[Level5]

Out of curiosity, what's the rest of your system? What DAC + cables + source + etc are you using?

I forgot to add my current toobs!

300B: Shuguang BT 50yrs 300B-Z Premium grade
I want to try Acme, Elrog and Takatsuki soon!

Psvane CV181-T MKII Premium grade
Shuguang 50yrs CV181-Z Premium grade
I avoid NOS tubes because I've had nothing but issues with them!

 

[donato]

hmm so I shouldn't try the HE6SE on the HA-300 can someone chime in on this please ?

If you're talking about the Hifiman HE Adapter, it was designed to allow you to use it with speaker amps. But based on the design of the HA-300 speaker outputs described in @llamaluv 's post that it probably won't sound any better.

 

[Level5]

If you're talking about the Hifiman HE Adapter, it was designed to allow you to use it with speaker amps. But based on the design of the HA-300 speaker outputs described in @llamaluv 's post that it probably won't sound any better.

I'd avoid using that HE adapter and get a 4-pin XLR to speaker taps instead. Something about the resistor inside it will bottleneck the signal.

 

[donato]

I'd avoid using that HE adapter and get a 4-pin XLR to speaker taps instead. Something about the resistor inside it will bottleneck the signal.

I'd refer people to the speaker tap thread which goes into detail on the HE adapter, although you may have to dig for the info. The HE adapter is a voltage divider with a series and a parallel resistor. the parallel resistor is to adjust the impedance that the amp sees which again is typically important with transformer output tube amps and higher impedance headphones. The series resistor is in the signal path and is primarily there to help manage gain. Some say the resistors used in the HE adapter are not of particularly good quality and may introduce a veil to the sound. I'd say think of the HE adapter as tool to provide greater compatibility, but not necessarily the best sound quality.

 

[Andykong]

There are very extensive discussion about driving headphones off of speaker amps here on headfi. This is a dedicated thread on the subject
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/speaker-amps-for-headphones.649107/

There are similar discussions in Susvara and HE6 threads for the same reason.

The Verum might be uniquely suited to work well with the outputs on the HA300 because the Verum's impedance is what the HA300 expects to see (8 ohm). I would caution the use of doing this with other higher impedance headphones since my understanding is that tube amps with output transformers don't like to see high impedances since it effectively looks like an open circuit (somebody can jump in to explain the specific tube amp electronics issues). When I've used my Primaluna tube amp to drive my HPs, I've put a resistor in parallel on the binding posts to bring the parallel resistance in line with the load that the amp expects to see (i.e. 8 ohms).

I can agree thought that there can be benefits to driving off of speaker amps (I use a Pass XA25 myself), esp. when driving difficult to drive HPs.

Interesting to hear about your speaker tap experience with those low-impedance planars.

By the way, Andy posted this reply to a question I asked about using speaker taps for headphones back in the summer:

Thank you @donato for point this out and @llamaluv for recovering my previous suggestion. I didn't aware of the discussion about speaker tab connection until today.

I must remind everyone that HA-300 is an amplifier purposively designed for headphone application, with speaker output as value-added feature. This is very different from generic integrated amplifier with speaker as primarily output and headphone as value-added feature. For example, with Cayin tube integrated amplifier such as CS-55A or MT-35 MK2, the headphone output is an amplification that is independent and much lesser output from the speaker output. If you compare the different output value of HA-300, you should notice that the speaker output is actually a lesser output, especially when you use a higher impedance setting. To illustrate my point, I have provided a table with to compare the output at VRMS, with the R value as an arbitrary impedance loading that is close to the mid value of the Low, Mid and High impedance setting respectively. For the record, the Mid impedance Balanced output of HA-300 is more than doubled the speaker output already, so if you want more power, stick with the balanced phone output.



As others has pointed out, Verum is not a very difficult load according to its specification. Verum is very different from other planar headphone because of its extremely low impedance rating, at 10 ohm. It is very close to the 8 ohm fixed impedance loading of speaker output. With planar headphone, the impedance will affect the sound signature significantly, and that's why Cayin developed impedance matched output features in our tube headphone amplifier. In the case of Verum, the impedance is very clos to the speaker output, that's why it sound "better" with speaker output. If you have a low sensitivity planar at 24ohm or above, Cayin do not recommend using the speaker output. You can explore with caution, but we don't recommend this officially.

 

[Level5]

As others has pointed out, Verum is not a very difficult load according to its specification. Verum is very different from other planar headphone because of its extremely low impedance rating, at 10 ohm. It is very close to the 8 ohm fixed impedance loading of speaker output. With planar headphone, the impedance will affect the sound signature significantly, and that's why Cayin developed impedance matched output features in our tube headphone amplifier. In the case of Verum, the impedance is very clos to the speaker output, that's why it sound "better" with speaker output. If you have a low sensitivity planar at 24ohm or above, Cayin do not recommend using the speaker output. You can explore with caution, but we don't recommend this officially.

