[adornoWest]

Is the 8ft DELUXE RIBBON (Copper/Silver) cable still recommended as better than the 10ft/3 meter STAR-8 (Pure Silver) for use with JOT R and SR1a?
I’m guessing the STAR-8 is okay with the SR1a & SR-1b amp or is a better match designed to the VM-1a?

EDIT: Found the answer

Which is? I am curious too.

 

[FLTWS]

Sep 20, 2022 at 11:44 AM Post #5,882 of 6,046

Aleksandar R. Member of the Trade: RAAL-requisite

 

[SageM]

Hello: I have posted on other Head-Fi threads, mostly on Kennerton headphones and Benchmark HPA4 headphone amps. Recently I bought an SR-1b and Ti-1b transformer interface and also purchased a Star 8 headphone cable. I stream Qobuz via Roon using a Bricasti M1SE DAC with network card, then into my HPA4 connected to the Ti-1b using its 16 ohm input. Since the HPA4 outputs 6 watts into 16 ohms and 3.5 watts into 32 ohms, that is probably why I found the 16 ohm connection to sound a little better and it has a higher output. I use a small amount of parametric equalizer compensation on Roon. For inquiring minds I use a +2 dB low bass shelf beginning at 170 Hz with Q 1.0 and a dip centered at 2 kHz of 4 dB and Q 0.5. Since I don't listen that loud I have not heard any type of clipping.

I have really been enjoying these phones listening to classic and progressive rock and jazz mostly. I have a pair of neutral-sounding Kennerton Rognir planar magnetic cans and also a pair of modified Kennerton Gjallarhorn GH50 JM Edition phones, which are warm, dark, and bass-prominent, read: bass cannons or Eargeschplitten Loudenboomers. I am not really as much of a fan of bass-prominent phones, far preferring the more neutral sound of the Rognirs and certainly the SR-1b. All I can say is that once you hear the speed, detail, spaciousness, and transparency of the SR-1b, the exciting, alive sound of bands when using these phones, who cares about bass quantity. And the bass quality is the best I have heard, bass guitars having that thrum and bass drums having that thwack of real life. Phones that seal the ear canal, i.e. almost all other phones produce bass through compression and rarefaction instead of in free space, which is why the use of a midrange driver can produce prodigious bass in a small enclosed cavity.

I only listened for a few hours using the stock SC2 headphone cable before buying the Star 8 but in my estimation the S8 cable makes for a more balanced sound while still sounding as detailed. I would guess the lower midrange and bass to be increased slightly and they sound more spacious and detailed at the same time.

The Benchmark HPA4 is as you can imagine extremely neutral and detailed, being a SS amp with unmeasurable TIM, THD, and crossing distortion with the highest signal-to-noise ratio ever measured, at least on Audio Science Review. I have always liked a fast, detailed, maybe even treble-prominent sound. To my ears, most phones have way too much bass that overwhelms the rest of the music, maybe because we have been conditioned to this type of sound. Nothing is worse in my book than slow, dark, plodding, bass-heavy sound. The SR-1b is the antithesis of this sound and I fell hopelessly in love with it. When I had a 2-channel system I had a pair of speakers using Audio Nirvana single-drivers and sat nearfield, so this probably contributes to why I like the SR-1b so much. The coherence of single drivers without the phase problems and sounds emanating from different diaphragms and different points in space.

Thank you for all your posts and I look forward to your continued information on these great phones.

Thanks so much. I have very similar thoughts, as you, regarding bass in headphones. Bass articulation and pitch are hard to come by in a chambered environment. Open-baffle is so natural. I also appreciate the almost non-existence of listening fatigue. Very best!

 

[SageM]

Is the 8ft DELUXE RIBBON (Copper/Silver) cable still recommended as better than the 10ft/3 meter STAR-8 (Pure Silver) for use with JOT R and SR1a?
I’m guessing the STAR-8 is okay with the SR1a & SR-1b amp or is a better match designed to the VM-1a?

