[JacobLee89]

   
I think you'll find Frans designs just about everything that emanates from Garage 1217, not just filters.

 
I stand corrected! He sounded just too busy to even seep a single word of Garage 1217 in the Diyah forums. Might need to trawl the forums a bit more.

 

[iancraig10]

Oh. Frans is just an electrical wizard that came up with the Kameleon portable amp design: a portable amp with switchable headphone filters, and is potentially pushing forward a "less explored" section of headphone audio.

That said, Frans designs (if we're talking about the Polaris) are only on the filters and he does them soley on his spare time. I don't think we have been told when the filters for the Polaris amp will be available.

Funny that.. It almost feels like Frans is the polar opposite of HeWhoMustNotBeNamed (OK I meant the O2 designer).

Frans has done the designing of the amps and filters but he doesn't make or sell them. Jeremy does.

Frans is mostly in agreement with what HeWhoMust Not BeNamed about electrical designs. Biggest difference is that Frans has no issue with changing the output impednce of headphone amps wheres the other guy did.

Personally, I find the O2 a little sterile although I love the low noise.

 

[jbarrentine]

How much of an improvement (and in what areas) is the Polaris better than the Vali? 
 
Is the Vali notably better in certain ways?
 
I have a polaris sitting in my cart right now. But it's $300, which is a lot to spend and not achieve a notable difference in quality. Help me out here. 

 

[Solrighal]

  How much of an improvement (and in what areas) is the Polaris better than the Vali? 
 
Is the Vali notably better in certain ways?
 
I have a polaris sitting in my cart right now. But it's $300, which is a lot to spend and not achieve a notable difference in quality. Help me  out here. 

 
I've heard the Polaris over an extended period and thought it was great. It's quite warm sounding. I've never heard the Vali though so can't directly compare the two I'm afraid, sorry.

 

[iancraig10]

How much of an improvement (and in what areas) is the Polaris better than the Vali? 

Is the Vali notably better in certain ways?

I have a polaris sitting in my cart right now. But it's $300, which is a lot to spend and not achieve a notable difference in quality. Help me out here. 

The Polaris was designed to imitate the sound of tubes while being an ss amp. So it produces harmonics that resemble tubes with the reliability of solid state. It offers lots of power and configuration options that don't exist on other amps. The gain can be altered as well as the bandwidth as well as the output impedance. This gives you lots of options to 'trim' the sound that you want from the headphone.

So because it imitates the sound of a tube amp,it tends to sound warmer, but not quite as 'colourful' as the Ember which is a hybrid.

I don't think of it as being 'better' than anything else in particular, but is oneof the most configurable amps around.

The Vali is a hybrid amp isn't it? The Polaris is SS.

The Polaris puts out 2.4W into 64 ohms. That is a bit more power than the Vali, so plenty of headroom. The Vali puts out 650mW into 32 ohms compared to 1.4 from the Polaris.

The Polaris offers a lot of power and so potential for more headroom.

The Vali is perhaps prettier to look at though.

 

[jbarrentine]

The Vali is perhaps prettier to look at though.

 
The aluminum Polaris is incredible looking. 

 

[iancraig10]

Yes, I agree. I have the aluminium top on mine. Don't like it as much on the Ember though tbh.

I think the improvement will be in dynamic range available and the configuration might improve your headphone tonally in comparison to the Vali, so imo there is a notable difference in quality, although I'm sure that Schiit fans would disagree. :etysmile:

 

[Solrighal]

Don't like it as much on the Ember though tbh.

 
Only because your knob isn't big enough. I have a huge knob

 
 

 

[iancraig10]

Aha ....mine has got a big GOLD knob!!! In fact, I gave it a food shine today because it's been raining.

 

[Solrighal]

Aha ....mine has got a big GOLD knob!!! In fact, I gave it a food shine today because it's been raining.

 
Pah! Gold's too rock star for me

 

[iancraig10]

Pathetic isn't it? Two old codgers arguing about a knob...... and at our ages too!! :mad:

 

[jbarrentine]

I didn't think the Ember could take a tube that big. I don't understand the "supercharger" and all that other stuff to do with Ember though. What am I missing?  (and which tube is that?)

 

[Solrighal]

  I didn't think the Ember could take a tube that big. I don't understand the "supercharger" and all that other stuff to do with Ember though. What am I missing?  (and which tube is that?)

 
The supercharger is a circuit that's designed to allow the Ember to take high current tubes. On the Mk1 it was an add-on but on the Mark2 it's integrated.
 
The tube you see in that picture is a 1945 GE 6SN7GT VT231 made for the Canadian Armed Forces. There's an adapter sold on the Garage 1217 website which allows these tubes to be used.
 
http://www.garage1217.com/garage1217_diy_tube_headphone_amplifiers_012.htm
 
It sounds wonderful!

 

[jbarrentine]

God if I started doing tubes I would be in trouble. I would invariably spend money almost endlessly. 

 

[Solrighal]

  God if I started doing tubes I would be in trouble. I would invariably spend money almost endlessly. 

 
Only if you have endless money. I don't & I've got four tubes but could get by with two. As long as you take advice, do the research & buy wisely there's no reason it needs to cost a fortune.
 
And it's fun.