From other users here the cap upgrade is noticeable too, mine is around 8 months old straight from the factory and came with the latest Mundorf caps, don’t know if that was a further minor upgrade or just a supply issue, I ordered it at the same time I bought the Quad ERA-1 and they were well and truely “run in” by the time the amp arrived, sounded ok straight up but as you say after running on a loop overnight a few times it just “opened up”, still using the supplied “se” valves at the moment and driven from a Chord MScaler/Qutest the sound is way better that I ever expected, no real desire yet to start “tube rolling” and any possible further improvements can wait for now …
From other users here the cap upgrade is noticeable too, mine is around 8 months old straight from the factory and came with the latest Mundorf caps, don’t know if that was a further minor upgrade or just a supply issue, I ordered it at the same time I bought the Quad ERA-1 and they were well and truely “run in” by the time the amp arrived, sounded ok straight up but as you say after running on a loop overnight a few times it just “opened up”, still using the supplied “se” valves at the moment and driven from a Chord MScaler/Qutest the sound is way better that I ever expected, no real desire yet to start “tube rolling” and any possible further improvements can wait for now …
In time I will check and see what caps are in the current model. Mine came from the very latest shipment from Icon to the USA. Music Direct is our only dealer here so they come in large batches all at once, therefore they can be out of stock for quite some time of any given model.
Having heard the original Focal Clear Pro, Audeze LCD-2 and LCD-X, Hifiman HE560, Sennheiser 650's, Mr Speakers Ether Flow, (so all what I would consider excellent fidelity before taking that very next step off the cliff to things like LCD-4, Utopia, Abyss, etc,) I can say with little doubt this HP8 MKII 'bloomed' into another level of performance compared to my previous two.
Quite astonishing. I wish I could get more ears on my system. It is astonishingly good. Well, it should be for the total price, but, as well all too well know that often isn't the case.
Cheers. Been reading this thread, but seems like a lot of experienced people working on electronics commenting.
I`m not one of them, just don`t want to do anything silly.
Page 31 has a photo of the insides ..
Dont go inside until you read up on discharging the caps, transformers etc though …
Dangerous voltages inside even when turned off and unplugged …
Cheers. Been reading this thread, but seems like a lot of experienced people working on electronics commenting.
I`m not one of them, just don`t want to do anything silly.
the recap is extremely easy to do on this unit. Well, the output coupling caps anyway. I am not a novice at this, but certainly no expert. I am currently replacing a broken tube socket (the 9 pin input) on one of my two HP8. THAT is a difficult job for me. It requires great care, with lots and of parts to work around.
Comparatively the cap switch is as easy as a manual can-opener.
I have Jensen upgrades right here waiting.
My only concern is their rating does NOT match what is on the stock caps.
BUT the Jensen cap and the ratings to use came DIRECT from the horse's mouth at Icon. On the phone they insisted the Jensen caps should match the spec they quoted and not to pay attention to the other brand's specs.
I have seen where people have gone either direction with this. As quoted by Icon, or using an upgrade cap that matches specifications on original caps.
So, that is really why I am at an impasse on the cap upgrade. The upgrade itself is SUPER SUPER easy to do.
Not a new production tube guy myself.. I have a collection of hundreds (once was thousands until I decided to liquidate most on eBay) NOS and lightly used vintage tubes.
But these are BEAUTIFUL 6SN7 tubes. I am going to order a pair and see how they compare to the RCA 6F8G New Old Stock from WWII era I am currently in love with.
Although I've only had my HP8 Mk.2.2 SE since August - approx 45 hours playing time - one of the supplied SE output tubes (Treasure CV181) seems to have gone noisy.
[On powering up the unit, with the volume completely down and without the source playing, a loud rustling sound in the right ear-cup of the HD800S... after a few minutes it calms down, but a barely perceptible intermittent crackle continues]
In fairness, both Icon Audio and the retailer, Audio Affair, requested I send the tube back "for testing"... but rather than immediately going down the track of replacing the supplied tube with perhaps a less-than-ideally matched replacement, I may begin experimenting with some tube rolling.
I use the HP8 with a turntable source only (Technics SL1200G - Benz Micro Glider SL approx. 350 hours - Cyrus Phono Signature) into Senn HD800S.
Based on the 45 hours I have listened thus far, I feel I could benefit from a smidgen less warmth, slightly faster dynamics, a little extra detail. This without altering the character of the HP8 too much, which tames the stridency of the HD800S perfectly.
Although I've only had my HP8 Mk.2.2 SE since August - approx 45 hours playing time - one of the supplied SE output tubes (Treasure CV181) seems to have gone noisy.
[On powering up the unit, with the volume completely down and without the source playing, a loud rustling sound in the right ear-cup of the HD800S... after a few minutes it calms down, but a barely perceptible intermittent crackle continues]
In fairness, both Icon Audio and the retailer, Audio Affair, requested I send the tube back "for testing"... but rather than immediately going down the track of replacing the supplied tube with perhaps a less-than-ideally matched replacement, I may begin experimenting with some tube rolling.
I use the HP8 with a turntable source only (Technics SL1200G - Benz Micro Glider SL approx. 350 hours - Cyrus Phono Signature) into Senn HD800S.
Based on the 45 hours I have listened thus far, I feel I could benefit from a smidgen less warmth, slightly faster dynamics, a little extra detail. This without altering the character of the HP8 too much, which tames the stridency of the HD800S perfectly.
Sorry to go a different direction here, but I was not aware of the Mark2 , 2.1 and 2.2 designators
What are the differences, and how can you tell which is which? All I know is this current one I am using has a build date earlier in 2021, but standard caps. The two others I have owned were Mark 2, but looked identical externally. I can say they went in chronological build order, and each sounded a bit better than the previous, or so it seemed.
Sorry to go a different direction here, but I was not aware of the Mark2 , 2.1 and 2.2 designators
What are the differences, and how can you tell which is which? All I know is this current one I am using has a build date earlier in 2021, but standard caps. The two others I have owned were Mark 2, but looked identical externally. I can say they went in chronological build order, and each sounded a bit better than the previous, or so it seemed.
The current model - with the copper top plate - is the third iteration of the HP8 that Icon Audio have produced, but it was never differentiated in name from the earlier Mk2. This has led some to coin the term Mk2.2 to describe the latest version.
Someone else may be able to confirm this, but I recall that there was no circuit design changes - only a casing update - from Mk2 to Mk2.2 and this might be why Icon Audio never changed the model designation.
And of course, since October 2021, Icon Audio are listing three instead of two options on the Mk2.2 - standard, with Bluetooth, Bluetooth SE (and a price hike)!
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