[teknorob23]

Yes it was noticeable right away to my ears. I could detect some liveliness in the transients and a darker background right out of the box. The Hifi Tuning Fuse I got is the 2A version of this one:

https://www.musicdirect.com/fuses/hifi-tuning-fuses-supreme-small-fast

I think it's a nice tweak and I expect it to only get better sounding with burn-in. It has a silver core with gold coating. I expected it to add some brightness based on that alone. It did in the right spots to really clean up the signal.

Thanks for this and i've just ordered one, cant wait to hear how it goes in FA12. I've also having owned and sold Denafrips pontus all within the same 24hrs, hearing enough to know i needed to go the nearly the whole hog, i've pulled the trigger on a new Denafrips Venus 2 DAC, so i cant wait to hear how this fairs with the 12 too. I think i now need to go and sit in dark room, with my credit card on ice for a while.

 

[Slim1970]

Is the 2A fast blow also the specs of the stock fuse in the FA-10 or are you "upping the ante" on the specs? I have some synergistic research orange and blue fuses that I have been afraid to use in part because I have been too lazy to try them, but also partly because of what I have read here about fuses getting blown etc. etc. I have managed to install a couple of SR Blues in my Metrum Ambre, and there too the results were immediately palpable, but that's just about it. I might try one of these Hifi tuning fuses on the FA-10 as a "dry run" and see how it goes.

The original fuse is 2 amps so it’s not an arbitrary number. @funkur has tried the SR orange fuses and they all blew. The Hifi Tuning fuse I have in mine seems to be holding steady at this point. Plus, I like what I’m hearing with the FA-10 pairing.

 

[sahmen]

I am personally quite interested in how well the FA-10 does detail, especially detail at the top-end, but also in bass texture. I have been stricken by how often the FA-10 is placed on the side of "smooth" and "musical," as opposed to, say, the Topping A90, or even Flux Labs own FA-10 pro, which are placed in the "analytical," "dry," maybe "neutral" department, or in any case characterized as probably too revealing for their own good, for showing all the "pimples and warts" of badly recorded material.

Well, in theory, "smooth" and "musical" sound good to me, and the Flux Labs guy I chatted with at length on facebook "diagnosed" me, almost instantly, upon hearing about my DACs and other components of choice, as being an FA-10 as opposed to FA-10 Pro guy. What concerns me, though, is how much detail, if any, gets lost in all that "smoothness" and "musicality" the FA-10 fans have been talking about. I do like detail, but without any harshness or fatigue, just like my HeKSE or Audeze LCD-4 cans handle detail and texture, but especially, without any feeling that some important dimension of detail has been sacrificed in some kind of roll-off in order to enhance that smoothness. I wish I could hear the FA-10 and the pro version or the Topping A90 in order to make a determination for myself, but since that seems impossible right now, I shall defer to the ears and judgment of forum members who have heard the two approaches. Muchas gracias.

For what it's worth, I am into about 2 weeks of owning the FA-10, and am glad to report that all the above concerns have melted away, or actually proved to be quite unjustified. The FA-10 is that kind of 2 faced "monster (in a good way) which manages to summon a lot of grunt and "meat" from the low end without sacrificing any of the ethereal and delicate touches in detail, at both ends of the spectrum...

What is more, for eight consecutive days now, it has been tangoing, waltzing, foxtrotting, swinging, even doing the cha cha and rumba with my Susvara without missing a beat, and I can't adequately describe what a rich dancing feast for the ears it all has been.

I am still learning how to take it all in, and looking for the words to describe the experience properly... So back to more listening.

 

[Slim1970]

Thanks for this and i've just ordered one, cant wait to hear how it goes in FA12. I've also having owned and sold Denafrips pontus all within the same 24hrs, hearing enough to know i needed to go the nearly the whole hog, i've pulled the trigger on a new Denafrips Venus 2 DAC, so i cant wait to hear how this fairs with the 12 too. I think i now need to go and sit in dark room, with my credit card on ice for a while.

