[Fungi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojolo /img/forum/go_quote.gif anyone compared it with a Meier Opera? from what you guys are saying, it sounds like tit might come close, but i am curious since the opera seems to be the king of sub $1000 SS amps.

I wouldn't say that; I prefer the dynamic, focused sound of the M^3 to the Opera. In comparison, the Opera was very laid back, wide, and mellow. Not a great match for Sennheisers. Synergy is very important.

 

[Bostonears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmwwhats /img/forum/go_quote.gif I own both a CI Audio VHP-2 + VAC-1 and an upgraded Single Power MPX, and thought that after hearing just how good both sound, yet how dissimilar they are in price (the CI Audio combo is $580, while the MPX is $1800 w/ upgrades), that I'd do some head-fiers justice by comparing the two in an effort to describe just what this much money buys you these days. ... I'll update this thread with impressions as I have time, but mainly wrote this intro as just that - an intro. I wanted to get the threat up there to motivate myself to actually type up my impressions. I don't know about you head-fiers, but if I wasn't going to write this thing up piece-meal, I wasn't going to write, because I simply don't have the time to write up extensive impressions in one sitting. Until next time...

mmwwhats,

Any impressions you can report yet, even brief ones?

 

[MaZa]

I have VHP2 + VAC1 and its not going anywhere, EVER. Now, I havent heard any of the "high-end" amplifiers, but how much better they can be? What can they offer for the money? This amp gives enough power even on bigger loads plus it doesnt have a real soundsignature of its own, nothing I can notice when I switch sources. (someone with more trained "golden" ears might find faults in it? I cant with my ears atleast) Its very transparent for MY ears that is, and none of the headphones that I have tried with it have ever sounded even slightly underpowered, I cant notice any signs of that atleast. A perfect amplifier for me. Its surprising that this amplifier gets so very little attention here. It would be very interesting how it fares against much costlier singlepowers, and possibly against DIY kings like M^3, B22 etc...

 

[greggf]

Maza,

I agree totally with you. The VHP-2 is spectacular, isn't it?

The VHP-2 is better than anything else in my signature was, except for the Zana Deux, which, of course, cost 2K (soon 2.5 !) and put out too much heat in my small, black-walled listening room to be bearable. (What good is sweat-drenched music, no matter how well reproduced?)

And there's no way that the Zana was $1500 or $2000 "better" sounding than the Channel Islands. Here's where it begins to take way, way too much money for exceedingly marginal gains.

But the real issue is how much nicer the CIA sounds than more expensive (and very good) amps like the Lehman Black Cube Linear, the Naim Headline 2, and the PS Audio GCHA. And the VHP-2 blew previous iterations of Musical Fidelity and Creek headphone amps - all of which are at the same price point as the CIAudio - out of the water, just totally.

The VHP-2 is tiny, it's gorgeously-built, it's easily and instantly available either directly from CIA or else from large vendors such as Music Direct in Chicago (unlike HeadAmp products), and, best of all, it runs COLD to the touch!! Especially with summer coming.

Sorry for this ad-like copy, but I'm totally thrilled about the VHP-2. It drives absolutely everything from 25 ohm Denons and 80 ohm Beyerdynamic DT770 up to, they claim, a theoretical 700 ohm load. And, as others say, this thing is NEUTRAL. It doesn't seem to impose a damned thing upon the signal. It just quietly drives with real, meaty power.

And Nikongod, many thanks for the technical clarification!!

 

[triggerc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by greggf /img/forum/go_quote.gif Maza, I agree totally with you. The VHP-2 is spectacular, isn't it? The VHP-2 is better than anything else in my signature was, except for the Zana Deux, which, of course, cost 2K (soon 2.5 !) and put out too much heat in my small, black-walled listening room to be bearable. (What good is sweat-drenched music, no matter how well reproduced?) And there's no way that the Zana was $1500 or $2000 "better" sounding than the Channel Islands. Here's where it begins to take way, way too much money for exceedingly marginal gains. But the real issue is how much nicer the CIA sounds than more expensive (and very good) amps like the Lehman Black Cube Linear, the Naim Headline 2, and the PS Audio GCHA. And the VHP-2 blew previous iterations of Musical Fidelity and Creek headphone amps - all of which are at the same price point as the CIAudio - out of the water, just totally. The VHP-2 is tiny, it's gorgeously-built, it's easily and instantly available either directly from CIA or else from large vendors such as Music Direct in Chicago (unlike HeadAmp products), and, best of all, it runs COLD to the touch!! Especially with summer coming. Sorry for this ad-like copy, but I'm totally thrilled about the VHP-2. It drives absolutely everything from 25 ohm Denons and 80 ohm Beyerdynamic DT770 up to, they claim, a theoretical 700 ohm load. And, as others say, this thing is NEUTRAL. It doesn't seem to impose a damned thing upon the signal. It just quietly drives with real, meaty power. And Nikongod, many thanks for the technical clarification!!

