KAEI TAP-1 Portable Hybrid Balance Headphone Amp
Mar 15, 2022 at 4:09 PM Post #151 of 337
For sure, but at least that is easier than having to change a lot of other things in order to run at higher voltage rails.

It would be nice to know what the PSU is running at, and customize a battery packs that can run at similar voltages and take advantage of high voltage swing from battery by itself.

I'm curious about what you're driving, that would require more than the 1.5-W/ch @ 32-Ω, provided by the battery power?
 
Mar 15, 2022 at 4:14 PM Post #152 of 337
I'm curious about what you're driving, that would require more than the 1.5-W/ch @ 32-Ω, provided by the battery power?
It is not just the Wattage alone. I don’t want to have too much LDO and boost from 3.8V. For example, at 1.5W@32, the voltage swing is about 7V. I rather have the power rails to run directly and off from 7.4 batteries directly +/-. Similarly to the Cayin C9 is running.

Though I would like to drive HD800S :)
 
Mar 15, 2022 at 4:19 PM Post #153 of 337
It is not just the Wattage alone. I don’t want to have too much LDO and boost from 3.8V. For example, at 1.5W@32, the voltage swing is about 7V. I rather have the power rails to run directly and off from 7.4 batteries directly +/-. Similarly to the Cayin C9 is running.

Though I would like to drive HD800S :)

Ah, you're wanting to convert a $366 amp into a $2000 amp... :ksc75smile:
 
Apr 20, 2022 at 4:45 PM Post #154 of 337

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May 2, 2022 at 11:23 AM Post #157 of 337
I got the KAEI Tap-1s with a PSU of 220V. Listening to it for a week paired to RME ADI-2 DAC FS.
I am highly impressed by its tube and solid modes. It is a Beauty & a Beast. I am still rolling iems and headphones but might do a review if an interest from the forum.
 
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May 2, 2022 at 1:14 PM Post #158 of 337
I got the KAEI Tap-1s with a PSU of 220V. Listening to it for a week paired to RME ADI-2 DAC FS for a week.
I am highly impressed by its tube and solid modes. It is a Beauty & a Beast. I am still rolling iems and headphones but might do a review if an interest from the forum.
Yes. Please do a review !!
 
May 23, 2022 at 10:34 AM Post #159 of 337
KAEI TAP-1s Portable Desktop Full Balanced Headphone Tube Amp
https://www.linsoul.com/products/wishcolor-kaei-tap-1s?variant=42342154272985

FACTS:
- Portable and desktop dual Mode; 3.5mm/4.4mm Balanced Input and Output; Air Bag Shock Absorption Technology; Up to 4900MW Output Power, Perfect for Headphone; Non-inductive resistors for American RA, resistors for Vishay, resistors for Philips, capacitors for WIMA, and other components from Omron, Philips, Siemens, etc; 2 op amps, MUSES02; can also replace dual op amp; 2 4-layer PCB boards. The headphone amplifier and the power supply are separated from each other to effectively reduce the interference of the power supply on the same board.
- Portable mode: In its battery mode, it can last about 10 hours. The battery capacity 4900 mah; can support ordinary USB or power bank charging, and supports QC3.0, and PD protocols for fast charging.
- Desktop mode: Can be used with an independent linear power supply, it can form a standard desktop amp. Power supply 4 sets of voltage output, external rectified and stabilized voltage directly supplied to the headphone amplifier, completely bypassing the power supply of the headphone amplifier. PSU supplied for additional cost at 110v or 220v.
- Cost: $365 for TAP-1s plus PSU-1 220v

Shortly about me:
I am in the hobby from 30 years. First 15 I was biased to wooden iems and loved my Sennheiser IE80 and IE800, and VSonic GR07 Classic. In the last 10 years I got active with iem collection and made a decent one ~100 – I love the Blessing 2 Dusk, ThieAudio V3, Sony XBAs and my flagships Sony IER-Z1R and UM MEST v1. The Sennheiser IE800 and IE80 remained in my ‘bag of fame’.
The last three years, with start of C19 crazy situation, I switch to headphones and went a long way to from Koss KSC75 and PortaPro, through Fostex T50R modding to Focals, ZMF, Sennheiser, Sony, Stax flagships, more on my beloved down in the story about the TAP-1s.
I also build a small collection of dacs and amps being fond of my Burson Soloist 3X P, Ares II, RME ADI-2 Dac FS and the STAX SRM-007t Mjolnir.
In the beginning I was focused on clarity and details, now I am into timber, soundstage, balance and fidelity.

