[Paladin79]

I would purchase the Utopia and Naim Atom and immediately delete your Head-Fi account so you don’t continue upgrading. It’s a perfectly fine system for years to come and anything more is excess.

I only run tube amps with Utopias, I am set with backups for all tubes as well as tubes to swap in to shape the sound a bit.

 

[strojo]

Running the Utopias from the Naim Uniti Atom--it's a solid pairing. I might be able to get better sound by going with separates, but I won't get the simplicity afforded by the all-in-one. Sometimes really good is better than perfect.

 

[marcus2704]

I could recover the money I paid recently for the Diablo & Elite, sell the Bluesound N130 and I would then need to pay around £1K for the Unit Atom as a (hopefully!) better sounding all in one unit, it actually makes sense to me in a hobby where I rarely apply sense to anything! The last part of the jigsaw, is a potential purchase of a Danacable Lazuli, then with any luck that will be it for a while until the 2022 Utopia comes down to reasonable price on the used market.

 

[Paladin79]

Running the Utopias from the Naim Uniti Atom--it's a solid pairing. I might be able to get better sound by going with separates, but I won't get the simplicity afforded by the all-in-one. Sometimes really good is better than perfect.

Each to their own. Hopefully a few of you have heard Utopias with a tube amp, it can be a glorious sound.

 

[paradoxper]

1266 with 300B is where the glory lies. Valkyria with 811-10 is also big boy territory.

Although the Stellaris with Utopia is truly exceptional.

 

[Paladin79]

1266 with 300B is where the glory lies. Valkyria with 811-10 is also big boy territory.

Although the Stellaris with Utopia is truly exceptional.

Gosh I am only running 8 KT 88’s and six 12Au7’s in one amp with a headphone out. Seriously, I design my own amps to match up with headphones, one watt is plenty with proper impedance.

 

[paradoxper]

Gosh I am only running 8 KT 88’s and six 12Au7’s in one amp with a headphone out. Seriously, I design my own amps to match up with headphones, one watt is plenty with proper impedance.

No one mentioned even a watt. I am sure your amps are ok for what they are.

 

[Paladin79]

No one mentioned even a watt. I am sure your amps are ok for what they are.

 

[paradoxper]

A smirk tells all.

 

[Paladin79]

A smirk tells all.

Well the first amp I described was a PrimaLuna with headphone out. The second was my creation, they have been well received but I only made them for friends. After many years in audio I enjoy woodworking, the electronics is second nature. it started with tube theory in college.

 

[meomap]

I would purchase the Utopia and Naim Atom and immediately delete your Head-Fi account so you don’t continue upgrading. It’s a perfectly fine system for years to come and anything more is excess.

Well the first amp I described was a PrimaLuna with headphone out. The second was my creation, they have been well received but I only made them for friends. After many years in audio I enjoy woodworking, the electronics is second nature. it started with tube theory in college.

HP version, correct?

 

[Paladin79]

HP version, correct?

Absolutely with pre-amp out. My Incubus Elegan amp that is. That one is done with solid copper and tiger maple. I gave it to a friend who knows tube sound.

The PrimaLuna is an integrated power amp with a decent headphone out, I believe they use special windings to impedance match. Both are point to point wired with top of the line components. I spent much of my career in solid state but prefer tube sound now. No insult intended to those who like solid state, Focal Utopias with tubes are more for me.

 

[meomap]

Absolutely with pre-amp out. My Incubus Elegan amp that is. That one is done with solid copper and tiger maple. I gave it to a friend who knows tube sound.

The PrimaLuna is an integrated power amp with a decent headphone out, I believe they use special windings to impedance match. Both are point to point wired with top of the line components. I spent much of my career in solid state but prefer tube sound now. No insult intended to those who like solid state, Focal Utopias with tubes are more for me.

I have tried my HD800S with PL HP . Not as good or engaging as my Studio-Six Tube Amp.
Let me try out other hp like Utopia, LCD5, Liric, HE1000SE, 109 Pro and see if I like it or not.
Using Mojo2 as DAC.
Bought gold Lion 8 KT88 and 2 12UAT7 bulbs and did not install yet.
Driving my Tannoy Mini upstair.
Will test it later.
Will take out 4 KT88 from Mc275 downstair and test with HP version.....
Just lots of toys to play and test with.....

 

[SalR406]

Although the Stellaris with Utopia is truly exceptional.

I've also found this to be true. The combination is among the very best I've heard.

 

[Paladin79]

I have tried my HD800S with PL HP . Not as good or engaging as my Studio-Six Tube Amp.
Let me try out other hp like Utopia, LCD5, Liric, HE1000SE, 109 Pro and see if I like it or not.
Using Mojo2 as DAC.
Bought gold Lion 8 KT88 and 2 12UAT7 bulbs and did not install yet.
Driving my Tannoy Mini upstair.
Will test it later.
Will take out 4 KT88 from Mc275 downstair and test with HP version.....
Just lots of toys to play and test with.....

I am running Gold Lion KT 88’s and have 15 pairs of 12AU7’s to try. I am hoping for 8 KT 90’s by EI like I run in a Cary amp. I believe original tubes were built by PSVane.

In my amp I run Melz 1578’s and Tung Sol 5998’s. HD 800’s were used with four of my amps in blind tube comparisons for 6SN7 equivalents. I do have another half dozen tube headphone amps I can use with Utopias.