[tholt]

Do you think some of that smoothness character you were hearing came from the DAC you were using? The Aqua La Voce S2 uses the Burr Brown PCM1704 DAC chips and they are known to be on the warm and smooth side of things. Do you think a more neutral, dynamic sounding DAC would change the way you are hearing the FCN-10 or FA-10?

Of course anything up the chain (DAC, source) could and will affect the overall sound to a degree. However, I've used this DAC with many other amps and I never felt it was contributing any overt smoothness, or any other trait. It makes music more natural sounding, if you will, but not smoothed over. Also, I've heard this amp using its own internal DAC and very much the same observations.

 

[rmsanger]

I’ve had the pleasure of listening to the FCN-10 (essentially the FA-10 with a built-in DAC) for 3 days now and here are some brief impressions in no real order.

I’d like to thank @gancanjam for graciously loaning me his unit for a few days to allow for a more extended listening period than we had at his house. He said he had about 60 hours on it at the time and I put on another 15 or so.

I used the FCN-10 as amp only (since I was more interested in the FA-10), bypassing the internal DAC for my own (Aqua La Voce S2). Music was streamed or served via Innous Zen Mk III server using Roon and Tidal. Headphones were Abyss 1266 Phi CC.

TL;DR

In sum, I would say the general character is a smooth and warmish sounding amplifier. Top to bottom, there is no bloat, distortion, etchiness or brightness present. The sound is full throughout the spectrum, and nothing drew undue attention to itself. It was detailed and offered plenty of information, and it was balanced throughout the frequencies. It was musical in the sense that it didn’t harm the music in any way, nor was it ever offensive in its presentation.

Other things I’ll say is I thought it was just a tad on the softer/rounder side — leading edges weren’t quite as incisive or distinct as I’ve heard, bass could go deep but not as impactful as I’ve heard, highs were plenty extended and detailed but didn’t “shimmer”, for lack of better term. I’m not saying these by themselves are bad or considered lacking, just some relative observations. As all things audio, the sonic qualities of this amplifier will be subjective and also dependent on associated gear.

Further details –

The Abyss 1266 Phi is not the easiest headphone to drive, but synergy is also key. Raw power is not enough to bring out the best of these headphones. The Schiit Mjolnir 2 I briefly tried some time ago had plenty of power on paper (8w @ 32Ω, 5w @ 50Ω) but sounded horribly flat, thin and off. The FCN-10 worked and performed very well with the Abyss, nothing was obviously amiss. Synergy and power were definitely there and I wasn’t left wanting. For those of you looking to pair this amp with Abyss, it’s definitely a contender.

Speaking of power, though the FCN-10 has tons of output power, it didn’t feel at all like I was being bludgeoned with raw power or that my drivers would blow out. The opposite in fact — the volume control was easily past 12 o’clock on the dial (Gain setting at Mid) most of the time, and when things got loud or rumbly, all that power translated to greater control. That’s exactly what power should do — give your headphones the juice they need when they need it.

Sonically, as I and others previously noted, I thought it to be on the warmer side of the spectrum. Personally, I like that. I also feel that the Abyss benefits from such a signature. To me, they are the epitome of ‘neutral’, factual, not colored very much, if at all. Depending on upstream gear, they can be warm and inviting or clinical and cold. They are extremely fast, resolving and extended in both extremes. It’s really up to the upstream gear to provide any flavor. For me, I like tubes in my system with these headphones. So the FCN-10 fit right in there and sounded great. I’m not sure I would go so far as to call it ‘tube-like’, but warmish and smooth would be good descriptors.

One thing that can be part of a warm/smooth character is a sense of sluggishness or slowness. The FCN-10 didn’t exhibit that at all. For all my electronic tracks, there was never a sense that timing and pace was slowed. The FCN-10 kept right up with the quickness of the beat, providing drive and engagement.

Other notes —

Resolution: details are plenty there but they are not the forte of this amp. It’s more about the overall presentation. This is not what I would call a ‘resolution monster’, however, don’t let that statement suggest that details are missing. They are just more a part of the overall whole.

Soundstage and imaging: decently wide and deep, nothing to complain about. Perhaps a touch flatter than I’ve heard before. Again I’d say like resolution, these characteristics are woven into the overall presentation and not standouts on their own.

Clarity and transparency: both present, but again not what stands out.