Tap-1s - 1.jpg


Why I got the TAP-1s:
I love my Burson Soloist 3X P – it is a beast and a beauty in one metal box for me. I consider it to be one of my best purchases, together with the ARES II and the CocktailAudio N15D, and all my system goes around it. The ARES II, the RME and others had to pair perfectly with it since I wanted the Soloist for my beloved headphones – Sundara, Aria, HD800s, Fostex T50rp Modhouse v2 and 60rp Modhouse; and those that I plan to buy. So I wanted something smaller portable but good for desk that works well with the RME ADI-2 FS; and something a bit different that can complement the EQ, filters and cross-feed tunings that I am doing to amuse myself and enjoy.

The Tap-1s seemed quite a versatile option for me. And it had tubes and and Muses02 that I do not have. The fact that I could have a home setup with the power supply and than be able to take it with me, on a trip with the RME, seemed perfect for me. I got it from Linsoul and a huge shout out to them – when ordering I forgot to order the PSU and wrote to them, they handled everything perfectly and the Tap-1s arrived in perfect shape to me with the PSU 220V.

The Devices and the package:
The devices are not very small and are designed for desk – some buttons are on the back so it should be at one hand distance from you. The only real ‘issue’ for me is that, when the input cable comes in and the headphones cable is plugged, the volume dial is a bit, really a bit, difficult to manage. The cases of the devices are solid and robust like small bricks. All cables, power, 3.5mm and 4.4mm are available and of very decent quality. No complaints here.

The Sound reproduction:
I delayed my review with two weeks vs what I planned since the Tap-1s surprised me – I didn’t expect so high level of performance and enjoyment. The solid state is OK but nothing special, but still above average for a $150 amp but the Tube mode surprised me well enough. One big notice - the Tap-1s shines to full extend when works with the PSU and in a tube mode.
The sound reproduction is far better for me from that of B4-X and some SMSL Tube amps that I had or tested – these were very colorful and low fidelity for me. With the Tap-1s I have the enough warmth and the slight coloration and the euphoric in the mid-bass, mids, vocals, and the treble, that is just as needed for me. Meanwhile I am feeling I am not losing technicalities and the fidelity – if I know the song, I do not miss anything important, meanwhile having a slightly relaxed and different presentation. The music reproduction is effortless, fluent, without any harshness and sibilance and is very musical and capturing.
The details below are summary of the following set-up: FLAC and WAV files from ZEN Stream or CocktailAudio N15D -> RME ADI-2 DAC FS -> Tap-1s powered by PSU 220V. The library I predominantly used is Pink Floyd / The Division Bell, Adele / 30, Ennio Morricone / Once Upon a Time in the West, Metallica & San Francisco Symphony: S&M2, Moby / Reprise, Fourplay / The Best 1997 and Let’s Touch the Sky, U2 / The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum (1986–1990) and Zooropa.

Bass: Bass is well extended with obvious emphasis on mid-bass, but in a balanced way that make the reproduction tight and punchy. Texture is very good and bass headphones like the CAL! SE, DT770 pro, Denon AH-5200, Focal Radiance, Sony Z7M2 really show their value in the bass without getting tiring or too colorful. Sometimes, I wish to have a bit more sub-bass, a bit more, and could easily provide that with the RME.

Mids: The mids are the focus of the Tap-1s. Everything is well textured and full of body. The mids are not too forward but really attract the attention. The lower mids are slightly emphasized. Sometimes they feel a bit lush but nicely contoured with depth without being flamboyant and over colored. I never felt I need a correction in the mids from the RME because of a quality of record, singing artists or the headphones. The headphones that shine on the mids for me with the Taps-1s are Fostex T60rp Moudhouse, ZMF Eikon, Focal Clear, Focal Elegia, DT1990 pro.

