Ear Hp-4

[Nik]

I'm intresting to buy the EAR HP-4 Headphone amplifier, what about tih unit? I have a MDR R-10 cans

Nik

 

[Nick Dangerous]

Why not buy one, send it to us, we'll review it, and then send it back to you?

Few if any of us have heard that amp!

 

[jatinder]

I use the EAR HP4 with the MDR-R10 and have done for about 18 months.

They go very well together.

I'm beginning to think though - that because the R10 is quite "lush" in its presentation, that a slightly more neutral amp is probably required.

I'd suggest the Sugden Headmaster.

The HP4 with the R10 is extremely good though.

--Jatinder

 

[Vertigo-1]

I second Jatinder's recommendation towards a Sugden. Not only that, but the R10's extremely high efficiency and low impedance gives it a tendency to show any hiss that tube amps might have. I think the R10s are most at home with solid state amps.

 

[Tomcat]

Having heard neither the EAR HP4, nor the Sugden Headmaster, nor the R10, all I can contribute to this discussion is a link to an old thread at Headwize, where rob n compares the EAR HP4 with the Sugden and with the Earmax Pro. I guess he used a Grado RS-1, but I'm not sure.

 

[Nik]

Quote:

Originally posted by Tomcat Having heard neither the EAR HP4, nor the Sugden Headmaster, nor the R10, all I can contribute to this discussion is a link to an old thread at Headwize, where rob n compares the EAR HP4 with the Sugden and with the Earmax Pro. I guess he used a Grado RS-1, but I'm not sure.

Thank you a lot, now I'm waiting for the HP-4, but I think that is the best amplifier for the MDR R-10, do you know the Holmes Powell DCT-2? (6000$)!!!!!! Do you think that this ampli is very different from the EAR HP-4.
Another think, the HP-4 is the only amplifier equiped with XLR "in" and I have a ultimate interconect cable (Liquid conductor, Sinhpy made in Italy) that work s very, very well in XLR version.

Regards

 

[Tomcat]

In issue #123 of The Absloute Sound (April-May 2000), Dan Schwartz has reviewed a prototype of the EAR HP4 and a Holmes Powell DCT-1 among other headphone amps. Those two were his favorites. To him, the EAR HP4 was the winner in terms of accuracy and bass reproduction, the DCT-1 in terms of musical enjoyment. Since the EAR HP4 he reviewed was only a prototype, he gave the TAS Golden Ear award to the Holmes Powell DCT-1:

Quote:

At the time of the Golden Ear deadline, I wasn’t confident in my assessment of the Holmes-Powell’s accuracy, only of its romantic beauty. I now am more confident that it’s not particularly accurate - I simply don’t buy that the 1987 off-the-shelf CD of Abbey Road, which sounds so mediocre compared to vinyl elsewhere, truly sounds as good as it does with this thing. If this is right, then everything else is not good enough. But I’m just as certain that the DCT-1 is the most pleasurable (and significantly most costly) of the amps I reviewed. With either set of ‘phones ((Sennheiser HD 600, Grado RS-1, Grado HP-1)), it’s capable of enhancing the details of a recording to a degree of apparent intimacy that is both an education and a sensual delight.

I guess it was Vka, a DCT-1 owner, who said that the DCT-2 had even better bass response than the DCT-1. Anyway, my suspicion is that "everything else is not good enough" as Dan Schwartz has put it and that the DCT-2 would be single-ended triode headphone nirvana. Just get the DCT-2 and tell us about it. Okay, Nik?

 

[markl]

If you decide not to use tubes, the Headroom Blockhead is another contender for you to consider. I believe it also has balanced connections.

However, I'm not sure I agree that tubes are a no-no with the R10's. I like them together just fine, thanks. In addition to the Cary CAD300SEI at $4K, there is that new Antique Sound labs Twin Head to consider at $1250.

There's also the Mesa Tigris that looks incredible but remains unreviewed here.

markl

 

[DanG]

Tomcat: Vka never heard the DCT-2, it's just what the salesman for Holmes-Powell said.

I completely agree that the DCT-1 is just a very liquid and musical-sounding amp -- it makes almost everything sound good, but sometimes with well recorded CDs you want to hear just what's there, not what the DCT-1 wants you to hear. I actually prefer my Melos for good classical CDs which is what I listen to most of the time nowadays.

 

[jatinder]

Hi Nik,

So what's the story with the liquid conductor, italian XLR cables?

--Jatinder

 

[Vka]

Well, I might have the DCT-1 upgraded to DCT-2 soon, hehehe. I had thought about selling it, but the intimate midrange and powerful bass was what kept luring me back. No offense to the Big O, but DCT-1+ HP-1 rulez in this category. It also makes the female voice sound better. Although Big O protrays female voices with great detail, its a touch shy in intimacy compare to the DCT-1

Of course it beats the DCT-1 in all other areas such as soundstage, transparency, deeper bass and etc. But I think its the HP-1 headphone thats the weak link. So how does R-10 sound with DCT-1? Well, due to my busy schedule.... no time to compare.... maybe later in the summer.

 

[Tomcat]

Quote:

I might have the DCT-1 upgraded to DCT-2 soon

Vka,

what's the difference? Different output tubes, power supply, circuit lay-out? What is it? So, I guess DanG is right about your post I remembered: you just quoted a sales rep about the sonic differences?

One more thing: didn't you mean to post a short review about some of the high-end headphones you have listened to? And the cheap-ass ones like the W100? I'd like to know what you think.

 

[jatinder]

Hi,

I've just been thinking about how over the last few weeks, I've decided that the R10 is a bit boomy in the bass with the HP4.

Today, I remembered an important point.

The HP4 is no longer powered via my mains conditioner - as I "had" to use the last socket for the Orpheus.

I now suspect, that it's the interaction between the HP4 and the mains which is causing the boominess.

The most obvious thing that you notice, the first time you connect a component to the mains conditioner is, that the bass becomes much tighter, deeper and smoother.

I'll fiddle with the wiring and try it again...

--Jatinder