Setup
· Headphone: Sennheiser HD 650 (stock cables, no mods)
· DAC/Amp: Onkyo A-5VL
Settings: S/PDIF input from desktop computer; Direct mode turned on to bypass the separate bass/treble/balance adjustment on the unit.
· Volume:
o Desktop S/PDIF output volume: 100 (MAX)
o On amp: between 9 and 10 o’clock (knob starts in between 6 and 7 o’clock)
Pros
· Separate dials to adjust Bass, Treble, and Balance on the fly.
· Can act as a preamp to bookshelf speakers.
· Has a high-quality DAC built in
· Class D amp – very efficient and runs cool unlike most Class A amps (for every watt of output power, Class A amps usually waste at least 4-5 watts as heat)
· Price -- at $329.95 on Amazon.com, it's hard to beat its performance and versatility at this price.
Cons
· Background is not completely black at MAX volume. After pausing a song, there is white noise. This white noise lasts about 5 to 7 seconds before completely going away.
o At regular listening level—10 O’Clock for me—I couldn’t detect any white noise.
o White noise may be a problem if you turn your knob past 12 O’clock, but please bear in mind that this is probably beyond the “safe listening level” that many audio products talk about.
Potential Issues
· No 192.0 kHz sample rate playback (despite it being in specifications)--although, I might've not had the correct settings to run it since most my music is 44.1 kHz.
· Barely audible hum (need to put my ears next to the unit to hear it; it's really a non-issue for most people).
Music Impressions
“Adagio for Strings, Op. 11a” by London Philharmonic Orchestra
· + Lush mids and mid-lows
· + Brings out even the subtle low bass (great extension)
~ The high notes between 5:30 and 6:00 don't sound as rolled off. It may be perceived as slightly sibilant.
“6:00” by Dream Theater
· + Hi-hat and snare drum really pop
· + Bass is tight and the amp drives the song to sound very dynamic
– Drum intro doesn't sound as good as I hoped. The soundstage feels a little confined and I don't hear the drums moving from left to right and vice versa as clearly.
“Darte Un Beso” by Prince Royce
· + Great instrument separation. You could hear all sorts of percussion instruments, guitars, and etc.
· – Again, there isn't as much left/right separation and the song can sound hectic at times.
~ To enjoy the song, I had to turn off "Direct" mode and lower the bass settings as the song was sounding a little muddy due to too much bass.
“A Woman” by Bebe Mignon
· + Female vocal really stands out to the point where you could feel the emotions conveyed by the singer.
· + Even the smallest details such as the vocalist's taking breath, making small noises can be heard, which was something I couldn't hear before playing it unamped.
“Unison (Mikkas Remix)” by Porter Robinson
· + Amp provides an electrifying experience when listening to this song. It offers clarity in the mids/highs and an extra oomph at the lower region to make the song sound very dynamic.
· + All the small electrical buzzes, fizzes, and distortions can be heard clearly.
“Don't Know Why” by Norah Jones
· + Let's be honest. The song sounds good even without an amp, but with the amp, it makes the song sound more personal.
· + Vocal sounds as if it's sung directly to me.
Conclusions (Tl;dr)
· Onkyo A-5VL is a great DAC/Headphone and Speaker Amp that offers multiple inputs and ouputs. Considering its versatility and performance, it's surprisingly cheap ($329.95 on Amazon.com) compared to many other standalone headphone amps. I will be returning the unit due to much needed desk space, but I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the unit. I think at this price, it's really hard to beat if you are looking for the most bang for your buck and need to connect headphone and speakers at the same time.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to let me know. I'll be keeping the unit for another week or two, so use me as your resources if you are curious about anything.
Thanks for reading!
--xenic
