[Zielarz]

I have Holo May KTE, so in terms of voltage it's the same as Spring 3 without preamp. I love this combo. I'd like to have a preamp in May but for a convenience purpose (more precise volume control and a remote). For me Spring 3 would be best with the preamp.

 

[ARCXENOS]

Hi guys,
I am considering to upgrade my DAC currently using Chord Qutest connected to the HA300Mk2 via RCA, and I'm shortlisting Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE as I'd like to try R2R as well as wants to connect using XLR balanced.

Question to Holo users here, should I go with the one that comes with pre-amp or without? I don't really need the pre-amp function but concern about the output voltage as I understand higher voltage works better with the HA300, if it does not have pre-amp function, is the Spring 3 KTE's output voltage high enough for the HA300?

I had a Spring 3 KTE with a preamp for the express purpose of using it with speaker amps + Susvara, IMO if you have no need for the preamp, I think its not needed at all.

I am currently using the may, it has the same 5.8 vrms output as the normal s3. Recommended spec is 4vrms officially, but as I have found out myself + tested by my dealer with the dcs unit at 6vrms, there is no need to attenuate the dac at this level.

Honestly I don't recall anyone stating having a higher dac output is necessarily better, might even be worse at some point. But I think you will find the regular kte great enough.

Fyi the preamp in the s3 is not digital attenuation, its an analog preamp with 11.6vrms max, I think you might be turning it down regardless

 

[mfgillia]

Hi guys,
I am considering to upgrade my DAC currently using Chord Qutest connected to the HA300Mk2 via RCA, and I'm shortlisting Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE as I'd like to try R2R as well as wants to connect using XLR balanced.

Question to Holo users here, should I go with the one that comes with pre-amp or without? I don't really need the pre-amp function but concern about the output voltage as I understand higher voltage works better with the HA300, if it does not have pre-amp function, is the Spring 3 KTE's output voltage high enough for the HA300?

I have the Cayin HA-300 MKII and Spring 3 KTE with pre-amp. Love both dearly and like you also debated back and forth whether to get the pre-amp version.

Very happy decided to stick with the pre-amp really just for the added convenience and flexibility. I also use this DAC with a set of powered speakers (KEF LSX) and find its much easier to adjust the volume on the Spring 3 than to reach for the KEF remote and suffer through the inevitable lag.

With that said, if you will only be using the Spring 3 with this Cayin then there's not really a pressing reason to get the pre-amp version. Some report the Cayin sounding better when the DAC delivers closer to it's maximum voltage of 6 volts, which the non-preamp version already does at 5.8.

Plus, the volume control on this Cayin offers plenty of travel by itself with a wide range of headphones and IEMs though some report a much different experience on the HA-300's smaller brother - the HA-3A where I know of at least one Spring 3 owner who finds the pre-amp is proving invaluable with that particular amp.

 

[paradoxper]

You should try some rolling some G.E. 22DE4 rectifiers, if you want to reign in the stage and bring the sound forward a bit. The stock RCA rectifiers play a big roll in the expansive/diffused soundstage, but don't do the amp any favors when it comes to dynamics and bass slam/depth. The G.E.'s really bring the dynamics and excitement to another level, and have incredible bass depth, texture and punch, and the sound is more lifelike and it sounds as if you are there in the front row. The tubes can make a big difference if you roll the right ones (key factor), and another way to get what you are looking for is to roll in some Elrog ER300B's. Both the Elrog power tubes and G.E. rectifiers will give you what you are looking for with the TC's.

The more time I spend with this amp rolling tubes, and then go back and read reviews, it's clear to me that they are simply describing the sound of the amp paired up with the stock tubes, and not necessarily the sound of the amp on it's own. For instance, when I read huge stage and somewhat lacking in subbass, it's clear to me they did not roll any tubes, as that's what you get with the stock set. Personally I don't think a tube amp should be reviewed without rolling tubes as they can make quite a difference, and reviewing the amp with just the stock tubes doesn't tell the whole story.

