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

[Venator2033]

Mine took 10 days from time of receiving the shipping confirmation.

 

[jackharm]

Depends on where you are located and how long it takes for it to get processed through your local customs.
 
But I would say it should take around 5 - 10 business days give or take a day or two?

 

[jackharm]

  I had the same idea about the heat sink when I read somebody's post where he was thinking of drilling holes in his case for ventilation.  

 
But does the H-10 have a heat problem in its stock configuration?  Mine gets a little warm, but not enough that I was concerned.

 
That was I, and I did end up drilling some vent holes on top of where the op-amps are located.
So far still running strong with the OG V5's. Heat hasn't been an issue for me, but I do tend to like to keep my electronics and room nice and cool/ventilated.
 
Honestly I just drilled holes in it since I saw no real harm in doing so, plus I like to tinker with my things(for better or for worse).

 

[Socratease]

Just got my DAC-X12 from Massdrop.  Driving differential to the H10 and into the HE-400i:  My, that's a very nice sounding DAC.  Really detailed and resolving, but never harsh or shrill, and that's before being burned-in.  I'll let Volumio give it a workout, and hopefully the Bursons will be here soon for the finishing touch.

 

[Socratease]

   
That was I, and I did end up drilling some vent holes on top of where the op-amps are located.
So far still running strong with the OG V5's. Heat hasn't been an issue for me, but I do tend to like to keep my electronics and room nice and cool/ventilated.
 
Honestly I just drilled holes in it since I saw no real harm in doing so, plus I like to tinker with my things(for better or for worse).

OK, I hope it helps.  But the heatsink is just a block of aluminum in the middle of the board, not much surface area or air circulation to let convection do its job.  Thermally connecting it to the outer shell should give it all the surface area it could need.  I'll see if I still have some thermal pads so I can try the same idea.

 

[canthearyou]

Just got my DAC-X12 from Massdrop.  Driving differential to the H10 and into the HE-400i:  My, that's a very nice sounding DAC.  Really detailed and resolving, but never harsh or shrill, and that's before being burned-in.  I'll let Volumio give it a workout, and hopefully the Bursons will be here soon for the finishing touch.

I had the exact same setup. It was very nice. But I will say the HE-500 running off the Gustard is pretty awesome!

 

[Socratease]

What would you say was the main difference between the HE-500 and the -400i?

 

[YUHaveNoNames]

Thankyou so much to everyone in the thread and the detailed information you give about this amp!

I bought one about a month ago and am just astonished by how much difference it brings to planars, my mad do pros are now heavenly!

 

[canthearyou]

What would you say was the main difference between the HE-500 and the -400i?

Fuller sound, more bass, cleaner treble, larger soundstage. It is better in every category. IMO

The only con is its weight. It took a little bit to get used to. Plus, I bought a strap from lohb and it made a world of difference in comfort.

 

[humzebra]

Would I notice an improvement with this amp at around 2.5w vs my ifi dsd micro at 1.5w @ ~70 ohm (LCD-2F)? Particularly looking for bass impact. Anything more powerful I should look into? I hear orthos like a lot of current, would this give more than ifi?

 

[raoultrifan]

Hi Everyone,

New member here. I just joined the SS Gustard a month ago.

I'm just wondering if this has happened to anyone else or am I just unlucky? I've already emailed Burson but I'm wondering if there's a way to reach the makers of the Gustard so I can see about getting this fixed or if I would have to buy a new one.











Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 
Hi guys,
 
First of all I don't own right now a H10, but looks like it's a very nice and powerful head-amp, very well built with powerful discrete output stage like BURSON amplifiers.
 
I'm very sorry to see that some V5's are blowing away inside H10 amplifiers but I believe this might happen sometimes when you power +/-15V (30V) op-amps from +/-16.5V (33V) rails, especially if inside H10 air temp is about 60C.
 
I own a Matrix M-Stage 3U with 2 x BURSON SS V5-dual op-amps inside, but I've changed power regulators from +/-18V (36V) to +/-15V (30V) so I can upgrade it with V5-duals, more details about it here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/770610/introducing-the-matrix-m-stage-hpa-3u-and-hpa-3b-review-to-follow/90#post_12390513; a simple mod of replacing 7818/7918 regulators with 7815/7915.
 
It would be great if a head-fier having access to a Gustard H10 amplifier and with some electronics knowledge can publish here a simple mod for decreasing power rails to about +/-15V so every H10 owner could easily and safer upgrade internal op-amps with SS V5 from Burson. I don't have a clear view on H10's PCB or schematic, but looks like it's using discrete power supply made with TIP122 and TIP127 transistors and I believe this could be easily adjusted either from the blue resistor trimmers either by replacing a couple of resistors around the power regulators (please don't try to start modding without a little bit of background in electronics!). I understand that Burson has a new batch of SS V5 op-amps that can "tolerate" up to +/-17V, but a simple mod of lowering H10 rails to +/-15V would still be a good thing, especially that many head-fiers would like to have the ability of swapping more and more op-amps and we all know that are still op-amps out there that have max. recommended voltage rail specs of only +/-15V (30V).
 
Regards,
Raul.

 

[hpamdr]

With H10, this is the other way around !
New Burson v5 batch are tested against 17V so no needs to modify regulator.
Burson is also experimenting heater extension tg cool it a bit more using the case as dissipator.
So big thanks to b.a. for wonderful customer support and lifetime warranty !

 

[willowbrook]

  Mine took 10 days from time of receiving the shipping confirmation.

Also took me about 10 days, great support from Burson. Can't wait to plug these babies in.

 

[wadi]

Any news from Gustard balanced amplifier?

 

[l1ghtm4st3r]

  Any news from Gustard balanced amplifier?

Also interested in this. Quite a few pages ago there was news of a H20 but has been silent ever since.