[jambaj0e]

The review was part of a series of four "mainstream" high-end headphone amplifiers, so only limited reference to HA-300 make perfect sense, maybe @project86 will share "additional" impression at HA-6A thread later, or he'll drop by here as well.

He's one of the reasons I bought the HA-300, too. Thoroughly enjoying it, as paired with the Hugo TT2 + LCD-3 and everything in between.

 

[dadracer2]

The review was part of a series of four "mainstream" high-end headphone amplifiers, so only limited reference to HA-300 make perfect sense, maybe @project86 will share "additional" impression at HA-6A thread later, or he'll drop by here as well.

Yes thanks I had understood that as I had spoken with John before it was published.

Do you think that Cayin would make a compact desktop headphone amp (no batteries) using the Raytheon JAN6418 please? Say 120mm square footprint with RCA inputs and 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm Bal headphone output. Oh and plus a switch for different headphone impedances. You can call it the Cayin HA3A. Doesn't need to be a portable just compact for in an office/ at home (where it looks like we are going to be for quite a while). I know there is the N3Pro but it doesn't have inputs and the forthcoming C9 amp uses Nutubes not the JAN6418 and is portable.

 

[Treva]

I have the Tekton Lore Reference with my HA-300, and unlike my LCD-3 that I usually leave at 9-10 o'clock, I'd put the Lore Reference at 2-3 o'clock. It drives it nicely, but because of my bedroom arrangement, I'm not getting the best out of my room positioning, so I still listen predominantly on my LCD-3, which is absolutely sublime, especially after with combo of Chord HUGO TT2, Psvane ACME 300b tubes, Sylvania 6SN7W metal base, and most recently the usb cable I can't recommend enough, the Sablon 2020 USB cable!

I too have the "bedroom arrangement" with a Chord DAC. (It's a small 'shoebox' bedroom which has become the home office with all this wfh due to COVID.) One interview with Rob Watts I saw around last Christmas time talked about how the HUGO TT2 has a much better output stage than the HUGO 2. I have the HUGO 2, so the HA-300 is my output stage . I have the Sony MDR-Z1R headphones which I'm always testing with the volume on the HA-300 set at the lowest possible setting i.e. 7 o'clock. I'm listening with the balanced Sony cable on a 4.4mm to XLR 4-pin converter. It's truly incredible how much detail retrieval the Chord DAC has, and, how incredibly wide the soundstage + so much "dynamic range" is still there at the lowest volume setting on the HA-300 !

 

[honeyjjack]

Has anyone heard both the ha300 and ampsandsound amps? Trying to pick between the mogwai and ha300 but cant seem to find any comparisons.

 

[jambaj0e]

Has anyone heard both the ha300 and ampsandsound amps? Trying to pick between the mogwai and ha300 but cant seem to find any comparisons.

I have with the Qutest & LCD-3, and at least for me the Amp&Sounds was a bit too dark and mids recessed/highs rolled off with that combo. The HA-300 was sweeter and better extended, with a far larger soundstage. It only got better after tube rolling to my current setup with the pair Psvane ACME 300b and NOS pair of Sylvania 6SN7W metal tubes

 

[vkenz]

Just got my HA-300 for a week now of burn in listening on default tubes.

 

[terirapt]

New HA-300 fuse blown 3 times

Just got my HA-300 and it was dead on arrival; the set can be turned on with tubes lighting up but there is no sound. Was advised by the dealer to change the fuse (160ma) inside the power supply; and then all seems fine. Then next day, the same fuse blew again twice. Set was taken to a service centre and I was advised that the 6SN7 tubes are bad and are causing the fuse to blow. I have changed the 6SN7 tubes and is running in the amp now as I am typing this.

A few questions on my mind and I appreciate all the advises :

1) Is it true that the 6SN7 is causing the problem? Read somewhere that only the bad output tubes i.e. 300b tubes can cause this particular fuse to blow. Other faulty tubes, what else can cause the fuse to blow?
2) With the fuse blowing 3 times, will it affect the other components of the amp such that it has degraded sound quality, and also future reliability of the amp? Was thinking should I insist on the exchange for a new set.

Honestly, my confidence in my HA-300 set is severely dented.

Thank you in advanced for your advises.

 

[vkenz]

New HA-300 fuse blown 3 times

Just got my HA-300 and it was dead on arrival; the set can be turned on with tubes lighting up but there is no sound. Was advised by the dealer to change the fuse (160ma) inside the power supply; and then all seems fine. Then next day, the same fuse blew again twice. Set was taken to a service centre and I was advised that the 6SN7 tubes are bad and are causing the fuse to blow. I have changed the 6SN7 tubes and is running in the amp now as I am typing this.

