[PinkFloyd]

Quote:

Originally posted by Vdubjunkie This does sound like the amp. When my wallet allows, I may be considering this seriously. A couple of questions. First, since I am in the US, does anybody know of a US dealer providing this amp, or is this something Hart put together? Secondly, am I nuts, or does it look like the price for simply the amp w/ encolsure and no ps is £108.99? Has this been reduced or what? At just over £200 for both amp and ps, that is not as intimidating as it was before.

The amp is only available via Williams Hart Electronics but they do supply the PSU for the US voltage. The Chiarra amp kit, by itself, is £108.99 and I believe it is only £92.75 if you buy it from outside the EEC as you are exempt from the 17.5% VAT.

The Andante PSU is £97.75 in the UK and would be £83.19 if bought outside the EEC so if you were to buy both the amp and PSU it would cost £175.94 ($281.83) if my calculations are correct

I haven't a clue what shipping would cost and you'd have to contact Williams Hart to enquire about the cost williamshart@classicfm.net

Pinkie

 

[Jupiter]

Quote:

Originally posted by bangraman There was also a German (?) two-box single-ended class A I spotted that seemed similar, although that looked even less of a kit.

That has to be the Borbely headphone amp, but it's available as a kit directly from Borbely or audiokits.com (US). I'm thinking about building the Borbely, but I don't know when that will be.

 

[RichardH]

Might it be worth ordering the Chiarra/Andante without enclosures if shipping to the States? - you could then stick both PSU and amp in one nice case, locally sourced.

 

[PinkFloyd]

Quote:

Originally posted by RichardH Might it be worth ordering the Chiarra/Andante without enclosures if shipping to the States? - you could then stick both PSU and amp in one nice case, locally sourced.

Sure would make a lot of sense as the cases are far from "exotic" but at least they come with the holes drilled in "exactly the right place... it would be ever so easy to drill slightly off centre and find that you end up messing your all in one case up. All it takes is one hole or one square cut out slightly off centre and that's you scuppered

Good idea though

Pinkie.

 

[RichardH]

That's very true. However, you could use panel mount phonos and drop wires down to the PCB, for instance, rather than those PCB mount ones. That would leave fewer holes to get in the right place.

 

[PinkFloyd]

Quote:

Originally posted by RichardH That's very true. However, you could use panel mount phonos and drop wires down to the PCB, for instance, rather than those PCB mount ones. That would leave fewer holes to get in the right place.

It uses high quality panel mount phonos. I was thinking more of the other holes and cut outs for components that mount onto the PCB. I'm sure Williams Hart would provide a template anyways

I'm going to house mine in a yew wood case (or maybe burr walnut) in the not too distant future so can use the aluminium cases as a template

Pinkie.

 

[wordsworth]

When my amp and power unit arrived the first thing I though was... hmm they would look nice in a wooden case... but then I realised that I am as crap at woodwork as I am at electronics

But in many ways I am glad the cases are great simply because it kept the cost of buying this amp way down and meant the money was spent on quality components instead.

Wordsworth

 

[PinkFloyd]

Quote:

Originally posted by wordsworth When my amp and power unit arrived the first thing I though was... hmm they would look nice in a wooden case... but then I realised that I am as crap at woodwork as I am at electronics But in many ways I am glad the cases are great simply because it kept the cost of buying this amp way down and meant the money was spent on quality components instead. Wordsworth

What about a perspex case? That would be great as you could see all the components through the case

The case, as it stands, looks ok though with a few coats of paint and the sound quality is first class which is the main thing

 

[wordsworth]

The innards look pretty good from the pictures I have seen. As most electronics equipment doesn't look fantastic (cable decoders etc) the Chiarra doesn't look out of place. maybe with time I will replace the case. But it is the sound that matters and that certainly is top notch.

Wordsworth

 

[Squalish]

Perspex is AFAICT just a brand name for acrylic, same as lucite and plexiglass.

It's a really fun substance to work with, very cheap and really easy to make a case out of with a dremel, heat gun, a few nuts and bolts, and possibly some kind of glue(I know there are several specialized options here, I just can't remember them).

 

[Vdubjunkie]

Quote:

Originally posted by Squalish Perspex is AFAICT just a brand name for acrylic, same as lucite and plexiglass.

Perspex is inexpensive? as compared to any other acrylic? I only ask because it was always my impression that acrylic in general was a bit on the expensive side.

 

[Squalish]

I'm not sure about the brand names, but IIRC 1/8" Home Depot acrylic sheeting in a 24"x36" form factor cost me something like $2-$5. It's been a long time and my memory sucks, so don't quote me on those numbers though. This was primarily for a computer case window. For more structurally sound building material(For making cases, as opposed to windows), 1/4" should be used, and it is somewhat more expensive, but I don't think it gets exorbitant until you get to 1/2"-1"or more thickness.

 

[PinkFloyd]

Oh well... that's around 500 hours of Music gone through the Chiara now and I've been auditioning lots of different op amps now the burn in is well and truly complete.

It's incredible how this amp responds to op amps, much the same as the way the X-Cans responded to valve changes but even more so with the Chiarra.

Op amp rolling has become the pastime of choice and I'm "still" not in a position to give a full review of this amp until I settle on an op amp that will remain firmly in place under the bonnet.

The AD 823 was awesome but then I thought the BB OPA2604 was better and then the OPA 2132... then back to the AD 823 and then the AD712... not forgetting the OPA 2227, OPA 2228, AD op297, NE5534.... argh!!!!!! when the hell / how the hell do you choose an op amp when they all sound fantastic but "fantastic" in a different way from each other.

I love the 2604's warmth, the AD823's amazing detailed yet laid back sound, the analytical sound of the AD712.... It's enough to drive you mad!

One thing I can say is that this amp categorically beats the pants off the modded X-Can V2 and a guy I've just sent a modded X-Can V2 to says the modded X-Can beats the pants off his Sugden Headmaster which he's put on e-bay today due to the X-Can trouncing it in all departments.

Now, if the Chiarra sounds better than the Sugden headmaster and the Modded X-Can I just wonder how it would compare head to head with some of the really exotic amps?

Have any of you guys bought one of these kits yet? I just "cannot" believe that acknowledgement of this amps abilities hasn't reached head-fi yet..... it's as if this amp doesn't exist!

There is so much mention of crappy DIY kits and run of the mill commercial offerings but hardly any recognition for one of the best headphone amps of all times designed by the legendary British designer "John Linsley Hood"

Come on you guys at £108 for the amp and £90 for the PSU kits it's the bargain of the century. Maybe if Hart electronics had put a price tag more inkeeping with the usual Hi-Fi rip off prices, say £600, it would have been discovered many years ago.

Don't be fooled by the price into thinking it can't be good as it's the best headphone amp in the sub £1000 bracket without a shadow of a doubt.

Pinkie.

 

[wordsworth]

I will have to review the amp when I have the time, though the comparison will be against the supermini 5 which is well cheaper, and the sostenuto-1 which is also a DAC and which few people have heard. If a UK meet happens and there is a power supply i will try to take the Chiara amp and hopefully compare it with some more well known amps.

Wordsworth

 

[buggalugs]

Don't forget to visit wnaudio.com if you are UK residents.
For a commensurate price as the Chiarra kit you get audiophile caps and resistors, top range chips and a mouth watering stepped attenuator - on paper this looks a much tastier package.
Oh and by the way how does the guy at Hart justify calling this a "single ended" amp when there is a dual op amp and dual supply at the centre of his kit? - perhaps it's the purist in me but it's not my understanding of single endedness.