro and HE60 is a little more open sounding than the 1/8" output with HD600, so it is an excellent speaker amp.

The EF2 is nice having the built-in USB DAC, but I compared the EF2 with built-in USB as source vs the EF2 and A-3 with Pico DAC-only, and the Pico DAC is so good that I would take the A-3 with Pico over the EF2 with built-in DAC. Where the EF2 excels is with low impedance full size phones like Grado, Denon and Ultrasone where it has more power and punch. The A-3 is better with full size higher impedance phones, but both are good with IEM (even low impedance like Westone 3 and IE8).

In my case, I would not get rid of either one (unless EF5 kills the EF2).


Quote:

Originally Posted by estreeter /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Thanks for this HPA - it all goes into the 'database' I am putting together to help with future choices. The Pico DAC is on my list, but we all know how that goes - always something new and sexy on the horizon.

The EF2 is one of the few tube amps that is readily available for me here in Oz, and modestly priced to boot, but it wasnt very well received locally, at least with the stock tubes. I think I'll stick with SS amps.
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Don't forget that I said with the same Pico DAC that the EF2 is a little more open and spacious, while the A-3 is a little more forward. The Pico DAC is quite good for a USB DAC, and compares well to my PS Audio and Apogee mini-DAC via USB.

You didn't answer whether you need the speaker outputs, so I haven't recommended any other amps as requested, except for the above two in this price range. What do you want the amp for, i.e. what headphones?

Other good amps in this price range, that I have heard and for headphones only would be the EF1 which is richer and more euphonic sounding than the Grahm Slee NOVO which is also nice. The DV336i is like the Qinpu A-3 in that it works best with high impedance phones, and is a great match for the HD600, and while it is still nice with low impedance phones it wont play as loud without clipping as it will with the HD600.

If you have Grados or Denon I would recommend the EF1 or EF2 over the A-3 or 336i. See my public profile "about me" for link to my other reviews including the NOVO. I don't have that review memorized because it was a loaner I had less time with than the ones that I own.

There are still more nice amps in this price range but I can't say they are better - the Travagans Red and White, Firestone Cute Beyond, and Nuforce Icon Desktop (reviewed all those) and the Purity Audio KICAS that I have not heard yet. To me, to get on a clearly higher level of performance than these $200-400 amps, you should look at the Woo Audio WA6.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitarist /img/forum/go_quote.gif
When you mentioned that A 3 is better with higher ohm phones but would Grado still sound great on it?

Thanks!!!


See my own review: Review: Qinpu A-3 headphone and speaker tube amplifier from Head-direct.com - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

You can use low impedance phones with the A-3 but you can't achieve the same high volume levels before clipping that the EF1 and EF2 will give you with the low impedance phones. The A-3 wont play them as loud, but didn't sound bad with them. Qinpu recommends phones over 100 ohm. With the HD600 the A-3 will play quite loudly before clipping, and almost as loud as the EF2.
 
Nov 19, 2009 at 1:32 AM Post #78 of 140
Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif
If you have Grados or Denon I would recommend the EF1 or EF2 over the A-3 or 336i. See my public profile "about me" for link to my other reviews including the NOVO. I don't have that review memorized because it was a loaner I had less time with than the ones that I own.



Totally agree - although the A-3 is better with low impedance cans than the 336i. But the EF-1 especially does very well with Grados.
 
Nov 27, 2009 at 3:02 PM Post #81 of 140
No kidding - that's a heck of a deal!!!!
 
Nov 28, 2009 at 12:14 AM Post #82 of 140
Hmm it's so difficult deciding which amp to buy, I am almost set on the EF2 for $189 as it has a DAC as well as an amp for my Grado SR-225 from my computer. However, $139 for the A-3 seems to be a very good price! I could always buy a DAC later on but as I am no audiophile, would I be able to tell much difference between the A-3 and say.. a Pico DAC (highest $ I am willing to spend on a DAC) and an EF2?
 
Nov 28, 2009 at 4:53 AM Post #83 of 140
Quote:

Originally Posted by stang /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Hmm it's so difficult deciding which amp to buy, I am almost set on the EF2 for $189 as it has a DAC as well as an amp for my Grado SR-225 from my computer. However, $139 for the A-3 seems to be a very good price! I could always buy a DAC later on but as I am no audiophile, would I be able to tell much difference between the A-3 and say.. a Pico DAC (highest $ I am willing to spend on a DAC) and an EF2?


http://www.head-fi.org/forums/6174245-post16.html
 
Nov 28, 2009 at 4:59 AM Post #84 of 140
Ah thanks HPA. I was looking for some posts on which would be better, but must have missed your post because I was scanning through it too quickly. If i just used the EF2 by itself, acting as a DAC and amplifier, and used the A-3 with a Pico DAC, would the A-3combo be noticably better? Thank you.
 
