[xtr4]

Yes, I am your victim/example with regards to the clipping on the InPol hahaha
2 great products which I can't maximize as per my preferred chain.

May > XLR > InPol

So I had to settle for.....

May > RCA > InPol

Which still sounds great

 

[goldwerger]

Yes, I am your victim/example with regards to the clipping on the InPol hahaha
2 great products which I can't maximize as per my preferred chain.

May > XLR > InPol

So I had to settle for.....

May > RCA > InPol

Which still sounds great

RCA may indeed be a solution. This will give about 4.5v output my end, close enough. And quality cables should do the trick. I agree this is an easy solution, even if we all instinctively love our XLRs

 

[xtr4]

RCA may indeed be a solution. This will give about 4.5v output my end, close enough. And quality cables should do the trick. I agree this is an easy solution, even if we all instinctively love our XLRs

But your MyTek allows you to adjust the output for the XLR, so should be fine. The May has a fixed output, so no go for me.

 

[goldwerger]

But your MyTek allows you to adjust the output for the XLR, so should be fine. The May has a fixed output, so no go for me.

yes, but I'm uncertain about the impact on resolution/dynamics. This can be easily tested and compared though..

 

[rmsanger]

have any of the inpol ear owners compared the performance to a Wells Dragon level 2/3 with Sus or Phi tc.

 

[LarsMan]

Hi all! I'm looking for a new tube headphone amp to add to my gear here. I currently (ahem) have an Eddie Current Studio B as my amp and a Holo May Kitsune for my DAC, with Utopia and ZMF VO headphones. I had been using a DAVE and M Scaler but later got the Holo May and much preferred it. Just something about the Chord sound, I dunno - had a similar thing with Hugo 2; I know it's great gear, but it's not quite right for me.

Recently I got Susvaras on the used market; I didn't think the EC would be right for them and I'd need an additional amp. And indeed, they sound loud on the EC and they sound OK on the EC, but it's obvious I'm getting just a small taste of what they can do.

I've been looking for a powerful enough tube headphone amp and just came across this one, and it looks very interesting, though I don't know if I should be concerned about how well it does with a May Kitsune DAC, as I've read a few informative opinions here. I'm going for something under $10K, so I've also been looking at the 'vanilla' WA-33. I don't know what other options are out there. I'm sure liking what I'm reading about this Pathos, though, and its looks are wonderful....

So if anybody has any enlightenment or suggestions to send my way, it would be greatly appreciated - Cheers!!

 

[goldwerger]

Hi all! I'm looking for a new tube headphone amp to add to my gear here. I currently (ahem) have an Eddie Current Studio B as my amp and a Holo May Kitsune for my DAC, with Utopia and ZMF VO headphones. I had been using a DAVE and M Scaler but later got the Holo May and much preferred it. Just something about the Chord sound, I dunno - had a similar thing with Hugo 2; I know it's great gear, but it's not quite right for me.

Recently I got Susvaras on the used market; I didn't think the EC would be right for them and I'd need an additional amp. And indeed, they sound loud on the EC and they sound OK on the EC, but it's obvious I'm getting just a small taste of what they can do.

I've been looking for a powerful enough tube headphone amp and just came across this one, and it looks very interesting, though I don't know if I should be concerned about how well it does with a May Kitsune DAC, as I've read a few informative opinions here. I'm going for something under $10K, so I've also been looking at the 'vanilla' WA-33. I don't know what other options are out there. I'm sure liking what I'm reading about this Pathos, though, and its looks are wonderful....

So if anybody has any enlightenment or suggestions to send my way, it would be greatly appreciated - Cheers!!

I'm seriously looking at the Pathos as well, and also considering the Auris Nirvana, which you may want to also check out (trying to see if I can get a demo). The more I research, the more incapacitated by indecision I become...

 

[goldwerger]

thanks for everyone for generously sharing your insights with me.

I've exhausted all the self research I could do about the Inpol Ear on my own and have few remaining questions. I'd be grateful if anyone can provide any input on any of the following:

(1) Hybrid topology character - hard to appreciate without a demo, but trying to get a feel for what impact the tubes in the input stage impart. Afaik, much of the uniqueness of tube sound is die tp the SE topology commonly used in tube amps, which results in even-order harmonics. With a fully-balanced SS output stage, this would not apply here. How much impact do the tubes make here vs. other high-end SS headphone amps?

(2) Pre-amp outs - are the XLR and RCA pre-amp outputs working simultaneously? (in my my speaker set up, I need an XLR out for my power amp and, in parallel, an RCA out to my powered sub)

(3) Headphone outs – do the 3 outputs (2 x XLR + 1 x 1/4”) provide signal simultaneously (for shared listening), or do you need to select 1 of the 3?