I heard Elrog. Nods.

 

[tinariwen]

Does a higher voltage input really make that much of a difference? I’m currently using the Qutest as well and use it at its max output (3v). I’ve wondered if I’m giving the amp enough of what it needs to sound it’s best, particularly as I’m using it with Susvaras.

 

[mfgillia]

Does a higher voltage input really make that much of a difference? I’m currently using the Qutest as well and use it at its max output (3v). I’ve wondered if I’m giving the amp enough of what it needs to sound it’s best, particularly as I’m using it with Susvaras.

Myself, I don't have much actual first hand experience on whether DACs with higher or lower voltages provide better experiences out of different amps. I do generally feel this Cayin sounds better when the pre-amp is at higher levels but that could certainly be either higher volume bias or just ordinary placebo effect.

However, there are quite a few people who feel there is a strong connection. In Zach's video on the Lina stack he mentions this and believes his headphones sound better out of Cayin HA-300 MKII when the Lina DAC is set to output at the higher voltage of 6 Vrms.

More recently, Justin at Ampsandsound seems to also suggest this as well and that using active pre-amps with higher voltages may help his products sound their best. This is interesting because I also recall a much older post whereby he seemed to suggest adding an active pre-amp between the DAC and amp wasn't something he originally favored.

 

[Stefano Z.]

Just chiming in about the 6Vrms input... beware of volume steps then, because with yggdrasil at 4V with XLR, I have already too much jump between steps, in fact I went back to SE inputs. With 6V this may be too much

 

[tinariwen]

Just chiming in about the 6Vrms input... beware of volume steps then, because with yggdrasil at 4V with XLR, I have already too much jump between steps, in fact I went back to SE inputs. With 6V this may be too much

That’s something I’ll definitely need to keep in mind. With 3V I listen at around 11-12 o’clock. 6V would give me way less play on the volume pot.

 

[TOMY]

Hi all,

I read this thread for a few weeks then I decided to buy HA300MkII. Unfortunately the first unit which is black color has no sound on the right channel, I tried to fix it by changed fuse and switched 300B tube as in the manual but it doesn't help.

The dealer offered me to change the silver unit as below photo which is running normally and its sound was stunning to me. Anyway last night I found that with XLR output, I can hear hiss from HA300MkII noticeable while there is no hiss in single end mode. My room background is managed by electric system separately for audio components (ground, wired, etc.) I tried to change power cables, changed audio grade receptacle position and I also used power conditioners (Shunyata, SOtM) but hiss is still there. It will be more loud when change impedance selector to be more ohm.

I acknowledged that tube amp could be make some hiss on sensitive headphones (in this case I have only 2 headphones -D8000 and Meze Elite) but previously I use both headphones with HA-3A and there is no hiss issue. This is another reason that I bought HA300MkII because I liked HA-3A very much and I confidence on Cayin amp quality.

My source is Roon nucleus, SOtM set up (sms200ultra and network switching) all are powered by PLiXiR DC power supply , Dac is PONTUSII and many cables (Nordost, Shunyata and Synergistic research). I also owned Woo Wes which never have hiss issue.

I bought many Cayin products (N8, N8 Brass black, N8ii, N6ii Ti, C9), once in the past I got a defect N8ii with broken screen anyway I thought it can be happen with electronic device sometimes and dealer service is extremely good for me. They changed unit immediately.

So my doubt

1. is it normal that I can hear hiss from Cayin HA300mkII noticeable with XLR (I prefer to use XLR output for this amp) or
2. I have got another defect amp again which make me upset right now. I am located in Thailand.

Any helps or suggestions are more than welcome.

Best,
Tom

 

[Wes S]

Hi all,

I read this thread for a few weeks then I decided to buy HA300MkII. Unfortunately the first unit which is black color has no sound on the right channel, I tried to fix it by changed fuse and switched 300B tube as in the manual but it doesn't help.

