[muspo1]

I have to drive the hd600 and the fidelio x2hr so I always have to change the gain settings?

 

[Angel III]

You'll have to do it..

 

[Pharmaboy]

I have to drive the hd600 and the fidelio x2hr so I always have to change the gain settings?

If you're referring to the G109S, it's not necessarily true that you'd have to change the gain settings for those headphones.

• The X2HR is easy to drive--I have the OG X2s & they did very well on low gain of my G109A ("Anniversary" edition of the G109S);
• And at one time I had a loaner HD650 + owned a heavily modified HD650 (Jupiter Audio's JAR-650). Both are 300 ohom and both did very well on low gain.

Now, if you get into planar headphones, including any that are well known for being power hogs, you might be tempted to experiment with gain. I never was tempted because all my planars, including the least efficient/sensitive one, the ZMF Ori, sounded so good on low gain.

 

[muspo1]

If you're referring to the G109S, it's not necessarily true that you'd have to change the gain settings for those headphones.

• The X2HR is easy to drive--I have the OG X2s & they did very well on low gain of my G109A ("Anniversary" edition of the G109S);
• And at one time I had a loaner HD650 + owned a heavily modified HD650 (Jupiter Audio's JAR-650). Both are 300 ohom and both did very well on low gain.

Now, if you get into planar headphones, including any that are well known for being power hogs, you might be tempted to experiment with gain. I never was tempted because all my planars, including the least efficient/sensitive one, the ZMF Ori, sounded so good on low gain.

this news is good for me.
if i can use the hd600 and fidelio x2hr with the same settings on the g109s that's good.
because I'm disabled (infantile cerebral palsy) I can't always open the amplifier

 

[Pharmaboy]

this news is good for me.
if i can use the hd600 and fidelio x2hr with the same settings on the g109s that's good.
because I'm disabled (infantile cerebral palsy) I can't always open the amplifier

There are certain headphones that are legendary for bringing amplifiers to their knees: the Hifima Susvara & HE6/se + the big Abyss are the 3 I can think of, and there are surely others.

But if you don't dabble in extreme headphones like these -- specifically, extremely inefficient planar headphones -- the low setting on the G109S (and pretty much every other amp) should do just fine.

I have something like 9 amps here. Most have multiple gain settings. I've never bothered with increasing the gain on any of them, for any headphone. Just don't feel the need.

There is a low-level gain debate raging here and elsewhere about sonic improvements alleged to occur with higher gain settings. I can't really comment one way or the other. But both my systems in this office had issues with excessive gain from day-1 (not just on headphones--also on speakers), I couldn't afford to use higher gain settings, even if I thought it would sound better. Just trying higher gain setting would erase the "play" I have at low volumes on the amplifiers involved, so it's not worth it to try.

PS: I, too, avoid opening the cases of amps. I can do it, but don't enjoy it at all...

 

[muspo1]

the hd600 have an impedance of 300ohm and the fidelio x2hr only 30ohm
how is it possible to drive them with the same settings?

There are certain headphones that are legendary for bringing amplifiers to their knees: the Hifima Susvara & HE6/se + the big Abyss are the 3 I can think of, and there are surely others.

But if you don't dabble in extreme headphones like these -- specifically, extremely inefficient planar headphones -- the low setting on the G109S (and pretty much every other amp) should do just fine.

I have something like 9 amps here. Most have multiple gain settings. I've never bothered with increasing the gain on any of them, for any headphone. Just don't feel the need.

There is a low-level gain debate raging here and elsewhere about sonic improvements alleged to occur with higher gain settings. I can't really comment one way or the other. But both my systems in this office had issues with excessive gain from day-1 (not just on headphones--also on speakers), I couldn't afford to use higher gain settings, even if I thought it would sound better. Just trying higher gain setting would erase the "play" I have at low volumes on the amplifiers involved, so it's not worth it to try.

PS: I, too, avoid opening the cases of amps. I can do it, but don't enjoy it at all...

the hd600 have an impedance of 300ohm and the fidelio x2hr only 30ohm
how is it possible to drive them with the same settings?

 

[Pharmaboy]

the hd600 have an impedance of 300ohm and the fidelio x2hr only 30ohm
how is it possible to drive them with the same settings?

the hd600 have an impedance of 300ohm and the fidelio x2hr only 30ohm
how is it possible to drive them with the same settings?

Technically, I wasn't driving them with the same "settings," because there are 2 settings going on here:

1. Gain - the internal setting I didn't change; and
2. Volume - which I did change to suit each headphone (volume knob goes somewhat higher for the 300 ohm Senn vs the 30 ohm X2)

In my experience, two headphones w/identical sensitivity, but different impedance rating, will require somewhat different volume settings (higher for the higher impedance hp), but the difference usually isn't large. And that's what I found with these 2 headphones, which have similar sensitivity (100 dB/1W for X2s vs 102 dB/1W for the HD650).

The volume settings were not dramatically far apart. At least, not far enough to require a higher gain setting for the high impedance headphone. If my memory serves, I got a moderate listening level (not soft or loud, just medium) with a volume pot setting of ~9:30AM for my X2s vs ~11AM for the HD650.

 

[muspo1]

do you know the G103, are there many differences with the G109s?

 

[Pharmaboy]

do you know the G103, are there many differences with the G109s?

No idea. Never used the G103 or really looked into it.

Just read a couple reviews (one linked below). Can't compare these amps, but on paper it looks like the G103 is considerably smaller, somewhat less powerful, and would necessarily have a smaller power supply. I didn't check the manual but it's not likely the G103 has any internal/external gain settings. Finally, some user comments spoke of it running hot--really hot (if that matters).

The G109S is discontinued, so you can occasionally find it F.S. used ~$350-$450 in the U.S. The G103 MKII is current production and can be purchased for ~$299.00 (audio46 link below). Not sure what you would find in the EU for either...

https://majorhifi.com/lake-people-g103-s-mkii-headphone-amplifier-review/

https://audio46.com/products/lake-p...uUOnJT-yecaLPGz8cIDsPyjD0jjnN_psaAopTEALw_wcB