Not to mention that the amp is amazingly resolving, probably a lot of it due to the transparency. And on top of that the CIAudio balanced rig is smexy as hell. I only have the VHP-2 right now, and it does feel ever so slightly underpowered for my HD600, but I will be getting the VAC-1 and that will offer a lot more volts.

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikongod /img/forum/go_quote.gif not at all. all discrete means is that each transistor is separate from its neighbors, and individually adjustable or controllable.

transistor?

A bit of op amp history:

741 Op-Amp Tutorial, op-amps, Operational Amplifier

 

[Pars]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hirsch /img/forum/go_quote.gif transistor? A bit of op amp history: 741 Op-Amp Tutorial, op-amps, Operational Amplifier

Yes, transistor (FET or BJT). Reference Figure 3 in your link... all the Qnn devices are BJTs...

Discrete opamp simply means an opamp-type topology made up of individual parts (transistors, resistors, caps, etc.). Not sure how CI Audio gets to calling a current feedback opamp "discrete"... but I haven't looked at their website or literature.

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by triggerc /img/forum/go_quote.gif Not to mention that the amp is amazingly resolving, probably a lot of it due to the transparency. And on top of that the CIAudio balanced rig is smexy as hell. I only have the VHP-2 right now, and it does feel ever so slightly underpowered for my HD600, but I will be getting the VAC-1 and that will offer a lot more volts.

What do you mean by the term "underpowered?"

 

[triggerc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gradofan2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif What do you mean by the term "underpowered?"

I guess underpowered isn't the right word, more like not enough voltage, so undervolted. The bass and mid bass feels weak, and lack definition. Considering that the HD600/650 have a huge impedance hump there of almost 500 ohms, I think the reason is because I'm not getting enough voltage out of the VHP-2 without the VAC-1.

Edit: The HD600 impedance peaks at 550 ohms around 100 hz or so.

 

[SptsNaz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by triggerc /img/forum/go_quote.gif I guess underpowered isn't the right word, more like not enough voltage, so undervolted. The bass and mid bass feels weak, and lack definition. Considering that the HD600/650 have a huge impedance hump there of almost 500 ohms, I think the reason is because I'm not getting enough voltage out of the VHP-2 without the VAC-1. Edit: The HD600 impedance peaks at 550 ohms around 100 hz or so.

Sure it's not your source playing games? What are you using?

In all the reviews I've read of this amp, I believe the reviewer used HD600 or HD650 headphones and didn't seem like they had any problems of driving them.

 

[triggerc]

lossless fed via optical to a Zhaolu D2.5c is what I'm using. I have some LME49720NA samples coming, so I'll mess around with the OPAMPs in the Zhaolu and see if I get different results.

A thing to note is that most reviews with this amp did use the VAC-1, and it was a pretty good improvement with the HD650 compared to without the power supply.

 

[nikongod]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pars /img/forum/go_quote.gif Discrete opamp simply means an opamp-type topology made up of individual parts (transistors, resistors, caps, etc.).

thanks for clarifying what i posted.
Quote:

Not sure how CI Audio gets to calling a current feedback opamp "discrete"... but I haven't looked at their website or literature.

I dont think CI audio has to worry about people slagging them for saying the amp uses discrete parts, because (drumroll please) they dont say that it does!

If they are using the opamp I imagine (TI6120 - looks about right from the photos) it has amazing specs, but can sound thin. To its credit though, it is VERY clean driving low impedance loads.

 

[Bostonears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikongod /img/forum/go_quote.gif I dont think CI audio has to worry about people slagging them for saying the amp uses discrete parts, because (drumroll please) they dont say that it does! If they are using the opamp I imagine (TI6120 - looks about right from the photos) it has amazing specs, but can sound thin. To its credit though, it is VERY clean driving low impedance loads.

You're correct that CI isn't claiming the VHP2 uses discrete opamps, but the company is claiming that the VHP2 doesn't use opamps at all: "Unlike most amplifiers, it uses a unique current-feedback circuit rather than opamps..." (CIAudio VHP-2 Headphone Amplifier). Maybe the TI chip can be run as a conventional opamp, and CI is running it in an unconventional manner, or maybe it's a custom chip that really doesn't fit the definition of an opamp at all.

 

[MaZa]

Now I fell from a boat. So, is VHP2 functionally discrete or not, despite its usage of opamp?

 

[tfarney]

These are some pretty stunning assessments of an amp that seems to hardly get mentioned around here. Neutral, powerful, versatile, able to drive everything well from Dennons to the big Senns...what else is there? Unless you want to eq with your component choices?

You've certainly stirred my interest. If I got one of these to use with my Senn HD580s and I didn't immediately pop for the external power supply...just a bit less bass control, I assume?

Tim