Treble: Firstly, treble is not rolled-off, just slightly recessed, even more sometimes I feel like that it is not recessed just the Tap-1s in Tube mode is flattening the peaks and the harshness from the music, the dac or the headphones. Nothing and never is harsh to me with the Tap-1s in Tube. When I missed sparkle, I could give it with 2-3 dB from the RME. Also, the tubes have somehow a more obvious effects in the mids and the treble – this is where you get the slight coloring, euphoric notes. The treble is on par with the bass and its presence is really capturing, not that much like the mids and vocals, but enough to feel the benefit of the tubes of Tap-1s. The headphones that really fit when you focus on treble are Sony MDR-7510, DT770/880/1990 pro, Fostex T50rp Modhouse v2, Sundara, Arya v2, HD800s. The Beyerdynamics, Hifimans and the HD800S were having not harshness while still keeping their sparkle and details in the top end.

Technicalities:
Background:
The background is clearly black. It is not black like when using the amp of the RME (just have in mind that this is really high bar to beat) but better than that of Douk Audio U3 mods or the Mytek Liberty DAC. Also no hiss even with sensitive iems like ThieAudio V3 or FiiOs.
Separation: Separation is decent, especially with the PSU power. Reproduction is not crumped, there is enough clarity and separation, notes and layers are well defined and present.
3D and Sound stage: I will dare to say that the Tap-1s amp capabilities are beating that of the RME amp – the Tap-1s manages to keep the with of the RME amplification module but adds holographic effects, creates better depth of the stage, and adds some airiness in certain vocals and the top end. This was one of the big surprises to me – for the first time I was feeling that the tubes are not adding just coloring but depth of the stage and realism, vinyl sound.
Timber: If you go up and re-read the headphones you will find many that are often mentioned for metallic timber in parts of the FR or harshness in the treble. Tap-1s kills that – no metallic timber. Vocals are natural, full of realism, especially male ones. For vocals – sometimes I feel how deep from the throat of the singer the sound comes, how it is deliberately extended in concerts or echoes in the hall. Drums, guitars, violins, piano – all sound like live and natural. If I speak fairly sometimes I feel like I am listening to a slightly drier Ares II – probably this is an absurd comparison, but I always wanted to combine the EQ functionalities of the RME with my ARES II and now I think a have it >90%.
Tap-1s - 2.jpg


Closing words:
According to me, the KAEI Tap-1s with PSU fully deserves its price – it is solid, portable and desk usable, it gives me the tube sound i wanted, it pairs well with huge number of headphones and the RME ADI-2 DAC FS and that makes it a great deal for me. Well, it is not comparable to the Burson Soloist 3X P but it competes with the amp module of the Mytek Liberty DAC and of the RME and is different from the ZEN Dac v2 and the amp module in the CocktailAudio N15D. It is warm but less warm than the amp module of the Mytek Liberty DAC and slightly warmer that that of the ZEN DAC v2. And it is small and funky.

Some words on Tap-1s and iems:
Very shortly my experience, so far, with some benchmark iems and the Tap-1s: TIN T2 & T3 – adds warmth, bass, texture; Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk – increases holographic reproduction, technicalities stay; Sennheiser IE800 – improves the mids and vocals significantly; 7hz Timeless – kills sibilance and increases 3D; Sennheiser IE80 – OMG, what staging and airiness; ThieAudio V3 – musically at top level, bliss; Sony IER-Z1R – cannot describe that, master pairing for bass and soundstage; UM Mest v1 – I cannot describe the enjoyment. The only poor pairing so far – Drop + JVC HA-FDX1 - sounding dull.
 
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May 23, 2022 at 11:36 AM Post #160 of 337
Anyone knows what's the difference btw TAP-1 vs TAP-1S?
 
May 23, 2022 at 4:02 PM Post #161 of 337
Anyone knows what's the difference btw TAP-1 vs TAP-1S?
I haven’t figured that out yet. From pictures they look identical as are the specs I think.
 
May 27, 2022 at 10:05 PM Post #163 of 337
Hi everyone,

Zeos just posted a rather favorable review of the KEIH TAP-1s on YouTube. Here is the link in case any of you all are interested:



I wonder, what is the difference between the TAP-1 and the TAP-1s. Does anyone have a clue?

It would be nice to know what tubes are in the KAEI TAP-1s and/or in the TAP-1.

