[Kozic]

I have a crack with speedball on the way hope to have it together by the time Zach gets to my Eikon. Seems like a fun project and a great amp at the end.

 

[The_Blood_Raven]

My budget is actually up to $800 on the amp and maybe $800 on the DAC.

I'd be after one of the higher end Audio-GD combo DAC/amps if I had that budget. That's almost NFB-27h money.

 

[Hansotek]

My budget is actually up to $800 on the amp and maybe $800 on the DAC.

If you are getting the Eikon, I would get the Liquid Carbon for the amp, the Mojo for the DAC, get an Audioquest Big Sur 3.5mm to RCA interconnect for the middle, grab a decent USB cable and get a used power cable upgrade off the forums for the LC (like an Audioquest NRG X-3). Those are all good, resolving components, so the cables will make a pretty noticeable positive difference. If it works with your setup, get a direct soldered USB to micro USB with no cable run in between for the Mojo so you can connect it right to your computer with zero impedance or signal degradation in between. It sounds best that way.

 

[DoctaCosmos]

I ordered a dark voice off massdrop for my eikon. Might be a while till I can upgrade past that but maybe it won't be too bad.

 

[Kozic]

I was looking at this http://www.head-fi.org/t/822029/new-tube-amp-the-cayin-ha-1a-mk2/0_40 (if it sounds half as good as it looks) and still may pick one up but cayins distributor is out of the U.S. 110 volt version and others wanted 25% more for one so I'll wait.
I would think the dark voice would work well with Atticus or Eikon it is a OTL.

 

[Pharmaboy]

I was looking at this http://www.head-fi.org/t/822029/new-tube-amp-the-cayin-ha-1a-mk2/0_40 (if it sounds half as good as it looks) and still may pick one up but cayins distributor is out of the U.S. 110 volt version and others wanted 25% more for one so I'll wait.
I would think the dark voice would work well with Atticus or Eikon it is a OTL.

 
I'll probably buy an Atticus in 1st or 2nd quarter, 2017--in that connection, I'm very interested in the La Figaro 332C, which apparently is very similar in design to the Dark Voice.
 
I love the sound of tubes; used to have tube amps & preamps in my living room system. But I have yet to listen to headphones via tubes. The Atticus & Eikon seem like perfect candidates for high quality tube amplification...

 

[DoctaCosmos]

I too have been eyeballing that cayin ha-1a mk2. Sure is pretty

 

[Astral Abyss]

Don't forget that Zach is working on his own branded OTL amp.  I'm waiting to see how that turns out.

 

[zzzmonster]

  Don't forget that Zach is working on his own branded OTL amp.  I'm waiting to see how that turns out.

 
I think Zach's amp is OTC, not OTL

 

[mwhals]

I think Zach's amp is OTC, not OTL

For someone that has never owned a tube amp, what does OTC and OTL mean? I am familiar with how tube amps work, but can't think of what those terms mean.

 

[whirlwind]

 

I think Zach's amp is OTC, not OTL

For someone that has never owned a tube amp, what does OTC and OTL mean? I am familiar with how tube amps work, but can't think of what those terms mean.

OTL  -  Output Transformerless
 
OTC  - Output Transformer Coupled

 

[Kozic]

From what I understand the OLT amps are a old circuit from the 40tys/50tys but its only works well with high impedance 200 ohms and up  sometihng to do with the transformer or lack there of(see above).The OTC amps are a more modern circuit that will work well with low and high impedance 32 ohms and up. Now I could be wrong. 

 

[mwhals]

For someone that has never owned a tube amp, what does OTC and OTL mean? I am familiar with how tube amps work, but can't think of what those terms mean.

OTL  -  Output Transformerless

OTC  - Output Transformer Coupled

Thanks! That helps.

 

[ProfFalkin]

From what I understand the OLT amps are a old circuit from the 40tys/50tys but its only works well with high impedance 200 ohms and up  sometihng to do with the transformer or lack there of(see above).The OTC amps are a more modern circuit that will work well with low and high impedance 32 ohms and up. Now I could be wrong. 

OTL usually has higher output impedance, hence the need for higher impedance headphones so damping doesn't become an issue. That's my take on it anyway.

 

[Astral Abyss]

   
I think Zach's amp is OTC, not OTL

 
Ah yes, thanks for the correction.  Still, I'm excited to see how it turns out.