[opa1]

Though not technically “defective” the speaker terminals aren’t suppose to he reversed. I get why you’d want to return it.

Have them fix it and sent it back to you. It’s frustrating but still a good amp.

Yes, I'm thinking the same thing.

 

[garbulky]

Though not technically “defective” the speaker terminals aren’t suppose to he reversed. I get why you’d want to return it.

Have them fix it and sent it back to you. It’s frustrating but still a good amp.

EDIT: Maybe I mis-understand...is it wired wrong (reversed) internally or written wrong on the back?

If you look at the amp from the front, the left speaker jack is on your right side and the right speaker jack is on your left side. It's labelled and wired correctly. It's just not where you would expect them to be. Unless I'm reading the posters post wrong and he's saying it's actually wired incorrectly.

 

[opa1]

If you look at the amp from the front, the left speaker jack is on your right side and the right speaker jack is on your left side. It's labelled and wired correctly. It's just not where you would expect them to be. Unless I'm reading the posters post wrong and he's saying it's actually wired incorrectly.

Looks like your right!

 

[iamjaymo]

Looks like your right!

Yeah, that’s what I thought...that is was WIRED incorrectly.

 

[opa1]

Yeah, that’s what I thought...that is was WIRED incorrectly.

It's wired right. My mistake. I took it for granted that the right output posts would be on the right side.

 

[s2kPanda]

Got my Emo in today. My LCD-2Cs were impressive with just the R2R-11 amp, but the extra power with the jumpers in completely opened them up to a whole new sound. Love it. Hate that its so big I have to rearrange my desk tomorrow....

 

[ra990]

Just got mine today and hooked it up, put in the jumpers. I'm really surprised how far I can go on that volume dial with how much power this thing is putting out. I thought I'd pretty much be required to use a preamp for volume control due to channel imbalance at lower volume knob positions, but I can get up past 3 o'clock before I get scared, in fact I get about the same volume from it at the 3 o'clock position that I do with my ifi micro black label on turbo mode at the same position. The ifi puts out 4 watts. I guess the A-100 puts out most of it's power in the last little bit on the volume control? Anybody else have the same experience? I am driving HE1000, which are planar but not the most inefficient planars. I guess I was expecting way more power from it, not that I need it or anything.

 

[s2kPanda]

Just got mine today and hooked it up, put in the jumpers. I'm really surprised how far I can go on that volume dial with how much power this thing is putting out. I thought I'd pretty much be required to use a preamp for volume control due to channel imbalance at lower volume knob positions, but I can get up past 3 o'clock before I get scared, in fact I get about the same volume from it at the 3 o'clock position that I do with my ifi micro black label on turbo mode at the same position. The ifi puts out 4 watts. I guess the A-100 puts out most of it's power in the last little bit on the volume control? Anybody else have the same experience? I am driving HE1000, which are planar but not the most inefficient planars. I guess I was expecting way more power from it, not that I need it or anything.

Power isn't linear with this amp. You can have it at 10% on the knob and it'll still put out the power. Definitely get a variable source to control the volume from. Ended up returning mine the day after I got it since I was experience a lot of floor noise with the jumpers in, didn't experience it without them in but then it was an amp that was no where near the one on my R2R-11.

 

[peepr]

Just got mine today and hooked it up, put in the jumpers. I'm really surprised how far I can go on that volume.

Your dac must not put out much volume or voltage. I’m using this with a raspberry pi (volumio) and modi multibit and at full volume l can barely get to 8 on the dial. This is With HE-560.

 

[ra990]

Your dac must not put out much volume or voltage. I’m using this with a raspberry pi (volumio) and modi multibit and at full volume l can barely get to 8 on the dial. This is With HE-560.

I did connect another source and it does seem to be putting out more power (might be putting out more than line level though, I'm driving it from the headphone out of the Apogee Groove) so you might be on to something. Still can comfortably past the half way point though.

This is a really transparent amp, I can hear the difference between two very good DACs easily.

 

[garbulky]

you may have accidentally adjusted volume or not put in the two jumpers!

 

[lambdastorm]

I was thinking about the same thing. This thing has WAY TOO MUCH disposable volume as a headphone amp. No headphone can handle more than 1/4 power it puts out.

 

[ra990]

you may have accidentally adjusted volume or not put in the two jumpers!

So I checked with the jumpers on and off, with the jumpers off I can go to max volume, with them on I can't go past the 2-3 o'clock position. So, they're working as they should. It's just that last bit between the 3-5 position is where the power my headphones can't handle resides. I also listen to my music slightly attenuated with replay gain so it's not as loud from the source as it could be.

 

[IBJamon]

So I am this close to just clicking buy on this thing. I need a new desktop amp anyway, and my headphones could use a proper amp that is guaranteed to be good.

I was thinking, has anyone considered modding either the jumpers or the resistor to find some happy medium rather than either kinda wimpy vs. full bore?

 

[garbulky]

So I am this close to just clicking buy on this thing. I need a new desktop amp anyway, and my headphones could use a proper amp that is guaranteed to be good.

I was thinking, has anyone considered modding either the jumpers or the resistor to find some happy medium rather than either kinda wimpy vs. full bore?

Just get it! it's fantastic! Well with the resistors engaged are definitely not wimpy. They still outclassed every amp I heard with it engaged. A lot of people don't even bother to stick in the jumpers to bypass the resistors. I listened to Team by Lorde on my HD600's with the resistors engaged. And man that thing was POUNDING when the drums kicked in. It just sounded even better with the jumpers in.
If it wanted to be modded, I don't see that it could be very hard to do but I don't really know anything about it. The resistors are in a relatively easy spot to access. Shouldn't be too hard to change it out.
I could see that being useful. I imagine some designs would encounter the noise floor of the amp in direct drive mode. While it is non-existent with the resistors. So a slightly less potent resistor may be helpful to fine tune it to what you want. It will have to be a bulky resistor though to soak up all that juice.