Flux Lab Acoustics FA-10, FA-10 Pro, FA-12, FCN-10 & FA-12s Amplifiers - Summit-Fi for the People?: Reviews, Impressions & Discussion
Aug 28, 2021 at 5:21 PM Post #1,801 of 2,598
I received my FA 22 about a week ago burned it in for three days and I have it hooked up to a M2tech Young Mk III with a M2Tech Van Der Graaff power supply I also ordered the IFI Wi-Fi streamer and also connected it to the Van Der Graaf. Installed an UpTone Regen (I have two might add that one and see what happens) into the Dac two days ago I have all kinds of power conditioning and silver and copper interconnects and power cords. The sound is beyond amazing. This is a very very good amp!
The M2Tech is awesome took it to my friends studio and challenged his 22k Playback Dac along with his Rockna Dac and the M2Tech had a Rocky type performance. This Dac is amazing at $3k. i chose it over my Wadia di322, Chord Hugo, and PS Audio (latest firmware) forget about my Topping gear which is good for the money. I immediately heard a difference when I-took out the Topping A30 pro and an Eddie Current ZDT Jr and inserted the FA22. Then I began moving Dacs in and out and verified again the M2Tech is a killer. The LSA HP Diamonds are surgical and scale with the changes. Amazing what you hear when components are working together.
I’m selling the Topping Stack and the ZDT Jr I will probably buy a tube amp to compliment the FA 22, but I will have to spend more money to keep up with the other gear.
Where would you place the amplifier tone...warmish etc ?....and had read somewhere they said it was bright in treble...
 
Last edited:
Aug 28, 2021 at 5:46 PM Post #1,802 of 2,598
Where would you place the amplifier tone...warmish etc ?....and had read somewhere they said it was bright in treble...
Not bright, whoever said that may have an issue somewhere else in the chain. You have to be careful what you read, the amplifier may have exposed something else in the chain. It is a little mid forward, you may consider it warm or emotional, the sound signature is similar to the 10 pro per Vitaly. My headphones are 38 ohms, so I do not need the power the FA22 has plenty. I will tell you do not believe the 2.5 watts it is way more powerful than the A30 Pro and way more musical.
 
Aug 30, 2021 at 8:36 AM Post #1,804 of 2,598
Hi there,

What are the differences between the FA-10 and FA-22??
Previously on their website it said more or less it was a mix of the best of FA-10 Pro and Fa-12...= highly technical with a warmer mid-forward tone was my take-away from that.
 
Aug 30, 2021 at 9:18 AM Post #1,805 of 2,598
Hi there,

What are the differences between the FA-10 and FA-22??

I have both. FA-10 is a power-pushing beast....in my personal opinion, with the FA-12 (and 12s) and now FA-22 out....you'd go for the FA-10 if your headphone stable had a lot of harder-to-drive candidates in it. Between the FA-12 and FA-22, the 12 leans warmer/slightly thicker in tone/heavier in bass/more relaxed in execution. The FA-22 is 'brighter' than the FA-12, but still neutral-hint o' warm as overall tone profile. It's a bit faster, more mid-focused, slightly up'd microdynamic's. FA-10 sits kind of between them to me.

Great amps for the money. "House tone" not radically different in the models....my two cents only, again if you've got power-hog cans go FA-10. If not...FA-22 if you want more mid-forward/speed/micro....FA-12 if you like it a bit thicker/bass-heavy/warmer.
 
Last edited:
Sep 1, 2021 at 7:04 PM Post #1,806 of 2,598
Great amps for the money. "House tone" not radically different in the models....my two cents only, again if you've got power-hog cans go FA-10. If not...FA-22 if you want more mid-forward/speed/micro....FA-12 if you like it a bit thicker/bass-heavy/warmer.
My FA-22 just arrived. First impressions are very positive. Speed and a bit of pleasant “brightness” but I’m coming from a hybrid tube amp with a ‘50s era tube so almost anything is going to sound more neutral. Currently sourced from a Bifrost 2 and I think the FA-22 takes away a little bit of the thickness of the BF2 but widens the staging while still keeping the overall experience very enjoyable.
 