EDIT: Found the answer

I haven't tried Star-8 with Jot. Maybe, this weekend, I'll get around to that. I'd like to know, too!

 

[jlbrach]

I just got the star 8 today, it is terrific with the HSA-1b and SR1A

 

[RickyV]

Burn-in time.

 

[anvamv]

I go my HSA-1b bypass caps out. All good so far.

Any comments about this tweak? Do you like the sound better after removal of caps?

 

[Aleksandar R.]

Having some great time at Warsaw Audio Video Show 2022! Fantastic people and great vibes!

I'm very happy to have met the Ferrum Audio people!
OOR + TI1b + CA1a = incredible power, dynamic and detail!
Thumbs up!

 

[Aleksandar R.]

Another wonderfully satisfying experience!
ifi ProICAN!
And a great crew to compliment their great products!

 

[Roasty]

Another wonderfully satisfying experience!
ifi ProICAN!
And a great crew to compliment their great products!

at first glance I thought the guy on the left was @Sajid Amit lol

 

[nojwe]

There was some brief discussion on another forum asking iFi to produce an iESL 2/Signature, since the original was discontinued, and wondering if there would be a way to switch between voltage and current output to also drive ribbon headphones. I think that would be awesome, personally. Along with the iCan you'd have a stack that could drive just about any headphone.

 

[ThanatosVI]

There was some brief discussion on another forum asking iFi to produce an iESL 2/Signature, since the original was discontinued, and wondering if there would be a way to switch between voltage and current output to also drive ribbon headphones. I think that would be awesome, personally. Along with the iCan you'd have a stack that could drive just about any headphone.

+10 to this suggestion!

 

[Sajid Amit]

at first glance I thought the guy on the left was @Sajid Amit lol

Lol

 

[Catharus]

Any comments about this tweak? Do you like the sound better after removal of caps?

TL;DR; Yes. Removing the bypass capacitors on the HSA-1b sounds better than keeping them in.

In my opinion, HSA-1b should be sold without the bypass capacitors. The mod has rekindled my love for the HSA1b. It feels like a new amplifier.

Better in what way?

• Treble: I listen to field recordings. Most of them with birds. There are certain recordings that used to make me lower the volume to avoid wincing from high pitched sounds piercing my ears. That is resolved with this modification.
• Bass: Music, especially of the electronic variety, often has deep bass that failed to get me bopping using the original HSA-1b. With the mod, my feet and head are bouncing to the rhythm.
• Singer size: The combination of the above allows me to play louder. This in turn lets me set the volume so that the perceived size of the singer is more correct.
• New discoveries: I discovered new sounds. This could be as simple as me playing louder now.
• Bit perfect: I have now turned off convolution filters and bass shelves in Roon.

Any downsides?

• While it is cool to be able to break out one’s soldering iron to do this mod, it’s more awkward than flipping a switch.
• It’s possible that I lost some degree of treble information and soundstage depth. I’d need an unmodified HSA1a and an extra SR1a to be able to test this. Even if that’s the case, for me, this would be the correct trade off. What makes me suspect that could be the case is PS Audio talking about why bypass capacitors are added. See this video at 3:30 and onwards

As much as I like this mod, I’m still lusting for the sound of the VM1a. It offered even more three dimensional body and bass slam. Out of the amplification options I have heard, I’d rank their sound quality as:

1. VM1a
2. HSA1b modded
3. HSA1b original
4. Jotunheim R

Note that I only care about the performance on the SR1a, not the ’cupped’ CA1a version. I’m looking forward to hearing a Star-8 cable to complete the recommendation @SageM offered.

That Raal-Requisite offers tips like this is extraordinary. Thank you!

 

[Catharus]

Oh, and thanks to you and David Laubacher for the info on the feet removal for my HSA-1b. Much appreciated.

Bob

@cAsE sEnSiTiVe Is the “feet removal” on the HSA-1b another mod to improve sound or something unique to your use case?