[Sam21]

the noise floor in this amp is simply amazing. even at high gain and the volume knob all the way up it is dead silent. I also have a Bifrost Uber, Killer combo and definitely better than fiio/audiogd .

 

[Roy Munson]

  the noise floor in this amp is simply amazing. even at high gain and the volume knob all the way up it is dead silent. I also have a Bifrost Uber, Killer combo and definitely better than fiio/audiogd .

Agreed on all accounts. I'm curious - how does the g109s compare to your o2?

 

[Benfica1]

Great amp that's let all my headphones shine on it. I've listened to a HD650, LCD 2f, HE400i and a Beyerdynamic T1 on it and they all sound great. Not an easy thing to do considering how different these all are and with different power needs.

 

[Sam21]

 
Agreed on all accounts. I'm curious - how does the g109s compare to your o2?

 
I think the most important difference is the power output:
 
 
 
O2:
 
 33  ohms  -------------------        613 mW
150 ohms  -------------------        355 mW
600 ohms --------------------         88 mW
 
------------------------------------------------------------------
 
G109:
 
 33  ohms  -------------------        1402 mW
240 ohms  -------------------        1207 mW
600 ohms --------------------         595 mW
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
 
this amp is quite a beast, can drive anything you throw at it and the noise floor is amazing too.

 

[headwhacker]

G109 doesn't break a sweat driving 99% of headphones. I think the only challenge is an HE-6.

 

[mochi01]

Has anyone had the opportunity to use one of these amps (G103S / G109S) with Philips Fidelio X1 / X2?. I also have a HD600, and while the HD600 may benefit from the high output power, I fear that it may be overkill for the Philips ones, these amps are even able to kill them at half power levels.
 
The main goal is to get the maximum sound quality with the Philips (I have the H600 covered with a tube amp), I've considered the O2 but I would prefer a more solidly built desktop amp that will last for years. The source will be a Cambridge Dacmagic Plus.
 
Thanks.

 

[DrMickey]

 
Very cool. I'm also using a bifrost uber for my dac. I'm not familiar with your amp but the lake people amp is a clear upgrade compared to my lyr. I'm really enjoying this amp. I just sold off some headphones. I'm currently using a fostex th600 and have an hd600 coming in on Monday.

Roy,
I think you made a great choice on the headphone amp (and so did I). My Lake People G109p is scheduled for delivery tomorrow, and I'll use KimberKable Hero interconnect cables to connect it to the pre-out of the NAD integrated amp and I will burn it in for a week or so.
I have to say that I am amazed by the sound of the Senn HD650 cans driven by the NAD integrated amp headphone jack, so I hope for even greater resolution, detail and clarity from the G109p.
The NAD drives a pair of PSB Alpha B1 speakers using Tara Time and Space with Return speaker cables for desktop nearfield listening, and I also have an NAD C545 BEE CD player that feeds the Schiit Bifrost via coax, but honestly I never use the CD player.

 

[DrMickey]

 
Roy,
I think you made a great choice on the headphone amp (and so did I). My Lake People G109p is scheduled for delivery tomorrow, and I'll use KimberKable Hero interconnect cables to connect it to the pre-out of the NAD integrated amp and I will burn it in for a week or so.
I have to say that I am amazed by the sound of the Senn HD650 cans driven by the NAD integrated amp headphone jack, so I hope for even greater resolution, detail and clarity from the G109p.
The NAD drives a pair of PSB Alpha B1 speakers using Tara Time and Space with Return speaker cables for desktop nearfield listening, and I also have an NAD C545 BEE CD player that feeds the Schiit Bifrost via coax, but honestly I never use the CD player.

Well sadly, my G109p was dead on arrival yesterday; no audio from either jack. So back it goes and I will have to rethink this whole headphone amp quest...

 

[Tuneslover]

 
Well sadly, my G109p was dead on arrival yesterday; no audio from either jack. So back it goes and I will have to rethink this whole headphone amp quest...

Wow that truly sucks!  Certainly whoever you bought it from will make it right.  Don't give up on the G109, it's a great amp.

 

[DrMickey]

  Wow that truly sucks!  Certainly whoever you bought it from will make it right.  Don't give up on the G109, it's a great amp.

So I took your advice and didn't give up. I disconnected then reconnected everything, and voila. It's working fine.
I need to mention that Arthur has been extremely helpful in resolving this, at a time when he was dealing with some issues of his own. Thank you, Arthur!

 

[Tuneslover]

So I took your advice and didn't give up. I disconnected then reconnected everything, and voila. It's working fine.
I need to mention that Arthur has been extremely helpful in resolving this, at a time when he was dealing with some issues of his own. Thank you, Arthur!

Awesome! Enjoy!

 

[Roy Munson]

 
So I took your advice and didn't give up. I disconnected then reconnected everything, and voila. It's working fine.
I need to mention that Arthur has been extremely helpful in resolving this, at a time when he was dealing with some issues of his own. Thank you, Arthur!

Glad you were able to get that resolved. How are you liking the amp?

 

[DrMickey]

 
Glad you were able to get that resolved. How are you liking the amp?

Roy, The G-109P is burning in and opening up nicely. I am using it with KimberKable Hero interconnects which are burning in along with the amp, but I know the sound signature of these cables (there isn't much of one) and I am very happy with the music I am hearing.
 
With the HD650s I am hearing deeper, more prominent bass--but not overpowering. Just never heard the extent and depth of the bass in some of my favorite headphone go-to songs. I will go inside and bump the jumper to +12 dB; as it is, the G-109P's volume control is up all the way and I could use just a bit more output, running my JRiver Media Center at 75% volume (-12.5 dB though the Schiit Bifrost Uber as default output device).
 
The midrange is smooth and rich without seeming colored or too forward; a nice step up from the NAD integrated amp headphone output. Very good spatial cues and soundstage (not much change from without the amp). Vocals and massed strings are just amazing, though; solo guitar sounds holographic!
 
Highs are crisp and detailed without any hint of splash. Triangles and timbales and wind chimes (yes, I am a geek) sound delicate but detailed without a "tinkly" lightness.
 
I also listened to a couple of CD's (it was TBT yesterday, after all) and wow! I haven't played a CD in a couple of years other than to rip, and this combo makes an enormous image and soundstage. I may be re-evaluating some of my CDs are a listening source...
 
So I love it so far. It's an excellent upgrade, built solidly and good-looking. It's a keeper.

 

[montanari]

did someone get the chance to compare the g109 with the soloist ?
i would like to feed my lcd3F with a less warm amp than the soloist
the source: chord hugo

 

[DrMickey]

Just received from AudioAdvisor my 2 meter Cardas Cross Cable for Sennheiser HD Series Headphones and the cable is burning in as well.
 
A number of folks on these fora have said don't bother; the Cardas doesn't sound any different from the stock HD650 cable. But out of the box (or actually, out of the Ziploc bag) I hear a couple of differences: a wider soundstage and more spatially-defined instruments. The other thing I am sure about is that the bass is tighter. I don't want to use the word "faster" because I have no idea what that means.
 
I have, in the past week, added a headphone amp, a pair of interconnects and a new headphone cable (total cost just over $1000.00) to my system. Should there be improvements? Hell, yeah!
 
Are there improvements? Absolutely! And at the end of all of this, the music I listen to sounds so much better. I hear things I have never heard before in songs I have played dozens--hundreds--of times. Definition, detail and voicing is far beyond what I have previously heard.
 
I highly recommend the Lake People G109P headphone amp and the Cardas Cross Cable, YMMV.