[longbowbbs]

Several of us together could promote localized global warming...

 

[Dark Ayla]

Is there a difference in sound quality when it comes to the two 3 pin xlr compared to the one 4 pin xlr (both available on the Neo 430HA)? 

 

[Happy Camper]

I'd think the two 3 pin would be the better sound.

 

[longbowbbs]

All the engineers I talk to say there is no difference.

 

[TonyNewman]

Quick update on the 430HA. I have been running this amp 24/7 since I picked it up on Wednesday - now have around 100 hours on it.
 
The small amount of croaky harshness that was there out of the box has largely gone and the amp is opening up beautifully.
 
I am having trouble finding enough superlatives without sounding like some cheesy late night advertisement for second hand cars - perhaps the most helpful information is in comparison to my other amps - my Auralic Taurus and WA5. So a brief comparative spiel for both. I have more hours to put on the 430HA before it fully matures, so I will keep this brief.
 
vs Taurus.
The Taurus has XLR preamp outputs. That is the one and only advantage I can think of for the Taurus vs 430HA. In every other respect the 430HA stomps it. Sonically - better dynamics, more detail and a richer, more enjoyable musical experience. The gain dial will actually zero out on the 430HA (a minor irritant with the Taurus). The 430HA has a REMOTE (a not so minor irritant with the Taurus). HE6 on the Taurus is not good - flat and weak bass - the Taurus just isn't up to it. The 430HA drives it superbly well - at least as well as my WA5 via the K1K port, but with better dynamics, detail and stronger bass.
 
vs WA5.
Not really fair to compare to a tube amp perhaps, but I will anyway. The WA5 has that lovely tube sound that tube fanatics find so addictive. That, and only that, is the advantage the WA5 has over the 430HA. In every other respect the 430HA kills my WA5. Musicality finds me favoring the 430HA most of the time, and there is something very practical about solid state vs tubes.
 
As a preamp.
My 430HA spends more hours as a preamp feeding my Accuphase P-4200 power amp than as a headphone amp - and it does this superbly. The Simaudio preamp pedigree is showing through. The 430HA shares some technology and components with the Evo 740P - a very high end preamp. If you are after a high end headphone amp that cuts the mustard as a preamp as well, the 430HA should be very large on your shortlist. Only downside is that the preamp outputs are RCA only from the 430HA. This doesn't bother me, but it might bother other folks - so be aware.
 
Overall
This is a stunning amp. To get the best out of it really requires a "better than good" DAC, I think. It pairs wonderfully well with my Auralic Vega. I don't know how well the 430HA will scale with even better DACs - I would suspect very well, but I don't know. I do know the pairing with the Vega produces a sound that makes me seriously contemplate selling my tube gear and going mainstream SS. It's that good.
 
Here's the mildly scary part - my 430HA is not yet fully burned in and still has some improvements to come.
 
I have made some good and bad purchasing decisions in the past 2 years on my audiophile journey - the 430HA would be one of the best decisions I have made. If you are thinking about taking the plunge on the 430HA I can only give it a huge recommendation.

 

[Chris J]

All the engineers I talk to say there is no difference.

This one agrees!

 

[Dark Ayla]

Quick update on the 430HA. I have been running this amp 24/7 since I picked it up on Wednesday - now have around 100 hours on it.

The small amount of croaky harshness that was there out of the box has largely gone and the amp is opening up beautifully.

I am having trouble finding enough superlatives without sounding like some cheesy late night advertisement for second hand cars - perhaps the most helpful information is in comparison to my other amps - my Auralic Taurus and WA5. So a brief comparative spiel for both. I have more hours to put on the 430HA before it fully matures, so I will keep this brief.

vs Taurus.
The Taurus has XLR preamp outputs. That is the one and only advantage I can think of for the Taurus vs 430HA. In every other respect the 430HA stomps it. Sonically - better dynamics, more detail and a richer, more enjoyable musical experience. The gain dial will actually zero out on the 430HA (a minor irritant with the Taurus). The 430HA has a REMOTE (a not so minor irritant with the Taurus). HE6 on the Taurus is not good - flat and weak bass - the Taurus just isn't up to it. The 430HA drives it superbly well - at least as well as my WA5 via the K1K port, but with better dynamics, detail and stronger bass.

vs WA5.
Not really fair to compare to a tube amp perhaps, but I will anyway. The WA5 has that lovely tube sound that tube fanatics find so addictive. That, and only that, is the advantage the WA5 has over the 430HA. In every other respect the 430HA kills my WA5. Musicality finds me favoring the 430HA most of the time, and there is something very practical about solid state vs tubes.

