[Paladin79]

Thanks for the reply. Would you say the Teac on its own compares favourably in quality to the teac/Valhalla combo? Have you any experience of the Fostex Hp A4/A3 ?

I have not dealt with the Fostex. It may just be the quality of my hearing or lack there of but the Valhalla 2 with stock tubes sounds a lot like a solid state amp. Unless I roll the tubes I doubt if I could tell you if I was listening to one or the other by themselves. The Teac is quite clean and natural but it is an integrated unit and the amp section is probably only so good at that price. I really like the OPPO HA-1 but they are about $1100. I double checked EBAY and some folks sell the Teac new for $399 and there is a used one at auction you could probably grab for $250. I have Fostex headphones and the primes are based on them as well so I would think their Amp/dac is decent equipment as well.

 

[Babulilm]

I have not dealt with the Fostex. It may just be the quality of my hearing or lack there of but the Valhalla 2 with stock tubes sounds a lot like a solid state amp. Unless I roll the tubes I doubt if I could tell you if I was listening to one or the other by themselves. The Teac is quite clean and natural but it is an integrated unit and the amp section is probably only so good at that price. I really like the OPPO HA-1 but they are about $1100. I double checked EBAY and some folks sell the Teac new for $399 and there is a used one at auction you could probably grab for $250. I have Fostex headphones and the primes are based on them as well so I would think their Amp/dac is decent equipment as well.

Thanks a lot for your input. Highly appreciated.

 

[Paladin79]

Thanks a lot for your input. Highly appreciated.

Glad to help. You did a wise thing by coming to this thread since everyone here starts off with a familiarity with your headphones. They are excellent closed headphones IMHO and if you can get a decent DAC/Amp you have a great start on some quality listening for a reasonable price. I also use an OPPO HA-2 portable dac/amp with my primes and that for $300 is quite good as well if you decide one day to go portable.

 

[webstaa]

   I really like the OPPO HA-1 but they are about $1100. 

 
I have the HA-1 and have used it with my Primes for the last... well pretty much since the Primes came out.  The DAC is great, and the amp is adequate - but the Primes really do well with a bit stronger amping.  (The only problem I've had with the setup is Windows 10 Anniversary's audio driver ****ery.)

 

[Babulilm]

I have the HA-1 and have used it with my Primes for the last... well pretty much since the Primes came out.  The DAC is great, and the amp is adequate - but the Primes really do well with a bit stronger amping.  (The only problem I've had with the setup is Windows 10 Anniversary's audio driver ****ery.)
[/quote


Ive been recommended the ha1 by a quite a few people but unfortunately its out side my budget. Plus being in the UK most products are more expensive than in the US and second hand options on ebay are limited as well.

 

[Babulilm]

webstaa Ive put my reply above in the quote. Sorry about that.

 

[Babulilm]

Hi. Has anyone here have experience or impressions of running the alpha primes off ifi audio micro idsd ?

 

[mrspeakers]

Hi. Has anyone here have experience or impressions of running the alpha primes off ifi audio micro idsd ?

It was quite a popular pairing last year, a few people have posted in the various Alpha threads.

 

[mbusby]

Received my Alpha Prime upgrade. Currently connected to a Project Polaris amp fed by a Modi multibit dac. No complaints.

 

[Alphanewb]

I have the HA-1 and have used it with my Primes for the last... well pretty much since the Primes came out.  The DAC is great, and the amp is adequate - but the Primes really do well with a bit stronger amping.  (The only problem I've had with the setup is Windows 10 Anniversary's audio driver ****ery.)

just wondering if you are running your Primes balanced from the ha-1?

 

[webstaa]

just wondering if you are running your Primes balanced from the ha-1?

 
Yup. balanced.

 

[taetertot]

Quick question for you guys.
 
I just bought Alpha Dogs from a guy here. I intend to do the Prime upgrade (which I assume is still available? i see it on the web site). Are DUM cables worth it? It's +$100 for the regular 1/4 cable, +$150 for the DUM 1/4. There's any number of Canare Star Quad cables I could get for $100 also, and for $150 I could get options like Viablue splitter with ferrite core and choose my own paracord colors.

 

[Alphanewb]

Yup. balanced.

Thanks, I always figured that 2 watts into 32 ohms (over 1 watt into 50?) Would be more than enough. I'll have to try a more powerful amp to see for myself.

Edited to add that I found a post elsewhere with a calculated 1.8 watt output at 50 ohms. Are you sure it's a "lack of power" you are hearing with the ha-1 in balanced mode?

 

[mbusby]

  Quick question for you guys.
 
I just bought Alpha Dogs from a guy here. I intend to do the Prime upgrade (which I assume is still available? i see it on the web site). Are DUM cables worth it? It's +$100 for the regular 1/4 cable, +$150 for the DUM 1/4. There's any number of Canare Star Quad cables I could get for $100 also, and for $150 I could get options like Viablue splitter with ferrite core and choose my own paracord colors.

 
I have done the upgrade from Alpha Dog to Alpha Prime. IMO I think it's dumb to spend the extra money for the DUM cables.

 

[webstaa]

Are you sure it's a "lack of power" you are hearing with the ha-1 in balanced mode?

 
That's exactly it, I've tried it on a number of more powerful (at least specced) amps, and they sounded (again, subjective and without A/B testing) better on just about all of them, aside from one super powerful one-off-hand-built-for-HE-6 amp.  But I don't know if it was just the amp being the difference...
 
They still sound great and are the best closed headphone I've ever listened to, even off of my HA-1.