Nice, I see you really like a warm, engaging, musical, yet detailed sound. I’ve never heard an R2R DAC. @sahmen enjoys the Sonnet Digital Audio Morpheus and I’ve been researching it and I’m very tempted to sell my RME and pick one up. I have a TT2 with an HMS on the way and it‘s starting to pull away from the RME, which is a nice DAC in its own right. Switching back and forth with the FA-10 as the amp, the differences between the TT2 and RME are clearly audible. The gap has widen since installing the Hifi Tuning Fuse as I’m able to hear a lot more details in the sound as transparency and resolution levels got bumped up since installing it.

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to hear any change with something as small as fuse swap. I‘m skeptical as they come about such things. Since I’ve been so disappointed by so many hi end amps before getting my FA-10. What I got was a pleasant surprise and a more refined sounding amp. Now it’s even more competitive with upper tier offerings. Who would’ve thunk it....thanks @funkur with getting the fun started!

 

[Slim1970]

For what it's worth, I am into about 2 weeks of owning the FA-10, and am glad to report that all the above concerns have melted away, or actually proved to be quite unjustified. The FA-10 is that kind of 2 faced "monster (in a good way) which manages to summon a lot of grunt and "meat" from the low end without sacrificing any of the ethereal and delicate touches in detail, at both ends of the spectrum...

What is more, for eight consecutive days now, it has been tangoing, waltzing, foxtrotting, swinging, even doing the cha cha and rumba with my Susvara without missing a beat, and I can't adequately describe what a rich dancing feast for the ears it all has been.

I am still learning how to take it all in, and looking for the words to describe the experience properly... So back to more listening.

I’m so glad you are enjoying your FA-10 with your Susvara’s as I am. Cheers my friend

 

[rmsanger]

I’m so glad you are enjoying your FA-10 with your Susvara’s as I am. Cheers my friend

How are you liking them with your 1266s? Is the FA-10 detailed enough to drive them appropriately? I’ve heard mixed feedback in that it’s decent to barely sufficient to excellent.

The general consensus with the 1266 Phi Tc is that you need a Mini GSX at minimum and a Moon 430 or Xi formulas S are recommended.

 

[gancanjam]

How are you liking them with your 1266s? Is the FA-10 detailed enough to drive them appropriately? I’ve heard mixed feedback in that it’s decent to barely sufficient to excellent.

The general consensus with the 1266 Phi Tc is that you need a Mini GSX at minimum and a Moon 430 or Xi formulas S are recommended.

You have narrowed down the Amp list for TOTL HP Abyss 1266 and those are great Amp choices for TC! I am guessing you are at the cross roads to make an Amp decision but probably gone past the phase of reading reviews anymore With where you are, it will be better to listen to the amps you have described, may be you should go to the respective Amp forums to stalk users who are from your area and see if you can listen in. I do that often, people are very receptive to my PMs for a 1:1 meet up and have gained many Head Fi friends in my area.

Have listened to Abyss 1226 TC with both Moon 430 & FA-10 but not side by side so refreshing from my memory, my take is, FA-10 is good enough for TC but you can do better with other three (not sure about GSX mini as an upgrade though with its 4W power) Amps you mentioned, I have not listened to Xi audio or GSX mini and can only this say based on Moon 430.

FA-10 is not easy to audition but GSX / Xi Audio / Moon 430 audition may be easier in your area. Since Abyss 1266 is TOTL, it is better to take some time to make the right choice. So here is what i would have done personally,

1) Scenario 1: Audition one or some of GSX / Xi Audio / Moon 430 , if i don't like it then at least i can knock it off from the short list
2) Scenario 2: Audition one or some of GSX / Xi Audio / Moon 430 , if I like it then at least i can think about buying it
3) Scenario 3: If i am unable to audition either of the three, then get FA-10 for $750 for now, use it for 3 to 6 months until i find an upgrade then sell FA-10 for even $500 so will make a small $250 loss for the Amp usage of 3 to 6 months

All the best !

