[Ciggavelli]

So, Danny said the adaptor won't work with the VM.

 

[Hiker816]

So, Danny said the adaptor won't work with the VM.

Thanks for checking. Did he say why? Is it just that he doesn't think it'll sound very good, or is there risk of damaging the VM1a or HPs?

 

[Ciggavelli]

Thanks for checking. Did he say why? Is it just that he doesn't think it'll sound very good, or is there risk of damaging the VM1a or HPs?

It was kinda technical talk, which I didn't really understand, but something about the power being too much. He said the outputs would be for like 1.5 ohm headphones, which won't work with like any normal headphone

I think it might damage the headphones, but he didn't say that outright. Not worth the risk though

 

[Aleksandar R.]

Nothing will get damaged if you use the adapter to drive regular impedance headphones on the VM-output.
The amp and the headphones will be fine.

VM outputs 2.8 Volts, which is 20W at 0.4 Ohms (the designed value) and that would make about 0.16 Watts at 50 Ohms.

But, that is not the optimum for that amplifier. Instead of anodes seeing 4k Ohms, the transformer will want to convert 50 Ohms to 500k Ohms.
the primary inductance of the transformer isn't large enough to couple the low frequencies at 500k, so the feedback will get overworked to compensate for that...

So, even though nothing will get damaged, if it were recommended sound-wise, we would have placed a female XLR on the front panes so you wouldn't need to bother making an adapter.

 

[Aleksandar R.]

To clarify,

Solid-State amp like the HSA does not have an output transformer like the VM, and it will happily drive 50 Ohms from it's ribbon output without having it's internal operating conditions changed.

 

[Aleksandar R.]

Did you read what Alex wrote earlier? He’s used the SAEQ Hyperion and the VM-1a in Triode Mode to voice the Immanis with the 32Ohm interface and described the VM-1a and Hyperion GE as sounding very, very similar. And of course if you buy the full Immanis set you get the 32Ohm interface. Earlier in this thread Alex posted a photograph of the Hyperion with the CA-1a but this was using the 16 Ohms interface. And Kiats in Singapore (I think) said the pairing sounded great but only with the 16 Ohm interface. So what does someone like me, who only has the HSA-1b, do if I want to get the Hyperion for the Immanis? I can’t use it with the CA or SR because I don’t have a 16Ohm interface. Anyway, this is just me thinking out loud, I’ll use the Immanis with the HSA-1b to start with and then see what happens.

Well, for me Hyperion Ge is very slightly better at 32 Ohms. Always set to High gain and attenuator up to 3 o'clock. If I need more gain, I increase it for the needed difference at the source.
It sure drives two Interfaces and headphones at 16 ohms combined, each at 32 Ohms, but I f I don't need to drive two headphones, I use it at 32 Ohms.

 

[Kiats]

Did you read what Alex wrote earlier? He’s used the SAEQ Hyperion and the VM-1a in Triode Mode to voice the Immanis with the 32Ohm interface and described the VM-1a and Hyperion GE as sounding very, very similar. And of course if you buy the full Immanis set you get the 32Ohm interface. Earlier in this thread Alex posted a photograph of the Hyperion with the CA-1a but this was using the 16 Ohms interface. And Kiats in Singapore (I think) said the pairing sounded great but only with the 16 Ohm interface. So what does someone like me, who only has the HSA-1b, do if I want to get the Hyperion for the Immanis? I can’t use it with the CA or SR because I don’t have a 16Ohm interface. Anyway, this is just me thinking out loud, I’ll use the Immanis with the HSA-1b to start with and then see what happens.

Actually, the Hyperion Ge sounds great with the 32 ohm interface.

 

[Aleksandar R.]

I completely agree. While it's great that RAAL made available the TI-1b & c transformers for those that want to dip their toe in without committing to a dedicated amplifier, I personally would only use an interface if I had no other amplification options available to me. The less things in the signal path, the better.

Our recent test of new Solaja 300B² showed that even if we had the Interface after the OTP, it had more life, more detail, more breath than the VM-Pentode Mode, where only one transformer is in the path.

The thing with transformers is that the price you pay is always related to transformation ratio. If you do need 100:1, it doesn't really matter if you're going to do it with two transformers of (10:1)*(10:1) ratio or one of 100:1 ratio. Actually, by dividing the ratio between the two, you can better optimize each one.
Specifically, 10:1 transformer for Interface is a very relaxed design. Very small number of windings, like 10 times smaller than what you need for a tube OTP, makes the parasitics very low as they go with the square of number of turns...nice core, properly annealed after winding into a toroid...

So "direct" with tube amps means 100:1 ratio and some transformer(s) to achieve that.

Now, it's no fluke that VM is such a great amp that barely anything touches it. It's not superior because it's "direct" and other amps need Interface, but because Dragan Solaja knows a thing or two about making great tube amps.

So does Dragan Domanovic about solid-state amps. His new prototype was better via Interface than the HSA direct...EDIT: maybe even better than VM-Pentode Mode, but I didn't have them at the same time, it was several days apart.

My part is to make a good interface/cable system that won't send their work down the drain and I'm pretty good at what I do, no false modesty here.

So, we're doing things that really are moving forward. We're not dumbing things down because I want more usage scenarios for ribbon headphones. That is a taboo here, as things must always move for the better. If a wider usage is going to happen, great, I'm all for it, but if it can only be done by reducing the sound quality, it is not going to happen. The usage will remain as it is and hit the wall.