Nov 28, 2009 at 5:40 AM Post #85 of 140
Quote:

Originally Posted by stang /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Ah thanks HPA. I was looking for some posts on which would be better, but must have missed your post because I was scanning through it too quickly. If i just used the EF2 by itself, acting as a DAC and amplifier, and used the A-3 with a Pico DAC, would the A-3combo be noticably better? Thank you.


If you used a Pico with A-3 vs EF2 with built-in DAC, then the Pico/A-3 wins, even with Grados, because of the better DAC. The uDAC with A-3 would also win. Yes, the A-3 has less power than the EF1 with Grados, but the EF2 also has less power than the EF1, so by adding a more resolving DAC to one but not the other will make a bigger difference. As they say, the sound you get out is no better than your source.

If you are going to go through the trouble to get an nicer external DAC then the A-3 will be more versatile because of the 8-watt speaker out which can also drive K1000 and Stax electrostatic transformer boxes. While A-3 is not as good with low impedance as it is with high (good voltage swing, not so much current), the sound is good with the low impedance phones and it was more of a volume limit being lower before clipping sets in.

If the A-3 did not sound good with IEM, I would have stronger feelings about picking the EF2 instead, but it does very well with IEM too. That's why I think it is so versatile. It can drive IEM, most full size phones, K1000, Stax (with transformer) - it can do everything decently, just some things better than others.
 
Nov 28, 2009 at 5:51 AM Post #86 of 140
Ahh, looks like the A-3 for $200aud shipped it is as well as the Zero DAC on ebay for around $180aud shipped. So that's within my budget of roughly $400aud. If i upgraded to AKG K701/K702 from my ATH-AD700 in the near future, would the combo of A-3 and Zero DAC be enough? The highest volume on the ATH-AD700 with my sound card i listen to is 24% if that helps at all.
 
Nov 28, 2009 at 6:05 AM Post #87 of 140
Quote:

Originally Posted by stang /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Ahh, looks like the A-3 for $200aud shipped it is as well as the Zero DAC on ebay for around $180aud shipped. So that's within my budget of roughly $400aud. If i upgraded to AKG K701/K702 from my ATH-AD700 in the near future, would the combo of A-3 and Zero DAC be enough? The highest volume on the ATH-AD700 with my sound card i listen to is 24% if that helps at all.


I don't have a clue how much volume is enough for you (24% could be very loud). I did try the ATH-A900 with the A-3 and I posted what I thought about the combo in my review (sounded good). I haven't used the A900 for a while, so I can't expand on that further; and I haven't heard a K701 or K702 since a meet at my home in February when they did well on the EF1. But I did not try the K701/702 on an EF2 or A-3. You might want more power than the EF2 or A-3, I just don't know.

I would bet that the ATH-AD2000 would do well on these amps, and I prefer those over the K701/702. The ATH-ESW10JPN work well on them, and the HD600 are a great match too. And, I think the A-3 did better with Grado RS-1 and Ultrasone HFI-700 than it did with the 25 ohm Denons, so those (or similar) are still an option even though they are low impedance.

I don't know much about the ZERO except for the first several months of Penchum's review thread and opamp rolling experiments. Never heard one either. If I recall correctly the ZERO didn't have a USB DAC, so you'd need a USB > S/PDIF converter if you don't have optical/coax with your computer and they haven't added a USB DAC yet.
 
Nov 28, 2009 at 6:10 AM Post #88 of 140
The new 2009 Zero DAC has USB
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I think I am going to buy the A-3 in a few minutes, $139 usd excluding shipping is great! So the EF2 has less power than the A-3 but sounds a bit better with low impedience headphones? I doubt I would be able to tell a difference anyway. IDK how to explain how loud 24% volume is to you, except I have my iPod full blast with my P-51 Mustang on low gain with westone UM3X at about 9 or 10 o'clock.
 
Nov 28, 2009 at 6:19 AM Post #89 of 140
I'm glad I strolled by head-fi Friday. Picked up the A3 to pair with my HD580s with the black Friday deal. I was hoping to get out of Japan last week with a Stax 2050 combo but the place I went to was closed for a "special electronics store holiday" (per my Japanese friend, thank goodness she was there or I would have never figured that one out), and I was on my way out to catch a flight home to the US. Next time I guess. Hopefully the dollar will rebound against the yen and I can pick it up in the future on the cheap.
 
Nov 28, 2009 at 6:25 AM Post #90 of 140
On ebay the A3 is $117usd plus $48usd postage to Australia, $14 more to get it from Head-Direct. I will just get it from Head-Direct, in case the dealer on ebay isn't an authorised dealer and therefore no warranty.
 
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