 

[rmsanger]

You have narrowed down the Amp list for TOTL HP Abyss 1266 and those are great Amp choices for TC! I am guessing you are at the cross roads to make an Amp decision but probably gone past the phase of reading reviews anymore With where you are, it will be better to listen to the amps you have described, may be you should go to the respective Amp forums to stalk users who are from your area and see if you can listen in. I do that often, people are very receptive to my PMs for a 1:1 meet up and have gained many Head Fi friends in my area.

Have listened to Abyss 1226 TC with both Moon 430 & FA-10 but not side by side so refreshing from my memory, my take is, FA-10 is good enough for TC but you can do better with other three (not sure about GSX mini as an upgrade though with its 4W power) Amps you mentioned, I have not listened to Xi audio or GSX mini and can only this say based on Moon 430.

FA-10 is not easy to audition but GSX / Xi Audio / Moon 430 audition may be easier in your area. Since Abyss 1266 is TOTL, it is better to take some time to make the right choice. So here is what i would have done personally,

1) Scenario 1: Audition one or some of GSX / Xi Audio / Moon 430 , if i don't like it then at least i can knock it off from the short list
2) Scenario 2: Audition one or some of GSX / Xi Audio / Moon 430 , if I like it then at least i can think about buying it
3) Scenario 3: If i am unable to audition either of the three, then get FA-10 for $750 for now, use it for 3 to 6 months until i find an upgrade then sell FA-10 for even $500 so will make a small $250 loss for the Amp usage of 3 to 6 months

All the best !

Not much of an option to audition in my area (SLC) either the GSX/XI/Moon so it would be a leap of faith purchase of headfi forums. GSX mini went for $1300 recently, GSX mkii probably get for $1600, and moon will be $2k ish used.

There are a few cheapish options cayin iha-6 ($650) burson soloist 3xp ($1k), and the flux ($600ish used). I'm getting a bit tired of messing around with midfi options but def would prefer to not have to spend crazy $ chasing perfection. My other options is to just use speaker taps on an a traditional amp and be done with it.

 

[gancanjam]

Not much of an option to audition in my area (SLC) either the GSX/XI/Moon so it would be a leap of faith purchase of headfi forums. GSX mini went for $1300 recently, GSX mkii probably get for $1600, and moon will be $2k ish used.

There are a few cheapish options cayin iha-6 ($650) burson soloist 3xp ($1k), and the flux ($600ish used). I'm getting a bit tired of messing around with midfi options but def would prefer to not have to spend crazy $ chasing perfection. My other options is to just use speaker taps on an a traditional amp and be done with it.

SLC is Salt Lake city ? You are in luck if you are in Salt lake city! in 40 miles drive you have Elevation Sight and Sound, LLC in Park city, UT who seem to carry Formula S Following is my comm. with them ( see below) so reach out to Paul. Let us know on your audition

Some more thoughts, GSX mini on paper will drive TC but TC needs much more head room IMO so MK2 will be better but MK2 as you know from reviews that it is thinner/brighter and i personally not a fan of that SS to pair with an HP like TC but YMMV. I see Bifrost as your Mid Fi DAC so do you have other DACs in mind ?
you can buy Xiaudio but it may demand a better DAC than Bifrost so something to watch out so get your Bifrost for audition. i have listened to Moon 430 with inbuilt DAC (used one is $2500) and it sounds great even though reviewers says Moon in built DAC have an older chip.

As i said, Plan B is Bifrost > FA-10 > TC which is a good happy medium.

********** Elevation Sight, Park city UT response **********

Thank you for the inquiry, and for visiting my website. My name is Paul Jenkins, and I am the owner of Elevation Sight and Sound.

