[RPKwan]

I've demoed both Sonys and IMO there is not a huge difference from the originals except for Android. The 1Z2 is still warm and syrupy, the 1A2 more dynamic, and between the 2 I think the 1A2 is the better buy.

That being said, the N8II is technically better than both. It has the wow factor (IMO) when you first listen and taking into consideration the price, sound signatures and true LO it's a no-brainer.

 

[Whitigir]

Really appreciate your comment. Well, yeah, I am mainly looking for a pockatbale solution for iem right now. No doubt N8ii is a TOTL. But hard to put into a pocket. Unless I carry a sling or something which I hate so much

If only iems is what you want and mainly staying inside your pocket. I recommend something smaller, don’t generate much heat, but with adequate power to keeps on going. One of that could be DX160

If you like Sony, it will not be as powerful, but both ZX300/507 are equal with 200mW out. N6ii also has great potentials but it may warm up more than others

Honestly the N8ii is worth it to be shortly stay inside the pocket….but best be used in open air, sitting in an office, a lounge or in bed. If one is staying inside the pocket and constantly moving to commute with in ears, all of the nuances in performances will be cancelled out by the microphonic from all of your activities. Which renders the most pocketable and coolest in operation will be the best of choices

I've demoed both Sonys and IMO there is not a huge difference from the originals except for Android. The 1Z2 is still warm and syrupy, the 1A2 more dynamic, and between the 2 I think the 1A2 is the better buy.

That being said, the N8II is technically better than both. It has the wow factor (IMO) when you first listen and taking into consideration the price, sound signatures and true LO it's a no-brainer.

Most importantly, that wow factor is always there every time you listen to the N8ii in a good environments

 

[Steranko]

So this is a new amp from China ? SE and output transformer less. That tube is line buffer ? Or is it output stage ? What voltage rails is it running ? I don’t see much of it from googles and I can’t read much either. It look great though, but the KAEI TAP1 is also an excellent choices as it can act as desktop tier in technical term. However a real transformer output tubes amp is what I do.

Yes Pico Audio is pretty elusive. I was told it was formed by a Hong Kong audiophile enthusiast and they are made in Hong Kong but I take this with a pinch of salt since it could be from China. I found their products via a distributor MasterPro on the backstreets of Hong Kong and most of the materials are in Chinese but I have consolidated some of the materials here. Please bear with me about the formatting since most of it was translated from Chinese. BTW I am in no way affiliated with them or have any monetary gain from this product. I am just an end user like yourself trying to experiment and find the best sounds for my personal enjoyment. What I do like about it is that you can see everything for yourself of what's it's made from and they even supply you screw drivers and adopter tube kits. They will even cover the warranty if you make changes to it and modify it. It's like the raspberry Pi of the audio world. Here goes.....

Pico Audio is an audio brand under Pico Entertainment, focusing on the development of portable audio products. "Pico Audio – Origa" is the first product officially released, the world's first fully discrete and replaceable vacuum tube hybrid portable headphone amplifier.

Design concept

Once upon a time, there was a myth about thrust among portable audio enthusiasts, your XXX is not enough to push the headset, you need to balance a balanced DAP, you need a station amplifier to push the headset well, and so on, but is it? It must be like this? Many years ago, a large push-type portable amp appeared on the market. Friends with hands-on ability will popular DIY. Among them, there are some heretical products "portable vacuum tube amp", but generally It is a combination of noise and background noise, and the thrust is not very good. By coincidence, the Pico Audio portable vacuum tube and transistor hybrid amp with both low noise and thrust was developed.

Pico Audio - Origa's vacuum tubes work in the way of vacuum tube buffering, with Class-A amplifier circuit of fully discrete transistor structure, providing powerful thrust and ultra-low noise and dark background. The overall tuning direction is also biased towards the average, so that you can feel the change of replacing the vacuum tube more.

Modular Architecture

Origa can freely replace different brands of vacuum tubes, supports 6DJ8 and 12AU7 series signal tubes, and can freely replace op amps (only support +-18v or above op amps, see the list of accessories for details), providing maximum tuning freedom for users Find the best sound yourself.

