[Twizzleshnizzle]

Looks amazing. Are you using the stock tubes? I wonder how much of an upgrade this would be over my Feliks Echo Mk2.

Not really an upgrade to sound. Just a different flavour. The upgrade comes in the functionality (balances connections etc.). Cayin works better with planar as it's not OTL.

Both amps have great stock tubes. You could easily have an HA-2A and an OTL amp next to each other. My ZMF headphones without doubt sound better from OTL. My easier to drive headphones such as the Meze 109 Pro sound absolutely amazing on the HA-2A.

 

[MacMan31]

Not really an upgrade to sound. Just a different flavour. The upgrade comes in the functionality (balances connections etc.). Cayin works better with planar as it's not OTL.

Both amps have great stock tubes. You could easily have an HA-2A and an OTL amp next to each other. My ZMF headphones without doubt sound better from OTL. My easier to drive headphones such as the Meze 109 Pro sound absolutely amazing on the HA-2A.

So the Echo Mk2 is an OTL amp? I have tried my Aeon Noire on my Echo Mk2 and it sound great.

 

[NJoyzAudio]

Great investigation. It has been a great help to me. Thank you so much!

I listen to classic Rock music. I understand that the HA-2A could be better.

Best regards

Keko123

It will be you choice, but the HA-3A does great with Classic rock, and while I don't particularly listen to EDM, many of the contributors on the HA-3A forum do, and say it is really nice to listen to on the HA-3A. Will say its all about the tubes you choose to get MAXIMUM enjoyment, but out of the box, the HA-3A was fine with these Genres!

For me I'm staying with the HA-3A due to the ability to do different tube rolling.

Hope this helps

 

[betula]

Keko123

It will be you choice, but the HA-3A does great with Classic rock, and while I don't particularly listen to EDM, many of the contributors on the HA-3A forum do, and say it is really nice to listen to on the HA-3A. Will say its all about the tubes you choose to get MAXIMUM enjoyment, but out of the box, the HA-3A was fine with these Genres!

For me I'm staying with the HA-3A due to the ability to do different tube rolling.

Hope this helps

HA-3A can be great with EDM. Not quite with the stock tubes, but with proper tube rolling bass has enormous potential: it can get big and punchy with good sub region. The better tubes I put in my 3A the more I like the amp. I am sure, the 2A is a nice amp too, but as you say the tuning (and straight up sonic upgrade) potential of the 3A is higher since you can roll more tubes than with the 2A.

 

[NJoyzAudio]

Thanks Betula for your thoughts here!
I was thinking of you when I responded to Keko123, and your posts on the HA-3A forum regarding EDM music, but did not want to quote you before reaching out first.

Keko123, there you go! You can use Betula's comments with confidence. I've enjoyed his opinions and posts both in the HA-3A forum and the Meze Elite forums.
As mentioned I too think the abilty to roll tubes and tailor the sound gives a nod to the HA-3A.
But I do NOT doubt the HA-2A is a great sounding amp, and as I've previously posted am thinking about giving it to a family member as a gift, as I know his needs and wants and he will NOT tube roll the way I have been.
It is pretty amazing what a good NOS tube can do with ANY amp (Cayin, Feliks or any other brand). But if you have no interest in tube rolling (never say never as most do even when they said they won't) the Amperex Tubes in the HA-2A are good early 70's vintage NOS tubes, and as mentioned some do search out the orange labeled Amperex tubes, which the ones in the HA-2A are part of.

Good luck in your search and decision, but I think you cannot go wrong with either amp (IMO)

 

[Twizzleshnizzle]

So the Echo Mk2 is an OTL amp? I have tried my Aeon Noire on my Echo Mk2 and it sound great.

The Echo (which is indeed OTL) gets away with planar far more than OTL amps such as the Darkvoice. I've used one with an Aeon Noire as well. If you get high enough on the volume pot you will eventually hear heavy distortion, especially in the bass. But I found that to often be above my normal listening level. In comparison, you'll hear the distortion very early on with some other OTL amps. Apparently it's to do with the current not being sufficient. I'm no expert, I just know planars aren't intended for use with OTL generally. But the way I see it, if your setup is working for you, keep it.

The Echo is an excellent OTL amp. I've owned quite a few and it's top of my list for the affordable OTL range.

 

[MacMan31]

The Echo (which is indeed OTL) gets away with planar far more than OTL amps such as the Darkvoice. I've used one with an Aeon Noire as well. If you get high enough on the volume pot you will eventually hear heavy distortion, especially in the bass. But I found that to often be above my normal listening level. In comparison, you'll hear the distortion very early on with some other OTL amps. Apparently it's to do with the current not being sufficient. I'm no expert, I just know planars aren't intended for use with OTL generally. But the way I see it, if your setup is working for you, keep it.

The Echo is an excellent OTL amp. I've owned quite a few and it's top of my list for the affordable OTL range.

Comfortably I'm just past 9 o'clock on the Echo volume knob with my Aeon Noire. Schiit Gungnir as my DAC. Even so I'm still curious about the HA-2A.

 

[Keko123]

Keko123

It will be you choice, but the HA-3A does great with Classic rock, and while I don't particularly listen to EDM, many of the contributors on the HA-3A forum do, and say it is really nice to listen to on the HA-3A. Will say its all about the tubes you choose to get MAXIMUM enjoyment, but out of the box, the HA-3A was fine with these Genres!

For me I'm staying with the HA-3A due to the ability to do different tube rolling.

Hope this helps

I finally bought the HA-3A. Being able to use different tubes is important to me.

Thanks for your help.

 

[NJoyzAudio]

I finally bought the HA-3A. Being able to use different tubes is important to me.

Thanks for your help.

Keko123
Congrats on your purchase!
You could not go wrong either way.
Enjoy your amp!

 

[cabpi]

Hello everyone, quick question: does the HA 2A have auto bias?
Answer: Yes it has auto bias

 

[andnej]

can I use HA2A to drive hifiman Susvara ?

 

[Tchoupitoulas]

can I use HA2A to drive hifiman Susvara ?

Here are some specs from the first post:

Note that the impedance is not specified for the 1000mW rating (the highest power output). Without this information it's hard to know from the numbers alone. I'd be very skeptical about it driving the Susvara.

 

[cabpi]

Here are some specs from the first post:



Note that the impedance is not specified for the 1000mW rating (the highest power output). Without this information it's hard to know from the numbers alone. I'd be very skeptical about it driving the Susvara.

Susvara being 60 ohms you should use the low impedance mode on the ha-2a, which would deliver around 800mW to the susvara, it would probably get them lound enough but probably not drive them to their full potential, susvara are know to be quite amp dependent

 

[grant0317]

can I use HA2A to drive hifiman Susvara ?

I would be hesitant. According to users on the ha3a thread (which has more power than the ha2a) receptions have been mixed with the ha3a and susvara pairings, while ha6a (more power than 3a) and susvara pairing have seen more positive reviews on the ha6a thread (I've scoured all pages on both threads while researching the amps). The ha3a has an insane amount of power (I never go beyond 9:30 with zmf headphones and audeze lcd2) so I can see how some susvara users have been satisfied with the 3a. But seeing as how some users are also unsatisfied with the 3a, I would think that the 2a having even less power than the 3a, would drive them not too well.

 

[Tchoupitoulas]

Susvara being 60 ohms you should use the low impedance mode on the ha-2a, which would deliver around 800mW to the susvara

Thanks, I hadn't realized the L, M and H ratings were for impedance and not gain. Yeah, I'd not bother with the HA-2A for the Susvara