The dealer offered me to change the silver unit as below photo which is running normally and its sound was stunning to me. Anyway last night I found that with XLR output, I can hear hiss from HA300MkII noticeable while there is no hiss in single end mode. My room background is managed by electric system separately for audio components (ground, wired, etc.) I tried to change power cables, changed audio grade receptacle position and I also used power conditioners (Shunyata, SOtM) but hiss is still there. It will be more loud when change impedance selector to be more ohm.

I acknowledged that tube amp could be make some hiss on sensitive headphones (in this case I have only 2 headphones -D8000 and Meze Elite) but previously I use both headphones with HA-3A and there is no hiss issue. This is another reason that I bought HA300MkII because I liked HA-3A very much and I confidence on Cayin amp quality.

My source is Roon nucleus, SOtM set up (sms200ultra and network switching) all are powered by PLiXiR DC power supply , Dac is PONTUSII and many cables (Nordost, Shunyata and Synergistic research). I also owned Woo Wes which never have hiss issue.

I bought many Cayin products (N8, N8 Brass black, N8ii, N6ii Ti, C9), once in the past I got a defect N8ii with broken screen anyway I thought it can be happen with electronic device sometimes and dealer service is extremely good for me. They changed unit immediately.

So my doubt

1. is it normal that I can hear hiss from Cayin HA300mkII noticeable with XLR (I prefer to use XLR output for this amp) or
2. I have got another defect amp again which make me upset right now. I am located in Thailand.

Any helps or suggestions are more than welcome.

Best,
Tom

I would try and move the power supply further away from the amp. I found that if the connections of the cable connecting the power supply to the amp are close to each other I got a bit of hiss with my VC's (of which pick up noise if it's there like no other). Once I moved them further apart it's nothing but silence. That's what worked for me, so might be worth a try. It could be the tubes as well, and perhaps you might try swapping the rectifiers around, or rolling tubes. Tube amps can be a challenge with sensitive and revealing headphones, and I have yet to actually own one that did not require tweaking (tube rolling, cable management) and proper placement to run quiet.

For reference, here's how far apart mine are.

Hope that helps.

 

[steve468]

I have a hissy high noise floor in my mk. 1, and in my case it seems to be directly related to the 6sn7 tubes. I’ve had good luck with Sylvania tubes, both VT-231 and Baldwin branded GTB. I also have a pair of RCA VT-231 that’s also a bit quieter than stock. Maybe try switching the 6sn7 tubes?

But if your issue is high noise floor, I wouldn’t worry. You’re not alone. There seems to be complaints of hiss for lots of tube amps. I think it’s just a product of high power and tubes.

 

[JeffMann]

I have a hissy high noise floor in my mk. 1, and in my case it seems to be directly related to the 6sn7 tubes. I’ve had good luck with Sylvania tubes, both VT-231 and Baldwin branded GTB. I also have a pair of RCA VT-231 that’s also a bit quieter than stock. Maybe try switching the 6sn7 tubes?

But if your issue is high noise floor, I wouldn’t worry. You’re not alone. There seems to be complaints of hiss for lots of tube amps. I think it’s just a product of high power and tubes.

I cannot understand how one can justify the presence of a hiss noise problem with the Cayin HA-300 MK2 headphone amplifier if it is capable of being noise-free. A number of forum members have stated that they can turn the volume control all the way up and the amp is still dead-silent. That surely means that a properly functioning Cayin HA-300 MK2 headphone amplifier with its stock tubes should be silent and free of hiss. Wes stated that having the power supply unit too close to the main amplifier unit can cause hiss, but that is easy to remedy. However, I cannot accept that a new owner has to be obliged to personally pay for replacing the supplied stock tubes if they are the actual cause of the hiss. In fact, how would he even know that the stock tubes are defective and the cause of the hiss if he doesn't own replacement stock tubes? Also, how is it possible that Tomy's first unit had a dead right channel? Doesn't Cayin fully test the units before shipment to ensure that they are not defective and noise-free?

Jeff.

