Ray Samuels
Member of the Trade: Ray Samuels Audio
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- Mar 2, 2003
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The Hornet portable headphone amp was developed to meet the needs & demands of many who either have e-mailed me or I have read their comments on the web regarding the size, battery implementation, weight & price of a portable amp. Here is some info regarding the Hornet that might be of an interest to you the reader.
The Hornet is built on the highest quality PC brd that I know off with 4 oz pure oxygine free copper with Mil specs. I had to go to 4 oz copper because the 2 oz did not do it for me. All resistors chosen on this little amp are of the highest .1% tolerance SMD "Dale Vishay" can offer. There is no compromise in the quality of Tantalum Caps or the FILM caps used either.
The connectors, for input & output are the heaviest duty & the most rugged that I found to withstand the daily use & abuse, as to the DC input jack, you will be surprised by the size of this connector.
All lanes are well seperated & routed with real care to make this amp as quite as it comes. The space on the Hornet is used so wisely to make sure you can operate it with out any difficulty yet plenty of room to turn the volume on. The on/off swith is very nicely located to make the access to it easy it also incorporate the Red LED internally. The space between the two interconnectors, input & output, is well though off to make it possible to use the biggest adaptors available in the market, RCA to MINI & 1/4" to MINI, at the same time with still room to spare in between them, that is if you want to use Hornet with home sources & RCA interconnectors like I do.
In the back panel where the battery compartment is you will find the DC connector for the 90-240 AC regulated adaptor which serves as a charger too. Next to that you have the three position switch which is located more toward the inside of the amp which will expose very little extension tip of the lever that gives you the three gains to accomodate all the high impedance headphones like Sennheiser HD600/650, AKG 501s & the Bayer DT880. The middle gain will be right for all low impedance phones like Grados & Sony's while the low gain will be great for the very sensative in ear cannal phones.
The Hornet works great with no hum or his with the power adaptor alone, when a rechargable battery is inserted, it will play & charge at the same time, if the Amp is off the battey will stil charge if connected to the adaptor. Using 250ma 9 volts rechargable battery from "I power US" the Hornet will charge it in less than 2 hours & will last 13-14 hours using the HD600 at very load play back. If Alkaline Duracell "Ultra" is used you get around 45 hours, using the HD600. If LITHIUM 9 volts battry is used, @ $5.80 from "Mouser Electronic", you will get over 120 hours of music using the HD600.
All these tests, as you could see, were done using the HD600 which requires more volume to operate, your millage might be different & even more if using other headphones that are easier to drive & your listening habbits happen to be lower than mine.
I recieved a word from the chassis manufacturer that it might be possible that I might have the first prototype silver chassis for the Hornet in my hand within 2 weeks, but then I have been lied to by them many times before. The extrusion is custum build for the Hornet as there is none avaiable at that size, as the PC Brd is smaller than the credit card, infact if you take your credit card & cut 1/2" from it's length & 1/4" from it's width you will get the size of the Hornet in your hand.
The Chassis will have a custom made volume control as there are none available for that size chassis, aslo the two thumb NUTs in the back panel will be made customs as no smaller thumb nuts are available.
I am also thinking of having Green, Blue, Black, Red & dark Silver Anodized colors made to match some of the sources that are sold, all these colors will go very well with GOLD silk screened letterings. I have to find out the cost for these wishes before I commit to these colors.
In two weeks I am hoping to declair the time to take the orders for the Hornet. The Hornet will be selling less than the SR-71, it will be $350.00 dollars. The first 100 Hornets will be offered for an intro price of $295.00 only. First comes first served.
How does the Hornet sound? All I can say that it sounds damn good, I had one aim in developing the sound of the Hornet, first to make it as simple as it can get & to find the Chip that has that quality of sound to make it happen, finally I found what I was looking for. The HORNET has the capability to drive any headphones available in the high-end with ease. The amp has the warmth mids of a tube with the highs & bass to die for. The Hornet can stand on it's tiny feet daring to go toe to toe against anything out there whethear it is portables or home base amps including all my amps first.
