[shabta]

It definitely drives my high impedance HD800s beautifully. And my low impedance NAD HP50s sound good too ( but this amp is waaay overkill for these phones). Haven't tried any iems...
 
On another note I just switched in some NOS sylvania 6n75s from the 70s, really nice and not expensive. Running the gold pin jj 12ax7, liked it better than some 70s telefunken tube I had...

 

[roskodan]

yeah runs excellent with both high and low impedance fullsize headphones, thats why there is the impedance selection knob, i run my hd800 on high setting, but being a transformer coupled output you can run even low impedance cans on the high output as i usually do cos it is a nice change in sound, definitely noticeable, actually pretty drastic, hd800 on low output are as good, depending on ones mood, tho very efficient cans will pick up more noise, so for those, one really wants to have a clean AC, also the caps upgrade to the jensen copper foil in oil with silver leadouts (or better, if you ve any favorites) is mandatory imo, resolution and overall transient, soundstage precision and what not, just skyrocket to another level, i did the comparison with the stock ones, i was skeptical at first tho after listening i simply realized how wrong i was XD
 
with stock tubes and caps, it's really a woolly sounding amp, some fullmusic 6sn7 and the jj tesla 12ax7 gold will make it a true tube amp, more like the wooz (woo audio), tho if u fit the shuguang treasures 6sn7 and a psvane treasure 12ax7 mk2 u gonna get that warm breeze, yet still (maybe even more) dynamic
 
absolutely great amp, especially in a deal like this one ^^ http://www.atsoluciones.com/atsoluciones-packs-icon-audio-hp8-mkii-sennheiser-hd800-es.html
 
but i ve an even better deal if u want only the amp (EU sale) http://www.head-fi.org/t/789281/icon-audio-hp8-mk2-maxed-special-edition-optional-tubes

 

[nubje]

Just ordered this with the upgraded valves, cant wait 

 
Looking to pick up a 2nd hand T1 or HD800 now
 
What kind of DACs do you guys run with it? I need something with USB in and RCA out that isn't too expensive

 

[roskodan]

the hp8 is not really picky about the dac but it will scale with a better dac, so i suggest u get a 500USD+ dac (that has good feedback here in the forums), and ofc a HD800, the new one hd800s is soon to be released i think, so perhaps there will be some deals in the classifieds for used old ones

 

[shabta]

@roskodan why are you selling your amp? BTW I haven't heard all the woo amps, but the ones I heard sounded too warm and gooey to me. I like the much more neutral nature of the Icon.

 

[roskodan]

if u check my trade feedback u ll notice i'm always changing my setup at least 2-3 times a year, this is how i roll, and i like to give awesome deals to headfiers
 

 

[project86]

  Just ordered this with the upgraded valves, cant wait 

 
Looking to pick up a 2nd hand T1 or HD800 now
 
What kind of DACs do you guys run with it? I need something with USB in and RCA out that isn't too expensive

 
I enjoy the HP8 from simple little DACs like the Resonessence Labs Concero or the Audinst DX1, as well as my bigger/more expensive reference DACs. HP8 is transparent enough to show the improvement but not ruthless enough where the more affordable stuff sounds terrible.
 
Check out the Concero and DX1 though, both quite nice. DX1 is new so not a lot of feedback out there yet... it's pretty impressive. Or find a used Concero for a low price on the forums.
 

  @roskodan why are you selling your amp? BTW I haven't heard all the woo amps, but the ones I heard sounded too warm and gooey to me. I like the much more neutral nature of the Icon.

 
 
I have respect for Woo but agree, they certainly have a more colored sound. Plus the higher models don't necessarily get better as you go.... personally I like the standard WA6 for the price, as compared to the SE which isn't a great design and costs too much for what it is. 

 

[LFC_SL]

if u check my trade feedback u ll notice i'm always changing my setup at least 2-3 times a year, this is how i roll, and i like to give awesome deals to headfiers

What are you changing to?

 

[roskodan]

hm, idk, let's say i'm rediscovering my love for musicality k701 + v200 with the hrt music streamer hd, but i'm still using the hp8 more, cos with the cv-181z and the psvane 12ax7 Tmk2 it's just too good to let go,
 
so yeah, it's something i could not decide, so i put both amps for sale and waiting to see which one goes first, with the hp8 one can tune the sound by a substantial range for all dynamic driver cans, from my mdr-1r, akgk701, hd800, even the most difficult low Z planars to drive, the MrSpkrs AD (lets just forget about the He-6) are well driven by it,
 
tho i find it to be better suited for dynamic driver hp cos it complements them for what they lack vs planars, basically u don't need planars with this amp, unless u really want the smoothest sound possible XD, and that full size body presence ofc, perhaps some more balanced planars like the new ether or he560 would be a perfect match for it! idk XD everything is possible,
 
but yeah the tubes will affect a lot the sound in my experience, i use only current production tubes, cos NOS don't perform consistently, an old tube is an old tube, even if it was never used, especially with hard to drive cans u need healthy tubes

