[BunnyNamedCraig]

That's really interesting about the power filter... at the store I am not sure if they changed from the model that you bought. We seem to be one of the only dealers of these in the US so I will try and get more information! So far I couldn't even detect anything on the noise floor. Just fluid sound through these

 

[canthearyou]

I'm amazed there isn't more talk about this amp.The thing is a little tank... We just got some in the shop and I played with our demo unit. After plugging in multiple headphones into it, it was obvious that this thing punched way above its price class. Seemed to handle the LCD 3 with ease. I also really like the HD800 off of it and did most of my listening with that.

I'd have one already if the RCA inputs were in the rear.

 

[circlecrystal]

I'd have one already if the RCA inputs were in the rear.

The RCA ports are in the front, and 3.5mm jack is in the side, right next close to the RCA ports.

I think the designer putting those ports in front to help separating input signal source from input power noises.

If they put RCA to the back, a much bigger and much more pricy architecture will be needed to achieve the near same level of performance --- It's much easier to put ports behind, if this amp does not have the very sonic impressive class A or dual mono design. And it's much easier to achieve those designs and back ports at the same time, if we allow its price, size and component numbers to be 2X or even 3X larger.

However, if we love to see such a nice little compact tube amp, with its current level of impressive sonice performance, plus its current affordable price, and its elegant design without many more not really needed components... Putting the ports to the front is a much better choice for the circuit imho.

Next is the Iilustration of my understanding, based on the topology of the desgin:



Red for power, blue for input, pink for output. As we can see here, they are quite well separated to reduce interference and improve the overall sonic performance.

That's why putting RCA ports to the back is not a very good idea. It will not only cause more interference, but also cost us more money (twice the price), with a much larger size and more additional components --- if we still want to get close to the same level of its current sonic performance.

 

[circlecrystal]

I tried Darkvoice and cuple other OTL amps, when comparing some amps and decide which to buy.

I found Darkvoice and other OTLs doesn't sound as well as this little amp, on planar magnetics. And I even found the sound of this amp much cleaner, faster and better detailed than OTLs on HD600/650.

However, Darkvoice has a warmer signature which I also very like. So I went for tube rolling on my Watson.

After switching the stock tubes to some pair of warmer tubes, I found I get everything I want. The very clean and resolved sound of Watson, the nice instruments separation of Watson, the warm sound signature of Darkvoice, and the same sound stage (slightly bigger on Watson), all in one place.

The stock tubes work really well on HD600 and HD650, especially for the HD650. However if you love the warmer sound just like I do, definitely please try doing some tube roll.

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

Man after hearing the stock tubes I really want to tube roll on this thing... I think it would be cool to have different Tubes at the store that people could try with the amp to get what ever desired effect they would want out of it. Stock by its self would keep a ton of people content though. Also @circlecrystal, i too was impressed by its performance with Planars. I used the LCD 3 on it specifically to see if it could handle it. What planar/planars did you use on it?

 

[circlecrystal]

Man after hearing the stock tubes I really want to tube roll on this thing... I think it would be cool to have different Tubes at the store that people could try with the amp to get what ever desired effect they would want out of it. Stock by its self would keep a ton of people content though. Also @circlecrystal
, i too was impressed by its performance with Planars. I used the LCD 3 on it specifically to see if it could handle it. What planar/planars did you use on it?

I tried hifiman he400i, he400s on this amp in my local store. Really enjoy the way these two sound on this amp.

And now I'm really considering to buy a pair of he400i or he400s, given the fact that these two can sound so well on this amp lel. (I tried he400i before when I didn't have Watson. Didn't like them and returned them for HD600. However, after I listened to them on Watson now... I really like the sound.)

What this amp does right for he400i & he400s:

He400i/s both have a very hot tremble peak at around 8kHz. If not handled well, this tremble peak can sound not quite right for many music. Besides, despite these two headphones have nice bass extension (especially for the he400i), the bass amount isn't as much as hd600/hd650, at least to me (maybe because I prefer a little bit of more warmth).

After plugging 400i/s into this amp, the bass sounds much more impressive than before. And the tremble peak is smoothened. Which also I can notice immediately, are the improved dynamics and sound stage.

