[F208Frank]

Anyone try both the HPA4 and the Formula S stack and can share their findings and differences between the two? I used to own the HPA4 and it was a great overall amp being very transparent and having a nice small footprint on the table.

 

[adrianm]

I'm selling my HPA4 if anyone is interested. I haven't listed it yet. PM me.

I'm actually planning on getting one tomorrow for the Elites. Are you replacing it with the Luxman?

 

[devilboy]

I'm actually planning on getting one tomorrow for the Elites. Are you replacing it with the Luxman?

I already replaced the Benchmark with the Luxman. I foolishly sold it a few months ago but I have it back now.

Personally, I didn't enjoy the Benchmark with my Elites that much.
While the Benchmark is extremely transparent sounding, it just didn't have enough meat on the bones for me. It gave me too much of a thin, anemic sound. I actually thought I may have made a mistake with the Elites, then I received the Luxman again and BAMM... body, weight, more fleshed out notes, more meat.
Obviously YMMV, but that's what I heard.

 

[marcus2704]

Would the HPA4 be a suitable amp for the Diana TC? I would require a warm, weighty sound, so reading a post above whereby the HPA4 sounded anaemic with a Meze Elite is ringing alarm bells for me as thats the opposite of what I am looking for.

 

[adrianm]

Would the HPA4 be a suitable amp for the Diana TC? I would require a warm, weighty sound, so reading a post above whereby the HPA4 sounded anaemic with a Meze Elite is ringing alarm bells for me as thats the opposite of what I am looking for.

I wouldn't say anemic, just neutral, "lean" maybe. It sounds like you're looking for a OOR or an Enleum though

 

[maro65]

Would the HPA4 be a suitable amp for the Diana TC? I would require a warm, weighty sound, so reading a post above whereby the HPA4 sounded anaemic with a Meze Elite is ringing alarm bells for me as thats the opposite of what I am looking for.

Hi, with the Diana headphones the Woo Audio Wa2, The Ferrum OOR and the Audiovalve Luminare are excellent, the Benchmark for my taste matched very well with dynamic headphones such as the Zmf

 

[maro65]

I wouldn't say anemic, just neutral, "lean" maybe. It sounds like you're looking for a OOR or an Enleum though

Sorry , Woo Audio WA22 not WA2

 

[tunes]

Try the ENLEUM amp before you settle on anything out there. Paired with the Susvara it’s simply amazing.

 

[rlawry]

I have an HPA4 and certainly it is the best-measuring headphone amp existent and has tremendous resolution. So speed, yes. Transparency, yes. Detail, yes. Spaciousness, yes. Dynamics, the same. Bass-oriented, no. Warmth and darkness, no. I agree with the others above that is a great match with most dynamic headphones, especially those like my Kennerton Gjallarhorn GH50 JM Second Edition that are full, dark, warm, and somewhat detail-challenged. The HPA4 is a great boon with these types of headphones. But with my more neutral Kennerton Rognir Planar Magnetic phones that serve up a wealth of detail amid leanness and lesser bass, well, I love a neutral bass presentation but many will find this combination too midrange- and treble-oriented. One thing: recordings lacking bass and dynamics sound exactly that with the Rognir/HPA4. Recordings containing lots of bass have serious bass on this amp/headphone combo. Lousy recordings cannot hide; great recordings are heavenly. You need to know what type of sonic signature you prefer before buying anything, which you indeed are, and the HPA4 is no exception.

 

[NickT23]

HPA-4 is neutral af and super transparent, nothing but science, reveal everything, nothing more nothing less. Not adding anything but pure and transparnet sound. The best-measuring headphone amp existent and yet to beat. The only thing that its unable to run from what I heard is the mighty Susvara. I will never able to afford it no matter how much I want.

 

[gonzalo05]

Try the ENLEUM amp before you settle on anything out there. Paired with the Susvara it’s simply amazing.

Do you run speakers with the Amp? If so, what speakers. Thanks

 

[tunes]

Haven’t tried yet but have these and sound good direct from XLR out from DAVE DAC. Will eventually hook them up to the speaker out from my amp. Should sound even better.

 

[skhan007]

Bumping this thread with the hopes of gaining some opinions from current HPA4 owners!

I've been reading and studying up on the HPA4 for a few months now and believe it to be the absolute best measuring/performing solid state option out there and and absolute end game-level/TOTL amp. I find that in my journey of hi-fi and headphone listening, I'm finding myself a critical and analytical listener and don't necessarily gravitate towards the "tubey" sound with too much coloration.

I currently own two ZMF headphones (300 Ohm Verite Open & Auteur) and the RME ADI2 DAC. Would you all agree that the Benchmark HPA4 will provide a step up from the built in solid state amp section of my RME and would you agree that going balanced connection between my DAC and HPA4 would be optimal? I believe the ZMF headphones would pair well, purely based on specs and the amount of output provided into 300 Ohm cans (about 1 watt, if I'm not mistaken- absolutely above sufficient power)?

I love everything I've read about the company, customer service, etc. While there are many out there that state other, lesser-expensive brands are "just as good", I think the feature set, return policy, support, and track record from Benchmark says it all. Please let me know what you all think.

 

[NickT23]

Bumping this thread with the hopes of gaining some opinions from current HPA4 owners!

I've been reading and studying up on the HPA4 for a few months now and believe it to be the absolute best measuring/performing solid state option out there and and absolute end game-level/TOTL amp. I find that in my journey of hi-fi and headphone listening, I'm finding myself a critical and analytical listener and don't necessarily gravitate towards the "tubey" sound with too much coloration.

I currently own two ZMF headphones (300 Ohm Verite Open & Auteur) and the RME ADI2 DAC. Would you all agree that the Benchmark HPA4 will provide a step up from the built in solid state amp section of my RME and would you agree that going balanced connection between my DAC and HPA4 would be optimal? I believe the ZMF headphones would pair well, purely based on specs and the amount of output provided into 300 Ohm cans (about 1 watt, if I'm not mistaken- absolutely above sufficient power)?

I love everything I've read about the company, customer service, etc. While there are many out there that state other, lesser-expensive brands are "just as good", I think the feature set, return policy, support, and track record from Benchmark says it all. Please let me know what you all think.

To me the answer is no. 300 ohm is not that hard to drive at all. The only step up from RME to HPA4 would be power and better measurement, thats it. But they sound the same. People would disagree but that is my honest opinion.

 

[skhan007]

To me the answer is no. 300 ohm is not that hard to drive at all. The only step up from RME to HPA4 would be power and better measurement, thats it. But they sound the same. People would disagree but that is my honest opinion.

Excellent and most appreciated- you may have saved me $3K. I've read this on other forums, from a few that own both the RME and HPA4.