Treble/mids/bass: I’m grouping these because I can kind of say the same thing as everything above. Nothing really stands out, but nothing is missing either. No area is lacking, but no area impresses (or overwhelms) over another. Comparatively, I’ve heard amps that had lower and more impactful bass, and I’ve heard more distinctive and shimmery highs. However, I will say the mids are nice and full, giving things like vocals, acoustic guitar, tom toms, etc a nice sense of body and presence.

I guess reading over what I just wrote, the overall sonic signature really is one of a cohesive whole. All the information is there, but nothing really draws attention to itself. To me, that's much more of a positive than a negative.

Parting thoughts —

(Very) minor nits:

• Not sure why the gain settings aren’t in order. They’re arranged High, Low, Mid
• Wish the switches were a little bigger and/or longer. They’re pretty tiny and not the finger-friendliest
• A bit plain and spartan looking. Obviously colored faceplates will add flair, but it’s your standard box. That said, it’s well put together and feels solid in use. It’s also more compact than a standard 17” wide component, which might be easier to place
• With this kind of power, would be nice to see some binding posts and perhaps a remote so it could be used as an integrated as well.

Pairing is likely key with this amp. If your headphones or other gear are already warm or smooth, this amp will add to those qualities. With the Abyss, the FCN-10 was a nice complement. I could also imagine something like a Senn HD-800 being a nice pairing.

I thought the balanced output sounded ever so slightly better than the SE for some reason. I totally could be wrong here, but it seemed a hair more impactful and clearer. I spent the majority of my time listening balanced out.

I could see this as your only amp paired with headphones that are complementary to its character, or an alternative amp to have alongside something considered more “neutral”.

Conclusion –

If the FA-10 was priced between USD$1k - $1.5k, I wouldn't think it unreasonable. For just $600 more, the FCN-10 gives you a great built in DAC and streaming capabilities. If you’re looking for a musical, warmish presentation that presents everything well, with nothing standing out (in a good way) and can power anything at a very competitive price, the FCN-10 (or FA-10) is a serious and worthy contender. Not to mention, from my personal experience and hearing from others, Flux Lab has terrific customer support and real passion for their products.

"No area is lacking, but no area impresses (or overwhelms) over another. Comparatively, I’ve heard amps that had lower and more impactful bass, and I’ve heard more distinctive and shimmery highs."

A bit disappointing with the feedback around the dynamics of this pairing. 1266 Phi TC is a dynamics monster when paired well hence why many/most owners will throw $3k+ amps at it. I was hoping that with additional power the FA-10 would make the TC's "sing" similarly to something to akin to the Xi audio formula s amp/pairing. Would you describe that both highs/lows sound accurate and smooth just lacking a bit of impact?

"I used the FCN-10 as amp only (since I was more interested in the FA-10), bypassing the internal DAC for my own (Aqua La Voce S2). Music was streamed or served via Innous Zen Mk III server using Roon and Tidal. Headphones were Abyss 1266 Phi CC."

Did you happen to quickly sample the FCN-10 DAC just to make sure it would be serviceable in a pinch? If so did you also happen to test the streaming functionality with the built in dac?

" If the FA-10 was priced between USD$1k - $1.5k, I wouldn't think it unreasonable. For just $600 more, the FCN-10 gives you a great built in DAC and streaming capabilities. "

So the FA-10 is $750 and if priced $250-$750 higher it would be overpriced. Are there any other Amps in the $1k - $1.5k price point that you have paired the 1266 Phi TCs with that compare favorably to the FA-10? Just wondering the context of this if there are other options in this price range that are possibly a better match and provide by dynamics/impact than the FA-10.

 

[cfranchi]

Some considerations for potential buyers of FA-10. After reading the previous posts, don’t consider FA-10 as a mellow or overly warm amp : it is definitely not. I would say it is balanced and natural with a punchy trait (all you would expect from a quality class A amp). With my HE6se, it is a very engaging combo, very musical (DAC is Chord Mojo). My 2 cents from a happy owner of FA-10. If you are not convinced then wait for FA-10 pro (or ask Flux about your headphones and what amp they would suggest).

 

[driftingbunnies]

"No area is lacking, but no area impresses (or overwhelms) over another. Comparatively, I’ve heard amps that had lower and more impactful bass, and I’ve heard more distinctive and shimmery highs."