A few questions on my mind and I appreciate all the advises :

1) Is it true that the 6SN7 is causing the problem? Read somewhere that only the bad output tubes i.e. 300b tubes can cause this particular fuse to blow. Other faulty tubes, what else can cause the fuse to blow?
2) With the fuse blowing 3 times, will it affect the other components of the amp such that it has degraded sound quality, and also future reliability of the amp? Was thinking should I insist on the exchange for a new set.

Honestly, my confidence in my HA-300 set is severely dented.

Thank you in advanced for your advises.

I think it should be fine. The fuse is there to prevent damage on your equipment. Maybe the tubes just didn't survive the shipment. They do put the tubes in the unit when they ship it. Thank goodness mine was in good condition with it arrive. But not my darkvoice, that one they didn't put the tubes in to the unit and I have to do it myself and that one got hum issues until I have to remove and put it back in again.

 

[dadracer2]

New HA-300 fuse blown 3 times

Just got my HA-300 and it was dead on arrival; the set can be turned on with tubes lighting up but there is no sound. Was advised by the dealer to change the fuse (160ma) inside the power supply; and then all seems fine. Then next day, the same fuse blew again twice. Set was taken to a service centre and I was advised that the 6SN7 tubes are bad and are causing the fuse to blow. I have changed the 6SN7 tubes and is running in the amp now as I am typing this.

A few questions on my mind and I appreciate all the advises :

1) Is it true that the 6SN7 is causing the problem? Read somewhere that only the bad output tubes i.e. 300b tubes can cause this particular fuse to blow. Other faulty tubes, what else can cause the fuse to blow?
2) With the fuse blowing 3 times, will it affect the other components of the amp such that it has degraded sound quality, and also future reliability of the amp? Was thinking should I insist on the exchange for a new set.

Honestly, my confidence in my HA-300 set is severely dented.

Thank you in advanced for your advises.

It could be something minor but if it were me I would be having a very frank discussion with the dealer who supplied it and ask for it to be replaced. I am not sure where you are but contact Andy Kong who is the marketing guy at Cayin and who often reads this forum and see what he has to say. I am no electrical expert but if your fuses are blowing then hopefully they have protected the rest of the circuitry. At the very least your dealer owes you an upgrade set of 6SN7s free of charge.

 

[project86]

I've blown many fuses in many devices over the years. It's never fun, but also not something to worry about once the cause is determined and taken care of. Think of it like tripping a circuit breaker at your home. That happens to protect everything else in the system from harm, and no damage or degradation should be expected.

And yes, bad tubes in any stage of the device can lead to unpredictable results including fuses blowing.

 

[vkenz]

I've blown many fuses in many devices over the years. It's never fun, but also not something to worry about once the cause is determined and taken care of. Think of it like tripping a circuit breaker at your home. That happens to protect everything else in the system from harm, and no damage or degradation should be expected.

And yes, bad tubes in any stage of the device can lead to unpredictable results including fuses blowing.

Will he get replacement tubes FOC?

 

[terirapt]

Will he get replacement tubes FOC?

Yes, I will be getting replacement for the Shuguang WE6SN7 tubes

 

[dadracer2]

That seems reasonable.

 

[Andykong]

New HA-300 fuse blown 3 times

Just got my HA-300 and it was dead on arrival; the set can be turned on with tubes lighting up but there is no sound. Was advised by the dealer to change the fuse (160ma) inside the power supply; and then all seems fine. Then next day, the same fuse blew again twice. Set was taken to a service centre and I was advised that the 6SN7 tubes are bad and are causing the fuse to blow. I have changed the 6SN7 tubes and is running in the amp now as I am typing this.

A few questions on my mind and I appreciate all the advises :

1) Is it true that the 6SN7 is causing the problem? Read somewhere that only the bad output tubes i.e. 300b tubes can cause this particular fuse to blow. Other faulty tubes, what else can cause the fuse to blow?
2) With the fuse blowing 3 times, will it affect the other components of the amp such that it has degraded sound quality, and also future reliability of the amp? Was thinking should I insist on the exchange for a new set.

Honestly, my confidence in my HA-300 set is severely dented.

Thank you in advanced for your advises.

Sorry for all the inconvenient and disturb caused, I sincerely hope you can sit back and enjoy your HA-300 peacefully from here on.

I can confirm that not "only the bad output tubes i.e. 300b tubes can cause this particular fuse to blow", a bad driver tube can cause also cause overload and blow the fuse.

 

[jambaj0e]

Yes, I will be getting replacement for the Shuguang WE6SN7 tubes

Are you looking to roll tubes in the near future? What are you already looking into?