[gancanjam]

I'm not surprised that the Soloist sounds more clean than the FA-10 given the Burson house sound profile and it being a "fully balanced" config. Many people say the Soloist 3XP has a better amp section than the Conductor 3XR so that is quite impressive.

Regarding the synergy with the Susvara and TCs would you say its a better pairing than the FA-10? Do the TCs lack musicality/impact with the Soloist compared with the FA-10? The biggest issue I've had with my TCs is amp pairing and finding something with a good synergy; I've tried 6-7 amps and they have all fallen short (A90, Lyr, Phonitor, V281, Liquid Platinum, Holo Mammoth, SP200).

TC is one of my favorite HPs, two of my AIOs work well with TC which are Simaudio Moon Neo 430 HAD and FCN-10, have heard it with non in-built DACs as well and they sound good. TC covers all Frequencies well but still has a tad more presence in the extremes i.e. Lows and Highs so in some songs it may over power the Mids so if you are a mid lover, you might have to choose an amp which can shine in Mids such as FCN-10/FA-10, Moon 430 is more Neutral/Transparent is fantastic as well with more livelier presentation with TC. TC Sub bass is focused bit more with Neo 430 while Mid bass is focused bit more with FA-10, but both covers every Bass layer well, Neo 430 is more detailed with bit more dynamics and with more treble extension but i love the way FA-10 sounds with TC as well. Give both an audition if possible with TC.

My friend @tholt has brought a new tube amp for his Abyss 1266 few months back, @tholt , how is it coming along and can you please provide some feedback on your new amp's synergy with us ?

 

[tholt]

@gancanjam do you have a pair of TCs now? It's been too long, we need to have another get together. Would love to hear your 430 HAD. As fate (and this hobby) would have it, I recently sold my Mogwai SE amp. It drove the Abyss just fine and was a lot of fun, but I think I was ready to try something else. I'm not sure if the pairing was 100% synergistic, but it was pretty great nonetheless. I say that because I wonder if the Mogwai works best with 'normal' cans with slightly higher sensitivity ratings than Abyss. Just a feeling, I never had a chance to use any other headphone with it so can't say for sure.

In the interim, I'm using the $300 Drop THX 789. It's pretty amazing what this little budget amp can do. Very clean and resolving. Not the last word for musicality, refinement and soundstage dimensionality, but for $300, not bad.

I wish I had thought of bringing the Mogwai over to your place before I sold it.

 

[gancanjam]

@gancanjam do you have a pair of TCs now? It's been too long, we need to have another get together. Would love to hear your 430 HAD. As fate (and this hobby) would have it, I recently sold my Mogwai SE amp. It drove the Abyss just fine and was a lot of fun, but I think I was ready to try something else. I'm not sure if the pairing was 100% synergistic, but it was pretty great nonetheless. I say that because I wonder if the Mogwai works best with 'normal' cans with slightly higher sensitivity ratings than Abyss. Just a feeling, I never had a chance to use any other headphone with it so can't say for sure.

In the interim, I'm using the $300 Drop THX 789. It's pretty amazing what this little budget amp can do. Very clean and resolving. Not the last word for musicality, refinement and soundstage dimensionality, but for $300, not bad.

I wish I had thought of bringing the Mogwai over to your place before I sold it.

I don't own TC @tholt , have only borrowed it. Time for another get together, feel free to take my Neo 430 HAD with Abyss 1266 and listen, it is a macho man Amp to drive 1266 with aplomb 1266 is similar to TC anyways so your impressions can give us some cues.

 

[Slim1970]

Yeah the lack of mids is a bit puzzling at first glance but one probably needs 100-200 hours of burn in to get a full picture plus it likely needs to be warmed up for quite some time. I would also think the rolling of op-amps will be a significant change to the signature to possibly make it a bit more linear than the V curve you describe.

I'll be stalking the classified section for one in the new year! Good luck and happy listening...

I’m hoping the mids get better with this amp. I do have a set of Sparkos Labs SS3602’s I could pop in, but they would need burn in as well. They tend to be bright out of the box.

 

[Slim1970]

TC is one of my favorite HPs, two of my AIOs work well with TC which are Simaudio Moon Neo 430 HAD and FCN-10, have heard it with non in-built DACs as well and they sound good. TC covers all Frequencies well but still has a tad more presence in the extremes i.e. Lows and Highs so in some songs it may over power the Mids so if you are a mid lover, you might have to choose an amp which can shine in Mids such as FCN-10/FA-10, Moon 430 is more Neutral/Transparent is fantastic as well with more livelier presentation with TC. TC Sub bass is focused bit more with Neo 430 while Mid bass is focused bit more with FA-10, but both covers every Bass layer well, Neo 430 is more detailed with bit more dynamics and with more treble extension but i love the way FA-10 sounds with TC as well. Give both an audition if possible with TC.

My friend @tholt has brought a new tube amp for his Abyss 1266 few months back, @tholt , how is it coming along and can you please provide some feedback on your new amp's synergy with us ?

The midrange is my favorite part of the FA-10, but it also does other frequencies well. If there is one area the TC’s could be better at it’s the midrange. The Susvara’s dominate them in this area. The FA-10 fills in the midrange very nicely.

