[Mfalcon]

They sound good.
I use mine as a preamp as well for my 2 channel speaker system as well. It's great, I thinks it's a great amp especially if you have numerous headphones. I have not found a headphone it pairs poorly with, and I don't find it to be a very colored amp. I think you will enjoy.

 

[JohnnyCakes]

  Thanks.   Just curious how the Sony's sound through it.
 
I am sure that the amount of power provided by the Moon is also overkill for the Utopia's however for how I want to use the Moon it seems like one of the best options available.  I needed one of the best headphone amplifiers which I could connect to the preamp of my 2 channel system so it is not simply an issue of the amount of power but the quality of it and the silence.  Hopefully I made the correct choice.

 
 
you did.  trust me.  you are going to be thrilled.
 
re: the Utopia and 430..... you're right, the Utopia doesn't need the amount of power the 430 is capable of providing.  HOWEVER, that doesn't mean it's a waste.  my Utopia opened up enormously when i took it from my Oppo HA-1 to to the 430, even tho technically the Oppo could drive it just fine.  

 

[draytonklammer]

You made a great decision. The Moon Neo 430HA is a delight to own.

 

[Mfalcon]

Talking Muffin is right, it is not a bad amp for anything I've heard including IEMs. I want to reiterate that. I would recommend this baby to anyone who uses multiple headphones with various power requirements and as a bonus could use it as a pre for their two channel like I do.
But if you are looking at the 430 HAD and you only have sensitive cans, you may be able to save some money, and get a cheaper amp like the 230.

 

[longbowbbs]

Talking Muffin is right, it is not a bad amp for anything I've heard including IEMs. I want to reiterate that. I would recommend this baby to anyone who uses multiple headphones with various power requirements and as a bonus could use it as a pre for their two channel like I do.
But if you are looking at the 430 HAD and you only have sensitive cans, you may be able to save some money, and get a cheaper amp like the 230.

This is why it is central to my reviewing. It is extremely capable for any headphone.

 

[buzzlulu]

A technical question while I await delivery of my new 430HA on Monday.
 
My original plan was to connect the Moon to my 2 channel system and make a connection to my Naim preamp - DIN out (on the Naim end) to RCA input on the Moon.  This will allow me to listen to my two Linn sources - LP12 and Klimax DS.
 
The Linn Klimax DS has two sets of outputs on the back panel - RCA and Balanced XLR's.  Currently it is connected to my Naim preamp from the RCA outputs.  I had the brainstorm of running a pair of balanced cables from the balanced XLR outputs on the Linn directly to the Moon balanced inputs - hooray fully balanced connection.
 
The problem becomes that if the RCA outputs on the Linn are connected then the XLR outputs convert from balanced to unbalanced - part of the design of the output stage of the Linn
 
 
QUESTION - a further explanation of balanced please.  I have read on these forums that true balanced operation requires not only that the headphone amplifier be capable of balanced operation but it ALSO must be fed a balanced signal - otherwise the resulting output to the headphones is not "true" balanced.
 
The 430HA is a true balanced amplifier.  Does it also require a balanced input via the XLR's on the back to output a balanced connection to the headphones OR can it accept an unbalanced input connection via the RCA's on the back panel - AND still be able to output a balanced connection to the headphones?

 

[Armaegis]

  QUESTION - a further explanation of balanced please.  I have read on these forums that true balanced operation requires not only that the headphone amplifier be capable of balanced operation but it ALSO must be fed a balanced signal - otherwise the resulting output to the headphones is not "true" balanced.
 
The 430HA is a true balanced amplifier.  Does it also require a balanced input via the XLR's on the back to output a balanced connection to the headphones OR can it accept an unbalanced input connection via the RCA's on the back panel - AND still be able to output a balanced connection to the headphones?

 
Sounds like the two outputs on the Linn are actually the same and it simply has a cross-coupled or bootstrapping circuit to shift the level when it detects an unbalanced connection.
 
The answer to your balanced question is a tricky one, because the answer changes depending on whether you're talking interconnects amping, and even within each there are a few ways to interpret each.
 
But regardless, I believe the Moon does convert single ended inputs to balanced for the output anyways so you'll be fine. From a purist point of view it'd be better to go fully balanced all the way so there's no converting happening anywhere, but from a practical standpoint it probably makes very little difference.

