[Andykong]

With them tubes, I bet it does.

Now you know too much, my boss will kill you, run while you can.

 

[Andykong]

I agree with @PinkyPowers
! That is gorgeous!!!

Does it sound as warm as it looks? 

My HE400 is calling for it...

Haven't heard this in person yet, but base on the original HA-1A and my limited experience with EL84, it will be a sweat sounding amplifier that do vocal perfectly.

HE400? Off the record, I send my HE6 to the lead Engineer of this project "for reference", so I expect my HE6 will sound RIGHT when I plug it into this little gem later.

 

[nmatheis]

Andykong: I've been told HE6 will better suit my tastes. Just waiting for the right opportunity to pick some up...

 

[swannie007]

That is one sweet looking amp!! Might be my replacement amp for the HA-1A once I am settled in the States.

 

[nmatheis]

You're moving to the states swannie007? Where at? I suggest Portland, OR!
:wink_face:

 

[Andykong]

Andykong: I've been told HE6 will better suit my tastes. Just waiting for the right opportunity to pick some up...

to pick some up? Do you mean you want to buy three HE6? One for regular use, one for display in sealed glass box, and one as backup?

 

[nmatheis]

Of course, Andy. Gotta have on for the living room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, etc. Never know when the mood to jam my HE6 might strike!!!
 
Well... maybe one pair will do 

 

[swannie007]

You're moving to the states @swannie007? Where at? I suggest Portland, OR!

Yes, I am moving to the states early next year but don't know where yet as it will depend on my wife's job offers. She is working through a nursing agency(they are sponsoring us) and when all of our immigration process is complete and job offers made, we will decide on a location. I will say however that my wife and I are both quite partial to Portland. My wife did a nursing contract there once and I have visited and it is a definite candidate. Cheers. 

 

[Podster]

  That is one sweet looking amp!! Might be my replacement amp for the HA-1A once I am settled in the States.

Cayin's KT88 Integrated amp is one of the sweetest sounding Integrated amps I've ever heard and I have heard a bunch

 

[nmatheis]

Yes, I am moving to the states early next year but don't know where yet as it will depend on my wife's job offers. She is working through a nursing agency(they are sponsoring us) and when all of our immigration process is complete and job offers made, we will decide on a location. I will say however that my wife and I are both quite partial to Portland. My wife did a nursing contract there once and I have visited and it is a definite candidate. Cheers. 

See, then I can just do your FW upgrades over a beer :wink_face:

 

[Podster]

See, then I can just do your FW upgrades over a beer

Oh, the old "Beer Bartering" eh

 

[vladzakhar]

Can balanced hiss be fixed by FW upgrade?

 

[PinkyPowers]

Can balanced hiss be fixed by FW upgrade?

Somewhere in this thread Cayin states it's a hardware issue that cannot be fixed with software. So that sucks.

 

[Andykong]

Can balanced hiss be fixed by FW upgrade?

Yes and No.

The hissing sound can be heard in several scenario, some of them can be rectified by firmware upgrade (hiss while pause) while some are remained as-is (hiss during playback, can be heard when IEM with high sensitivity are used), and for the later one, the feedback varied. For example, SE846 ( 9Ω, 114 dB SPL/mW) is a typical low impedance high sensitivity IEM , so far I have come across users confirmed they can hear mild hissing when paring SE846 with N5 in balance mode, but others said they don't.

If you have N5 already, please give the new firmware a try, the upgrade is reversible so there is no harm on trying out.

If you haven't bought the N5 and is worried about the hissing issue, I'll suggest you bring alone an high sensitivity IEM to test the hissing effect, or ask for a demo IEM from the shop. From what I observed, the implication of hissing in N5 balanced mode is not definite to everyone, you really have to try it in person to find out.

 

[Andykong]

Somewhere in this thread Cayin states it's a hardware issue that cannot be fixed with software. So that sucks.

I believe I mentioned that the balanced mode of N5 employed 4 Op-Amp while the single end mode employed 2 Op-Amp, hence the noise floor is clearly higher at the headphone amplifier section, and the overall noise increment is audible when certain IEMs were used.

Maybe you can share your experience with hissing problem of N5, that will help others to evaluate whether this is something that they should taking into consideration. Information such as paring with which IEM, and how bad the hiss has affecting music listening are extremely valuable to fellow headfier.