Yes, I do carry the Eleven Audio product line.

Where are you located? Feel free to call in to discuss the specifics.

Your interest is appreciated. Let me know how we can help.

Best regards,

Paul
____________________________
Paul Jenkins | Owner
Elevation Sight and Sound, LLC
(p) 435.602.3689 | (e) ElevationSightandSound@gmail.com
(w) elevationsightandsound.com

 

[rmsanger]

SLC is Salt Lake city ? You are in luck if you are in Salt lake city! in 40 miles drive you have Elevation Sight and Sound, LLC in Park city, UT who seem to carry Formula S Following is my comm. with them ( see below) so reach out to Paul. Let us know on your audition

Some more thoughts, GSX mini on paper will drive TC but TC needs much more head room IMO so MK2 will be better but MK2 as you know from reviews that it is thinner/brighter and i personally not a fan of that SS to pair with an HP like TC but YMMV. I see Bifrost as your Mid Fi DAC so do you have other DACs in mind ?
you can buy Xiaudio but it may demand a better DAC than Bifrost so something to watch out so get your Bifrost for audition. i have listened to Moon 430 with inbuilt DAC (used one is $2500) and it sounds great even though reviewers says Moon in built DAC have an older chip.

As i said, Plan B is Bifrost > FA-10 > TC which is a good happy medium.

********** Elevation Sight, Park city UT response **********

Thank you for the inquiry, and for visiting my website. My name is Paul Jenkins, and I am the owner of Elevation Sight and Sound.

Yes, I do carry the Eleven Audio product line.

Where are you located? Feel free to call in to discuss the specifics.

Your interest is appreciated. Let me know how we can help.

Best regards,

Paul
____________________________
Paul Jenkins | Owner
Elevation Sight and Sound, LLC
(p) 435.602.3689 | (e) ElevationSightandSound@gmail.com
(w) elevationsightandsound.com

Yep haven’t updated my profile recently but I’m very happy with my Dac now.

Thanks for the pc contact info! I also agree that the GSX mk2 sound profile reviews give me pause. I prefer the warm side of neutrality and not thin and bright. Hence why i was initially interested in the Volot but have lost patience.

 

[Slim1970]

How are you liking them with your 1266s? Is the FA-10 detailed enough to drive them appropriately? I’ve heard mixed feedback in that it’s decent to barely sufficient to excellent.

The general consensus with the 1266 Phi Tc is that you need a Mini GSX at minimum and a Moon 430 or Xi formulas S are recommended.

The first thing I recommend is to try those amps for yourself to see if synergy with the AB-1266 Phi TC's is what everyone says it is. I've tried those amps and although they are nice and do some things well, to my ears I'd still take the FA-10 over them. The FA-10 is great with the AB-1266 Phi TC's. There is no loss of detail and the FA-10 drives them with authority. The FA-10 has more power than all of the amps you mentioned. Not only is it powerful with plenty of drive, the FA-10 is also transparent so your upstream gear will play a big part of how you hear it. The FA-10 is also full sounding, with impactful, textured bass and weighted notes. It has a glorious midrange for a solid state amp and sweet treble that lets you turn up the volume without loss of clarity or detail. The background is black letting music come through. The addition of the Hifi Tuning fuse has made it even more resolving and improved the transient speed.

I think you'd be pleasantly surprised by what the FA-10 can do and how musical it is. You get SOOO much amp for your money and to me it competes and gives up nothing to the amps on your list. There is nothing mid-fi about this amp despite it's price point. I'm listening to the TT2>>FA-10>>TC's as I type this and I can't imagine them sounding any better.

 

[funkur]

@funkur I just popped in the Hifi Tuning Supreme 2A fast blow fuse in my FA-10 and to my surprise the increase in overall clarity is noticeable right away. I can confirm the background is blacker because the sound of the FA-10 is clearer, cleaner, and more resolving. Notes sounds a little crisper and more precise while keeping everything else pretty much the same on the FA-10. It's a nice tweak to an already impressive amp. The FA-10 now sound more refined, it's amazing really.