 

[buzzlulu]

Someone on the Linn forum actually suggested that I COMPLETELY bypass my Naim preamp and run a balanced cable from the back of my Linn DS directly to the balanced input of the Moon.  Even if it is no longer "balanced" from the Linn a direct connection like this eliminates all the extra "junk" i.e. going from
 
Linn player > interconnect cable > Naim preamp > interconnect cable > Moon
 
to
 
Linn player > interconnect > Moon
 
 
This actually makes quite a bit sense.  The only problem with this is that it eliminates the use of my vinyl and LP12.  
 
 
The nice thing about the Moon is the front panel switch which cycles through the inputs.  I can have a direct XLR interconnect from the Digital player into the balanced input on the Moon -  and a second interconnect i.e.  RCA coming from the preamp to the Moon for use with the turntable.

 

[buzzlulu]

i got my new FOTB Neo in October (2016) straight from SimAudio and it's 1.8

I have the HA (sans DAC) which arrived on Monday. Firmware is 1.19 so significantly different. I would think the HA models have different firmware from the HAD models

 

[JohnnyCakes]

I have the HA (sans DAC) which arrived on Monday. Firmware is 1.19 so significantly different. I would think the HA models have different firmware from the HAD models

 
 
well?  have you tasted it yet?  or letting it burn-in first?

 

[buzzlulu]

Yes I did take a bite!
Cold out of the truck it was fairly impressive- burn in? What burn in?

Day 2 - blah. Just like my Naim gear - great from cold and then blah again.

Today Ok not so bad.

Initially powered up on Monday so I guess by the end of next week i should be good to go.

How much is the improvement - does it become a completely different animal???

 

[Mortalcoil]

Yes I did take a bite!
Cold out of the truck it was fairly impressive- burn in? What burn in?

Day 2 - blah. Just like my Naim gear - great from cold and then blah again.

Today Ok not so bad.

Initially powered up on Monday so I guess by the end of next week i should be good to go.

How much is the improvement - does it become a completely different animal???

Some say 300+ hours, personally, I noticed changes at or around the 100-hour mark.  It mellows overall,  but not in a sloppy, syrupy way.  Enjoy it !  

 

[buzzlulu]

Hey Mortalcoil

Naim DAC and also a Lavry!

Sure you are not a veteran of the DAC wars on the Naim forum??


I'm a longtime Naim 2 channel veteran

 

[JohnnyCakes]

How much is the improvement - does it become a completely different animal???

 
 
not a completely different animal.... but a definitely noticeable increase in enjoyment.  
 
my opinion is that it starts a bit shy and aloof.  the performance was there but it didn't have much personality.  
 
i don't know about a particular hour cut-off, i just know the longer you use it, the better it gets.  most importantly, it gets very MUSICAL.  whereas i wouldn't use that word to describe it straight out of the box.  it's as if it lets its guard down and starts showing personality.  the sound changes from dry to lush and juicy.  and at its peak, nothing rattles the 430.  nothing.  you can throw the most complex music at it that would have other amps panicking, and the Moon just takes it in and effortlessly presents it to you.  you can almost hear it ask "anything else i can get you?".  
 
it's just never overwhelmed.  everything is easy.  it is gloriously over-engineered for its raison d'être.  you got high-impedance LCD'4s?  okay.  oh and you want it real loud?  no problem.  oh and it's a 30-piece orchestra?  that's cool.  what else can i get you?  
 

 

[theorist]

   
 
not a completely different animal.... but a definitely noticeable increase in enjoyment.  
 
my opinion is that it starts a bit shy and aloof.  the performance was there but it didn't have much personality.  
 
i don't know about a particular hour cut-off, i just know the longer you use it, the better it gets.  most importantly, it gets very MUSICAL.  whereas i wouldn't use that word to describe it straight out of the box.  it's as if it lets its guard down and starts showing personality.  the sound changes from dry to lush and juicy.  and at its peak, nothing rattles the 430.  nothing.  you can throw the most complex music at it that would have other amps panicking, and the Moon just takes it in and effortlessly presents it to you.  you can almost hear it ask "anything else i can get you?".  
 
it's just never overwhelmed.  everything is easy.  it is gloriously over-engineered for its raison d'être.  you got high-impedance LCD'4s?  okay.  oh and you want it real loud?  no problem.  oh and it's a 30-piece orchestra?  that's cool.  what else can i get you?  
 

Nicely stated! I agree totally!
 
With burn-in of the 430HA, like many things, the the Pareto's 80:20 rule applies. You get 80% of the potential with 20% of the burn-in, but in actuallity the total burn-in period of the 430HA probably takes longer than the stated 300 hours, with 98-99% of potential around the stated 300 hours (which indeed sounds great), with slight further inprovement still occuring for some time after that.