[c34webb]

If the Hifiman HE adaptor is the golden key I think a Hypex speaker amp would be gold, no?

 

[BeardSplinter]

I don't have a huge understanding of electrical engineering but just throwing out the idea to stir up ideas regarding the amp debate.

Has anyone else considered an e-stat energizer for a use case such as the Tungsten? Is something like that if within tolerable voltage viable?
I understand most e-stat voltage is absurdly high, but I know some are adjustable such as the iFi Phantom.

 

[Dixter]

Well that’s certainly encouraging as heck. I’ve read about the hifiman HE adapter but as I recall the resistor created additional sonic issues. To say its sound signature is at Burson levels is getting me really jazzed about this solution. I’m assuming you have the 4.4 to xlr dongle because that’s on your dac/pre? Also you aren't seeing much improvement in power over the two monoblock solution because they only bridge the power at 2ohm loads otherwise it's just a single side powering each amplifier.

there isn't a dongle... its a BTR7 that is a battery operated wireless DAC that has USB/3.5/4.4 connection... I used the 4.4mm as that is the balanced output... in this case the amps use a 3 pin XLR input... so if you were to plan on a dedicated DAC then you would need to provide a cable from your DAC to the input of the Amps... besides 3 pin XLR you also have the option of just using RCA... I used 4.4mm because the BTR7 does not have RCA outs...

 

[Dixter]

If the Hifiman HE adaptor is the golden key I think a Hypex speaker amp would be gold, no?

I put the HE adapter on these particular amps because it was a simple solution... you could just place the shunt resistors at the output connectors of the amp and any banana to 4 pin XLR cable would be connected to a headphone to do the same with these particular amps...

 

[c34webb]

there isn't a dongle... its a BTR7 that is a battery operated wireless DAC that has USB/3.5/4.4 connection... I used the 4.4mm as that is the balanced output... in this case the amps use a 3 pin XLR input... so if you were to plan on a dedicated DAC then you would need to provide a cable from your DAC to the input of the Amps... besides 3 pin XLR you also have the option of just using RCA... I used 4.4mm because the BTR7 does not have RCA outs...

It was poorly worded on my part, I meant the 4.4 to XLR cable but I got it. Do you also own the Burson? Do you find more headroom on the new stack?

 

[Dixter]

I don't have a huge understanding of electrical engineering but just throwing out the idea to stir up ideas regarding the amp debate.

Has anyone else considered an e-stat energizer for a use case such as the Tungsten? Is something like that if within tolerable voltage viable?
I understand most e-stat voltage is absurdly high, but I know some are adjustable such as the iFi Phantom.

a e-stat energizer just puts a bias voltage to the headphone drivers... it would never work on a Tungsten.... different technology there...

 

[Dixter]

It was poorly worded on my part, I meant the 4.4 to XLR cable but I got it. Do you also own the Burson? Do you find more headroom on the new stack?

I have two bursons and like both very much for what they do and how they are designed and built.... the fosi setup I wrote about has more power and thus has more headroom... headroom on an amp is where the music your playing has passages in the song that go louder than your listening level, like a transient or a spike of energy like when a drum head is struck as an example.. you will know if your amp does not have any headroom because if you try to drive a hard to drive headphone you will get to a point with the volume knob where as you are adjusting the knob the SPL will get harder and harder for the drivers to scale and the amp has run out of juice... an example of a amp with lots of headroom is when you adjust the volume knob and the drivers will scale to the point where you will most likely hurt your hearing or hurt the headphone before you run out of volume control... I hope that I wrote that and its easy to understand...

 

[Dixter]

If the Hifiman HE adaptor is the golden key I think a Hypex speaker amp would be gold, no?

I'm not familiar with those amps... they might work and might not work..not for sure.... the amps in my write up are mentioned only because of the actual design layout. they are class D designed but the designer decided to leave the filter circuit out simply because it wouldn't be useful with a speaker with 4 ohm resistance... if you put a speaker on the amp with higher resistance it won't sound correctly... so all I'm doing is faking the amp out by hanging a shunt resistor at the outputs... the amp is happy and putting out nice clean power with very nice FR and other great specs.... once the amp is happy then just hang a headphone on behind the shunts... and with the HE adapter having the built in resistors to tame the power out then the setup works great... its a cheap solution for a nice set of headphones...

 

[damascato]

Don’t tell me we gonna have to start a Susvara-style amp hunt for the Tungsten…

It’s all fuss, don’t worry,

 

[streaml1ne]

I’m already invested in Schiit stuff. Switching to Hypsos wouldn’t make sense right now.

I also would like more reviews on this. Right now barely anyone got a Tungsten and review hype can be a problem. Don’t want to buy only to regret, especially on a 3k amp.

You will be fine with the Jotunheim 2 and/or Mjolnir 3. Pursue other options later as much as your level of "the gear acquisition disease" warrants.

 

[gc335]

Can someone here please share the dimensions of the hard case that the Tungsten comes in?

I can get this to you tonight if nobody else beats me to it.

 

[Knee Deep In Epoxy]

I can get this to you tonight if nobody else beats me to it.

Thank you

 

[gc335]

Weird question- Anyone here have a chance to try the Tungsten with Violetric V281 vs the V550 model? I'm considering possibly trying the V550 instead of the V281.. if anyone has any thoughts they'd like to share, I'd most appreciate it! It seems like the two units are not far off power-wise from one another...

Ok… I’m ABing right now. The 281 is a bit warmer. The 550 is more air in the treble and better detail. I’m using the SS Tungsten. Staging is pretty similar. One observation is that I’m at 12 o’clock on both amps and volume matched but the 550 is at 18db gain and only 6db on the 281. Both amps sound amazing with the tungsten. If you like a warmer signature, go with the 281. If you like the clean detail, go with the 550. I think it also depends on music quality. The 550 is more honest and will point out flaws in poorly recorded tracks.

 

[Slackaveli]

Ok… I’m ABing right now. The 281 is a bit warmer. The 550 is more air in the treble and better detail. I’m using the SS Tungsten. Staging is pretty similar. One observation is that I’m at 12 o’clock on both amps and volume matched but the 550 is at 18db gain and only 6db on the 281. Both amps sound amazing with the tungsten. If you like a warmer signature, go with the 281. If you like the clean detail, go with the 550. I think it also depends on music quality. The 550 is more honest and will point out flaws in poorly recorded tracks.

the 550 sounds amazing to me.

 

[XGeneX88]

Ok… I’m ABing right now. The 281 is a bit warmer. The 550 is more air in the treble and better detail. I’m using the SS Tungsten. Staging is pretty similar. One observation is that I’m at 12 o’clock on both amps and volume matched but the 550 is at 18db gain and only 6db on the 281. Both amps sound amazing with the tungsten. If you like a warmer signature, go with the 281. If you like the clean detail, go with the 550. I think it also depends on music quality. The 550 is more honest and will point out flaws in poorly recorded tracks.

Nice, I appreciate the followup. Unfortunately, I've decided to give up on the Tungsten for now. I don't think it's a "reasonably purchasable" product at this time and am probably going to try my luck with a HE1000SE or a DCA Expanse (and neither need a specialty amp like the Tungsten does). I do think I would probably lean toward the V281 in this comparison though.