Give the fuse about 200 hours to settle in, but yes, from the onset, it's a great upgrade!!!

 

[funkur]

Nice, I see you really like a warm, engaging, musical, yet detailed sound. I’ve never heard an R2R DAC. @sahmen enjoys the Sonnet Digital Audio Morpheus and I’ve been researching it and I’m very tempted to sell my RME and pick one up. I have a TT2 with an HMS on the way and it‘s starting to pull away from the RME, which is a nice DAC in its own right. Switching back and forth with the FA-10 as the amp, the differences between the TT2 and RME are clearly audible. The gap has widen since installing the Hifi Tuning Fuse as I’m able to hear a lot more details in the sound as transparency and resolution levels got bumped up since installing it.

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to hear any change with something as small as fuse swap. I‘m skeptical as they come about such things. Since I’ve been so disappointed by so many hi end amps before getting my FA-10. What I got was a pleasant surprise and a more refined sounding amp. Now it’s even more competitive with upper tier offerings. Who would’ve thunk it....thanks @funkur with getting the fun started!

I am auditioning another DAC (from the RME as well) after the fuse upgrade. When I compared the Qutest to the RME 2-3 months ago, I preferred the RME for it's detail and dynamics on headphones, but felt the Qutest would probably be best in a 2ch HiFi system.

Haven't posted any impressions yet in that thread, but my experience with the R2R Musician Pegasus (the "controversial" one), has been phenomenal so far. I popped some more HiFi tuning fuses in it (the copper Supreme3 version) and those are burning in along with new AES and XLR cables. I'll get back to evaluating it in a week or two after visiting some family and friends (safely!) but it's likely a keeper for me and the RME will be relegated to my secondary headphone system.

 

[rmsanger]

The first thing I recommend is to try those amps for yourself to see if synergy with the AB-1266 Phi TC's is what everyone says it is. I've tried those amps and although they are nice and do some things well, to my ears I'd still take the FA-10 over them. The FA-10 is great with the AB-1266 Phi TC's. There is no loss of detail and the FA-10 drives them with authority. The FA-10 has more power than all of the amps you mentioned. Not only is it powerful with plenty of drive, the FA-10 is also transparent so your upstream gear will play a big part of how you hear it. The FA-10 is also full sounding, with impactful, textured bass and weighted notes. It has a glorious midrange for a solid state amp and sweet treble that lets you turn up the volume without loss of clarity or detail. The background is black letting music come through. The addition of the Hifi Tuning fuse has made it even more resolving and improved the transient speed.

I think you'd be pleasantly surprised by what the FA-10 can do and how musical it is. You get SOOO much amp for your money and to me it competes and gives up nothing to the amps on your list. There is nothing mid-fi about this amp despite it's price point. I'm listening to the TT2>>FA-10>>TC's as I type this and I can't imagine them sounding any better.

Thank you! I see in your gear it says you have the Burson Soloist 3XP... I've been waiting to hear feedback on that amp how does that sound with the 1266?

 

[Slim1970]

Thank you! I see in your gear it says you have the Burson Soloist 3XP... I've been waiting to hear feedback on that amp how does that sound with the 1266?

I'm waiting for it to ship out, but yes I'll have a Burson Soloist in my amp collection soon. I don't expect it to best my FA-10 as it is my preferred sound signature. I do expect it to sound more like the Conductor 3XR I previously owned and have more of a reference sound signature. I'll probably use the balanced outs on the TT2 to connect to it and have it be my reference setup. I'm sure it'll drive the TC's just fine with a neutral presentation much like the 3XR did. If that's what you're looking for in a sound signature, the soloist will probably fit the bill. I like a more meaty, weighty, detailed sound with plenty of top end clarity and the FA-10 delivers that.