[Menkau-ra]

You can also try the new version of the emotiva A100 if you don’t want to break the bank. It’s $300 and a very solid pairing with these cans. More expensive stuff will just be a different flavor which you may enjoy more, but not technically better. You just have to take the cover off and install the jumpers (it’s very simple) and you get the full speaker amp output to the headphone jack. 50 watts into 8ohms

Interesting. Where do you find it? Google only shows me the old version and it's sold out.

 

[theangelboy]

Interesting. Where do you find it? Google only shows me the old version and it's sold out.

It has a new name/model number, the A2m, which I think was a bad call on Emotiva's part as far as recognizablity is concerned. You not seeing it when searching Google is proof of that. https://emotiva.com/collections/amps/products/basx-a2m-stereo-flex-amplifier

 

[DeweyCH]

It has a new name/model number, the A2m, which I think was a bad call on Emotiva's part as far as recognizablity is concerned. You not seeing it when searching Google is proof of that. https://emotiva.com/collections/amps/products/basx-a2m-stereo-flex-amplifier

$300 for a solid state amp designed to put the full speaker output into a headphone jack? That’s impressive. How’s it sound compared to higher-output solid state headphone amps like a Pro iCAN or a Jot 2?

 

[Menkau-ra]

It has a new name/model number, the A2m, which I think was a bad call on Emotiva's part as far as recognizablity is concerned. You not seeing it when searching Google is proof of that. https://emotiva.com/collections/amps/products/basx-a2m-stereo-flex-amplifier

Thank you for the link.

I just realized that I also have Bottlehead Mainline. Testing HE6se on it now. The sound is much more cleaner than on my speaker amp, but the punch and low end is not that good, it's not bad, just ok. The volume is on 90%.
I noticed that I get fatigue with HE6se. Maybe it's because of the the amount of highs? The are not sibilant, but still very bright. I plugged in Loki mini+. Added some sub bass and lowered highs. Yea, these headphones need EQ.

 

[Shane D]

Thank you for the link.

I just realized that I also have Bottlehead Mainline. Testing HE6se on it now. The sound is much more cleaner than on my speaker amp, but the punch and low end is not that good, it's not bad, just ok. The volume is on 90%.
I noticed that I get fatigue with HE6se. Maybe it's because of the the amount of highs? The are not sibilant, but still very bright. I plugged in Loki mini+. Added some sub bass and lowered highs. Yea, these headphones need EQ.

My second best option was the Monoprice Liquid Platinum. Tons of power, but it needed EQ and I added the Schiit Loki.
To me, that was an 8 pushing 8.5.
To me, the Pro iCAN is a 9 pushing 9.5.

 

[Menkau-ra]

My second best option was the Monoprice Liquid Platinum. Tons of power, but it needed EQ and I added the Schiit Loki.
To me, that was an 8 pushing 8.5.
To me, the Pro iCAN is a 9 pushing 9.5.

After EQ they are so much better, but I still feel something was wrong. I looked at my right driver and noticed that it's stick to the magnet ;( Do I need to talk to Adorama or to Hifiman?

 

[Uncle00Jesse]

$300 for a solid state amp designed to put the full speaker output into a headphone jack? That’s impressive. How’s it sound compared to higher-output solid state headphone amps like a Pro iCAN or a Jot 2?

Can’t speak to either but I can say it sounds a hell of a lot better than my older version Lyr. That’s why I didn’t even consider getting a jot 2. I brought my 6se v2 with me to canjam and plugged them into different amps just to see if I was missing a whole new world. I tried the monster EF-1000, Oor/hypsos and a couple others. Marginal improvement at best and that probably had a lot to do with the DACs feeding them at the show as well. The A100 is one of my great finds in audio in the 12 years I’ve been addicted. In the high end thread I think I’ve seen a couple people mention the A100 as a great pairing but then you have the “more expensive is always better” elitists shooting them down. This is one situation where that is absolutely not the case.

The new version has the same internals and is $50 more than what they sold the A100. I’m not mad at it. Should also mention it powers the Dt880 600ohm to a new dimension. I think Zeos in a video mentioned that as well

 

[jmwant]

It has a new name/model number, the A2m, which I think was a bad call on Emotiva's part as far as recognizablity is concerned. You not seeing it when searching Google is proof of that. https://emotiva.com/collections/amps/products/basx-a2m-stereo-flex-amplifier

Do you know how these perform as stereo amplifier?

 

[theangelboy]

$300 for a solid state amp designed to put the full speaker output into a headphone jack? That’s impressive. How’s it sound compared to higher-output solid state headphone amps like a Pro iCAN or a Jot 2?

I haven't tried either of those amps so I can't compare, sorry. But it is a solid little amp (the older A-100 version, at least) that I use to drive speakers on my desk and planars. Besides the annoyance of the volume knob not having an indicator on it, the only other complaint is the high noise floor. Because of that, It isn't great for dynamic drivers (unless they are like 600ohm) but less audible on most planars, to my ears at least.

I use mine in low power mode so I get more usable volume and can use it with higher sensitivity planars without risk of literally blowing them up. I tried both high and low power modes (volume matched 75db, 8 o'clock full power, 11 o'clock low power) with my HE6se v2 and couldn't hear a difference (YMMV) so I leave it low power mode so I have more granular volume control.

 

[theangelboy]

Do you know how these perform as stereo amplifier?

Yeah, it's great! At least, the older A-100 version is, but I belive the internals are pretty much unchanged. Internal pictures/specs look the same so I think most if not all of the changes were cosmetic to match the look of their newer amps. I use it to drive a pair of Elac B6s on desk and it goes plenty loud and sounds great.

 

[dstarr3]

Wow. $300 for about 8.5 watts at 50 ohms. That's a big temptation.

 

[Shane D]

After EQ they are so much better, but I still feel something was wrong. I looked at my right driver and noticed that it's stick to the magnet ;( Do I need to talk to Adorama or to Hifiman?

I would say Adorama. Just call them and get an RA and hopefully you will have your replacements quickly.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

After EQ they are so much better, but I still feel something was wrong. I looked at my right driver and noticed that it's stick to the magnet ;( Do I need to talk to Adorama or to Hifiman?

Some had success with "reverse CPR" by sucking air from pads side.

 

[Menkau-ra]

Some had success with "reverse CPR" by sucking air from pads side.

I did try it yesterday. It didn't work

 

[dstarr3]

Probably best to just RMA it while you can instead of trying to fix it yourself and potentially causing damage the warranty won't cover. I'm all about DIY, but if there's a warranty you can take advantage of, you may as well.