Highly adaptable configuration

In addition to the modular structure, three magnifications of high, medium and low are also available for adjustment. To match headphones with different needs, the body also has a 2.5+3.5+4.4 socket output (single-ended), reducing the need for conversion plugs. possible double distortion.

Some parts are as follows:

2.5, 3.5, 4.4 headphone jack made in Japan

Vishay High Precision Potentiometer

Panasonic 0.1% High Precision Chip Resistors

Japanese Takman Resistors – The Most Popular Fever Resistors for Japanese DIYers

Panasonic POSCAP, SP-Cap and OS-CON Capacitors

Beryllium Copper Gold Plated Tube Pins

The latest version of the transistor constant current source vacuum tube signal circuit improves the power supply circuit of the vacuum tube, pushes the performance of the vacuum tube to the extreme, and the sound field momentum and dynamics will be optimized as a whole.

Product content includes:



Transistor version upgrade vacuum seat 6DJ8+12AU7 set

A set of upgraded titanium gold-plated gongs and screws

An upgraded lithium battery charger

One QC 3.0 to DC 12V power cord for emergency use







Detailed Specifications and Supplementary Information



Pico Audio – Origa (with upgrade kit)



Tube

Solid State hybrid Headphone Amplifier



The vacuum tube works in the way of vacuum tube buffer, combined with the full discrete transistor structure amplification circuit

Composed of Tube Buffer and Full Discrete Circuit



3.5 Socket input (single-ended) and 2.5+3.5+4.4 Socket output (single-ended)

3.5 Single-end in and 2.5+3.5+4.4 Single-end Out



High, medium and low magnifications are available for adjustment

High Mid Low Gain output selection



Can freely replace different brands of vacuum tubes, support 6DJ8 series (ECC88, E88CC, 6922, CCa) and 12AU7 series (ECC82, E82CC, ECC802S) signal tubes

Support 6DJ8 (ECC88, E88CC, 6922, CCa) & 12AU7 (ECC82, E82CC, ECC802S) series tube



Changeable OP-Amp Design (Only support +-18v or above )

Changeable OP-Amp Design (Only support +-18v or above)



5-8 operating hours (depends on tube & OP-Amp usage)



Dimensions: 165mm

(L) x 76mm(W) x 38mm(H) Size: 165mm(L) x 76mm(W) x 38mm(H)



Price: about HKD$8980



Recommended IC:



Discrete ICs:

Sparkos Labs – SS3602

Sonic Imagery Labs – 994Enh-Ticha DUAL



Single op amp IC:

MUSES03 x2

627SM x 2

128SM x 2



Dual op amp IC:

OPA2107SM/BM

OPA2111SM

OPA2604

AD827SQ/AQ

AD797SQ

5532 ceramic seal

OPA2132

OPA2134



Unusable IC:

BUF634 (low magnification will produce micro-DC and dismantle sound, which will burn headphones)

Muses 01/02/8820/8920 series (3-4V higher than the rated voltage of IC, equivalent to overclocking, it will heat up and be very It is about to be broken, after it is broken, there may be DC output, which will burn the earphones)

 

[blotmouse]

Really appreciate your comment. Well, yeah, I am mainly looking for a pockatbale solution for iem right now. No doubt N8ii is a TOTL. But hard to put into a pocket. Unless I carry a sling or something which I hate so much

I use it in my pocket 70% of the time. A bit tight in the jeans, but can be done.
Heat isn't an issue for me up north unless I use class a/tube setting for more than 2 hours in my pants pocket, then its a little hot in there and needs some air time to cool down. But it all works out for me due to my natural way of moving about the house. ymmv

 

[AlonTZ]

Hugo 2 is a more powerful DAC + output amp stage, logically it sounds better

N6ii and R01 is also with a much more powerful amp out, logically it is better. Not too sure about that R2R OS topology

ZX300 uses the same S-Master HX, little less output than 1A and with a slightly less quality on the components of the amp circuitry, so it is very close, yes.

