[goldwerger]

would love any impressions or thoughts on how the Formula S compares to Benchmark HPA4 or Violectric V550, deeply appreciated

 

[jlbrach]

formula s with powerman is head and shoulders better than the 550 which I owned for a brief time....

 

[goldwerger]

formula s with powerman is head and shoulders better than the 550 which I owned for a brief time....

Thhanks @jibrach that's helpful to know.

which headphones are you using if I may ask?

 

[Solan]

I find 2800€ absolutely outrageuous for the Powerman and it was worse when I heard this Dual Mono F6 stomp (with 4-PIN XLR on the front) the whole 7k package like Godzilla killed off Godyrah in the end of King of Monsters.

It's not even a one trick pony either. I was surprised how superbly good this beast ran off other headphones too.
And all that for a few cables more.

For high current monsters like the Susvara, Abyss, HE-6 etc. this amp is way better. Yes, it's also quite bigger, heavier and not desktop friendly at all but it would save you money. For a whole freaking Abyss.

Interesting new player that I hadn't heard of before. DIY amp? What's the cost? Can you go amok and just wire it with all silver cables just for the heck of it?

 

[jlbrach]

Thhanks @jibrach that's helpful to know.

which headphones are you using if I may ask?

I am fortunate enough to use both the abyss 1266 TC and the susvara

 

[goldwerger]

I am fortunate enough to use both the abyss 1266 TC and the susvara

Thanks, very helpful reference

 

[PortableAudioLover]

I find 2800€ absolutely outrageuous for the Powerman and it was worse when I heard this Dual Mono F6 stomp (with 4-PIN XLR on the front) the whole 7k package like Godzilla killed off Godyrah in the end of King of Monsters.

It's not even a one trick pony either. I was surprised how superbly good this beast ran off other headphones too.
And all that for a few cables more.

For high current monsters like the Susvara, Abyss, HE-6 etc. this amp is way better. Yes, it's also quite bigger, heavier and not desktop friendly at all but it would save you money. For a whole freaking Abyss.

What you gain:

bottomless extension that simply laughs at all these loads under any circumstances, classic Pass overhead
unquivering bass sustain, the only time you don't want a foot off your chest in your life
the full capability of what tactility and slam means for the Susvara, HE-6 and Abyss (more for the latter two)
tons of details through liquidity and flow, I couldn't even get off the floor in hours and sat there like one of those new age hippies at Munich's English Garden.
better refinement, microdynamics down into different loads (this is the not-a-one-trick-pony part).

It's all about design, implementation, topology in the end. You can't just generalize that an amp that does have less internals and still sounds good is a better design in general in the same way you can't look at overcrowded internals and state the reverse. Amps are built for broader and narrower purposes and some can take both yet also only to a degree. I wouldn't put an Andromeda into the F6 monster for instance.

Also. What headphones do really play well with it? Does a 650? A HD 800? Is it refined enough for those? How does it do microdynamics, microdetails?
Macrodynamics alone (for instance) to impress you shouldn't be enough if you go this route. A great amp designed for these special loads can take lesser loads and still play to their strength. Again to a degree. It's about tradeoffs.

This is where the F6 shined over the Xi Audio.

Did you even own the FS + PM stack ?

 

[tunes]

The V281 is a great amp. It's very powerful and can drive pretty much any headphone you can think of. The sound it produces is bold and far from neutral, certainly leaning toward the warm side. Certainly not analytical or rich in micro detail. It doesn't blow you away with the soundstage it produces.

On the contrary, the Formula S is, to my ear, almost the opposite of the V281, from pretty much any point of view (as such, I personally find difficult to determine if one is better than the other, or whether or not one is worth the difference in price, without knowing anything about the type of sound you like best).
While the Formula S is also a very capable amp which can drive pretty much anything, it is certainly more on the lean and neutral side. It very fast and has very impactful low frequencies, still producing beautiful and very reach highs. Which contribute to its more dry and analytical sound. Which is what I personally like best and prefer, these days, to the V281.

So, going back to your question: is it worth the 2K difference (I actually believe that, if you include the Powerman, the difference is significantly more substantial)? Yes, if you like the type of sound of the Formula S. Absolutely not, if you are after a warmer, less analytical type of sound. The Formula S might also not be worth it, if the rest of the chain is not particularly resolving (in that case, I believe that most of the difference that the Formula S is capable of producing, would go somehow "lost in transit"...).

ps: I own both the V281 and the Formula S, as well as a number of other amps so, feel free to ask, should you be interested in more comparisons

It seems that the Bakoon may be a better choice for both the Susvara and all the others. I have yet to hear one but it costs less than the Formula S/Powerman combo, has high and low gain settings for a speaker amp output for the Abyss/Susvara (high gain speaker mode) and low gain for Utopia/HEKse/ZMF/Senn800S etc. It has a smaller form factor and all around seems like a great amp bridging the gap between tubes like WA33 and other SS amps. But what do I know.

 

[jlbrach]

you know a fair bit actually and since I own both of these amps I think most of what you say is correct other than the fact that the bakoon costs less than the formula s/powerman...not in the USA at least

 

[tunes]

you know a fair bit actually and since I own both of these amps I think most of what you say is correct other than the fact that the bakoon costs less than the formula s/powerman...not in the USA at least

What was your impression of the WA33 vs Bakoon for Susvara?

 

[jlbrach]

I cant speak to the wa33, I heard it briefly at canjam and it isnt a good place to pass judgment...I will say that between the formula/powerman or bakoon you cannot go wrong...both fantastic and I love the formula s combo

 

[Slim1970]

I cant speak to the wa33, I heard it briefly at canjam and it isnt a good place to pass judgment...I will say that between the formula/powerman or bakoon you cannot go wrong...both fantastic and I love the formula s combo

Agreed the Susvara’s do sound amazing on the Formula S/Combo. It’s not just meant to drive the TC’s

 

[PortableAudioLover]

Agreed the Susvara’s do sound amazing on the Formula S/Combo. It’s not just meant to drive the TC’s

Formula s/power man combo is not meant to drive the TC’s ?

 

[Slim1970]

Formula s/power man combo is not meant to drive the TC’s ?

The Formula S/Powerman are made specifically to drive the TC’s. What I’m saying is not only does the combo drive the TC’s well but other headphones too. Including the Susvara’s

 

[jlbrach]

the thing I find fascinating about the formula s/powerman combo is how incredibly powerful it sounds with both the abyss and susvara despite modest power ratings...in fact to my ears it sounds more impactful than many more powerful on paper amps....