[kwkarth]

Thanks guys. I just didn't see any value in people trashing a product for no good reason. My OBH-11SE served me well for all the time I had it. Sure, "anybody" can build a cookbook amp in their garage, and it may even sound great, but there's no comparison between the "value" of that vs a commercially designed, built, and supported product from a company that provides jobs for people. They're in two different worlds. You can compare the sound, but you cannot compare the value.

Anyway, just my 2 cents worth...
Cheers!

 

[HD-5000]

Quote:

First off,one has NE series from BB(TI) and the other has LM series(which Jan highly acclaime it before he turns to the op27 series from BB) from National Semi. And Yes!!!!latter is better Opamp than former in spec. as well as sound... but biggest diff. is A-class operation through current biasing....It really does makes diff. in sound. I just hope you are capable to understand what I'm talking about..and If you really think it's the Opamps that change all that diff. in the Amps. then I introduce you to the heavens of All the opamps. Try TI, AD, and NS...

Please explain if you have heard the Creek OBH-21.

If you haven't, then...

Umm, why do you keep bitching about a product's performance you haven't even heard based on the internal components and pointless talk about opamps?

 

[antonik]

Quote:

Originally posted by Alex Altorfer The following pics show what the OBH-21 and the OBH-21 SE's guts actually look like. Notice the additional integrated circuit in the SE version:

Additional 14-pin chip is TL074. You may also notice that OBH-21SE doesn't have any caps in the signal path, but OBH-12 does have a couple of input capacitors.

Al

 

[antonik]

Sorry, OBH-21, not OBH-12

.

Al

 

[antonik]

Also re. the power switch - in OBH-21 and 21SE it only switches the voltage stabiliser, so it should last forever.

Al

 

[Duncan]

Quote:

Originally posted by antonik Also re. the power switch - in OBH-21 and 21SE it only switches the voltage stabiliser, so it should last forever. Al

Hiya antonik... welcome to head-fi

What exactly does that mean? (not being overly technically minded)... do you mean that it only switches part of the circuit (output stage??) off... so everything remains in-effect on all the time?

 

[antonik]

Quote:

Originally posted by Duncan Hiya antonik... welcome to head-fi What exactly does that mean? (not being overly technically minded)... do you mean that it only switches part of the circuit (output stage??) off... so everything remains in-effect on all the time?

Hi

It only means that the stabiliser works as a power switch as well, so when the power switch is "off" the circuit is off as well, exept for the voltage stabiliser which does not consume much power.

Al

 

[Rameish]

The Creek OBH 21 SE does look like the Creek OBH 11 SE (Rev B) that I had until a few weeks back. However the OBH 11 and OBH 21 are quite different. If memory serves me correctly. BTW I think the vol pots are Soundwell pots and not Alps. Alps were only used in Rev A of the Creek OBH11SE.

 

[Alex Altorfer]

Thank You Antonik and Rameish for your input!

Antonik,

Could you please tell us more about the TL074? Who makes it? How well regarded a chip is it? Do other headphone amps use this same chip as well?

Rameish,

You've said the OBH 11 and OBH 21 are quite different. Can you elaborate? Do you mean to say they are sonically different? How so?

Duncan,

Howdy!

Yeah Duncan it would still be great if you could please post a review of your OBH-21 SE for us, however subjective it may be. Of course, if you could compare it to other headphone amps that would be better. If you get a chance to compare it with the OBH-11 SE that would be even better. I know you've been busy lately and all the negative posters who only value DIY amps can be very discouraging when all they do is bomb your amp without any reasonable justification or proof (just like Baghdad). Please don't let them discourage you.

Again, thank you all.

Cheers,
Alex Altorfer

 

[antonik]

Quote:

Originally posted by Alex Altorfer Thank You Antonik and Rameish for your input! Antonik, Could you please tell us more about the TL074? Who makes it? How well regarded a chip is it? Do other headphone amps use this same chip as well?

TL074 is a standard quad JFET-input opamp chip. It is not used in a signal path of OBH-21SE, only as a DC-servo, to illiminate the input capacitors from the circuit. The actual amplifier chips are two (one for each channel) LM7171, if I'm not mistaken. This chip could be very good soundwise, however it is quite difficult to work with because it's prone to oscillations if the circuit/layout is incorrect. Also as far as I can see from the photo, a couple of high grade silver mica capacitors are used for HF filtering.

Al

 

[MacDEF]

I realize this is a very old thread, but one of the few talking about the OBH-21SE. I had the chance to hear one last week, driving a pair of Grado RS-1's from a Music Hall CD25 CD player.

I'll just say that I was very impressed, and that I wouldn't hesitate recommending the OBH-21SE for Grado owners looking for an amp in this price range. (I can't comment on its performance with any other headphones.)

 

[Duncan]

Am I still the only person here with the OBH-21SE?

...As MacDEF quite rightly points out, this amp does go pretty well with the RS1s

...I'm kinda glad I didn't sell it now

 

[sean-xenos]

Many months have passed, may be I missed something (yes I'm a newbie to Head-Fi), but is there any unbiased review on the Creek OBH 21SE? At the moment I have a very good opportunity to buy a 6 month old OBH21SE for a ver low price, so I really would like to know if it's a waste of money or a decent amp for let's say 200 bucks. I'd like to use it with the Sennheiser HD650. Thanks for your replies!

 

[AdWiser]

for 200 bucks??? are you kiddin'? Go for it man!

both HD600 and HD650 here!

 

[gpalmer]

Sigh, did you really have to dredge up a two year old thread to ask that?