[Setmagic]

Any advice on replacing the original white caps for red WIMA 5%? Would you have a link with more info for the red WIMA 5%?
I wonder if these caps are the same in the 2021 version...

I don't have newer version and any scheme. You can read values and replace for red WIMA in same values, but It's not necessarily right now.
I have shorted this 2 inside because they are input blocking caps, don't needed in my case.

 

[sfrsfr]

I don't have newer version and any scheme. You can read values and replace for red WIMA in same values, but It's not necessarily right now.
I have shorted this 2 inside because they are input blocking caps, don't needed in my case.

So are these white caps 0.22uf 63V ?
I did not find any WIMA caps with these parameters yet....
Are they same as in the previous version? (they measure about 7mm in length)

 

[Setmagic]

So are these white caps 0.22uf 63V ?
I did not find any WIMA caps with these parameters yet....
Are they same as in the previous version? (they measure about 7mm in length)

Product number MKS2C032201B00KSSD
Just copy paste and fin in Your country.
But don't expect any sound change.

If you really want to improve more this amp just remove this nasty potentiometer.
And replace by good resistors like DALE.
You will be adjust volume from Yours DAC device.
If You want to go deeper to modification You can replace all SMD capacitors, LDO and resistors on board for better ones, thin film resistors, original branded capacitors.

 

[sfrsfr]

Product number MKS2C032201B00KSSD
Just copy paste and fin in Your country.
But don't expect any sound change.

If you really want to improve more this amp just remove this nasty potentiometer.
And replace by good resistors like DALE.
You will be adjust volume from Yours DAC device.
If You want to go deeper to modification You can replace all SMD capacitors, LDO and resistors on board for better ones, thin film resistors, original branded capacitors.

Thanks.
So you say the biggest improvement of the sound can be achieved by replacing the potentiometer with good resistors?

 

[Setmagic]

Thanks.
So you say the biggest improvement of the sound can be achieved by replacing the potentiometer with good resistors?

Or better one than this, but it's probably not possible on this size.
I will throw input capacitors as wel but first you must find that.

 

[Ufanco]

Have a question about the KAEI TAP-1S. There’s a thread on it but not many posts wondering if it’s worth buying?
Like the option of having a power supply and battery in amp for portable use.

TAP-1 is a high-end headphone amplifier specially designed for audiophiles. It adopts a fully balanced four-channel design and supports 3.5 single-ended/4.4 balanced input and output. Use four American low-power, long-life electronic tubes as tube preamp. It adopts a desktop architecture design promoted by the OP+ discrete rear stage, with a plug-in power of up to 4900mw, and is equipped with a tube off switch function, which can be selected in two tones of normal mode and tube mode. With two flagship op amps MUSES 02, players can also achieve different timbres by changing different op amps.

Portable mode: In its battery mode, it can last about 10 hours. The battery capacity is about 5000mah, can support ordinary USB or power bank charging, and supports QC3.0, and PD protocols for fast charging.

Desktop mode: Used with an independent linear power supply, it can form a standard desktop amp. Power supply 4 sets of voltage output, external rectified and stabilized voltage directly supplied to the headphone amplifier, completely bypassing the power supply of the headphone amplifier. The dedicated aviation-grade six-core power cable realizes the power supply of the desktop-level op amp up to plus or minus 17V and the earphone discrete drive system, and the potential of this system is played out. If you use it at home or your earphones are difficult to driven, you can purchase the headphone amp.

Features:
- Four American low-power, long-life electronic tubes as tube preamp (tube can be turned off, dual tone selection)
- Air bag shock absorption technology: exclusive electronic tube suspension air shock absorption technology, effectively reducing the microphone effect
- The output thrust of plug-in mode is up to 4900MW. Tube preamp+OP+ discrete post-stage desktop amplifier architecture, easily adapt to high and low impedance, can drive various headphones of 12-600Ω
- PSU-1 power supply uses two customized single crystal copper winding transformers, filter capacitors for ELNA, HIFI capacitors for Nichicon, etc. Ultra-low noise linear regulator (LDO) is used for positive and negative power supply
- The key parts of the TAP-1 headphone amplifier are all tuned with HIFI components. Non-inductive resistors for American RA, resistors for Vishay, resistors for Philips, capacitors for WIMA, and other components for Omron, Philips, Siemens, etc. Two flagship operational amplifiers, MUSES02. With op amp seat, you can also replace dual op amp. Two 4-layer PCB boards are used inside. The headphone amplifier and the power supply are separated from each other to effectively reduce the interference of the power supply on the same board
- Repeated tuning accurate to single resistance level, audiophile grade materials regardless of cost
- Input/output compatibility: 4.4mm balanced input→3.5 single-ended output, 4.4 balanced output. 3.5mm single-ended input → 3.5 single-ended output, 4.4 single-ended output
- The linear power supply uses six-core aviation-grade gold-plated plug for Lemo 1B to output to the headphone amplifier to ensure a stable connection quality

