[prcpower]

Not new USaudio.
1mont old.As the man said.
DJ im still waiting for it.
It should arive by the end of the week.
So much of the USPS express.
2weeks instead of 5 days...

 

[prcpower]

Im still waiting for them...
Few more days.
How come you sold ur akg k702?
USaudio i got them 1month old.

 

[DjAmTraX]

I wasn't feeling the K702's sound so I returned it. I did order a K271 MKII. I should be here next week. Stay tuned for my Unboxing video and impressions.

 

[roadcykler]

I'm in no way well versed but a friend of mine is a genius when it comes to this stuff and he told me their VP-130 preamp/headphone amp is a hybrid so I would imagine this is the same. Then again, see the first few words I typed.

Quote:

Anyone well-versed in headphone amplifier design care to comment on what we're seeing here in the design of the HA540?

 

[faverodefavero]

How much power does the 'Bellari HA540 Tube Headphone Amplifier' drive trough the Hi-Gain output? Can it drive a HE-5LE finely? 

 

[irishsammy]

I tried the Bellari at 32 Ohm Audio a while back and the thing has an absolutely STUPID amount of gain.  How well it will drive something like the HE-5LE, I'm not sure...but with my LCD-2's plugged into it, I had the first 1/8th of the volume dial to work with until it became deafening. 
 
It's a very good-sounding little amp for the cash but IMO, there are better amps out there for orthos. 

 

[Terja]

 
Quote:

How much power does the 'Bellari HA540 Tube Headphone Amplifier' drive trough the Hi-Gain output? Can it drive a HE-5LE finely? 

The amp only has low and high inputs, and two headphone outs, a 1/8 inch and 1/4 inch. FWIW I am driving my Hifiman HE-500 with the Bellari.
 
The thing with this amp is the gain is quite high and therefore has a very limited useable range, especially when using any tube rated at 12AX7 gain. I found that swapping the stock 12AX7 tube with a lower gain tube smoothed out the gain for the amp and gave it more useable range. I tried 5751, 12AT7, and 12AU7 tubes (respectively 70%, 60%, and 20% gain tubes). While the 12AU7s really tamed the gain, I felt I lost some of the detail that the amp is very capable of transposing to headphones, especially with a detail maestro like the Hifiman HE-500.
 
I finally settled on a NOS Tung-Sol 12AT7 at 60% gain of the stock 12AX7. Tube swapping with the Bellari is easy and fun. The amp is very sensitive to tube varieties so you can really zero-in on just that tube sound you are looking for. The Tung-Sol is giving me very rich and full mids accentuated of course by the HE-500. The sound is just fully there, you know, nothing left on the cutting room floor. I feel the headphone is being fed everything that is coming from the audio stream; it's amazing how I am rediscovering my music again. Music that I thought was mediocre is sounding fantastic - lol - my rating system is all screwy of late.

 

[Spareribs]

I enjoy amp porn.  I recently finished building an amp and took some nude photos of it as well. 

 

[derbigpr]

Are you guys using low or high input on your amp? I wonder what to use when going straight out of a DAC.
Also,  which tube would you recommend that would sound more neutral and less "tubey" if thats possible.

 

[Terja]

I've put my Bellari up for sale, but for most of the time I have used low input because it provides greater gain than the high input. Test both inputs to see what you prefer. For tubes my preference was for 12AT7 tubes, and probably the most neutral and not too tubey I tried was a NOS Philips Miniwatt ECC81. I think to get that signature you will have to go NOS. Most of the newer tubes seem to have an overemphasized edge to them so I never lasted long with them. The Bellari is a fun amp to tube roll with. P.S. am selling it because I was needing a higher power amp to match my Hifiman HPs. Happy rolling ...
 

 

[Frosty3258]

How

I've put my Bellari up for sale, but for most of the time I have used low input because it provides greater gain than the high input. Test both inputs to see what you prefer. For tubes my preference was for 12AT7 tubes, and probably the most neutral and not too tubey I tried was a NOS Philips Miniwatt ECC81. I think to get that signature you will have to go NOS. Most of the newer tubes seem to have an overemphasized edge to them so I never lasted long with them. The Bellari is a fun amp to tube roll with. P.S. am selling it because I was needing a higher power amp to match my Hifiman HPs. Happy rolling ...

 

How much do you want for it? And are you selling any tubes with it?

 

[Terja]

@Frosty3258 - my Bellari sold quite some time ago. If you're looking for one check the for sale trade forums. Cheers.

 

[Frosty3258]

Alright thanks