[daerron]

The Mini-X certainly doesn't sound thick. And it sure startles me when somebody gives the tympani a real whack when you weren't expecting it. It has the ability to make complex/difficult sound arrangements sound effortless without any smearing. Its like obedience training for headphones.

 

[ben_r_]

Just out of curiosity, since included in this thread was the use of the Denon AH-D5000 with the Emotiva mini-X a-100, has anyone used the Denon AH-D5000 on a Schiit Lyr and care to comment.

 

[Zoom25]

  Just out of curiosity, since included in this thread was the use of the Denon AH-D5000 with the Emotiva mini-X a-100, has anyone used the Denon AH-D5000 on a Schiit Lyr and care to comment.

 
Not personally used it, but I do remember noise floor issues with some people with Lyr and Denons.

 

[spurxiii]

I just got the Mini-X and although it is good in comparison to just the AGD 15.32 by itself, I find the Topping TP60 better in everyway with the HE500s. The bass on the Mini-X extends a little further but the bass control of the Topping is better. The Topping sounds more transparent and spacious and more details come through. The mids sound less congested and the highs have more zing on the Topping. I'm kind of a little disappointed with the Mini-X in comparison to the TP60. These are only initial impressions. I'll have the Mini-X as my main setup for a little while

 

[daerron]

  I just got the Mini-X and although it is good in comparison to just the AGD 15.32 by itself, I find the Topping TP60 better in everyway with the HE500s. The bass on the Mini-X extends a little further but the bass control of the Topping is better. The Topping sounds more transparent and spacious and more details come through. The mids sound less congested and the highs have more zing on the Topping. I'm kind of a little disappointed with the Mini-X in comparison to the TP60. These are only initial impressions. I'll have the Mini-X as my main setup for a little while

 
Have you had any reliability issues with your Topping TP60, I've read quite a number of complaints but it seems to be very well liked? I'm quite keen to get one for the price they are selling at. I had a Trends Audio TA-10 T-amp a couple of years ago that I enjoyed immensely and I was a bit of an idiot for selling it, but I didn't have any sensitive speakers (or insensitive headphones lol!) in my arsenal back then.

 

[robrob]

The TP60 uses the TA2022 chip which has single-ended (common ground) output (if you care about that sort of thing) but it does seem to have a very well designed power supply. It's overkill for a headphone amp so you can save money on one of the lower output topping amps.

 

[spurxiii]

I haven't heard the cheaper versions of the Topping offerings, but they might be the same for much less.

Judging by the reviews and everyone's responses I was expecting the mini-x to be an improvement on the Topping in comparison.

Now that I've had the mini-x in for a little while it does sound good once you get used to it and without the Topping to compare it to. I can see why people would think it is the best budget amp to match with the HE500 which is why I expected it to sound better than the Topping.

Fortunately I've had no reliability issues with the topping

 

[robrob]

Tripath based amplifiers don't get much credit on this forum (not just this thread). I think many people here just can't believe that an inexpensive TA chip based amp can sound so good--but they do. I really believe many of them would be embarrassed in a blind A/B comparison between Tripath amps and much more expensive headphone and speaker amps. I have a Schidt Mjolnir headphone amp and the little Tripath TA amps do pretty well against it. In fact I installed a generic Chinese made TA2024 amplifier board in my TEAC UD-H01 balanced DAC and listen to it more than I do the Mjolnir.
 

 

[daerron]

The Tripath amps are very good at low volumes with efficient speakers. Their distortion quickly ramps up though if you try and play them at loud volumes. I used a Trends Audio TA-10 with a Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 speaker as my desktop system for a very long period before I starting dabbling around with headphones. There are a couple of famous blind listening tests involving the Trends TA-10 where it embarrassed many more expensive amplifiers.
 
The Mini-X is a very good budget option for the HE-500, but its flaws are also starting to bother me a little. 

 

[davidsh]

  The Tripath amps are very good at low volumes with efficient speakers. Their distortion quickly ramps up though if you try and play them at loud volumes. I used a Trends Audio TA-10 with a Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 speaker as my desktop system for a very long period before I starting dabbling around with headphones. There are a couple of famous blind listening tests involving the Trends TA-10 where it embarrassed many more expensive amplifiers.
 
The Mini-X is a very good budget option for the HE-500, but its flaws are also starting to bother me a little. 

The treble is definitely not of the most refined kind. Actually, the sound just doesn't strike me as refined in general, but it does sound good if you don't focus too much on technicalities, good synergy

 

[elwappo99]

  Tripath based amplifiers don't get much credit on this forum (not just this thread). I think many people here just can't believe that an inexpensive TA chip based amp can sound so good--but they do. I really believe many of them would be embarrassed in a blind A/B comparison between Tripath amps and much more expensive headphone and speaker amps. I have a Schidt Mjolnir headphone amp and the little Tripath TA amps do pretty well against it. In fact I installed a generic Chinese made TA2024 amplifier board in my TEAC UD-H01 balanced DAC and listen to it more than I do the Mjolnir.
 
 

 
Acturally, the first time I hooked my HE-6 up to a speaker was a tripath amplifier, the Virtue audio Two.2, which was very popular for those headphones. Unfortunately, the distortion and high noise floor wasn't so great with the HE-6, which is why I ended up getting the emotiva to try out.
 
A few members tested the mjolnir against the emotiva and preferred it as well, at least with ortho drivers. 

 

[spurxiii]

In my mind the Mini-X was going to be an improvement over the Topping, to my ears there is much more refinement in the sound, especially with the mids and highs

 

[davidsh]

No doubt my emotiva won't be end game or anything with my planars. At some point if I am in a stable residential situation to own speakers and still own planars I'll for sure get a proper speaker amp. Don't think I'll ever be in such a situation, but much can happen.

 

[robrob]

   
Acturally, the first time I hooked my HE-6 up to a speaker was a tripath amplifier, the Virtue audio Two.2, which was very popular for those headphones. Unfortunately, the distortion and high noise floor wasn't so great with the HE-6, which is why I ended up getting the emotiva to try out.
 
A few members tested the mjolnir against the emotiva and preferred it as well, at least with ortho drivers. 

My TA2024 board uses one of the lower powered Tripath chips but I can only turn the volume 1/4 of a turn with HE-500s (I know the HE-6 needs much more power though). It has no perceptible noise floor--at 100% volume it is dead silent.
 
I wouldn't go so far as saying I "prefer" the Tripath amp over the Mjolnir but it's just more convenient to use the TEAC DAC alone.

 

[elwappo99]

 
My TA2024 board uses one of the lower powered Tripath chips but I can only turn the volume 1/4 of a turn with HE-500s (I know the HE-6 needs much more power though). It has no perceptible noise floor--at 100% volume it is dead silent.
 
I wouldn't go so far as saying I "prefer" the Tripath amp over the Mjolnir but it's just more convenient to use the TEAC DAC alone.

 
I see. I've always been very interested in the Mjolnir, but given it's exclusively balanced, and get mixed reviews with hifimans, it's kind of hard to fully commit to it. Maybe I'll sit down with one for an extended listen at this weekend's socal meet 

 
 
 
OT, but you got some positive feedback in the Q701 thread for your K240 guide. 
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/582276/q701-appreciation-thread/5940#post_10355805