Technical Parameters:
- Audio input: 3.5mm/4.4mm
- Audio output: 3.5mm/4.4mm
- Frequency response: 15HZ-100KHZ (±1db)
- Signal-to-noise ratio: -129DB (turn off the tube)
- Distortion: 0.004< (1KHZ, 32Ω) (turn off the tube)
- Gain: 1.65 times
- Recommended input level: >2V
- Battery life: about 10 hours in battery mode (5000mah)
- Rated power of linear power supply: 7w
- Power interface: USB TYPE-C (charging)
- 8 suffix (linear power supply 220v input)
- For Lemo 1B six-pin aviation-grade plug (wire output)
- Size: 14cm in length, 7.4cm in width and 2.9cm in height
- Recommended headphone impedance: 12-600Ω
- Recommended earphone sensitivity: less than 110DB

Maximum Output Power (L+R):
1. Battery mode (Portable mode):
Balanced Single-Ended
3000mw (16Ω) 1200mw (16Ω)
2100mw (32Ω) 700mw (32Ω)
1100mw (100Ω) 440mw (100Ω)
450mw (300Ω) 200mw (300Ω)

2. Desktop mode:
Balanced Single-Ended
4900mw (16Ω) 1980mw (16Ω)
3200mw (32Ω) 1400mw (32Ω)
2000mw (100Ω) 900mw (100Ω)
990mw (300Ω) 480mw (300Ω)

 

[DBaldock9]

Have a question about the KAEI TAP-1S. There’s a thread on it but not many posts wondering if it’s worth buying?
Like the option of having a power supply and battery in amp for portable use.



TAP-1 is a high-end headphone amplifier specially designed for audiophiles. It adopts a fully balanced four-channel design and supports 3.5 single-ended/4.4 balanced input and output. Use four American low-power, long-life electronic tubes as tube preamp. It adopts a desktop architecture design promoted by the OP+ discrete rear stage, with a plug-in power of up to 4900mw, and is equipped with a tube off switch function, which can be selected in two tones of normal mode and tube mode. With two flagship op amps MUSES 02, players can also achieve different timbres by changing different op amps.

Portable mode: In its battery mode, it can last about 10 hours. The battery capacity is about 5000mah, can support ordinary USB or power bank charging, and supports QC3.0, and PD protocols for fast charging.

Desktop mode: Used with an independent linear power supply, it can form a standard desktop amp. Power supply 4 sets of voltage output, external rectified and stabilized voltage directly supplied to the headphone amplifier, completely bypassing the power supply of the headphone amplifier. The dedicated aviation-grade six-core power cable realizes the power supply of the desktop-level op amp up to plus or minus 17V and the earphone discrete drive system, and the potential of this system is played out. If you use it at home or your earphones are difficult to driven, you can purchase the headphone amp.

Features:
- Four American low-power, long-life electronic tubes as tube preamp (tube can be turned off, dual tone selection)
- Air bag shock absorption technology: exclusive electronic tube suspension air shock absorption technology, effectively reducing the microphone effect
- The output thrust of plug-in mode is up to 4900MW. Tube preamp+OP+ discrete post-stage desktop amplifier architecture, easily adapt to high and low impedance, can drive various headphones of 12-600Ω
- PSU-1 power supply uses two customized single crystal copper winding transformers, filter capacitors for ELNA, HIFI capacitors for Nichicon, etc. Ultra-low noise linear regulator (LDO) is used for positive and negative power supply
- The key parts of the TAP-1 headphone amplifier are all tuned with HIFI components. Non-inductive resistors for American RA, resistors for Vishay, resistors for Philips, capacitors for WIMA, and other components for Omron, Philips, Siemens, etc. Two flagship operational amplifiers, MUSES02. With op amp seat, you can also replace dual op amp. Two 4-layer PCB boards are used inside. The headphone amplifier and the power supply are separated from each other to effectively reduce the interference of the power supply on the same board
- Repeated tuning accurate to single resistance level, audiophile grade materials regardless of cost
- Input/output compatibility: 4.4mm balanced input→3.5 single-ended output, 4.4 balanced output. 3.5mm single-ended input → 3.5 single-ended output, 4.4 single-ended output
- The linear power supply uses six-core aviation-grade gold-plated plug for Lemo 1B to output to the headphone amplifier to ensure a stable connection quality