As a preamp.
My 430HA spends more hours as a preamp feeding my Accuphase P-4200 power amp than as a headphone amp - and it does this superbly. The Simaudio preamp pedigree is showing through. The 430HA shares some technology and components with the Evo 740P - a very high end preamp. If you are after a high end headphone amp that cuts the mustard as a preamp as well, the 430HA should be very large on your shortlist. Only downside is that the preamp outputs are RCA only from the 430HA. This doesn't bother me, but it might bother other folks - so be aware.

Overall
This is a stunning amp. To get the best out of it really requires a "better than good" DAC, I think. It pairs wonderfully well with my Auralic Vega. I don't know how well the 430HA will scale with even better DACs - I would suspect very well, but I don't know. I do know the pairing with the Vega produces a sound that makes me seriously contemplate selling my tube gear and going mainstream SS. It's that good.

Here's the mildly scary part - my 430HA is not yet fully burned in and still has some improvements to come.

I have made some good and bad purchasing decisions in the past 2 years on my audiophile journey - the 430HA would be one of the best decisions I have made. If you are thinking about taking the plunge on the 430HA I can only give it a huge recommendation.

The fact that it has no balanced preamp has turned me off!
I never tried unbalaned and I am afraid that it affects the sound quality. What do u think?

Also the fact that u find it a little harsh before 100 hours, might be a problem!
The 430 has SAPRE DAC which is well known for being a non musical DAC (honest or bright). This might create a DAC Amp combo that is too bright.

 

[longbowbbs]

 

Quick update on the 430HA. I have been running this amp 24/7 since I picked it up on Wednesday - now have around 100 hours on it.

The small amount of croaky harshness that was there out of the box has largely gone and the amp is opening up beautifully.

I am having trouble finding enough superlatives without sounding like some cheesy late night advertisement for second hand cars - perhaps the most helpful information is in comparison to my other amps - my Auralic Taurus and WA5. So a brief comparative spiel for both. I have more hours to put on the 430HA before it fully matures, so I will keep this brief.

vs Taurus.
The Taurus has XLR preamp outputs. That is the one and only advantage I can think of for the Taurus vs 430HA. In every other respect the 430HA stomps it. Sonically - better dynamics, more detail and a richer, more enjoyable musical experience. The gain dial will actually zero out on the 430HA (a minor irritant with the Taurus). The 430HA has a REMOTE (a not so minor irritant with the Taurus). HE6 on the Taurus is not good - flat and weak bass - the Taurus just isn't up to it. The 430HA drives it superbly well - at least as well as my WA5 via the K1K port, but with better dynamics, detail and stronger bass.

vs WA5.
Not really fair to compare to a tube amp perhaps, but I will anyway. The WA5 has that lovely tube sound that tube fanatics find so addictive. That, and only that, is the advantage the WA5 has over the 430HA. In every other respect the 430HA kills my WA5. Musicality finds me favoring the 430HA most of the time, and there is something very practical about solid state vs tubes.

As a preamp.
My 430HA spends more hours as a preamp feeding my Accuphase P-4200 power amp than as a headphone amp - and it does this superbly. The Simaudio preamp pedigree is showing through. The 430HA shares some technology and components with the Evo 740P - a very high end preamp. If you are after a high end headphone amp that cuts the mustard as a preamp as well, the 430HA should be very large on your shortlist. Only downside is that the preamp outputs are RCA only from the 430HA. This doesn't bother me, but it might bother other folks - so be aware.

Overall
This is a stunning amp. To get the best out of it really requires a "better than good" DAC, I think. It pairs wonderfully well with my Auralic Vega. I don't know how well the 430HA will scale with even better DACs - I would suspect very well, but I don't know. I do know the pairing with the Vega produces a sound that makes me seriously contemplate selling my tube gear and going mainstream SS. It's that good.

Here's the mildly scary part - my 430HA is not yet fully burned in and still has some improvements to come.

I have made some good and bad purchasing decisions in the past 2 years on my audiophile journey - the 430HA would be one of the best decisions I have made. If you are thinking about taking the plunge on the 430HA I can only give it a huge recommendation.

The fact that it has no balanced preamp has turned me off!
I never tried unbalaned and I am afraid that it affects the sound quality. What do u think?