A bit disappointing with the feedback around the dynamics of this pairing. 1266 Phi TC is a dynamics monster when paired well hence why many/most owners will throw $3k+ amps at it. I was hoping that with additional power the FA-10 would make the TC's "sing" similarly to something to akin to the Xi audio formula s amp/pairing. Would you describe that both highs/lows sound accurate and smooth just lacking a bit of impact?

"I used the FCN-10 as amp only (since I was more interested in the FA-10), bypassing the internal DAC for my own (Aqua La Voce S2). Music was streamed or served via Innous Zen Mk III server using Roon and Tidal. Headphones were Abyss 1266 Phi CC."

Did you happen to quickly sample the FCN-10 DAC just to make sure it would be serviceable in a pinch?

It does seem a bit optimistic to think that a $750 amp will outperform a Formula S ($3500 without power supply) just because the power specs are higher. I think it goes to show that power specs and loudness aren't the only things that matters when it comes to amps.

I'm pretty satisfied with my FA-10. I totally agree with the reviews that have been posted here. The value of this amp at this price point is pretty high imo and anyone looking to spend 1k on amplification should take a look at this amp.

 

[rmsanger]

It does seem a bit optimistic to think that a $750 amp will outperform a Formula S ($3500 without power supply) just because the power specs are higher. I think it goes to show that power specs and loudness aren't the only things that matters when it comes to amps.

I'm pretty satisfied with my FA-10. I totally agree with the reviews that have been posted here. The value of this amp at this price point is pretty high imo and anyone looking to spend 1k on amplification should take a look at this amp.

yep I wasn't implying it would outperform but hoping perhaps just match it form a dynamics perspective.

 

[dolordonpanda]

flux lab just released their fn-12s on the site for 500 $

 

[gancanjam]

Some considerations for potential buyers of FA-10. After reading the previous posts, don’t consider FA-10 as a mellow or overly warm amp : it is definitely not. I would say it is balanced and natural with a punchy trait (all you would expect from a quality class A amp). With my HE6se, it is a very engaging combo, very musical (DAC is Chord Mojo). My 2 cents from a happy owner of FA-10. If you are not convinced then wait for FA-10 pro (or ask Flux about your headphones and what amp they would suggest).

Agree with impressions from @tholt , @cfranchi and others, to summarize...It is referred as Warm due to more presence in Bass/Mids than Highs but not necessarily a laid back sound as it may imply. Many Tube amps are described as Musical, Refined, Warm and they are for relaxed & emotional listening but FCN-10/FA-10 though it also have the characteristics of Musical, Refinement, Warmth will have hard slams, impact and punch coming from Bass & some Mids with speed so it is a Fun & engaging signature.

 

[cfranchi]

Agree with impressions from @tholt , @cfranchi and others, to summarize...It is referred as Warm due to more presence in Bass/Mids than Highs but not necessarily a laid back sound as it may imply. Many Tube amps are described as Musical, Refined, Warm and they are for relaxed & emotional listening but FCN-10/FA-10 though it also have the characteristics of Musical, Refinement, Warmth will have hard slams, impact and punch coming from Bass & some Mids with speed so it is a Fun & engaging signature.

I could not have summarized better !

 

[gancanjam]

Thanks for the useful impression. Can you compare with previous SS amps ur familiar with? THX 789 would be one good comparison.

Cheers

I have not heard THX 789 to compare with Flux but have listened to similar Neutral, Transparent, Clean SS DAC/Amp Simaudio Moon Neo 430 HAD, this is 10 times more expensive than THX 789 but still should have similar traits ...will share my impressions tomorrow

 

[Slim1970]

yep I wasn't implying it would outperform but hoping perhaps just match it form a dynamics perspective.

This is what I'm hoping for as well. The Burson 3XR I just sold had great dynamics but didn't have the bass impact I was looking for. I'm hoping the FA-10 is an improvement in both areas.

 

[cfranchi]

This is what I'm hoping for as well. The Burson 3XR I just sold had great dynamics but didn't have the bass impact I was looking for. I'm hoping the FA-10 is an improvement in both areas.

Maybe check also FA-10 pro

 

[Slim1970]

Maybe check also FA-10 pro

I was thinkIng about that. I wonder if it’s too late in the build process to make that change.

 

[cfranchi]

I was thinkIng about that. I wonder if it’s too late in the build process to make that change.

Ask Flux by Facebook chat, they are very responsive

 

[rmsanger]

Zeos will be reviewing the FA10/12S.

 

[gancanjam]

Zeos will be reviewing the FA10/12S.

More reviews the better right ?