OneSec
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2009
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Added Violetric
B22 and dynahi are way better than the rest of that stuff in the OP. I agree with john that the HD800 sounds best with tubes...even then I much prefer OTL amps for it.
My B22 should be here next Monday. If your budget is $3k, I really don't think anything is better than B22.
As for balanced, it's mostly marketing silliness.
Do you need to drive a line over several hundred feet? Likely not. Do you have a significant problem with channel separation or line noise? Probably not, and a good single-ended amp won't have those problems. Do you need a lot of power? Bridging amps delivers more power, but it costs less to use a more powerful single-ended amp.
Those are the benefits to running balanced. Do you really need it?
Then again, "balanced" is a status symbol. Do you want to drop an extra four figures for that?
X2
If you have to have balanced, get a Beta22, Dynamid or Dynamight.
If you want to run the HD-800 nicely, consider something like the Zana Deux. The HD-800 is better with tubes.
As for balanced, it's mostly marketing silliness.
Do you need to drive a line over several hundred feet? Likely not. Do you have a significant problem with channel separation or line noise? Probably not, and a good single-ended amp won't have those problems. Do you need a lot of power? Bridging amps delivers more power, but it costs less to use a more powerful single-ended amp.
Those are the benefits to running balanced. Do you really need it?
Then again, "balanced" is a status symbol. Do you want to drop an extra four figures for that?
WA22 (modded with right tubes) is doubled the cost of beta22?
shouldn't wa22 be around $1900? ($2500 if maxxed)
That's a beautiful build. How much did it run you, if you don't mind my asking? Did you build it yourself or commission it from someone (SWA?)?
The beta22 is the only SS amp I've liked more than my Headamp GS-1, though I only listened to it briefly.
I'd second all the tube recommendations. My favorite aspect of the HD800 is the soundstage, and no SS design I've used is as good as a tube amp in terms of sheer expansiveness. Go 300B or go home!
well, with that B22 he can easily switch between unbalanced/balanced on the fly for comparisons. maybe the BM DAC1 sounds better balanced, but there was a definite improvement. i didn't want to hear a difference for some of the reasons you cited.