It would be even nicer if an owner who is an EE or who is very experienced with electronics could measure the voltages across the tube heaters, the cathode, the anode, the grid voltages, and possibly separately the screen, and post results of these measurements.

I ask the above questions since, as others have commented, this thread hasn't had much activity. Perhaps one reason is that people know that tubes burn out, and perhaps that the tubes in this device definitely are not easily user replaceable? The owner obviously would need to have very good soldering skills.

Given the very small size of all of the WIMA caps, it is quite clear that these tubes are being operated at very low voltages in comparison to normal operating voltages. This is entirely fine since the tubes are merely being used for signal processing and not for amplification. This type of design has been seen many times in inexpensive hybrid tube amp products.

The key for the tube longevity in the KAEI TAP-1s absolutely will be the heater voltages since all other tube voltages clearly will be much lower than the tube's designed or nominal operating voltages. Thus, the only failure point realistically are the tube heaters. For example, I have measured one inexpensive tube headphone preamp which runs the tube heaters at a remarkably low 5.4v instead of the nominal 6.3v for the tube heaters, such that the tubes in this particular headphone preamp potentially should last for years due to the 16% lower heater voltage.

I will only consider purchasing the KAEI TAP=1s if the tube heaters are being operated at significantly below the nominal tube heater voltages since I do not want to buy a throw-away product which goes bad after only 2 or 3 years.

Best Regards,

--GTP
 
May 28, 2022 at 3:42 AM Post #164 of 337
Hi everyone,

Zeos just posted a rather favorable review of the KEIH TAP-1s on YouTube. Here is the link in case any of you all are interested:



I wonder, what is the difference between the TAP-1 and the TAP-1s. Does anyone have a clue?

It would be nice to know what tubes are in the KAEI TAP-1s and/or in the TAP-1.

It would be even nicer if an owner who is an EE or who is very experienced with electronics could measure the voltages across the tube heaters, the cathode, the anode, the grid voltages, and possibly separately the screen, and post results of these measurements.

I ask the above questions since, as others have commented, this thread hasn't had much activity. Perhaps one reason is that people know that tubes burn out, and perhaps that the tubes in this device definitely are not easily user replaceable? The owner obviously would need to have very good soldering skills.

Given the very small size of all of the WIMA caps, it is quite clear that these tubes are being operated at very low voltages in comparison to normal operating voltages. This is entirely fine since the tubes are merely being used for signal processing and not for amplification. This type of design has been seen many times in inexpensive hybrid tube amp products.

The key for the tube longevity in the KAEI TAP-1s absolutely will be the heater voltages since all other tube voltages clearly will be much lower than the tube's designed or nominal operating voltages. Thus, the only failure point realistically are the tube heaters. For example, I have measured one inexpensive tube headphone preamp which runs the tube heaters at a remarkably low 5.4v instead of the nominal 6.3v for the tube heaters, such that the tubes in this particular headphone preamp potentially should last for years due to the 16% lower heater voltage.

I will only consider purchasing the KAEI TAP=1s if the tube heaters are being operated at significantly below the nominal tube heater voltages since I do not want to buy a throw-away product which goes bad after only 2 or 3 years.

Best Regards,

--GTP

Unfortunately, I do not have the expertise to do the measurements. What I may add is that when reading the the promo materials on the Tap-1s, I am 99% sure, I came across the info that these tubes have really a long life. Btw, for me these are ready to do the job after 10 min. And the devices gets just slightly warm even after 90 min. of use.
 
May 28, 2022 at 5:24 AM Post #165 of 337
Unfortunately, I do not have the expertise to do the measurements. What I may add is that when reading the the promo materials on the Tap-1s, I am 99% sure, I came across the info that these tubes have really a long life. Btw, for me these are ready to do the job after 10 min. And the devices gets just slightly warm even after 90 min. of use.

I have my KAEI TAP-1S sitting on-top of its power supply, and after being on from a Friday afternoon, all the way through to a Sunday evening (running in Tube mode) - it's warm, but not uncomfortable when placing my hand on the top of it.
.
For my other tube / hybrid amp (Loxjie P20) - before I put "tube risers" under the tubes, to lift them out of the case (for better cooling), the whole top of the case used to get almost too hot to place my hand on it. Now, the case just gets slightly warm (a bit warmer near the tube sockets).
 

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