Audion Silver Night 300B HP1 - 4999€

[ThanatosVI]

Hey guys,

I realized this Amplifier has now thread of its own yet.
Audion is known for producing tube amplifiers since 1987, and 2018 they released their First? dedicated headphone amplifier, The Silver Night HP1
http://tubeamps.co.uk/product/silver-night-hp1-headphone-amplifier

Basically a 300B amplifier with 6h23n pre amp tubes.
5 Impedance settings for 8, 32, 150, 300 and 600 ohms loads.

Low power figures 4W into 8 ohm = 1W into 32 Ohm, but that seems to be a general thing with Audion amplifiers. So maybe you won't hit 120db SPL, but what you year is said to sound great.


Specifications

Power : 2 x 4 Watts Class A into 8 Ohms @240V AC
Power supply featuring choke loading and active supplies.
Load: 8 – 600 Ohms in 5 steps (8, 32, 150, 300 and 600 ohms)
Sensitivity Variable – >150mV Full output
Impedance – 47K Single Ended / 600R Balanced (Optional)
Phase – Correct
Distortion @ 1 Watt – <0.010% No Feedback
Noise CCIR) – <85db
Frequency Response: – 11 – 165KHz ±1 db RIAA
Signal to Noise: – >70 db
Weight: – 14kg
Inputs – 3 Stereo Line Level 1 pair 3 pin XLR (optional)
Outputs – Front – Neutrik 6.3mm and 4 pin XLR,
Rear 1 Unattenuated tape out, 1 Pair 3 pin XLR (optional).
Consumption: 165 Watts
Tubes: 2 x JJ300B’s & 2 x 6h23n
Size: 42cm deep,23cm wide and 19cm tall – Excluding valves.
Fuses – Power 2A / 250V Slow blow & H.T. 500mA 250V Slow blow
US/Jpn Power 3.15A / 120V Slow blow and 1A / 120V Slow blow.

Base Version: 4999€

Upgrades:

We offer 2 upgrade classes for the Silver Night HP1 stereo headphone amplifier.. The upgrade classes are
Insignia Class which uses a full silver wired audio path (less internal interconnect), better graded components again in the audio path, tantalum resistors in the critical places and WBT RCA’s. - 6350€

Excelsior Class uses the same as above but with the inclusion of Teflon/Tin foil V-caps, Internal Solid Silver wired Interconnect, a 43 way Stepped attenuator, better power supply capacitors, more tantalum resistors and WBT RCA’s. - 11500€
Any experiences with this amp?
Would be nice if you could share them

 

[OctavianH]

I could not find anywhere the price of this amplifier.

 

[ThanatosVI]

I could not find anywhere the price of this amplifier.

Me neither that's why I contacted the manufacturer for a price list.

As Reference the Speaker Amps of this kind cost between 3000 - 6000.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Updated thread title with official price

 

[alvin sawdust]

Such a shame about the ugly locking headphone sockets. They look like an after thought, for an amp in that price range I would expect better.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Such a shame about the ugly locking headphone sockets. They look like an after thought, for an amp in that price range I would expect better.

Probably since the Silver Light is a speaker amp.
And this is a headphone amp Version of it, same Chassis and all

 

[alvin sawdust]

Probably since the Silver Light is a speaker amp.
And this is a headphone amp Version of it, same Chassis and all

What are your thoughts on how it looks?
It may be the case that tails can be used off the speaker taps on the integrated version. Quite a few of those around used.

 

[ThanatosVI]

What are your thoughts on how it looks?
It may be the case that tails can be used off the speaker taps on the integrated version. Quite a few of those around used.

Personally I like how it looks.
It's an interesting yet expensive amp imo.

Would love to hear it at some point.
Unfortunately it's hard to find any reviews on the headphone amp Version.

I'm not sure how well you can use the speaker taps directly on tube amps

 

[alvin sawdust]

A quick search reveals that Audion 300b amps receive favourable reviews. Would like to hear one myself at some point too

 

[Ragnar-BY]

I also found this amplifier on the Internet and was interested, but at a relatively high price, it has a relatively low power and not a single review of the headphone version.

In general, manufacturers of tube amplifiers often surprise me. For some reason, they indicate the power at 8 ohms, although modern top-end headphones are 40-80 ohms. And the fact that Audion photographed their 4 999€ - 11 500€ amplifier side by side with 900€ Beyerdynamic headphones also says a lot.

 

[OctavianH]

I still own and use a pair of Beyerdynamic T1 2nd gen and I consider them one of the best headphones available. They scale a lot with specific tube amplifiers and are very comfortable. In truth, are the most comfortable headphones I ever owned and during summer many more expensive models are on their stands whilte T1.2 is plugged in my amplifier.

 

[Ragnar-BY]

I still own and use a pair of Beyerdynamic T1 2nd gen

I still own TH-900 mk2 and like them. But 5K headphone amplifier should be able do drive current flagship headphones like AB-1266, Susvara, Solitaire P and so on. Even more so for 11,5K amp.

 

[OctavianH]

I still own TH-900 mk2 and like them. But 5K headphone amplifier should be able do drive current flagship headphones like AB-1266, Susvara, Solitaire P and so on. Even more so for 11,5K amp.

I agree with you, I was just trying to defend the T1.2 because even if it is old, it still competes quite well on several more expensive amplifiers.

 

[alvin sawdust]

Found this that might be of interest regarding power output, but yes I also find it strange that they state power at 8 ohms.

This is a new breed for Audion. Perhaps one of the finest headphone amps on the planet and certainly one of a rare few that is an SET. The transformer has 5 output impedances: 8, 32 150 300 and 600 ohm of which the 8 ohm tap outputs about 4 watts (can be easily changed to 7 Watts however, Audion found that was too much for sensitive headphones, but it is easily done by the factory if you desire).

 

[Necro82]

No one has this beauty...?