Sep 2, 2021 at 7:15 AM Post #1,807 of 2,598
My FA-22 just arrived. First impressions are very positive. Speed and a bit of pleasant “brightness” but I’m coming from a hybrid tube amp with a ‘50s era tube so almost anything is going to sound more neutral. Currently sourced from a Bifrost 2 and I think the FA-22 takes away a little bit of the thickness of the BF2 but widens the staging while still keeping the overall experience very enjoyable.
Low-end tighter and faster vs hybrid ? That is about twice now I have seen 'brightness' being connected to this amp..
 
Sep 2, 2021 at 9:23 AM Post #1,808 of 2,598
Low-end tighter and faster vs hybrid ? That is about twice now I have seen 'brightness' being connected to this amp..
I wouldn’t so much say it is truly bright (as I am treble sensitive and don’t like very bright) but compared to a hybrid with a vintage tube it is much, much more neutral and thus brighter in comparison to that. I’m using Kennerton Wodans with this rig so the low end is already skewed to speed and control compared to the thick but sometimes less articulate thump of some other headphones but yes the bass is very present, fast and detailed. The true low end test will be with some Gjallarhorns which I’m doing late this week.
 
Last edited:
Sep 2, 2021 at 11:00 AM Post #1,809 of 2,598
I ordered a FA-10 unit on the 29th of Aug but have not received an order confirmation, may I know how long did it take for Flux to confirm your orders?
 
Sep 2, 2021 at 3:11 PM Post #1,810 of 2,598
About 3 business days to confirm order. From there, it took about 4 weeks to ship. Worth the wait.
 
Sep 3, 2021 at 12:53 PM Post #1,813 of 2,598
I would get the FA-12 if your that concerned and looking for a darker sound. I find the F-22 detailed but not bright at all and that is on HD800s.
I agree, very detailed and open sound. I tried several Dacs and the character changed each time. The better the Dac the more detail and musicality. The FA 22 sounds exactly as described by Flux Labs. It really depends on your rig and your sound preferences. If you have a headphone that is on the brighter side you may prefer the FA-12. My main hp is (by audiophile terms) very fast, detailed, with solid technicalities (whatever that means) reference grade. The impedance is around 38 ohms so there is plenty of power, very good amplifier especially at the price. I believe you have to go a lot higher in price to find something competitive...
 
Sep 3, 2021 at 1:28 PM Post #1,814 of 2,598
I agree, very detailed and open sound. I tried several Dacs and the character changed each time. The better the Dac the more detail and musicality. The FA 22 sounds exactly as described by Flux Labs. It really depends on your rig and your sound preferences. If you have a headphone that is on the brighter side you may prefer the FA-12. My main hp is (by audiophile terms) very fast, detailed, with solid technicalities (whatever that means) reference grade. The impedance is around 38 ohms so there is plenty of power, very good amplifier especially at the price. I believe you have to go a lot higher in price to find something competitive...

How are you connecting the Hugo 2 to an amp. Hugo 2 seems to distort for me whenever I go loud? Even when turned on into Line-out mode.
 
Sep 3, 2021 at 9:51 PM Post #1,815 of 2,598
How are you connecting the Hugo 2 to an amp. Hugo 2 seems to distort for me whenever I go loud? Even when turned on into Line-out mode.
Rca out in rear - usb front audioquest mini USB adapter to full size usb cable into regen to ifi streamer. No distortion I also took it to my friends house and hooked it up to his big rig through his huge maggie’s And some super expensive tube amp. I actually sold the Hugo 2 to my friend last night. My new favorite Dac is the M2Tech Young III and Van Der Graaf II power supply.
 
Last edited:

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top