Poll: Your Favorite Amp with the Utopia?

[Stereo Skunk]

The poll can no longer be edited, unfortunately.

Regardless if your favorite amps were listed or not in the poll, please let everyone know in the discussion thread what amps you enjoyed, and if there was any particular reason!

 

[Stereo Skunk]

I guess I'll start.

What I've tried: THX AAA 789, JDS Labs Atom, Topping L30, Pass HPA-1

What I ended up with: Pass HPA-1

Why: Though the L30 was my favorite out of the SS amps tried, very smooth and great value. The recent issues kinda scared me and the HPA-1 won in terms of premium feel and sounds good. You just fall in love with the HPA-1. It probably doesn't even sound as flat or neutral as the high feedback SS designs, but the strange thing about amps like the HPA-1 that don't measure well...they sound more interesting. They sound better despite not sounding better. Am I making sense yet?

 

[Gadget67]

Any reason the Focal Arche isn’t on the list?

 

[Stereo Skunk]

Let me know any amps you'd like included on the list; however, please understand the poll is limited in number of choices, so I'll have to delete one in order to add another.

Included!

 

[Gadget67]

Shall I include on the list?

Yes, absolutely. I would also suggest a “other” box and ask those that check other to post what amp they are using. I appreciate the effort you are making here but there are LOTS of very fine headphone amps out there; for example I’d say the Chord TT2/M-Scaler is a great combination that some believe is every bit as good as the DAVE. Let’s see how others react!

 

[Stereo Skunk]

After I added the Arche, it's not letting me edit the poll anymore.

Boo!

 

[Gadget67]

After I added the Arche, it's not letting me edit the poll anymore.

Boo!

Hmmm...well, you could edit your first post to say if your favorite isn’t listed, tell us what you like and why. I’m surprised, though, that it won’t let you edit further. Maybe contact a moderator?

 

[Stereo Skunk]

Hmmm...well, you could edit your first post to say if your favorite isn’t listed, tell us what you like and why. I’m surprised, though, that it won’t let you edit further. Maybe contact a moderator?

Thanks, I included instructions. I'll reach out to @AxelCloris and see what he says.

 

[Stereo Skunk]

Unfortunately poll can no longer be edited.

Come on, guys! Let me know what amps you liked with the Utopias!

 

[Gadget67]

So, my current favorite is my Chord TT2/Chord M-Scaler combination with Danacable Lazuli reference. The Arche is (quite literally) made for the Utopia and at 20% of the cost of the Chord combination is a pretty close second. I assume this question has come up at some point in the Utopia thread so you may want to ask for an “update” there. Unfortunately for your poll, there are really too many choices.

 

[Strayngs]

Primaluna EVO 300 Integrated with the Utopia is the best headphone experience for me and it isn’t close. I tried it with a Auris Nirvana, Trafomatic Head 2, Well Audio Milo, Ifi Pro ICAN, Pathos Aurium and a few others I am forgetting. I have owned like 30 pairs of headphones as well. When it comes down to it, Utopia and PrimaLuna was the best of any pairing.

 

[paradoxper]

Primavera and DSHA3F get the vote respectively. Each made the disagreeable Utopia, eh, listenable.

 

[acguitar84]

I like the Utopia on my gsx mini - but I'd love to hear it on the Niimbus someday!

 

[Stereo Skunk]

Again, guys, I apologize for the lack of choices... I wish I could accommodate everyone. Even though there are a lot of choices, I still think we'd find something interesting. For example, why is the HPA4 in the lead? Granted it's not a large sample size, but polls are fun nonetheless. Thanks for the responses guys, keep 'em comin!

 

[Stereo Skunk]

Primavera and DSHA3F get the vote respectively. Each made the disagreeable Utopia, eh, listenable.

Did you vote for the DSHA3F? It still has 0 votes.