tbonner1
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2002
- Posts
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TRAVAGANS RED HEADPHONE AMP REVIEW
Travagans website link
index
Here is a new company headed by David Lin. David was an engineer for Firestone Audio, Head-fi sponsor and creator of some innovative and high value products such as the Cute headphone amp. If you look at Sklylab's superb portable headphone reviews you will see that most of the new engineering energy today goes toward smaller opamp based headphone amps. They are getting better each year, represent superb value and are approaching the sound quality that used to come from $500 plus home headphone amps a short time ago.
TECHNICAL NOTES
Travagans has a Green amp that has a USB input and DAC, but the Red reviewed here has analog RCA inputs and more in line with the traditional headphone amps reviewed here. The Red uses the LM4562 opamp with current boosters made by NON/PNP power transistors. This is a Class AB/DC amp that eschews coupling capacitors that some feel color the sound. I found the amp to have plenty of current for headphones such as the Grado’s to the hard to drive AKG 701’s. I have seen some cheap (and noisy) wall wart style power supplies with the latest generation of low priced opamp based headphone amplifiers. Some are not even regulated. Travagan gives you a nice beefy 24 VDC auto switching power supply with an IEC adapter. As an indication of its high power aspirations, the Travagan RED also has a pair of speaker outputs via banana jacks in the rear that the Firestone Cute lacks.
I always thought the Firestone products were over achievers and did not get the respect they deserved in their price range. The Travagan Red is similar in looks and specs to the Firestone Cute Encore but taken to the next level.
COMPARISONS
This amp is an upgrade from older designs such as the CMOY and Pimeta derivatives. First, there is an improvement in clarity and definition. Second, there is an increase in power. Not only does this enable you to drive difficult loads such as the aforementioned AKG 701, but I find that powerful amps (both speaker and headphone) can sound more dynamic at lower listening levels. There is also a relaxation to the sound at low levels that I did not find on many of the original opamp based headphone amps of a few years ago. This is a benefit from the technical evolution of our hobby.
I compared the Red to an M3 with the 8610 opamp and an Elpac power supply. The M3 has a smooth and full sound that seems to be trying to emulate a tube amp, where as the PPA sounds sharper. The Travagan sounded sharper and cleaner than the M3 with the Senn 600’s. The Travagan is what I would call a fast amp with very quick attack. It lacked the decay of the softer M3 or tube amps.
The sound character of the Travagans is closer to the Bada PH-12 than a pure tube amp. Yet it does not sound cold or clinical like many solid state amps I have heard. David Lin has learned to add a bit of burnished warmth to the lower midrange and upper bass so that the sound is not as lean as many opamp and unbuffered amps.
POSITIVE NOTES
Superb midrange and treble micro detail
Great delineation during both quiet and complex music passages
Capable of driving a wide range of headphone, both low and high impedance
NEGATIVE NOTES
May be to too sharp for some tube lovers
Lacks richness of tube designs
Slightly closed soundstage, but similar to other solid state amps
Treble
A strength. Sharp and detailed without sounding piercing.
Midrange
Very good definition and delineation.
Bass
Powerful and deep, No sense of bloat or tubbyness here.
Image
A weakness. More narrow than the best. Best for use with open headphones
Good synergy with the Senn 580/600/650.
Precise instrument placement. Well focused.
Dynamics
Powerful, not a lightweight in sound despite it’s small size.
Travagans website link
index
Here is a new company headed by David Lin. David was an engineer for Firestone Audio, Head-fi sponsor and creator of some innovative and high value products such as the Cute headphone amp. If you look at Sklylab's superb portable headphone reviews you will see that most of the new engineering energy today goes toward smaller opamp based headphone amps. They are getting better each year, represent superb value and are approaching the sound quality that used to come from $500 plus home headphone amps a short time ago.
TECHNICAL NOTES
Travagans has a Green amp that has a USB input and DAC, but the Red reviewed here has analog RCA inputs and more in line with the traditional headphone amps reviewed here. The Red uses the LM4562 opamp with current boosters made by NON/PNP power transistors. This is a Class AB/DC amp that eschews coupling capacitors that some feel color the sound. I found the amp to have plenty of current for headphones such as the Grado’s to the hard to drive AKG 701’s. I have seen some cheap (and noisy) wall wart style power supplies with the latest generation of low priced opamp based headphone amplifiers. Some are not even regulated. Travagan gives you a nice beefy 24 VDC auto switching power supply with an IEC adapter. As an indication of its high power aspirations, the Travagan RED also has a pair of speaker outputs via banana jacks in the rear that the Firestone Cute lacks.
I always thought the Firestone products were over achievers and did not get the respect they deserved in their price range. The Travagan Red is similar in looks and specs to the Firestone Cute Encore but taken to the next level.
COMPARISONS
This amp is an upgrade from older designs such as the CMOY and Pimeta derivatives. First, there is an improvement in clarity and definition. Second, there is an increase in power. Not only does this enable you to drive difficult loads such as the aforementioned AKG 701, but I find that powerful amps (both speaker and headphone) can sound more dynamic at lower listening levels. There is also a relaxation to the sound at low levels that I did not find on many of the original opamp based headphone amps of a few years ago. This is a benefit from the technical evolution of our hobby.
I compared the Red to an M3 with the 8610 opamp and an Elpac power supply. The M3 has a smooth and full sound that seems to be trying to emulate a tube amp, where as the PPA sounds sharper. The Travagan sounded sharper and cleaner than the M3 with the Senn 600’s. The Travagan is what I would call a fast amp with very quick attack. It lacked the decay of the softer M3 or tube amps.
The sound character of the Travagans is closer to the Bada PH-12 than a pure tube amp. Yet it does not sound cold or clinical like many solid state amps I have heard. David Lin has learned to add a bit of burnished warmth to the lower midrange and upper bass so that the sound is not as lean as many opamp and unbuffered amps.
POSITIVE NOTES
Superb midrange and treble micro detail
Great delineation during both quiet and complex music passages
Capable of driving a wide range of headphone, both low and high impedance
NEGATIVE NOTES
May be to too sharp for some tube lovers
Lacks richness of tube designs
Slightly closed soundstage, but similar to other solid state amps
Treble
A strength. Sharp and detailed without sounding piercing.
Midrange
Very good definition and delineation.
Bass
Powerful and deep, No sense of bloat or tubbyness here.
Image
A weakness. More narrow than the best. Best for use with open headphones
Good synergy with the Senn 580/600/650.
Precise instrument placement. Well focused.
Dynamics
Powerful, not a lightweight in sound despite it’s small size.
