[K31TH3R]

The sound is pretty good. I'm getting a slight hum that might go away with time or could be the need for biasing. It is faint though and not distracting once anything starts playing.

I am listening on he-4xx's and the amp drives them well. Lots of power out of this amp, I am only at 12 o'clock on the dial for a comfortably loud level. The sound is good, there is decent separation of instruments and the clarity is excellent. I was thinking there would be more low end but I need to compare next to a solid state too see if there's a difference.

Glad it showed up for ya a little earlier than you expected and you're digging it!

I'm curious about the hum you're getting. What is the source that you're running to the amp? Which inputs/outputs are you using on the Little Bear? Do you have another amp in line with the Little Bear?

When I run straight from my X-Fi's front bay headphone amp to the Little Bear the amp is completely silent even at max volume. If I run from my X-Fi to the Little Bear to the Pimeta the Little Bear is still silent at max volume, but if I turn up my Pimeta I can start to hear the noise floor of my X-Fi headphone out via a little static and crackling.

However, if I run X-Fi->Pimeta->Little Bear->DT-990 then I will also get a hum starting at slightly above 1PM from the Little Bear, no matter how low I set my Pimeta. But then again, I've also found I like the sound the best with this configuration, and my Pimeta has turned into my pre-amp and the Little Bear drives my DT-990. So I also have the volume on the Little Bear at about 12pm, right below the point where I start hearing any hum.

Is the hum continuous at any volume? What if you unplug all of the cables from the Little Bear and just plug your headphones in? Is there still a hum? What if you tap lightly on the tube with your finger nail, or wiggle the tube a little bit in it's socket, do you hear any ringing or change in the hum?

There are 2 smaller capacitors behind the volume knob, if you place your finger on top of the capacitors do you hear an increase in the volume of the hum on the left or right channel (depending on which cap you touch) or is it a different hum? If it's the same hum, does placing your finger on one of the volume knob capacitors decrease or increase the volume of the hum?

 

[TheCannibal]

Is the hum continuous at any volume? What if you unplug all of the cables from the Little Bear and just plug your headphones in? Is there still a hum? What if you tap lightly on the tube with your finger nail, or wiggle the tube a little bit in it's socket, do you hear any ringing or change in the hum?

There are 2 smaller capacitors behind the volume knob, if you place your finger on top of the capacitors do you hear an increase in the volume of the hum on the left or right channel (depending on which cap you touch) or is it a different hum? If it's the same hum, does placing your finger on one of the volume knob capacitors decrease or increase the volume of the hum?

Thanks for the tips! I tried each cap and the hum is different when those are touched. Unplugged all sources and the hum is persistent. The hum is still there when the volume is all the way down but gets more pronounced past 1 o'clock.

The tube isn't gassed but could still be the source of the hum, I'll try changing it out when I get some time to donk around with the amp.

It is a mild annoyance, I am very much digging the amp and I only notice the him when there is absolute silence on whatever I'm listening to. I want to track down where the noise is coming from though, and probe the amp on the oscope when I get some free time.

Happy holidays! Hope you're able to enjoy some time off.

 

[K31TH3R]

Thanks for the tips! I tried each cap and the hum is different when those are touched. Unplugged all sources and the hum is persistent. The hum is still there when the volume is all the way down but gets more pronounced past 1 o'clock.

Huh. Are your headphones 35ohm? At this point my only guess would be something going on with the lower impedance of the HE400. I know just enough about circuitry to avoid shocking myself (which I also learned by experience) so I'm pretty much out trying to figure out why that is.

The tube isn't gassed but could still be the source of the hum, I'll try changing it out when I get some time to donk around with the amp.

Let us know, especially about the characteristics of any different tubes you try. I'm considering trying a few more. The Mullard 12AU7 keeps making me consider it from all the good I hear about it.

It is a mild annoyance, I am very much digging the amp and I only notice the him when there is absolute silence on whatever I'm listening to. I want to track down where the noise is coming from though, and probe the amp on the oscope when I get some free time.

Super interested in what the scope finds, so if you do get the time to do that, would really like to see your results!

Happy holidays! Hope you're able to enjoy some time off.

You as well, no rest for the wicked

 

[NukerDoggie]

I have DT-880 Pro 250 ohm cans - I'm considering buying the Little Bear P10, but I can't find any specs on the output power, volume level. I don't want an under-powered headphone amp. How is the P10 into 250 ohm cans?

*** This thing just went missing on Amazon.

Aliexpress still has two sellers.....

 

[Sebastiaan156]

How does the little bear v10 compair to a little dot mkII?

 

[benoe]

Does anyone has experience with the longevity of this product? Does it really tend to fail too early as several review claims? Hopefully active cooling could help.

 

[Hefring]

So, what the perfect tube for P10, some news?!