(I've tried to look online for the user manual, but could only find their marketing brochure. Usually most questions can be answered reading the manual. I wonder where this can be found)

 

[dcguy73]

(3) Yes. Simultaneous signals.

 

[goldwerger]

(3) Yes. Simultaneous signals.

Thank you, very helpful.

 

[xtr4]

thanks for everyone for generously sharing your insights with me.

I've exhausted all the self research I could do about the Inpol Ear on my own and have few remaining questions. I'd be grateful if anyone can provide any input on any of the following:

(1) Hybrid topology character - hard to appreciate without a demo, but trying to get a feel for what impact the tubes in the input stage impart. Afaik, much of the uniqueness of tube sound is die tp the SE topology commonly used in tube amps, which results in even-order harmonics. With a fully-balanced SS output stage, this would not apply here. How much impact do the tubes make here vs. other high-end SS headphone amps?

(2) Pre-amp outs - are the XLR and RCA pre-amp outputs working simultaneously? (in my my speaker set up, I need an XLR out for my power amp and, in parallel, an RCA out to my powered sub)

(3) Headphone outs – do the 3 outputs (2 x XLR + 1 x 1/4”) provide signal simultaneously (for shared listening), or do you need to select 1 of the 3?

(I've tried to look online for the user manual, but could only find their marketing brochure. Usually most questions can be answered reading the manual. I wonder where this can be found)

1) Simple comparison would be a Tube Preamp + Balanced SS amp. You can adjust the tonality of the SS amp output by swapping tubes. Of course this is an oversimplification. Biggest strength of the InPol to my ears is just how controlled yet musical it renders the music.

2) If I'm not mistaken, they are but I'll check it out for you tonight. Also note, the preamp function only works when the XLR inputs are selected (found out the hard way lol)

3) As mentioned by dcguy73, they are all simultaneously available

 

[goldwerger]

1) Simple comparison would be a Tube Preamp + Balanced SS amp. You can adjust the tonality of the SS amp output by swapping tubes. Of course this is an oversimplification. Biggest strength of the InPol to my ears is just how controlled yet musical it renders the music.

2) If I'm not mistaken, they are but I'll check it out for you tonight. Also note, the preamp function only works when the XLR inputs are selected (found out the hard way lol)

3) As mentioned by dcguy73, they are all simultaneously available

Thanks a ton! Very generous of you to offer to check that. The preamp use case is key to my workflow (and, fortuantely, I do plan to use XLR inputs). Just need to know if that will result in the XLR and RCA out working same time.

great regarding headphone outs (works also very well for me).

On the tube sonic intangibles, I'm torn between the Inpol Ear which seems an outstanding hybrid amp; and the Auris Nirvana which seems an outstanding SE tube amp (both are exceedingly powerful, purported to work well with planars and dynamics, been around for good few years, and very well reviewed here and elsewhere). If only one could easily A/B demo this kind of gear. It will boil down to making a leap of faith

 

[xtr4]

Thanks a ton! Very generous of you to offer to check that. The preamp use case is key to my workflow (and, fortuantely, I do plan to use XLR inputs). Just need to know if that will result in the XLR and RCA out working same time.

great regarding headphone outs (works also very well for me).

On the tube sonic intangibles, I'm torn between the Inpol Ear which seems an outstanding hybrid amp; and the Auris Nirvana which seems an outstanding SE tube amp (both are exceedingly powerful, purported to work well with planars and dynamics, been around for good few years, and very well reviewed here and elsewhere). If only one could easily A/B demo this kind of gear. It will boil down to making a leap of faith

Ok, I can confirm the following;

The pre-outs are always active and work with whatever input channel you're on; XLR or RCA.
Also both XLR and RCA pre-outs are active simultaneously as well.

Confirmed via the following test methodology:
XLR pre-out to beta22
RCA pre-out to Mogwai SE

Music via Roon can be heard on both amps.

 

[goldwerger]

In

Ok, I can confirm the following;

The pre-outs are always active and work with whatever input channel you're on; XLR or RCA.
Also both XLR and RCA pre-outs are active simultaneously as well.

Confirmed via the following test methodology:
XLR pre-out to beta22
RCA pre-out to Mogwai SE

Music via Roon can be heard on both amps.

that’s extremely helpful to me deeply appreciated!!!

 

[dcguy73]

In that’s extremely helpful to me deeply appreciated!!!

An Auris Nirvana showed up in the classifieds section and was promptly sold. Were you the buyer?