[Radio_head]

I have a vague recollection of Doug/Dsavitsk having the schematic for the HP4 from an old thread (diyaudio?) Anyway from what I remember the schematic was at the back of the manual - stands to reason he would have the rest of the info as well.

 

[purrin]

http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/tubediy/messages/17/179905.html

 

[Dr. Roberts]

 
Quote:

Does anyone have any specs for the EAR HP4? Input impedance, output impedance, power @ distortion to 32/150/300/600 ohms?

 
From the HP4 manual....
 
   Frequency response (at 1V output):
   Input impedance:                                           40K
   Output impedance:                                           2 Ohms
   Sensitivity:                                                    300mv
   Channel balance                                             + or - 0.5
   Residual noise (volume at minimum):              90dB
   Distortion:                                                     0.5%
   Size (overall, excluding control knobs):            W 245mm  D 320mm  H 95mm
   Weight (nett):                                                6 kg
 
"The HP4 uses 6SL7 valves, properly matched to the load through de Paravicini's renowned transformers, to deliver 1W of high quality, low distortion power into high or low impedance headphones. The output circuit configuration uses de Paravicini's 'Enhanced Triode Mode' ........while the input is also transformer coupled, giving the flexibility to accept balanced or unbalanced signals from the preamplifier."
 

 

[AppleheadMay]

 
Quote:

The HP4 has gone up in price 2 or 3 times since its introduction.  I remember seeing units sell for ~$1500 on the used market back in 06-07.  It may very well be a tremendous headphone amp but if you do order it keep in mind that at $5250 you'll probably lose at least a couple thousand upon resale.  The Balancing Act, by contrast, has a solid resale value among high end tube amps from the few sales I've seen (although only released 3 years ago so we'll see where that goes.)  

Yep, silly prices.
I just bought me a second Marantz PM KI Pearl that was on big sale at a shop in Holland to drive my desktop speakers, I needed an amp since I sent back the W4S Mint else these speakers were just gathering dust.
They sell EAR Yoshino as well and I asked them if they could check for a REALLY nice price on the HP4.
I let them know that I still need 4 other Marantz devices this year.  
So, I'm crossing my fingers here.
 
 
Quote:

 
Quote:

Interesting. I just checked the headamps site again, there's also the GSX.
For now what I consider are those two, BA, HP4 or keeping the Zana.
If I go for one of the tube options I would keep the Lux as well.

 
I am actually getting a GS-X. Will let you know.

 
That would be really great!
I'm kind of getting tired buying amps just to try the sound.
Reselling isn't always that easy without losing a lot of cash and I don't want to keep more than 2 HP amps.
 
 
Quote:

 
Seeing how Appleheadmay is still on the search for the headamp tells me that those in his possession didn't really satisfy his hunger

 
I always loved the P-1u and will probably keep it since it costed me too much and people seem to think they can buy the 240V version at the same prices of the 100V version. Won't be mine though.
It's actually not that different in sound from the AT-HA5000ANV I am selling. The AT is a little warmer but that's about it. I hesitated for months which one of the two to sell and put both up for sale on and off again. I chose to sell the AT in the end since I would loose too much on the P-1u.
 
Actually, I found my sound signature in amps. The clarity, detail and soundstage of the Zana is what I want. It's actually so addictive I feel there may be an amp that gives me a still higher dose of that.
That would probably be the BA. Maybe the Yoshino or maybe that one does exactly the opposite, give tube lushness and honeysweet mids which is not at all what I want. Maybe the GS-X but I'm afraid that one will be pretty similar to the P-1u. I think the trio P-1(u), GS-X and B-22 are at the top of SS amps anyway.
I am really addicted to the Zana with one of the cleaner driver tubes.
 
 
EDIT: So what I am talking about here is getting to my flavor of an endgame rig: the P-1u and a top hyperdetailed tube amp to drive only AT woodies, LA7000 and TH900.

 

[Dr. Roberts]

Do yourself a favor AppleheadMay before making a purchase. Take a pair or two of your favorite cans over to your friendly Marantz dealer and audition the EAR. Then you will finally get this idea that it sounds "lush" and "tubey", an idea I believe I put there basically because the State of California allows its residents to smoke weed with a prescription, which is, in some respects, an even more enlightened approach than the one taken by the Netherlands, out of your head.
 
I'm suprised that you would concur with another member....."Yep, silly prices." I purchased my HP4 back in 2005 brand new for $3116.00 (20% discount) and still have it. I have always considered it to be a reference headphone amplifier and consequently have never gotten on the merry-go-round of buying and selling amps. How much money have you spent over the years in search of the "Holy Grail"?

 

[AppleheadMay]

 
Quote:

Do yourself a favor AppleheadMay before making a purchase. Take a pair or two of your favorite cans over to your friendly Marantz dealer and audition the EAR. Then you will finally get this idea that it sounds "lush" and "tubey", an idea I believe I put there basically because the State of California allows its residents to smoke weed with a prescription, which is, in some respects, an even more enlightened approach than the one taken by the Netherlands, out of your head.
 
I'm suprised that you would concur with another member....."Yep, silly prices." I purchased my HP4 back in 2005 brand new for $3116.00 (20% discount) and still have it. I have always considered it to be a reference headphone amplifier and consequently have never gotten on the merry-go-round of buying and selling amps. How much money have you spent over the years in search of the "Holy Grail"?

