[smokey]

Just received a Dodd Audio headphone amplifier from Gary Dodd.

http://www.doddaudio.biz/ncommerce/p.../headphone.htm

I ordered it with NOS Western Electric 417A tubes, and a DACT volume control. Total price, delivered to my door was a little north of $900. The standard version goes for $650.

I don't pretend to understand the circuitry, but as near as I can tell this is a very simple amp. Just the transformer, a resistor, and the tube in each channel. No caps in the signal path. There are three headphone jacks, one for 32 ohm phones, one for 300 ohm phones, and one for 600 ohm phones. I would guess the difference between each would be resistor value. However, my speciality is a small portion of the US Tax code, not electronics, so I could be wrong.

I've got to say that at first listen this is one fine amp. It reminds me a lot of my tuberolled Wheatfield HA-2, except that the Dodd is sweeter and has quite a bit more inner detail. I am hearing low voices and notes that escape my notice with the Wheatfield.

I am hearing a little bit of a very low level hum, that is independent of volume, and is so low that it is unnoticible except between songs, when the air conditioning is off. (Its about 105 degrees here today, so the AC is functioning quite frequently.) Mr. Dodd tells me this will likely go away as the tubes break-in. However, I'll be playing with interconnects, power cords, and location to see if it makes a difference.

I've used the AT 3000 and the R-10 so far, and I can already tell this is a Sony loving amp. Its not even close at this point.

If anyone is interested, I'll update later as I get more time on the amp.

 

[ayt999]

as an owner of the ATH-L3000 and the MDR-R10 (among others) I would definitely be interested how it performs. seems like a pretty cheap way to get more performance out of the R10.

 

[ooheadsoo]

Dodd has a great reputation for making some really great tube amps, some of the best. Hope to hear more from you about his headamp.

 

[utep10]

I guess if you have R10's, then this amp is cheap.

Nice looking amp. Look forward to more impressions and
maybe comparisons.

 

[ayt999]

Quote:

Originally Posted by utep10 I guess if you have R10's, then this amp is cheap.

I think it is more my source that is skewing my views....

 

[dave-the-rave]

I'd love to know how it fares with Senn 600's, if possible.

 

[Mikey01]

OH MY GOD. It's not a SinglePower. Doesn't he know. Maybe he needs counsiling. Where did we go wrong. The finest of schools, braces, dance lessons, boy scouts, and then this. OH the shame. how do we tell the neighbors? LOL

Great going anyway. I hope you like the Dodd dearly. I would love to hear it myself. Why did you pay more/ Upgrades maybe? Tell us more. It sounds very minimalistic and pure. It should do you well. Do tell us more. Also it would look very cool in a all piano black finish (hint).

 

[elnero]

Congrats!!! That looks like a really nice amp Smokey, I for one will be waiting to hear more of your thoughts on it as you get to spend more time with it. I love that people here are willing to take chances on previously unheard equipment, it does both themselves and the community a great service.

 

[Mikey01]

Quote:

Originally Posted by elnero Congrats!!! That looks like a really nice amp Smokey, I for one will be waiting to hear more of your thoughts on it as you get to spend more time with it. I love that people here are willing to take chances on previously unheard equipment, it does both themselves and the community a great service.

YA got that right.

 

[tom hankins]

Smokey, have you got to use this amp with your HD650 yet? Has the sound changed any? Has the hum gone away with more use?

 

[smokey]

Update:

I've got about 40hrs on the Dodd now, and it is just as sweet and detailed as I originally posted. There are times when I think it is about the best I've heard. For example, there is a short guitar part in an album by Rodney Crowell, that sounds exactly like the music is in the room, and being played right next to my ear. I've heard much more expensive amps that didn't get that right. I thought it might be a little light in the bass department, but that has improved during the break-in period. It absolutely is not a bass monster, but it seems to me that it delivers when called upon.

I've tried it with the Senn 650, and my comments above still apply. I'm using the stock Senn cable. (I originally got the 650 for use with my Blockhead, so my improved cables are all balanced versions.) I don't detect any of the usually ascribed darkness when using this combo. It seems to me that the Dodd is a good match for these phones.

I upgraded to the WE 417A tubes, as everything I read says that these are a huge improvement over the stock tubes. (I forget the tube number, but it will be on the Dodd site if you're interested.) Unfortunately, NOS WE tubes are VERY expensive, IF you can find them. Additionally, I had him substitute a DACT volume control for the stock version, just because I'm a big fan of stepped potentiometers. I understand that if you've got the money Mr. Dodd will customize the look of the amp. However, I wasn't that interested in the looks, as the stock version looked just fine to me.

Now, the bad news. The hum is still there. Although I've changed my mind and will call it a buzz instead. It is very low level, and heard only between songs. You absolutely can't hear it if any music is being played. Additionally, if there is ANY background noise in your environment, like a fan or air conditioner, you won't hear it, even between songs. I've tried disconnecting it from the CD player, and I've tried a different power cord, and no luck. This is also volume independent. It doesn't intrude on the music, but if you're in the least bit bothered by this sort of thing, it is something you need to think about.

Well, that about covers it at this point.

 

[tom hankins]

Thanks.

 

[stryker]

Thanks for the comments. I was so close to getting one. When I emailed Mr. Dodd about the quality of the transformers, he replied that he winds his own transformers with a "proprietary" process. I'm getting more and more interested in this thing. Keep us posted.

 

[Mikey01]

Great going. Every time I get closer to a SinglePower, another more interesting amp comes along. Sounds so good.

 

[myoung]

I have the stock Dodd headphone amp, with the stock Amperex 5842 gold pin tubes (I think Gary used to use the Raytheons, but thought the U.S. Amperex were a step up, though still not in the same league as the WE 417A's), and currently use it with my Grado SR-60s.

I've gotta say, I'm very happy with this set-up. Gary used Grados when he was designing this, so maybe that accounts for the synergy. A friend with much more experience than I have with headphone amps (and high-end audio in general) came over one day with his EarMax with upgraded tubes and his Senn 600s for a little shootout with the Dodd. He gave it a listen with both the Grados and the Senns and said there was no point in even trying the EarMax -- the Dodd beat it in every way. He also said he'd never heard the Grados sound that good.

A month or two earlier, the Head Room guys came through town with their amps and some stuff from ASL and I think the 300 SEIs from Cary. Anyway, my friend spent the afternoon there, liked the ASL stuff and loved the Cary. The Dodd didn't beat the Cary, he said, but it may have bettered everything else he heard.

This was his take:
"It's hard to rely on memory, but I thought the (Dodd) headphone amp sounded better than just about anything I heard under $2k. Much better than
any of the solid-state Headrooms, and better than the ASL. The way it
drove your Grado cans -- their entry-level ones, at that -- made me rethink
the headphone game entirely. I'd never really liked Grado before -- I
heard them as too dark, not enough detail. They were sensational on Saturday, though. Now I'm betting I've just never heard them driven properly."

I haven't had Smokey's problem with hum/buzz, so can't offer any advice on that -- though the 5842/417A tubes can be microphonic, so maybe that's part of it.

And the Dodd might not be a bass monster, but the bass is deep and very solid. I've got a UK 12-inch pressing of AC/DC's "Thunderstruck," a real bass workout, and was amazed at how the Dodd delivered the full impact.

I know Gary has, on occasion, sent some of his gear out for tryouts. That's how I first heard the headphone amp. If he does, it's sure worth a listen ...

Mike