[voodoohao]

Hi just wondering if anyone has tried both these tube amps before to give a general impression about the sound qualities of both when compared to each other? Is there a clear difference in quality? Both the Cayin and the Darkvoice seem to be roughly in the same price range so was wondering whether one is clearly better than the other. 

 

[SP Wild]

I use the Cayin to drive the LCD2s and love it.  I thought it had a floppy sub bass...it turns out this thing was transparent enough to illustrate the floppy sub bass in my sources.  I can hear the effect of jitter with this tube amp.  Its quite resolving and controlled for a full tube design.  EL84 output tubes,  4 position headphone impedance matching switch, and SET or Ultralinear user selectable.  Unfortunately, I have no idea how it compares to the 337.

 

[fishski13]

i am surprised that the the HA-1A isn't a popular amp around here.  excellent amp and one i would still own if i hadn't got into DIY.  built like a tank too.

 

[fhuang]

fishski, i see your join day/year was 04 so i though you would know.  it was popular.  people loved/love it here.  for other guys, do a search(if you can, the search function suck).  it's very nice for the price.  i don't have it but i've listened to it many times and i thought it was wonderful.  and for 337, i though they sound very different, although both are tube amps.  

 

[voodoohao]

thanks for all your replies... fhuang which would you prefer if you had to choose one of them? 

 

[fishski13]

Quote:

fishski, i see your join day/year was 04 so i though you would know.  it was popular.  people loved/love it here.  for other guys, do a search(if you can, the search function suck).  it's very nice for the price.  i don't have it but i've listened to it many times and i thought it was wonderful.  and for 337, i though they sound very different, although both are tube amps.  

maybe my memory is failing.  all i read about is the Woo, LD, and DV these days.

 

[fhuang]

Quote:

thanks for all your replies... fhuang which would you prefer if you had to choose one of them? 

i would've chose both because they sound so different.  i really like it with k501.  not so much for dt990.  on the other hand i love my darkvoice 337 with dt990(pro and 600ohm).  too bad the local dealer doesn't carry ha-1a anymore.  they have a "replacement" for it named ha2 i think and it doesn't sound as good.  decent for not as good


Quote:

Quote:

fishski, i see your join day/year was 04 so i though you would know.  it was popular.  people loved/love it here.  for other guys, do a search(if you can, the search function suck).  it's very nice for the price.  i don't have it but i've listened to it many times and i thought it was wonderful.  and for 337, i though they sound very different, although both are tube amps.  

maybe my memory is failing.  all i read about is the Woo, LD, and DV these days.

 
 
it was long time ago though.  ha-1a was the first quality Chinese made headphone amp(integrated amp too) and was before the darkvoice or little dot.  
 

 

[fishski13]

i thought it drove my then K701 very well.