 
 
I would go audition the HP4 in a heartbeat if I could but Belgium is a headphone-dumb country and as far as I know Holland isn't much better except for one dealer in Nuenen (the owners of Qables/iQube) that specializes in Head-fi but he doesn't have EAR.
That Marantz dealer has EAR Yoshino products in stock but not the HP4 nor any other headphone amp and he's not going to buy a product that price just to let me have a listen.
 
Indeed, buying and selling amps to try them out isn't exactly lucrative. But with silly prices I was mainly referring to the HP4's stellar price increase over the past years while the amp itself hasn't changed or been updated. Not that it would need an update, but then why the huge price increase?
 
If anyone in the BeNeLux has a HP4 by the way, I'd be happy to drop by with the Zana as well as P-1u and my phones to do a comparison. Might be interesting for both of us.

 

[Dr. Roberts]

AppleheadMay.........hopefully, there is a HF'r in somewhat close proximity to you with an HP4. Otherwise, I get the impression that it will be difficult for you to pull the trigger on one because of the price.
 
EAR is somewhat notorious for raising prices, even above and beyond the rate of inflation.The fact of the matter is, indulging our hobby with top shelf gear will only get more and more expensive as time passes. The goal, as I see it, is to put together the best synergistic rig according to your own ears, without making sacrifices or settling for second best. Stock up on the NOS tubes that are necessary for the gear to perform optimally and be done with it. When the urge hits for a new toy, pick up another pair of cans or roll some tubes. It's a much more cost-effective way to go.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

[AppleheadMay]

That would indeed be great, I think of making a post in the FS thread and see if someone is interested in a comparison.
But there is always the chance one turns up second hand here. 
I asked for a pair of L3000 just before Christmas and a day later I found them ... sometimes one needs to get lucky.
 
Anyway, your impressions have led me to believe that for a tube amp there are only two possibilities for me: the HP4 or Balancing Act.
I simply can't rule out the BA since I have a Zana right here and I can tell you that Craig knows how to build an amp even though the Zana may not be the best match for ATs. The other tube amps I got before were a Little Dot 3 (nice little thing for it's price but not up to the standards we are talking about here), Luxman SQ-N100 (typical tube warmth and lushness, great for those who want it) and the Yamamoto Soud Craft HA-02 (very good amp, sounds a lot like a SS amp with better soundstage). But the Zana is simply "something else" and that something is what I am looking for.
 
I fully agree with you view on making a top system. I started with getting me a P-1u as soon as possible as I didn't want to test phones without them sounding at their best. I don't regret the P-1u, it's a keeper for me. Now it's just the tube amp but I'm getting pretty close it seems. For phones I already found my taste.
 
Thanks for the great advice you have all given me, I'll go see what I can do to audition these amps. Maybe I should take a little holiday and go to a meet in the US. When is CanJam coming up again? Might be a pretty cost effective holiday if I can hear the amps I am interested in.  

 

[purrin]

There will be a Los Angeles meet on August 18th. Usually events like this are preceded with secret private mini-meets the night before. If you are indeed serious, we can usually scrounge up whatever you can possibly imagine - basically almost every piece of top-shelf gear that you can imagine, and more.

 

[AppleheadMay]

I am indeed serious about either the BA or HP4.
About going to a meet or CanJam I am very inteersted in doing that but since I just came up with the idea I'd have to have a little chat with my soulmate and check if I can make it at that time. I know she will be taking a week off work somewhere in August and that's time we are going to spend together of course so it can't be that week.
We can't come together, we haven't been travelling anymore since we got our cats. Always one of us stays home for them so they are never longer than a day alone. That is a rule we don't break.
I'll need to check up on tickets, a hotel etc ... as well when I have decided.
And I won't be able to bring the Zana with me on a plane of course.  
I am grateful for the invitation, maybe I can work something out.
I've been to NY a few times in the heart of winter but never to sunny California.

 

[wind016]

Wow, that EAR HP4 is too expensive for my wallet. I would love to see comments on how it compares to the Zana Deux SE though, especially with the W3000ANV.

 

[Pudu]

For a headphone like this which is so easy to drive and has such a distinct personality, how much return does one get by throwing these $2-5,000 amps at it?

I ask both because I'm genuinely interested and because this thread seems to have become less about the ATs and more about what I consider to be extremely expensive amps. I know this is the high-end forum, but I also wonder why the W3K thread is in this forum (everything is relative I guess).

 

[MacedonianHero]

 
Quote:

For a headphone like this which is so easy to drive and has such a distinct personality, how much return does one get by throwing these $2-5,000 amps at it.
I only ask because I'm genuinely interested and this thread seems to have become less about the ATs and more about what I consider to be extremely expensive amps. I know know this is the end high-end forum, but I also wonder why the W3K thread is in this forum (everything is relative I guess).

 

It's great from my iPhone directly. Today I briefly tried it with a uDAC-2 and it got even better. Then with my GS-1...wow! Also super wow with my (now sold) WA22. So it does scale very well. Next week, I'll give it a try with my incoming Liquid Fire.

 

[MorbidToaster]

Here's hoping it sounds fantastic with the LF, but I'm a bit worried since it wasn't the best pair for the D7000.

 

[MacedonianHero]

 
Quote:

Here's hoping it sounds fantastic with the LF, but I'm a bit worried since it wasn't the best pair for the D7000.

 

You never know? They might be better than the Denons with the LF? Worst case, I've got my GS-1 right here next to it.