Technical Parameters:
- Audio input: 3.5mm/4.4mm
- Audio output: 3.5mm/4.4mm
- Frequency response: 15HZ-100KHZ (±1db)
- Signal-to-noise ratio: -129DB (turn off the tube)
- Distortion: 0.004< (1KHZ, 32Ω) (turn off the tube)
- Gain: 1.65 times
- Recommended input level: >2V
- Battery life: about 10 hours in battery mode (5000mah)
- Rated power of linear power supply: 7w
- Power interface: USB TYPE-C (charging)
- 8 suffix (linear power supply 220v input)
- For Lemo 1B six-pin aviation-grade plug (wire output)
- Size: 14cm in length, 7.4cm in width and 2.9cm in height
- Recommended headphone impedance: 12-600Ω
- Recommended earphone sensitivity: less than 110DB

Maximum Output Power (L+R):
1. Battery mode (Portable mode):
Balanced Single-Ended
3000mw (16Ω) 1200mw (16Ω)
2100mw (32Ω) 700mw (32Ω)
1100mw (100Ω) 440mw (100Ω)
450mw (300Ω) 200mw (300Ω)

2. Desktop mode:
Balanced Single-Ended
4900mw (16Ω) 1980mw (16Ω)
3200mw (32Ω) 1400mw (32Ω)
2000mw (100Ω) 900mw (100Ω)
990mw (300Ω) 480mw (300Ω)

That looks very interesting!
It would be nice to have a view of the op-amp sockets - to see if there's enough space to use any of my discrete op-amps (like the Sparkos SS3602, or Burson V6).

Appears to be ~$361, with the 110V (US) Power Supply, when ordered from AliExpress.
All of the eBay vendors are somewhat more expensive - starting at around $400 (with Power Supply).

Thanks for sharing this amp!

 

[Ufanco]

That looks very interesting!
It would be nice to have a view of the op-amp sockets - to see if there's enough space to use any of my discrete op-amps (like the Sparkos SS3602, or Burson V6).

Appears to be ~$361, with the 110V (US) Power Supply, when ordered from AliExpress.
All of the eBay vendors are somewhat more expensive - starting at around $400 (with Power Supply).

Thanks for sharing this amp!

There some info on it in another thread but figured up I would try here too. I recently both the Loxjie p20 based on a lot of the info you shared. Thank you posting you mods etc there. Here is pic of inside of the KAEI TAP-1S. Looks like this pic is with Burson opamp V6 series instead of the stock ones.

 

[povidlo]

Looks like this pic is with Burson opamp V6 series instead of the stock ones.

Those are Burson v5i opamps.

 

[DBaldock9]

Those are Burson v5i opamps.

The footprint is basically the same, on the V5 & V6 - but the V6 is about 3x taller...

 

[Ufanco]

Opps must of misread what original poster said. Nice thou there easy to switch out in this unit.

 

[DBaldock9]

There some info on it in another thread but figured up I would try here too. I recently both the Loxjie p20 based on a lot of the info you shared. Thank you posting you mods etc there. Here is pic of inside of the KAEI TAP-1S. Looks like this pic is with Burson opamp V6 series instead of the stock ones.

Thanks again!
During the current AliExpress Sale, I've ordered a TAP-1S, with the 110V US Power Supply.
They say that it should be here by the 8th of February.
Looking forward to comparing it to my Loxjie P20 (tube hybrid), and my iBasso PB2 (solid state), fully balanced amps.

 

[Ufanco]

Thanks again!
During the current AliExpress Sale, I've ordered a TAP-1S, with the 110V US Power Supply.
They say that it should be here by the 8th of February.
Looking forward to comparing it to my Loxjie P20 (tube hybrid), and my iBasso PB2 (solid state), fully balanced amps.

Awesome been debating on buying some different tubes for the Loxjie or buying this instead. Currently running 6N3P-E in it.
I be keeping a eye out for your thoughts on the TAP-1S it looks like a killer little amp. I you haven’t read the thread here on it you should check it out.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kaei-tap-1-portable-hybrid-balance-headphone-amp.958089/

 

[Ufanco]

I’m debating between the KAEI TAP-1 and ORIOLUS BA300S. For $20 more get a much nicer package with the KAEI and power supply. The sale ends today so trying to convince myself to spend the money.
Source is Shanling M6 PRO 21 using MEST MKII iem.


EDIT I decided on the Oriolus BA300S but definitely be watching @DBaldock9 thoughts on the Kaei tap-1.
Went with the Oriolus due to more reviews and a few mest mk11 owners recommended it. Someone who owns a KAEI that I talked with says it not the best with low independence iem’s.

Should have it tomorrow so excited to get a new toy in-house.

 

[DBaldock9]

Received a package tracking email from AliExpress today, saying that the KAEI TAP-1S is in North Texas, headed for Houston - so I should have the amp sometime in the next couple of days.