GUSTARD H10 High-current Discrete Class A output Stage Headphone Amplifier

[lancevance117]

  Thanks very much Lancevance, that's enough to convince me to try balanced.

Please leave you impression once you try balanced cables out

 

[Noodlz]

@DecentLevi just wanted to give my 2cents on this. Personally for the H10 i think the XLR is far superior than the RCA. I'm using a the Yulong D200 as the DAC to the H10 via XLR. To my ears and a couple of my friends who tested it (i had them do a blind test) the XLR is distinctlvely better, and the morrow MA-3 XLR cables i bought was also distinctlvely better than the Canare Quad Star XLRs. But as always, YMMV.

 

[DecentLevi]

Sorry guys, there may have been a misunderstanding. I was asking about balanced versus SE output of my X12 DAC to help me plan my routing to the Liquid Carbon amp. I posted on this thread because I've known the H10 thread to be used by a lot who also own the X12, but since I'm getting the LC, I may not get the H10. So if you'd still like to hear my results on balanced versus SE to the LC amp here let me know, otherwise I'll just post on the LC thread.

 

[BassDigger]

 There's also this thread:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/752522/gustard-amplifiers-and-dacs

 

[BassDigger]

  I just want to add one thing that I forgot to mention in my last post.
 
The Burson opamps come with socket risers.  With the riser on they will be too tall to close the cover.  No risers is the perfect height but the corners of the opamp will touch the two red rectangular caps beside the opamp sockets.  I used a Dremel tool to grind away the corners to make them fit.  I tried with a small jewelers or hobby file and that works too.  Just be careful and I guess a grinder or belt sander will also work.
 

 
Looks like Burson Audio likes what you've done here!
 
http://www.bursonaudio.com/gustard-h10-high-current-discrete-class-a-headphone-amplifier-opamp-mod/

 
If they're paying so much attention, to H10 owners, are they supplying the op-amp boards pre-cut and ready to fit?

 

[Lohb]

   
If they're paying so much attention, to H10 owners, are they supplying the op-amp boards pre-cut and ready to fit?

He used a dremel to fit it.
Is there any hint of the h2o unit specs ? Patience of the Buddha here...

 

[Jhya]

Sorry guys, there may have been a misunderstanding. I was asking about balanced versus SE output of my X12 DAC to help me plan my routing to the Liquid Carbon amp. I posted on this thread because I've known the H10 thread to be used by a lot who also own the X12, but since I'm getting the LC, I may not get the H10. So if you'd still like to hear my results on balanced versus SE to the LC amp here let me know, otherwise I'll just post on the LC thread.

I have the X12 dac hooked up with the XLR to the H10 and at the same time the RCA out into the bottlehead crack. The X12 can output to both simultaneously.

The bottlehead crack sounds fantastic on my HD650 through the RCA input.

I'm using my LCD2f with the balanced input of the H10. The sound of the LCD2f is much more detailed than the HD650, but the mid bass has less impact than the HD650. I would say the LCD2f is more toward neutral and buttery smooth on the H10 vs the HD650 on the crack which has that warm tubey sound and oh so fun! I'm enjoying both of my headphones so much!!!

 

[DDDamian]

I have the X12 dac hooked up with the XLR to the H10 and at the same time the RCA out into the bottlehead crack. The X12 can output to both simultaneously.

The bottlehead crack sounds fantastic on my HD650 through the RCA input.

I'm using my LCD2f with the balanced input of the H10. The sound of the LCD2f is much more detailed than the HD650, but the mid bass has less impact than the HD650. I would say the LCD2f is more toward neutral and buttery smooth on the H10 vs the HD650 on the crack which has that warm tubey sound and oh so fun! I'm enjoying both of my headphones so much!!!

+1 but I have the pre-fazor and the deep bass through the LCD2.2's and the Gustard is very good. The 650 does indeed go better with the Crack.

 

[BassDigger]

He used a dremel to fit it.
Is there any hint of the h2o unit specs ? Patience of the Buddha here...

 
Yeah. One slip and you could mess up your, not so inexpensive, op-amp replacements, for good!
 
I'd rather that Burson recognised this fitment problem and supplied the modules ready-to-fit. They're touting that they're a good upgrade, for this amp. But there's no mention of the fact that they don't actually fit!!!
 
I've only just got the H10 (and my missus can't understand why; "it looks the same" as my other one!). But I'm very curious about the 'H20'. Especially, if it's got some pre-outs.

 

[Lohb]

But I'm very curious about the 'H20'. Especially, if it's got some pre-outs.

H20 ? god noooo it's 'H2o'... (H 2 oooooh).....both liquid and transparent....hopefully

 

[tretneo]

   
Yeah. One slip and you could mess up your, not so inexpensive, op-amp replacements, for good!
 
I'd rather that Burson recognised this fitment problem and supplied the modules ready-to-fit. They're touting that they're a good upgrade, for this amp. But there's no mention of the fact that they don't actually fit!!!

 
I emailed them and asked about this. Haven't heard back yet, will post a followup if/when I do.

 

[swannie007]

Don't hold your breath!

 

[tretneo]

Don't hold your breath!

Ha, are they known to be unresponsive?

 

[mandrake50]

   
I emailed them and asked about this. Haven't heard back yet, will post a followup if/when I do.

Do let us know. I just ordered a set. I have the tools to notch the board, but it would be real nice if they are just plug and play.

 

[olek]

I have the X12 dac hooked up with the XLR to the H10 and at the same time the RCA out into the bottlehead crack. The X12 can output to both simultaneously.

The bottlehead crack sounds fantastic on my HD650 through the RCA input.

I'm using my LCD2f with the balanced input of the H10. The sound of the LCD2f is much more detailed than the HD650, but the mid bass has less impact than the HD650. I would say the LCD2f is more toward neutral and buttery smooth on the H10 vs the HD650 on the crack which has that warm tubey sound and oh so fun! I'm enjoying both of my headphones so much!!!

I second HD650 on Crack. This is combination I rock for last 2 weeks pretty much non-stop. Have you Speedball-ed your Crack? Curious because there is world of difference in sound details with and without Speedball.
 
By the way,
@Liu Junyuan
 
My apologies for saying before that DT880 sound is much superior to HD650. My gear was simply not resolving enough at a time to see it straight (inferior cables robbed much of detail from sound). I do like DT880/600 tonal balance very much, but they scale only so far. HD650 scales much higher, pulling detail from music I never imagined was there, while being very musical. Even that I do not love their tonal balance, I am very willing to forgive it for that sound. Therefore, my best records get HD650 because it reveals so much about them, my worst albums get HD650 because it is not so sibilant and hides poor bright mastering very well, and only about 20% of my music does sound better on DT880. Quite a 180 turn for me. So glad I did not sell HD650.
 
Oh, and by the way - HD650 scale to that hight only out of Crack/Speedball. Out of H10 there is not that much difference between DT880 and HD650 in detail/3d.