 

[normie610]

Our recent test of new Solaja 300B² showed that even if we had the Interface after the OTP, it had more life, more detail, more breath than the VM-Pentode Mode, where only one transformer is in the path.

The thing with transformers is that the price you pay is always related to transformation ratio. If you do need 100:1, it doesn't really matter if you're going to do it with two transformers of (10:1)*(10:1) ratio or one of 100:1 ratio. Actually, by dividing the ratio between the two, you can better optimize each one.
Specifically, 10:1 transformer for Interface is a very relaxed design. Very small number of windings, like 10 times smaller than what you need for a tube OTP, makes the parasitics very low as they go with the square of number of turns...nice core, properly annealed after winding into a toroid...

So "direct" with tube amps means 100:1 ratio and some transformer(s) to achieve that.

Now, it's no fluke that VM is such a great amp that barely anything touches it. It's not superior because it's "direct" and other amps need Interface, but because Dragan Solaja knows a thing or two about making great tube amps.

So does Dragan Domanovic about solid-state amps. His new prototype was better via Interface than the HSA direct...EDIT: maybe even better than VM-Pentode Mode, but I didn't have them at the same time, it was several days apart.

My part is to make a good interface/cable system that won't send their work down the drain and I'm pretty good at what I do, no false modesty here.

So, we're doing things that really are moving forward. We're not dumbing things down because I want more usage scenarios for ribbon headphones. That is a taboo here, as things must always move for the better. If a wider usage is going to happen, great, I'm all for it, but if it can be only be done by reducing the sound quality, it is not going to happen. The usage will remain as it is and hit the wall.

Thanks for the explanation Alex. Just to share, the sound I'm getting from Primavera + TI-1b combo is just mesmerizing, which leaves me no desire to get a direct drive amp. For my preferences, I'm using the 32 ohm input, while the amp is set at 50 ohm (I don't know whether it's correct from a pure impedance calculation perspective, but it does sound wonderful to me).

 

[Kiats]

So does Dragan Domanovic about solid-state amps. His new prototype was better via Interface than the HSA direct...EDIT: maybe even better than VM-Pentode Mode, but I didn't have them at the same time, it was several days apart.

Agree on Dragan Domanovic and his solid state amps, having heard his entire range at Jaben SG courtesy of @Uncle Wilson. The Hyperion Ge is special.

Look forward to SAEQ's new amp.

 

[Aleksandar R.]

Thanks for the explanation Alex. Just to share, the sound I'm getting from Primavera + T1-1b combo is just mesmerizing, which leaves me no desire to get a direct drive amp. For my preferences, I'm using the 32 ohm input, while the amp is set at 50 ohm (I don't know whether it's correct from a pure impedance calculation perspective, but it does sound wonderful to me).

Yep, that is an awesome amp! Imagine not having the opportunity to enjoy it!
It's a beast, so it easily swallows 32 Ohms at 50 Ohm output, but IIRC, it also has 25 Ohms output, so I would keep it at 25 and load that with 32 ohms.

I was just writing to a friend about the Interface:
Think of what late Tim de Paravicini had done while he was alive, that you wouldn’t be able to enjoy...what had Nelson Pass done with his pet-company Firstwatt, to name but a few of the people that I am (was) lucky enough to call my friends. Those are not just products, those are bodies of work that represent someone’s lifelong passion and professional path, fears and joys...It all has to be explored, eventually...

 

[jlbrach]

So, Danny said the adaptor won't work with the VM.

it did but probably not worth bothering with I suppose

 

[normie610]

Yep, that is an awesome amp! Imagine not having the opportunity to enjoy it!
It's a beast, so it easily swallows 32 Ohms at 50 Ohm output, but IIRC, it also has 25 Ohms output, so I would keep it at 25 and load that with 32 ohms.

Yep I tried it with 25 ohm as well, and it also sounds good, but with 50 ohm the soundstage is more expansive and the bass hits deeper, though with just a little bit less quantity than 25 ohm. But yeah both settings are fine, a testament of how good the TI-1b is.

 

[Hiker816]

Our recent test of new Solaja 300B² showed that even if we had the Interface after the OTP, it had more life, more detail, more breath than the VM-Pentode Mode, where only one transformer is in the path.

Hi Aleksander--any more info about the upcoming Solaja 300B--in particular, when it's likely to be released? Are you collaborating with Dragan on it such that it will be a RAAL-branded project, or will it be completely separate through Solaja? @Dragan S , are you able to provide any more information?

It sounds very intriguing, for the new Immanis and all the other RAAL-requisite HPs, but also a whole range of other HPs. Would love to see a head-to-head of this new Solaja 300B vs the Trafomatic Primavera.

 

[nfandi]

Hi Aleksander--any more info about the upcoming Solaja 300B--in particular, when it's likely to be released? Are you collaborating with Dragan on it such that it will be a RAAL-branded project, or will it be completely separate through Solaja? @Dragan S , are you able to provide any more information?

It sounds very intriguing, for the new Immanis and all the other RAAL-requite HPs, but also a whole range of other HPs. Would love to see a head-to-head of this new Solaja 300B vs the Trafomatic Primavera.

And to throw an SS amp into the equation the new SAEQ uber-amp (as described by Alex). Looks like very interesting times ahead and maybe some very difficult conversations with partners and/or very distressed bank accounts.