 

[svmusa]

  yeah runs excellent with both high and low impedance fullsize headphones, thats why there is the impedance selection knob, i run my hd800 on high setting, but being a transformer coupled output you can run even low impedance cans on the high output as i usually do cos it is a nice change in sound, definitely noticeable, actually pretty drastic, hd800 on low output are as good, depending on ones mood, tho very efficient cans will pick up more noise, so for those, one really wants to have a clean AC, also the caps upgrade to the jensen copper foil in oil with silver leadouts (or better, if you ve any favorites) is mandatory imo, resolution and overall transient, soundstage precision and what not, just skyrocket to another level, i did the comparison with the stock ones, i was skeptical at first tho after listening i simply realized how wrong i was XD
 
with stock tubes and caps, it's really a woolly sounding amp, some fullmusic 6sn7 and the jj tesla 12ax7 gold will make it a true tube amp, more like the wooz (woo audio), tho if u fit the shuguang treasures 6sn7 and a psvane treasure 12ax7 mk2 u gonna get that warm breeze, yet still (maybe even more) dynamic
 
absolutely great amp, especially in a deal like this one ^^ http://www.atsoluciones.com/atsoluciones-packs-icon-audio-hp8-mkii-sennheiser-hd800-es.html
 
but i ve an even better deal if u want only the amp (EU sale) http://www.head-fi.org/t/789281/icon-audio-hp8-mk2-maxed-special-edition-optional-tubes

Thx, I was planning to drive Fostex TH900 out of these with some NOS tubes, but kind of skeptical with 24 ohms impedance and high sensitivity I might pick noise.

 

[nubje]

So I received my HP8 yesterday, I ordered the upgraded version from audioaffair.co.uk
 
The upgraded version "incorporates a Jensen capacitor upgrade, an upgrade from the standard 6SN7 valves to David Shaw CV181 and a gold pin 12AX7 rather than the standard 12AX7 valves"
 
I noticed that the valves that came shipped with the HP8 are Electro Harmonix gold pin 6SN7 rather than the David Shaw CV181
 
I rang Audio Affair today and after sending them some photos they replied via email
 
This is the upgraded valve, at one point they were fitting the CV181 DS, however due to harmonic distortion after periods of use it was decided to stick with 6SN7, they do a cheaper Shuguang and the Harmonix is the upgraded version like you have. You can of of course have the CV181DS - not a problem we can get these swapped out for you however Icon no longer recommend this. 
 
Any one experienced this harmonic distortion or can shed any light on this? 

 

 

[naimless]

I don't think so but on the other hand I'm not exactly sure what harmonic distortion sounds like.

 

[shabta]

  So I received my HP8 yesterday, I ordered the upgraded version from audioaffair.co.uk
 
The upgraded version "incorporates a Jensen capacitor upgrade, an upgrade from the standard 6SN7 valves to David Shaw CV181 and a gold pin 12AX7 rather than the standard 12AX7 valves"
 
I noticed that the valves that came shipped with the HP8 are Electro Harmonix gold pin 6SN7 rather than the David Shaw CV181
 
I rang Audio Affair today and after sending them some photos they replied via email
 
This is the upgraded valve, at one point they were fitting the CV181 DS, however due to harmonic distortion after periods of use it was decided to stick with 6SN7, they do a cheaper Shuguang and the Harmonix is the upgraded version like you have. You can of of course have the CV181DS - not a problem we can get these swapped out for you however Icon no longer recommend this. 
 
Any one experienced this harmonic distortion or can shed any light on this? 

 

 
The CV181's seem to go microphonic very quickly in the Icon amp. Sometimes as quickly as six months. That's according to a sales rep I communicated with at Icon when I was thinking of upgrading tubes. YMMV of course.

 

[roskodan]

no problem here with my new (post anniversary) cv181z treasures,
 

 
guess it was something with the old stock discontinued anniversary edition for which sellers are milking absurd amounts, especially the ones sold in some fancy presentation boxes with all kind of 'documents', major bs,

 

[shabta]

  no problem here with my new (post anniversary) cv181z treasures,
 

 
guess it was something with the old stock discontinued anniversary edition for which sellers are milking absurd amounts, especially the ones sold in some fancy presentation boxes with all kind of 'documents', major bs,

Well that isn't what the Icon Audio rep told me. They cautioned against getting the tubes you have as well. He didn't say that they would go microphonic after six months, he said they may and in any case they will go microphonic much more quickly than is reasonable. Especially compared to the 6ns7... So one contrary data point doesn't disprove the general statement.