In my opinion the amplifier must be as neutral as possible and HPA4 I think is unbeatable on this. I find no thin or dry sound. Then if you look for heat in the sound you can combine it with a dac nos. I think there's an incredible business behind tube amps ...
In my opinion the amplifier must be as neutral as possible and HPA4 I think is unbeatable on this. I find no thin or dry sound. Then if you look for heat in the sound you can combine it with a dac nos. I think there's an incredible business behind tube amps ...
You are right. We both have metrum nos r2r DAC. There is no thinness/flat/boring sound in my system. Its the opposite. HPA4 lacks any sonic signature. It will simply amplify the upstream signal. I really like how hpa4 exposes the changes in the upstream gear right from IC, power cables to type of digital connection on my DAC.(optical, coaxial or i2s).
I was able to audition the HPA4 against the Nimbus US 4+ recently and felt that the Nimbus is the more powerful headphone amp with a slightly warmer sound signature. The headphones used were the Abyss 1266 TC and Hifiman Susvara. Both amp are good sounding and should satisfy most listeners. I just felt the Nimbus sounded fuller with slightly wider soundstage. The Nimbus US 4+ is more expensive of the two. The con with the Nimbus is its volume knob. There is a slight "scratchy" sound when adjusting volume up or down. This does not happen with the HPA4.
Do you think Nimbus US4+ have better resolution and textures and depth then HPA4?
On a lower level when i compared the Thx 789 with Thx technology with Lake People RS 02 which is same company as Nimbus the Lake People RS02 has more resolution and textures and more depth to the sound. I think the Thx 789 had more speed and fluidity and dynamic impact though but a bit flat sounding. I did read posts here saying HPA4 has more depth and resolution then Thx 789 though.
Do you think Nimbus US4+ have better resolution and textures and depth then HPA4?
On a lower level when i compared the Thx 789 with Thx technology with Lake People RS 02 which is same company as Nimbus the Lake People RS02 has more resolution and textures and more depth to the sound. I think the Thx 789 had more speed and fluidity and dynamic impact though but a bit flat sounding. I did read posts here saying HPA4 has more depth and resolution then Thx 789 though.
Keep in mind that Thx technology is top notch but lower cost amps dont have top tier power supply.so even with best technology they can sound worse than amps with subpar op amps and old design, but with better power supply.
This is where low cost amps and dacs lack so much. Cost savings for small enclosure, Weak power supllies, inexpensive parts, etc.
In my experience power supply is above anything else when it comes to importance. Noise is the biggest enemy of audio.
Keep in mind that Thx technology is top notch but lower cost amps dont have top tier power supply.so even with best technology they can sound worse than amps with subpar op amps and old design, but with better power supply.
This is where low cost amps and dacs lack so much. Cost savings for small enclosure, Weak power supllies, inexpensive parts, etc.
In my experience power supply is above anything else when it comes to importance. Noise is the biggest enemy of audio.
Keep in mind that Thx technology is top notch but lower cost amps dont have top tier power supply.so even with best technology they can sound worse than amps with subpar op amps and old design, but with better power supply.
This is where low cost amps and dacs lack so much. Cost savings for small enclosure, Weak power supllies, inexpensive parts, etc.
In my experience power supply is above anything else when it comes to importance. Noise is the biggest enemy of audio.
There are many factors that go into the design of an audio product. It takes more than a collection of quality parts to get great sound. Don't ever get too focused on one component or subsystem. All of the parts need to work together.
Here is an analogy:
If you build a house with a top-of-the-line state-of-the-art high efficiency furnace, but fail to properly insulate the walls, the house will not be easy to heat.
Good building materials do not necessarily produce a good house. The skill of the builder is always one of the most important factors.
There are many factors that go into the design of an audio product. It takes more than a collection of quality parts to get great sound. Don't ever get too focused on one component or subsystem. All of the parts need to work together.
Here is an analogy:
If you build a house with a top-of-the-line state-of-the-art high efficiency furnace, but fail to properly insulate the walls, the house will not be easy to heat.
Good building materials do not necessarily produce a good house. The skill of the builder is always one of the most important factors.
I completely agree, but i just wanted to say that low budget thx offerings simply dont power supply as good as in hpa4, dont have such a good wollume control and more stuff.
In other words amps with thx stuff wont gonna sound exactly same.
Does anyone share the opinion some have on the HPA4 being dry/thin sounding? I've talked to some in the hobby and they are put off by this. I've seen posts about owners noticing changes in sound after continuous hours of use, but I can't say that I've had the same experience. Not sounding dry or lifeless either to me.
If your DAC is dry / thin, the HPA4 won't colour it to add warmth. It is all about what you feed it with...it is incredibly balanced and transparent and likely the best amp I've heard that can pull this off and still keep me smiling from ear to ear!
There was a discussion on the Chord forum where Rob Watts was sort of arguing with users who were using an amp after a Dave saying that amps just add distortion, or something like that so why would you do that? In the HPA4 case, it's a similar argument, isn't it? Most hpas add some form of distortion. Thoughts?
There was a discussion on the Chord forum where Rob Watts was sort of arguing with users who were using an amp after a Dave saying that amps just add distortion, or something like that so why would you do that? In the HPA4 case, it's a similar argument, isn't it? Most hpas add some form of distortion. Thoughts?
It's quite simple for harder to drive headphones, you will need the HPA4 to get the most out of them and power them fully (like the LCD-4, Phi TC or Susvara). For most others, I just use the DAVE primarily.
Is it normal to hear a low hum from the HPA4 basically whenever the unit is plugged, on or off? I don't hear it through headphones, but through the unit itself just sitting there on my desk.
Is it normal to hear a low hum from the HPA4 basically whenever the unit is plugged, on or off? I don't hear it through headphones, but through the unit itself just sitting there on my desk.
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