[jp11801]

Man this is a killer amp and as many of you may know I am one fickle person when it comes to gear. Having gone through a number of amps this year I am really struck by this amp. It sounds absolutely amazing with the balanced HP2s and RS1s. It does a wonderfull job with the k1000s as well, it is super linear without sounding dry at all.
To refresh folks on what this amp is and the story, I had been in talks with Craig to design a balanced amp after hearing the Zana.
After several months he came up with an amp that used a 12ax7 driver and 6c41cs as output tubes with my choice of Tango or Electra print output trannies.
So after I demoed the amp in SoCal Craig shipped it to me in Florida. The amp arrived well packed but DHL kicked the living heck out of the amp so bad that they bent the frame in two places from what must have been several high drops. Well I was able to get it working and got to listen as did several of the local Florida folks and general consensous was really good but not great, better and more linear than the Zana but maybe too dry. I sent the amp back to Craig for the needed repairs and he spent several weeks going over the amp.
Craig like many amp designers has a tough time leaving well enough alone and reworked the amp to take the 6c33b and damn if it did not go from good to great.
The amp allows for something that I describe poorly as the ability to walk around the stage in your head feel the space between the players. I know it's goofy audio babble but it's my only way to describe it. It will appeal to those that are looking for amp that does not add or subtract to the signal and works equally well with all headphones I have thrown at it so far.
Famous last words are this may be my last amp but you never know what people are going to cook up next. I like this more than the Zana although the jury is out on this and during the NorCal meet opinions were varied. Some prefered the warmth of the Zana some prefered the speed and control of the HD2.
Craig is now working on what will probably be a final version of this amp the HD2i. It is the amp as I have it but he has taken a page out of Wester Electrics book and is using transformers to interstage couple. I will probably head down to SoCal in the next few months to hear this beast and if his estimated pricing holds out it could be a real competitor.

In a few days I will add some thought with regards to particular songs in mind that are the usual suspects at meets but until then here are a few pics

 

[derekbmn]

Nice impressions on what looks like one killer amp !!! I think were going to see Eddie Current get bigger and bigger. Now if we could get Craig to build an E-Stat amp I would be one happy camper.

 

[SR-71Panorama]

Noooiiiiice

So that is a balanced headphone input next to the 1/4" headphone input? And the "line" knob; I assume that is a volume for line output as a preamp, yeah?

 

[jp11801]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SR-71Panorama /img/forum/go_quote.gif Noooiiiiice So that is a balanced headphone input next to the 1/4" headphone input? And the "line" knob; I assume that is a volume for line output as a preamp, yeah?

yes I went with a 4pin to mirror the k1000 4pin and went and had my other headphones terminated to that pin config. the line knob allows you to take the balancing transformers in and out of circuit. It is amazing when listening to speakers how much better the center image gets when I balance the signal with the transformers. The transformers to balance the input are the two silver pieces on the rear next to the rectifier tubes.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Wow, another great amp! I'm planning to pick up my Zana Deux in person (it is on the current run) and I plan to beg for a listen.

Can hardly wait. I will take a few headphones with me and will dutifully report here any impressions.

 

[jp11801]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow, another great amp! I'm planning to pick up my Zana Deux in person (it is on the current run) and I plan to beg for a listen. Can hardly wait. I will take a few headphones with me and will dutifully report here any impressions.

if he has the hd2i there yes please give impressions and photos

congrats on the Zana, I love that amp and it's a killer pre amp as well

 

[zippy2001]

Congratulations.

That is one sweet looking amp, I'm sure it will bring years of listening pleasure.

 

[Absorbine_Sr]

STOP IT!!! I CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO SEND CRAIG UTHUS MONEY!!!

Kidding of course. As of right now I'm happy in Zana-Single-End-Land, but that is a sweet looking piece of gear. Craig sure knows how to make 'em don't he? Does that sound like a fan-boy? Well, when they sound that good it's hard not to be. Keep the impressions coming and enjoy that amp.

A_Sr.

 

[nikongod]

on the bet that the apple dosnt fall far from the tree, and often times higher up the hill

im willing to bet that this amp sounds SWEET based on the awesomeness of the zana-deux.

this post Pre-Moderated by nikongod.

 

[jamato8]

I have used and use interstage coupling but those transformers have to really be made right and they can pick up hum. I have mine encased in mu metal. Transformers are an art and good ones are very costly. I have output transformers in my home dac and the transformers alone cost over a 1000 dollars and this is for a dac not a power amp.

 

[recstar24]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamato8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have used and use interstage coupling but those transformers have to really be made right and they can pick up hum. I have mine encased in mu metal. Transformers are an art and good ones are very costly. I have output transformers in my home dac and the transformers alone cost over a 1000 dollars and this is for a dac not a power amp.

If there is an audio guy out there that knows how to implement interstage transformer coupling its Craig. He knows his stuff and he also knows that Western Electrics with their input transformers and interstage transformers and output transformers were and still are some of the best amps ever. I don't think he designs his own but he does have various companies custom design his trannies to his exact specs, and in this kind of hi end amp he would not be skimping on the iron nor its implementation. I love the Zana Deux finest headphone amp I have heard but god I would love to hear that HD2 or hD2i because there is nothing that beats the musicality of listening to sweet iron.

 

[jamato8]

Yep, its all in the iron. Although I have some nickel double C core Audio Note transformers that are more than iron and they are fine, fine, fine. But good iron, its an art.

 

[Omom]

I am looking for your impressions with Zana, which of your headphones will you prefer...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow, another great amp! I'm planning to pick up my Zana Deux in person (it is on the current run) and I plan to beg for a listen. Can hardly wait. I will take a few headphones with me and will dutifully report here any impressions.

 

[SR-71Panorama]

So I was wondering...

1) Does this unit come w/ an external PSU like the one in the Zana photo on the EC website?

2) Could you list the I/O of the back of the unit, or possibly take a photo of it?

3) Do you know if this feature of "taking the balancing transformers in and out of circuit" is intended for the public release, or is that an extra special sauce he just included for you?

4) Lastly, is there a benefit to taking the transformers out of circuit with headphones, the way you found it to be for speakers? (I'm not too familiar with the mechanics of transformers)

 

[greggf]

Uncle Erik,

Can't wait to hear your various headphone impressions on your new Zana Deux..........