I'm looking for an upgrade to my Aune S17 Pro, I also have a Topping A90D and Schiit Jotunheim 2, the Aune S17 Pro in my estimation easily out performs these other amps.
Can anyone offer an opinion on whether the Cayin iHA-8 is a step up from an Aune S17 Pro ? or any other suggestions for an upgrade ?
I'm looking for an upgrade to my Aune S17 Pro, I also have a Topping A90D and Schiit Jotunheim 2, the Aune S17 Pro in my estimation easily out performs these other amps.
Can anyone offer an opinion on whether the Cayin iHA-8 is a step up from an Aune S17 Pro ? or any other suggestions for an upgrade ?
I'm looking for an upgrade to my Aune S17 Pro, I also have a Topping A90D and Schiit Jotunheim 2, the Aune S17 Pro in my estimation easily out performs these other amps.
Can anyone offer an opinion on whether the Cayin iHA-8 is a step up from an Aune S17 Pro ? or any other suggestions for an upgrade ?
For me it definitively was, I upgraded from the original Aune S17 to the iHA-8, specially regarding how it handles the mids around 800hz, high mids and particularly the treble, I also think the iHA-8 has a little bit more grunt in the low end.
Is it a huge upgrade?, I wouldn't say it was transformative and I also had issues with my S17(apparently it was throwing back DC to my DAC unbeknownst to me and several other issues, clearly my experience is not representative of the average user, but still, it was the main driver for me to get the iHA-8 in the first place), but it was enough of an upgrade that I don't feel the need to look for another SS amp any longer.
The other amps that both @Ichos and @Xinlisupreme are mentioning and recommending where under my radar and are excellent choices too but and in some cases are more feature rich than the iHA-8(which tbh is a little bit strip down in that regard, not even having a remote or pre-outs for example, just being a headphone amp and just that), and also more expensive, the iHA-8 is not cheap by any conventional sense of the word either.
Thanks all that's very helpful, the other amps mentioned look like excellent choices but a bit beyond what I'm willing to spend, it sounds like the iHA-8 will fill in what I'd like to improve coming from my Aune amp.
Excellently well, but tbh the LCD-X is a really easy to drive headphone in regards to big planar headphones.
I do EQ the LCD-X because the stock tuning is fine for me but nothing really special and kind of dry and boring for my taste, but I do use a really intensive EQ by @Jonne Haven which takes the LCD-X to a whole new level, this makes the LCD-X in turn a somewhat difficult to drive headphone and lesser amps are going to choke and not be able to deliver enough volume, power and most importantly, control to the drivers, the iHA-8 handles it beatufully and with zero issues, and even with the stock tunings, the presentation is natural and open, non-fatiguing and pretty much reference level.
Excellently well, but tbh the LCD-X is a really easy to drive headphone in regards to big planar headphones.
I do EQ the LCD-X because the stock tuning is fine for me but nothing really special and kind of dry and boring for my taste, but I do use a really intensive EQ by @Jonne Haven which takes the LCD-X to a whole new level, this makes the LCD-X in turn a somewhat difficult to drive headphone and lesser amps are going to choke and not be able to deliver enough volume, power and most importantly, control to the drivers, the iHA-8 handles it beatufully and with zero issues, and even with the stock tunings, the presentation is natural and open, non-fatiguing and pretty much reference level.
I cannot decide which of these to get for my he6sev2: aune s17 pro evo (840e), iha-8 (1150e) or flux mentor (1400e).
I’ve tried the first two today and did not notice 300e better sound. To make things stranger, I’ve liked ha-3a more than iha-8, even though it has less power.
I cannot try Mentor and it is not available at the moment.
Aune s17 pro evo sounded nice, but it looks so cheap (shape, screen, volume control).
I cannot decide which of these to get for my he6sev2: aune s17 pro evo (840e), iha-8 (1150e) or flux mentor (1400e).
I’ve tried the first two today and did not notice 300e better sound. To make things stranger, I’ve liked ha-3a more than iha-8, even though it has less power.
I cannot try Mentor and it is not available at the moment.
Aune s17 pro evo sounded nice, but it looks so cheap (shape, screen, volume control).
I'll would wait just a bit before pulling the trigger on any of those amps, Aune was showing it's new headphone amp on munich high end, it looks really good but it's going to be a chonker. The A17 is going to be called apparently.
I'll would wait just a bit before pulling the trigger on any of those amps, Aune was showing it's new headphone amp on munich high end, it looks really good but it's going to be a chonker. The A17 is going to be called apparently.
I did try that out yesterday, did not notice major improvements over s17 pro evo (it costs 2.5 times more) with my headphones.
And it seems that there was something wrong with the unit as I could not put it to 100mA mode.
I cannot decide which of these to get for my he6sev2: aune s17 pro evo (840e), iha-8 (1150e) or flux mentor (1400e).
I’ve tried the first two today and did not notice 300e better sound. To make things stranger, I’ve liked ha-3a more than iha-8, even though it has less power.
I cannot try Mentor and it is not available at the moment.
Aune s17 pro evo sounded nice, but it looks so cheap (shape, screen, volume control).
Well maybe beefier midbass helps super fast planars also.
I’m looking for a DCA partner also but I’m not sure what I’d buy.
I doubt between amp dacs as XduooTA32 or D&A Alpha pro or buy a pure amp as iHA8 and use my Xduoo XA02 as dac only till I can afford a better dac.
I tried Yulong A39+D39 and sounds very very well but I prefer a more bodied sound on mids with DCA noire.
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