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

I have yet to hear a 400i and always wanted to... I love the HD600 finding that it sounds very musical and still analytical. Sometimes to me too analytical can start to sound less musical. does that make any sense? i didn't know if the 400i would fall under that category or not...That's really awesome the Watson helped curve the hot treble! also after demoing 4 different cans on this amp I was very pleased with the bass response from each.

 

[circlecrystal]

Just found how good this amp really is:

1) It's not the noise from this amp that being heard. It's the amp being so transparent, that tiny bit of noise from my source was carried to it and heard.

After I spend many days trying to figure out the noise, I finally located the noise. So this amp really helps me improve my signal chain to a higher level of purity.

I improved my computer to elimate the long heard noise that I initially thought was brought by this amp. Cuz I hadn't heard that kind noise before I purchased this amp, so I really initally thought it's the amp causing the noise.

2) The two adjusting knots in this amp can adjust the portion of tremble vs. Bass. This is very help to set the sound to my like. And I can change the sound a lot to tune the sound to my like.

It's not until many days of usage that I found this hidden feature.



I have ordered a Bottlehead Crack in the days that I thought this amp is causing the noise issue. Maybe I will compare this amp with the BHC.

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

Just found how good this amp really is:

1) It's not the noise from this amp that being heard. It's the amp being so transparent, that tiny bit of noise from my source was carried to it and heard.

After I spend many days trying to figure out the noise, I finally located the noise. So this amp really helps me improve my signal chain to a higher level of purity.

I improved my computer to elimate the long heard noise that I initially thought was brought by this amp. Cuz I hadn't heard that kind noise before I purchased this amp, so I really initally thought it's the amp causing the noise.

2) The two adjusting knots in this amp can adjust the portion of tremble vs. Bass. This is very help to set the sound to my like. And I can change the sound a lot to tune the sound to my like.

It's not until many days of usage that I found this hidden feature.



I have ordered a Bottlehead Crack in the days that I thought this amp is causing the noise issue. Maybe I will compare this amp with the BHC.

Excellent find! Where are the 2 adjusting knobs located? I will have to try it out next time I am in the store

 

[circlecrystal]

Look closely to your watson amp, and you will be able to see a tiny arrow marking the position within each knob.

Try use some short screwdriver head to turn that knob around.

Rotate it to point the arrow to the very left for better airy/envoloping sound --- the violin sounds very sweet, and piano key can deliver a astonishingly impressive tremble glare when pairing this amp with my Chord Mojo dac...

...To the slightly left for the most neutral sound...
...To the middle for the slightly warm but very easy listening sound (I fall sleep when listening to it at this knob position for couple times)
...To the slightly right for better warmth/smoothness, which some poorly recorder pop music will like a lot...
...To the very right for a hefty amount of bass sound if you turn it a lot). And HD600 can sounds like a bass beast at this position. I think Bassheads will like it a lot!

This amp is too great to be real for its price...Way too fun to use after I found this feature.

Now for each pair of tubes I plugged on to it, I can play around it by tuning the sound a lot --- the very nice thing is: All this tuning is done in analog domain. So the soundquality isn't sacraficed like using digital eq.

I have heard very different tastes of sound from this little beast amp by using these two pairs of knobs and swapping tubes... Unbeliavably delicious & fun!

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

Wow is that fantastic... I am excited to try it my self and also show customers how to do it. Thank you for the very well written explanation of it!!

 

[daerron]

Sure those pots aren't for bias adjustments or does the amp do that adjustment on the valve automatically, I can't find any info on it, I'm hoping it is in the manual?

 

[canthearyou]

I would wager those pots are for bias adjustments.

 

[circlecrystal]

  Sure those pots aren't for bias adjustments or does the amp do that adjustment on the valve automatically, I can't find any info on it, I'm hoping it is in the manual?

I didn`t see any usage explanation of these two pots in the manual.
 
I think this feature is somehow hidden.

 

[circlecrystal]

I would wager those pots are for bias adjustments.

I have played around them for some times (>20), and I can be quite sure that these two are not for adjusting channel balance.


Because to my ear both channels are quite balanced. And adjusting these two pots doesn`t change balance even for the slightest bit. But it does change the sound signature (warmer or cooler) a lot.