Disclosure: house sound will need you to personally listening to different brands to understand. Just from my experiences:

Sony house sound is warmer, good density and liquidity. It is more liquid than most other stuff out there and across the whole spectrum, that covers the whole meaningful bandwidth. Typically, other stuff can only get that liquidity in a small segment, either low / or mid / or highs…etc…and that housing resonances

The only special case here is the N8ii, which is not only liquid for the whole bandwidth, but also very transparent, more neutral with solid state, and tastefully more fluidly with tubes and that sweet/clean tubes distortions. The housing resonances is even better than most that I have observed…tonal balances is surprisingly top tier. If not the best tonal balances ever from any sigma delta that I have heard….including other much more expensive stuff, even desktop.

I keep telling people that if they want something that sound good, good tonal balances will sound good. It is easier said than done. Again, most other stuff can only get a portion of the spectrum to have a good tonal balances….. If they want more power, get an external amplifier according to their needs. The only source that qualifies for all of that is the N8ii. Because the N8ii tonal balances is simply beautiful for the whole bandwidth

Also, digital out from usb C is no jokes!! Down right addictive

Could not agree more on your last sentence about the N8ii -
" Because the N8ii tonal balances is simply beautiful for the whole bandwidth"
It is addicting sound from the first note you hear!!
me and my friends here comparing it for everything out there and even desktop units... and i have the Ferrum set here too ... all agree that the N8ii simply AMAZING !!

 

[AlonTZ]

Really appreciate your comment. Well, yeah, I am mainly looking for a pockatbale solution for iem right now. No doubt N8ii is a TOTL. But hard to put into a pocket. Unless I carry a sling or something which I hate so much

I dont know how "deep" are your pockets... but it fit mine back one just fine...

 

[AlonTZ]

Want to recommend a great music track , very good for Bass comparison

https://tidal.com/browse/track/3468730

 

[audionewbi]

I don't understand how burn in is effecting the N8ii? The initial brightness has significantly reduced. What is the science behind it?

 

[Whitigir]

I don't understand how burn in is effecting the N8ii? The initial brightness has significantly reduced. What is the science behind it?

At the core of the burn in and essentially from electrical engineering is the drift parameters of components. What it means is that the initial values of the components have been drifted away over time with operations, and under it own specific circumstances. That 20% tolerances…etc… for example, and the temperature of the whole system when in operations, aka temperature co-efficient.

The more sensitive your components, is the more it parameters will drift over time within it own tolerances.

 

[Andykong]

MDR Z1R
ES-R10 .

Everyone please chime in and we will have a list of closed back , easy to drive full-size to best benefit from the N8ii portable tubes


A side note is that when your N8ii is quick charging, it will has Rapid throbbing Red LED, where as normal and slower will blink slower

@jmills8 use TH900 with N8 and shared his flavourable impression several times, so I assume TH900MK2 will work with N8ii as well. By the way, the purple is a limited edition with 140 pairs only but the red TH900MK2 is a regular model.

 

[Shawnb]

@jmills8 use TH900 with N8 and shared his flavourable impression several times, so I assume TH900MK2 will work with N8ii as well. By the way, the purple is a limited edition with 140 pairs only but the red TH900MK2 is a regular model.

That’s an absolutely beautiful purple.

 

[NYanakiev]

@Andykong what is the situation with fixing the battery reporting on the N8ii?

I liked the sound and would love to buy another unit. As and when this issue is resolved.

 

[Andykong]

@Andykong what is the situation with fixing the battery reporting on the N8ii?

I liked the sound and would love to buy another unit. As and when this issue is resolved.

Unfortunately, we are still working on it.

 

[littlexx26]

Unfortunately, we are still working on it.

seems not an easy task

 

[subguy812]

@Andykong in your list of closed-backs there is one I can verify, D9200 and one that I need to add, GH50 JM Edition(mine also has the additional MKII mods). Both pairings are wonderfully executed. I have had many on the list but this is two currently I can verify. Since the N8ii is not really going to add color to your signature, the sound you receive will be rendered by the HP. The ability to be driven by the N8ii is the question. Can't go wrong with these two.