 

[steve468]

I cannot understand how one can justify the presence of a hiss noise problem with the Cayin HA-300 MK2 headphone amplifier if it is capable of being noise-free. A number of forum members have stated that they can turn the volume control all the way up and the amp is still dead-silent. That surely means that a properly functioning Cayin HA-300 MK2 headphone amplifier with its stock tubes should be silent and free of hiss. Wes stated that having the power supply unit too close to the main amplifier unit can cause hiss, but that is easy to remedy. However, I cannot accept that a new owner has to be obliged to personally pay for replacing the supplied stock tubes if they are the actual cause of the hiss. In fact, how would he even know that the stock tubes are defective and the cause of the hiss if he doesn't own replacement stock tubes? Also, how is it possible that Tomy's first unit had a dead right channel? Doesn't Cayin fully test the units before shipment to ensure that they are not defective and noise-free?

Jeff.

Sorry, I should have also mentioned that the stock tubes, at least for me, were pretty quiet. It's only when I started tube rolling when I noticed the difference in tubes.

But the hiss is there, especially with sensitive 'phones on high impedance (most power on this amp). This is similar to my experience with other high power amps and high sensitivity headphones.

 

[JeffMann]

Sorry, I should have also mentioned that the stock tubes, at least for me, were pretty quiet. It's only when I started tube rolling when I noticed the difference in tubes.

But the hiss is there, especially with sensitive 'phones on high impedance (most power on this amp). This is similar to my experience with other high power amps and high sensitivity headphones.

I am aware that high sensitivity phones are more inclined to hiss if they are used on the high impedance setting. However, what is one supposed to do if one owns a Sennheiser HD800 headphone. It is a highly sensitive headphone that has a high impedance of 300ohm. Should one conclude that it is going to inevitably have a hiss problem when used with the Cayin HA-300 MK2 headphone amplifier if one chooses the high impedance setting? Can one avoid that potential hiss problem by choosing the low impedance setting? Then, what effect will it have with respect to the HD800's frequency response output?

Another non-noise question about the choice of the appropriate impedance setting. Presuming that one wants to use the HA-300 to efficiently power a Susvara headphone, which is very insensitive. To get the maximum potential power of 6W, one needs to use the high impedance setting and not the low/medium impedance setting which limits the potential power output to ~2w when using a balanced XLR connection. However, what effect will that high impedance setting have on the frequency response output of the Susvara headphone, which has a low impedance of 60 ohms?

Jeff.

 

[steve468]

I am aware that high sensitivity phones are more inclined to hiss if they are used on the high impedance setting. However, what is one supposed to do if one owns a Sennheiser HD800 headphone. It is a highly sensitive headphone that has a high impedance of 300ohm. Should one conclude that it is going to inevitably have a hiss problem when used with the Cayin HA-300 MK2 headphone amplifier if one chooses the high impedance setting? Can one avoid that potential hiss problem by choosing the low impedance setting? Then, what effect will it have with respect to the HD800's frequency response output?

Another non-noise question about the choice of the appropriate impedance setting. Presuming that one wants to use the HA-300 to efficiently power a Susvara headphone, which is very insensitive. To get the maximum potential power of 6W, one needs to use the high impedance setting and not the low/medium impedance setting which limits the potential power output to ~2w when using a balanced XLR connection. However, what effect will that high impedance setting have on the frequency response output of the Susvara headphone, which has a low impedance of 60 ohms?

Jeff.

In my experience choosing the impedance is not so simple as sticking in the recommended range. I often use the medium setting for my 300ohm headphones, which include the HD800s. I also prefer the high setting for my LCD-4, which is fairly high ohm but outside the recommended range. Unfortunately I personally don't have a low-ohm low sensitivity set to test the effect on sound.

I will say that if you only want to power a HD800s, you might be better off with an OTL which generally have low power output. I have a Bottlehead Crackatwoa on hand, and in some ways it's just as good as the HA-300 for the Sennheiser and ZMFs.