Thanks.
Ray Samuels
The Hornet is built on the highest quality PC brd that I know off with 4 oz pure oxygine free copper with Mil specs. I had to go to 4 oz copper because the 2 oz did not do it for me. All resistors chosen on this little amp are of the highest .1% tolerance SMD "Dale Vishay" can offer. There is no compromise in the quality of Tantalum Caps or the FILM caps used either.
The connectors, for input & output are the heaviest duty & the most rugged that I found to withstand the daily use & abuse, as to the DC input jack, you will be surprised by the size of this connector.
All lanes are well seperated & routed with real care to make this amp as quite as it comes. The space on the Hornet is used so wisely to make sure you can operate it with out any difficulty yet plenty of room to turn the volume on. The on/off swith is very nicely located to make the access to it easy it also incorporate the Red LED internally. The space between the two interconnectors, input & output, is well though off to make it possible to use the biggest adaptors available in the market, RCA to MINI & 1/4" to MINI, at the same time with still room to spare in between them, that is if you want to use Hornet with home sources & RCA interconnectors like I do.
In the back panel where the battery compartment is you will find the DC connector for the 90-240 AC regulated adaptor which serves as a charger too. Next to that you have the three position switch which is located more toward the inside of the amp which will expose very little extension tip of the lever that gives you the three gains to accomodate all the high impedance headphones like Sennheiser HD600/650, AKG 501s & the Bayer DT880. The middle gain will be right for all low impedance phones like Grados & Sony's while the low gain will be great for the very sensative in ear cannal phones.
The Hornet works great with no hum or his with the power adaptor alone, when a rechargable battery is inserted, it will play & charge at the same time, if the Amp is off the battey will stil charge if connected to the adaptor. Using 250ma 9 volts rechargable battery from "I power US" the Hornet will charge it in less than 2 hours & will last 13-14 hours using the HD600 at very load play back. If Alkaline Duracell "Ultra" is used you get around 45 hours, using the HD600. If LITHIUM 9 volts battry is used, @ $5.80 from "Mouser Electronic", you will get over 120 hours of music using the HD600.
All these tests, as you could see, were done using the HD600 which requires more volume to operate, your millage might be different & even more if using other headphones that are easier to drive & your listening habbits happen to be lower than mine.
I recieved a word from the chassis manufacturer that it might be possible that I might have the first prototype silver chassis for the Hornet in my hand within 2 weeks, but then I have been lied to by them many times before. The extrusion is custum build for the Hornet as there is none avaiable at that size, as the PC Brd is smaller than the credit card, infact if you take your credit card & cut 1/2" from it's length & 1/4" from it's width you will get the size of the Hornet in your hand.
The Chassis will have a custom made volume control as there are none available for that size chassis, aslo the two thumb NUTs in the back panel will be made customs as no smaller thumb nuts are available.
I am also thinking of having Green, Blue, Black, Red & dark Silver Anodized colors made to match some of the sources that are sold, all these colors will go very well with GOLD silk screened letterings. I have to find out the cost for these wishes before I commit to these colors.
In two weeks I am hoping to declair the time to take the orders for the Hornet. The Hornet will be selling less than the SR-71, it will be $350.00 dollars. The first 100 Hornets will be offered for an intro price of $295.00 only. First comes first served.
How does the Hornet sound? All I can say that it sounds damn good, I had one aim in developing the sound of the Hornet, first to make it as simple as it can get & to find the Chip that has that quality of sound to make it happen, finally I found what I was looking for. The HORNET has the capability to drive any headphones available in the high-end with ease. The amp has the warmth mids of a tube with the highs & bass to die for. The Hornet can stand on it's tiny feet daring to go toe to toe against anything out there whethear it is portables or home base amps including all my amps first.
Thanks.
Ray Samuels