So I guess Verum is a rare case... Also, on Verum's site, its specifically says its 8ohms! Not sure where people are getting this 10ohm from.

https://www.verum-audio.com/products

 

[wazzupi]

Thank you @donato for point this out and @llamaluv for recovering my previous suggestion. I didn't aware of the discussion about speaker tab connection until today.

I must remind everyone that HA-300 is an amplifier purposively designed for headphone application, with speaker output as value-added feature. This is very different from generic integrated amplifier with speaker as primarily output and headphone as value-added feature. For example, with Cayin tube integrated amplifier such as CS-55A or MT-35 MK2, the headphone output is an amplification that is independent and much lesser output from the speaker output. If you compare the different output value of HA-300, you should notice that the speaker output is actually a lesser output, especially when you use a higher impedance setting. To illustrate my point, I have provided a table with to compare the output at VRMS, with the R value as an arbitrary impedance loading that is close to the mid value of the Low, Mid and High impedance setting respectively. For the record, the Mid impedance Balanced output of HA-300 is more than doubled the speaker output already, so if you want more power, stick with the balanced phone output.



As others has pointed out, Verum is not a very difficult load according to its specification. Verum is very different from other planar headphone because of its extremely low impedance rating, at 10 ohm. It is very close to the 8 ohm fixed impedance loading of speaker output. With planar headphone, the impedance will affect the sound signature significantly, and that's why Cayin developed impedance matched output features in our tube headphone amplifier. In the case of Verum, the impedance is very clos to the speaker output, that's why it sound "better" with speaker output. If you have a low sensitivity planar at 24ohm or above, Cayin do not recommend using the speaker output. You can explore with caution, but we don't recommend this officially.

I thought the single ended output was the highest power output ?

 

[jambaj0e]

I thought the single ended output was the highest power output ?

I can definitely day that the balanced XLR output is louder than the single-ended. I own cables for both and I don't need to have the volume dial as high with the XLR. This is regardless of whether I use single or balanced inputs, the XLR output is always louder.

Now between the XLR input VS single-ended, the XLR input is louder but that may also be because my Hugo TT2 does push higher wattage via its XLRs.

 

[Andykong]

I thought the single ended output was the highest power output ?

Yes and no, it depends on the impedance setting, since we are discussing the different between speaker output at 8 ohm and low impedance setting (64ohm and below), the balanced output deliver more power then the single-ended output. I have provided the rest of the table for your reference.

 

[jambaj0e]

Yes and no, it depends on the impedance setting, since we are discussing the different between speaker output at 8 ohm and low impedance setting (64ohm and below), the balanced output deliver more power then the single-ended output. I have provided the rest of the table for your reference.

How does using RCA vs XLR inputs from the DAC change the power you're getting? Is there a limit of what voltage can go into the HA-300 before distortion creeps in? For the Chord HUGO TT2, what's safe and useable based on their chart here?

 

[rulerofrecords]

Question to the owners, dealers, sponsors - are the HA-300 and the HA-6a multi-voltage = 110 -230V??? Because there is one thing I know - I'm not paying 2000 Euros more than Asia or US-Customers ...
cheers guys

 

[ThanatosVI]

Question to the owners, dealers, sponsors - are the HA-300 and the HA-6a multi-voltage = 110 -230V??? Because there is one thing I know - I'm not paying 2000 Euros more than Asia or US-Customers ...
cheers guys

No they are not.
If you're looking for a Ha-6a 230V Version try france.

Keep in mind that Cayins warranty restrictions suck

 

[rulerofrecords]

No they are not.
If you're looking for a Ha-6a 230V Version try france.

Keep in mind that Cayins warranty restrictions suck

not good - but thanx for clarifying. Any particular dealer in mind in France?

 

[ThanatosVI]

not good - but thanx for clarifying. Any particular dealer in mind in France?

I bought mine @son-video but the only reason Was the price. Any french dealer is probably fine since the official price for the Ha-6a is 2500€ over there.

The Cayin Ha-300 is unfortunately just as expensive as in most other european countries.

 

[rulerofrecords]

I bought mine @son-video but the only reason Was the price. Any french dealer is probably fine since the official price for the Ha-6a is 2500€ over there.

The Cayin Ha-300 is unfortunately just as expensive as in most other european countries.

Wow - I just checked with two dealers and it is exactly as you say. Remarkable, that makes the HA-6a quite attractive. If that for me can overcome the myth that is the 300b remains to be seen. Have you heard both before buying ThanatosVI?