 

[teknorob23]

The Burson is sounds interesting and just a quick update after a week with V281 consider me very impressed, super transparent and resolving, almost brutally so at times especially with some of my older but much loved 90s techno. Fairly neutral, perhaps a bit of warmth and extra bass body. Quite a step up from the A90, the 281 pics up and conveys nuances, micro and macro details much better plus for a neutral amp still has a musicality i cant hear in the a90. Obviously its a pretty big compliment that the a90 at fraction of the cost, is in the same conversation. Downsides compared to the FA12, are the mids are perhaps a few mm back and then on a tonality front the lushness of the 12 win's out make it still the listening for pleasure choice, but resolution-wise the v281 inches ahead. I wasnt expecting to like the V281, but out of the so-called neutral/ clean amps i've tried its by far my favourite. It pairs beautifully with both Venus2 and Stellias and i think its looking like it might be a keeper, especially useful for evaluating new wires and filters, but it will be heading to my office/workshop.

Having felt more than a little bereft since the demo fcn10 moved on and knowing the Volot may still be a little way off, i've bitten the bullet and ordered an FA10. While i'm enjoying the Stellias greatly with 12, the v281 has reminded me how they thrive when fed by cleaner more neutral amp, not so far that i can live without FLA class A loveliness in as my amp of choice in the living room, but enough to want to dial things back a bit, while maintaining the amazing mids with a little less warmth, but we'll see

Looking forward to comparing all 3, but in the meantime, @sahmen i can completely understand why the V281 has been keeper.

 

[dermott]

Hifiman Arya......FA-10 or FA-12?

 

[PhazeCrive]

I too am interested in hearing what this monster amp can do to the rather "tame and subtle" Arya.

 

[Slim1970]

Hifiman Arya......FA-10 or FA-12?

I would say either should work well with the Arya's. I can drive my HD800S's on low gain with relative ease out of my FA-10. I guess it will come down to which tone you prefer. The slightly warm, neutral tone of the FA-10 or the rich, warmer tone of the FA-12.

 

[Slim1970]

The Burson is sounds interesting and just a quick update after a week with V281 consider me very impressed, super transparent and resolving, almost brutally so at times especially with some of my older but much loved 90s techno. Fairly neutral, perhaps a bit of warmth and extra bass body. Quite a step up from the A90, the 281 pics up and conveys nuances, micro and macro details much better plus for a neutral amp still has a musicality i cant hear in the a90. Obviously its a pretty big compliment that the a90 at fraction of the cost, is in the same conversation. Downsides compared to the FA12, are the mids are perhaps a few mm back and then on a tonality front the lushness of the 12 win's out make it still the listening for pleasure choice, but resolution-wise the v281 inches ahead. I wasnt expecting to like the V281, but out of the so-called neutral/ clean amps i've tried its by far my favourite. It pairs beautifully with both Venus2 and Stellias and i think its looking like it might be a keeper, especially useful for evaluating new wires and filters, but it will be heading to my office/workshop.

Having felt more than a little bereft since the demo fcn10 moved on and knowing the Volot may still be a little way off, i've bitten the bullet and ordered an FA10. While i'm enjoying the Stellias greatly with 12, the v281 has reminded me how they thrive when fed by cleaner more neutral amp, not so far that i can live without FLA class A loveliness in as my amp of choice in the living room, but enough to want to dial things back a bit, while maintaining the amazing mids with a little less warmth, but we'll see

Looking forward to comparing all 3, but in the meantime, @sahmen i can completely understand why the V281 has been keeper.

@teknorob23 does your V281 has the DAC or relay volume pot?

 

[teknorob23]

@teknorob23 does your V281 has the DAC or relay volume pot?

My violectric is just the bog standard model with out a DAC, so I’m running it from the Venus2. I have tried it with hugo2 but it definitely suits the slightly warm more organic denafrips. Mind you I’m so smitten with the Venus2, the H2 sounds sharp and unresolving by comparison, which is mad because it is an awesome dac

 

[cfranchi]

I can drive my HD800S's on low gain with relative ease out of my FA-10.

Did you compare with medium gain ? I found that medium gain is cleaner and more effortless compared to low gain.

 

[Slim1970]

Did you compare with medium gain ? I found that medium gain is cleaner and more effortless compared to low gain.

Of course I did . It’s my preferred gain setting for them. I was just making a point that the Arya’s do not need more power than what the FA-12 offers. The FA-10 is simply overkill if don’t have an Susvara or similar type headphone.

 

[Slim1970]

My violectric is just the bog standard model with out a DAC, so I’m running it from the Venus2. I have tried it with hugo2 but it definitely suits the slightly warm more organic denafrips. Mind you I’m so smitten with the Venus2, the H2 sounds sharp and unresolving by comparison, which is mad because it is an awesome dac

Okay, I’m in the process of completing a deal for one myself after selling my Soloist 3XP . It should be an awesome mix of amps with my modded FA-10 already in my collection. I guess @sahmen really has influenced use both!

 

[manishex]

Okay, I’m in the process of completing a deal for one myself after selling my Soloist 3XP . It should be an awesome mix of amps with my modded FA-10 already in my collection. I guess @sahmen really has influenced use both!

The r2r sound is a whole different take, it removes the sheen and gives you an unadulterated life like tone and doesn't highlight /force particular details but comes to you in cohesive manner.

That being said, I may have both the fa-12 and fa-10 on hand soon to do some comparisons with both types of dacs.