[Superpong]

I currently use and enjoy listening my Cavalli Carbon X but I am looking for another amp with more power. Overall, is this THX AAA 789 better than Carbon X?

 

[eeagle]

I currently use and enjoy listening my Cavalli Carbon X but I am looking for another amp with more power. Overall, is this THX AAA 789 better than Carbon X?

Spec wise the 789 is better, but if you like the Cavalli sound I would stick with the Carbon. I run an AIRIST AUDIO R-2R DAC with my 789 to warm the sterile sound up to my liking. The 789 is great for hard to drive planar HP's and that is what I have plugged into it most of the time in balanced mode.

 

[yeboyi]

Spec wise the 789 is better, but if you like the Cavalli sound I would stick with the Carbon. I run an AIRIST AUDIO R-2R DAC with my 789 to warm the sterile sound up to my liking. The 789 is great for hard to drive planar HP's and that is what I have plugged into it most of the time in balanced mode.

This amp is really sterile i wonder why. I guess negative feedback is really harmful. Are there any good measuring amps with minimal negative feedback ? I know the Asgard 3 at high gain has low negative feedback but it's too loud for modern sensitive headphones.

 

[Superpong]

..... to warm the sterile sound up to my liking....

Would this mean that 789 is a bit bright?

 

[eeagle]

Would this mean that 789 is a bit bright?

No, not at all. Many describe it as an amplified wire, silent no noise or distortion, pretty much what goes in comes out louder.

 

[adeadcrab]

Been really enjoying the 789 + tube amp fed from preamp outs. Very warm, bassy tone but with the 789 speed and precision. The tube amp is a little bit better in terms of soundstage but I forget all that after a few days with the 789 again.

 

[havagr8da]

Been really enjoying the 789 + tube amp fed from preamp outs. Very warm, bassy tone but with the 789 speed and precision. The tube amp is a little bit better in terms of soundstage but I forget all that after a few days with the 789 again.

How about tube dac fed! I just love the 789 + tube dac. So much so that a wire with volume rings true. The 789 really lets the dac shine. Revealing every aspect of the dac, tubes, sound stage, and every other aspect the dac has to offer. I would say the 789 is a revealing amp. That is to say it will produce exactly what you put into it and truthfully reveal what you listen to it with.

A perfect combo (to my ears) is - Black Ice Audio FX Tube DAC_DSD WiFi (Psvane Series Mark II tubes) - Drop THX 789 - Grado RS1e with L-Cush pads (Moon Audio Black Dragon balanced cable.) I can not stop listening to this combo. Absolutely amazing! An end game system for me.

The thing with the Black Ice Dac is that there are no op amps. The Burr Brown dac chip is fed directly to the tube pre amp. This is an amazing DAC.

As far as the THX 789 goes. It has replaced my Lyr 3 for now in my favorite headphone rig. I really wanted to realize all the dac had to offer. That is where a wire with volume amp comes in to play. In reality I am listening to the dac and depending on the THX 789 to give me the best representation of it. The THX 789 gives me the option (power) to use all my headphones and discover that perfect match.

As far as perfect goes, there is that which I believe is as the artist intended, hence the reference headphones such as the Grado RS1e. But here is where this system for me plays out in it’s true end game form. Every headphone I use is the best it has ever sounded.

 

[havagr8da]

No, not at all. Many describe it as an amplified wire, silent no noise or distortion, pretty much what goes in comes out louder.

Absolutely! This is the reason this is a fantastic amp to have. THX!

 

[pbarach]

I just ordered one of these. I have a Marantz HD-DAC1, and I'm curious how the 789 will sound with the Marantz as its DAC. The Marantz is a nice unit, but its sound is a little too warm for my taste through its headphone jack, and I'm guessing that the warm sound is due to its amp rather than to its DAC, since there is no warm tendency when the DAC output is feeding my AVR and speakers. I usually listen with Focal Clears, but I also have HD600's.

 

[havagr8da]

I just ordered one of these. I have a Marantz HD-DAC1, and I'm curious how the 789 will sound with the Marantz as its DAC. The Marantz is a nice unit, but its sound is a little too warm for my taste through its headphone jack, and I'm guessing that the warm sound is due to its amp rather than to its DAC, since there is no warm tendency when the DAC output is feeding my AVR and speakers. I usually listen with Focal Clears, but I also have HD600's.

Believe me, surely one of the best purchases you have made. Congrats, this amp will reveal just what that dac is at it’s best. Again, one of the best volume on a wire amps out there. All this for a great price too. Smiles per dollar can’t be beat.

 

[touzeen]

I just got the 789 for my DT1990 and He-400i. Are there any precautions I need to take care of when using it with the Planer? For Ex: Can I switch gain on the fly? without getting the volume to 0? Can switching gain quickly damage the headphones?
I'm still on SE for the 400i,waiting for balanced cables. Gain II and 12 o' Clock is powering the 400i for satisfactory volume.

 

[pbarach]

My THX amp arrived today. Its source is the DAC in my Marantz HD-DAC1 (which is also a headphone amp). With Focal Clears, I am so far hearing little if any difference between these amps. I'll have time for more extensive listening tomorrow. I'll also see what differences show up with HD-600's, and I will also try the Clears with their balanced cable--although I don't expect any significant benefit to using it.

 

[pbarach]

I just got the 789 for my DT1990 and He-400i.

Which version of the HE-400i do you have? The original version had a backplate, and it sounded completely different from its successor, which had no backplate and had different connectors. That's the version I have, and I have never liked the distortion it adds to the midrange, especially evident on acoustic piano. Then there is the "2020 edition" HE-400i, which has a completely different build--haven't heard it.

 

[adeadcrab]

My THX amp arrived today. Its source is the DAC in my Marantz HD-DAC1 (which is also a headphone amp). With Focal Clears, I am so far hearing little if any difference between these amps. I'll have time for more extensive listening tomorrow. I'll also see what differences show up with HD-600's, and I will also try the Clears with their balanced cable--although I don't expect any significant benefit to using it.

If the Marantz has headphone + preamp / DAC out, the 789 will sound like the headphone out

 

[NA Blur]

Which version of the HE-400i do you have? The original version had a backplate, and it sounded completely different from its successor, which had no backplate and had different connectors. That's the version I have, and I have never liked the distortion it adds to the midrange, especially evident on acoustic piano. Then there is the "2020 edition" HE-400i, which has a completely different build--haven't heard it.

I own an older version of the 400i ( 3.5mm version ) as well as the 2020 version. I compared them both against each other on my THX AAA 789 and they sound the same as far as I can tell.