Also the fact that u find it a little harsh before 100 hours, might be a problem!
The 430 has SAPRE DAC which is well known for being a non musical DAC (honest or bright). This might create a DAC Amp combo that is too bright.

Simaudio was adamant about the 300 hour break in. Now that I have passed that point I concur that it does settle in beautifully. I have found the same need for some break in time to be useful for most every amp. 
 
As to the Single ended, many of the best amp/Preamps are run Single Ended. I was enjoying the Atma-Sphere room at RMAF. The Novacron amps were spectacular regardless of their being single ended. My Cary SLI-80 amp has gorgeous sound and is Single Ended. Balanced is not a panacea for great sound by itself.

 

[alinto]

The fact that it has no balanced preamp has turned me off!
I never tried unbalaned and I am afraid that it affects the sound quality. What do u think?

Also the fact that u find it a little harsh before 100 hours, might be a problem!
The 430 has SAPRE DAC which is well known for being a non musical DAC (honest or bright). This might create a DAC Amp combo that is too bright.

 
I have used both balanced and unbalanced systems before.  I have good results from both type of systems and the results depend mainly on the talents of the person designing the equipment.  I would think more people run unbalanced systems than balance systems.  Also the 430 out of the box sounded very good and was noticeably better than the bryston that i was using before.

 

[Golfnutz]

Yeah, I saw one at the Toronto Audio Show, the case is HUGE, LOL!

Did you listen to it Chris?
 
When I saw they only had the two Audeze headphones connected I was a little disappointed. I decided to listen anyway, and was completely surprised how good the setup sounded. It was probably my favorite headphone system at the show. I liked it better than the Woo 234/Abyss combination in the Woo Suite (not sure what was going on there, but I'm sure better tubes or source would have changed it).
 
The two guys at the booth were more interested in selling me after market cables than the 430HA.

 

[longbowbbs]

 

Yeah, I saw one at the Toronto Audio Show, the case is HUGE, LOL!

Did you listen to it Chris?
 
When I saw they only had the two Audeze headphones connected I was a little disappointed. I decided to listen anyway, and was completely surprised how good the setup sounded. It was probably my favorite headphone system at the show. I liked it better than the Woo 234/Abyss combination in the Woo Suite (not sure what was going on there, but I'm sure better tubes or source would have changed it).
 
The two guys at the booth were more interested in selling me after market cables than the 430HA.

It will take a bit before the rank and file at these main line companies recognize the value of their headphone lines.

 

[Chris J]

Did you listen to it Chris?

When I saw they only had the two Audeze headphones connected I was a little disappointed. I decided to listen anyway, and was completely surprised how good the setup sounded. It was probably my favorite headphone system at the show. I liked it better than the Woo 234/Abyss combination in the Woo Suite (not sure what was going on there, but I'm sure better tubes or source would have changed it).

The two guys at the booth were more interested in selling me after market cables than the 430HA.

Yes I did.
Unfortunately there was so much background noise that I really couldn't get a grip on the sound signature without turning the volume way up. This was in one of the hotel rooms.
I also had the same problem with the Bryston headphone amp in the Bryston room, the main system was loud enough to drown out the sound from the headphones.
Same story with the Chord Hugo.

OTOH, heard a pair of Grado RS-2e w/Grado headphone amp and a pair of LCD-3 w/McIntosh headphone amp in the headphone room.
The Grados were very fine for the price range, the LCD-3 were outstanding, very smooth, natural and detailed.

Where did you here the 430HA?

 

[Dark Ayla]

Did you listen to it Chris?

When I saw they only had the two Audeze headphones connected I was a little disappointed. I decided to listen anyway, and was completely surprised how good the setup sounded. It was probably my favorite headphone system at the show. I liked it better than the Woo 234/Abyss combination in the Woo Suite (not sure what was going on there, but I'm sure better tubes or source would have changed it).

The two guys at the booth were more interested in selling me after market cables than the 430HA.

This is funny
What cable were they trying to sell?

Why disappointed with having Audeze at the Neo's booth?

 

[metalboss]

Very interesting reading guys ... keep'em coming
 

 

 

[Golfnutz]

This is funny

What cable were they trying to sell?

Why disappointed with having Audeze at the Neo's booth?

I believe it was a Nordost booth (corner booth, wasn't in a room - or it was a very big room with many exhibits).
 
Would have been nice to hear more than one type of Headphone (they had 2 different model Audeze connected).
 
They were complaining because they wanted to have 2 identical headphones (one with stock cable and one with their cable so you could hear the difference), but both HP's had their cables.