[trollchu]

With this track that has several instances of long sustained basslines and a very heavy load like the HE-6, the THR-1 can be forced to cut out at about 3 o'clock on the dial. It can be replicated consistently, so I also believe it's a Class AB amplifier and not fully Class A.

 

[cottaudio]

Hey hey hey, just trawled through the thread and I'm curious about something.
If the output impedance is so high, 100ohm and 50ohm depending on which output, are there not impedance matching problems with say a 24/32ohm headphone?

 

[evhvis]

Hey hey hey, just trawled through the thread and I'm curious about something.
If the output impedance is so high, 100ohm and 50ohm depending on which output, are there not impedance matching problems with say a 24/32ohm headphone?

Depends on the headphone. If you have a fairly flat impedance then you will most likely stay within +/- 1db of frequency response changes. Headphones that have large peaks or dips in impedance will have lots of changes to the frequency response. E.g. focal headphones are not a good match with the THR-1 due to their large impedance peak in the bass. If you know the impedance curve then you can do the math to find out approx. change in frequency response.

 

[Fliggopolis]

Just heard about this amp, but I’m really starting to consider it for my newly acquired Susvara. Not really interested in dropping multiple thousands right now on an amp after shelling out for the Sus and this seems like one of few options in the price bracket that brings enough power to the table.

 

[Sayed2020]

It’s a very good pairing with the LCD-3

 

[haasaaroni]

It’s a very good pairing with the LCD-3

That’s a headphone I’ve been wanting to try out. Fazor or pre-fazor?

 

[Sayed2020]

That’s a headphone I’ve been wanting to try out. Fazor or pre-fazor?

Fazor

 

[Sayed2020]

With this track that has several instances of long sustained basslines and a very heavy load like the HE-6, the THR-1 can be forced to cut out at about 3 o'clock on the dial. It can be replicated consistently, so I also believe it's a Class AB amplifier and not fully Class A.

Was your THR-1 connected to a mains power extension strip/block?
I had a cut out once but my THR-1 was hooked up to a strip. After connecting it directly to the wall socket, that never happened again (I'll assume the THR-1 doesn't like current being shared).

 

[Pharmaboy]

That’s a headphone I’ve been wanting to try out. Fazor or pre-fazor?

I had a pre-fazor LCD-3 for a couple years. That HP had maybe the loveliest tonality/voicing for classical music that I ever heard. Really a gorgeous sound. I remember being absolutely floored by big masses of Bach & Beethoven on that LCD-3...

Unfortunately, it couldn't handle the dynamics and pulse of electric/electronic music. It just couldn't "answer the bell" as they say in boxing. But for classical and choral music of any kind, lovely sound.

I heard a fazor LCD-3 at some length (weeks) IMS 4-5 years ago. It was a better all-rounder than the pf LCD-3, but the tone wasn't as lovely. I also heard occasional "treble screwery from the fazor. Hard to explain, just an unwanted low level things w/certain recordings. So I'm not a fan of fazor, despite the greater accuracy/detail it brings the driver in question.

 

[Sayed2020]

I had a pre-fazor LCD-3 for a couple years. That HP had maybe the loveliest tonality/voicing for classical music that I ever heard. Really a gorgeous sound. I remember being absolutely floored by big masses of Bach & Beethoven on that LCD-3...

Unfortunately, it couldn't handle the dynamics and pulse of electric/electronic music. It just couldn't "answer the bell" as they say in boxing. But for classical and choral music of any kind, lovely sound.

I heard a fazor LCD-3 at some length (weeks) IMS 4-5 years ago. It was a better all-rounder than the pf LCD-3, but the tone wasn't as lovely. I also heard occasional "treble screwery from the fazor. Hard to explain, just an unwanted low level things w/certain recordings. So I'm not a fan of fazor, despite the greater accuracy/detail it brings the driver in question.

I too had a pre-Fazor LCD-3, it was my favourite headphone for a while. Really nice mids & timbre but from memory, I don’t think it would be a great pairing with the THR-1.
All I can say is, my LCD-3 on the THR-1 does not leave me wanting more sonically. I just end up listening to more music, which is what it’s all about.
Happy days.

 

[trollchu]

Was your THR-1 connected to a mains power extension strip/block?
I had a cut out once but my THR-1 was hooked up to a strip. After connecting it directly to the wall socket, that never happened again (I'll assume the THR-1 doesn't like current being shared).

It is connected to an extension strip.

I mentioned that because at least from what I've seen, Class A and Class AB amplifiers don't respond the same under stress. With Class A designs there might be slight distortions or inconsistencies in response to changing volume, but it will never cut out; Class AB will perform consistently, possibly with limited responses to changes in volume, until it can't perform and temporarily cuts out. I probably should have worded it better the first time, but the argument I intended to make was that from what I've seen, the THR-1 does not perform like Class A under stress, it responds like Class AB.

 

[arijitroy2]

Shameless plug!!

I'm selling my almost new THR-1 for 750 EUR if anyone's interested. Its in black color and I'll throw the new unused rca attenuators for free

 

[TheR0v3r]

Thanks for putting some thought into this.

First, anyone who lays hands on the THR-1 will discover that not only is it crazy-powerful; but it also had noticeable channel mistracking below ~8:30 to 9:00 on the dial. So IMHO, use of a second volume pot somewhere else in the system is a necessity. If my main system's DAC had a volume pot I'd be doing the happy dance (but it doesn't). So it's down to the PVC or something else like it.

I don't believe the THR-1 poses an overload risk to the PVC, if the PVC is wired downstream of the THR-1. I say that because the PVC, like any volume pot, can "zero out" and, in effect, pass no voltage from the THR-1 to any electrical loads downstream of it.

Of course, if I pinned the THR-1's volume pot to maximum rotation, all I would accomplish is severely curtailing how much of the downstream PVC's volume pot can be safely rotated w/o blowing up downstream loads. I would also almost certainly increase the distortion coming out of the THR-1.

My system DAC has 3.0 volts output, 50% higher than the nominal 2.0 volt output standard for single-ended DACs. That means everything gets even more challenging when I take the PVC + THR-1 out of the burn-in system, where the DAC's output is 1.9 volts. Again, unless I'm maxing either of these devices volume pots, no real overload danger is likely: it's more about choosing which device to stay at steady state vs which one gets to rotate the volume pot.

(see how confusing this gets?)

At the moment I'm testing the THR-1 at fixed volume (~10:30 on dial of its volume pot) w/the PVC's volume pot doing all the rotating. I'm interested to see if the THR-1 will heat up or anything else.

BTW, all this focus on volume pots shouldn't obscure the fact that this amp is a MONSTER--not just in power, but also in sound quality. I can't do for real testing of sonics until I get it in the main system--but so far in the burn-in system w/~150 hrs on it, the THR-1 sounds rather amazing. The bass in particular is nuts...

My DAC outputs 1.5v on rca (similar to your burn-in system). Will the volume pot work?

Appreciate all input

 

[Pharmaboy]

(shameless self-promotion)

I have my THR-1 up F.S. here:
https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/kinki-studio-vision-thr-1-amplifier-in-mint-condition.31783/

 

[Pharmaboy]

My DAC outputs 1.5v on rca (similar to your burn-in system). Will the volume pot work?

Appreciate all input

Just noticed this post.

Yes, your volume pot on the THR-1 will absolutely work. You have exactly 50% of the voltage coming into the THR-1 that I do (3.0 volts). So your system facilitates the THR-1 in a way mine does not.