dstarr3
1000+ Head-Fier
Aw heck yeah, just took delivery today.
Singxer SA-1 / Balanced Amplifier Fully Discrete Class A - beyond THX 888 ?!
- Thread starter Muataz
- Start date
Aw heck yeah, just took delivery today.
dstarr3
1000+ Head-Fier
Boy, the AKG Sextetts are some thirsty headphones. I mean, that much is obvious, but even with this amp on high gain and Hi-Z, I still need to turn the volume to about 2 o'clock or 2:30 to rock. This is only single-ended, though. I've been considering doing a balanced mod on these, because if there's any headphone that would benefit from the extra juice a balanced amp can provide, it's the Sextett.
jonathan c
Headphoneus Supremus
~ The AKG Sextett has a sensitivity of 95.7 dB/V; in comparison, the Sennheiser HD-600 has a sensitivity of 105.1 dB/V - quite a difference!
~ What are you seeking to modify? Amp or headphone? If the headphone, I doubt that the sensitivity would be increased.
aroldan
100+ Head-Fier
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I've been running the SA-1 using singled ended output for two weeks and I loved the sound. Yesterday, the XLR cable arrived for my Arya's and now I think I'm missing something with the sound. It's definitely punchier but It's lacking some sweetness. Is that normal? Will it be improving with time?
TheMiddleSky
Headphoneus Supremus
I've been running the SA-1 using singled ended output for two weeks and I loved the sound. Yesterday, the XLR cable arrived for my Arya's and now I think I'm missing something with the sound. It's definitely punchier but It's lacking some sweetness. Is that normal? Will it be improving with time?
Nice photo.
Do you use exactly same cable for SE and XLR?
Generally balance produce wider soundstage, extra clarity, also extra bass weight while removing some harmonic distortion
aroldan
100+ Head-Fier
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I was using Arya's stock SE cable. I think I should take a look for a DAC upgrade now
Roland68
New Head-Fier
I thought wrong, you want to replace the rotary knob.Something in silver/grey
Since my potentiometer has a strong deviation in the channels at the beginning and at the end, I am considering swapping it for a potentiometer with SMD resistors or something relay-based.
TheMiddleSky
Headphoneus Supremus
If you use XLR silver cable it may become another factor to count of loss a little of sweetness compare to copper based standard cable..I was using Arya's stock SE cable. I think I should take a look for a DAC upgrade now
Rational ?
What does that mean, rational ?
I've listened to the Abyss with the XI Audio Formula S, which is supposed to be the most "competent" amp and then with a simple little SMSL SP200.
The last was 95% as good as the former...
The main difference was a better staging with the formula.
The SA-1 will certainly drive perfectly the Abyss...
Roland68
New Head-Fier
I would also like to hear a Niimbus against the SA-1. I had listened to several amplifiers at a headphone fair 2 years ago, but the Niimbus was the only one that really flashed me.
In addition to the SA-1, I have had a Violectric HPA V100 for years and I know the (very small) tonal difference to the V200 / V280. That's why I didn't expect any quantum leaps from the Niimbus. The V280 sounded like I expected it to be at the show, but the Niimbus was a lot better. Much blacker background and much clearer / more resolving. Both on the same DAC, of course.
This is one of the few devices I would trust myself to do a blind test on.
But I'm also sure that the SA-1 powers the Abyss without problems
If someone in Germany has a Niimbus in Cologne or in the Ruhr area, I'll be happy to bring a few devices and headphones for comparison.
Denafrips pontus 2 > formula / sp200 > superconducor > abyss phy
TheMiddleSky
Headphoneus Supremus
We listen differently then
For me the upgrade from SP200 to Formuls S for Abyss 1266 Phi TC is huge and jaw dropping.
For me the upgrade from SP200 to Formuls S for Abyss 1266 Phi TC is huge and jaw dropping.
I don't think we listen differently.We listen differently then
For me the upgrade from SP200 to Formuls S for Abyss 1266 Phi TC is huge and jaw dropping.
I think that your definition of "huge" and "jaws dropping" in not the same as mine...
There are some differences, I do agree, but very thin, mainly in the soundstage.
Moreover, it also depends on the headphones. For example, when I replace the Abyss with the D8000Pro, the differences become almost inaudible (except for the sound stage...).
Would the SA1 work with planar headphones like the Dan Clark 2 Noir ?
