[W S L]

I was actually waiting for the version with the nice RAAL-requisite decals on the Pelican case + the softer headphone cables, which I just received.

 

[Tekunda]

Do need an interface box between SR1a and the power amp? Can you elaborate on what “problems” were ironed out? Also, do you know anything about the HEDDphone AMT headphones by a company called HEDD and how they compare to the SR1a and other planars?
So many new TOTL cans to try Susvara, PHI TC, SR1a and now HEDD.

A guy I know and who lives in Berlin, went to the Heddphone company located in Berlin, Germany to get a first hand impression of the upcoming Heddphones.
He told me that he liked what he heard, that the company "is almost there" and trying to iron out the last issues.
He was not able to do a direct comparison between the Heddphones and the cans you have mentioned though. But according to him these headphones carry the promise of TOTL headphones for a projected price around $1700 Euros.
The only bigger issue the company is working on, is an area, where many headphone companies seem to have issues at, namely the bass.
He said that these phone are very "promising" with a sweet treble and clear midrange and that the company tries its best to stick to late autumn for its official release date.

 

[Whitigir]

I think “the bass problem” is the pass. There are so many headphones that is capable of pumping out bass when paired correctly. 3 of those I know and have is Hd800s and Stax SR009 SR009S

 

[WilliamWykeham]

A cautionary tale for those using an AHB2 who may be thinking about adding an LA4 or HPA4 -

MY GOOF - I did not understand the difference between AES EBU and XLR and was using a digital cable with the preamp. That’s why it sounded terrible. Live and learn. Will amend or preface prior posts on this topic.

Also you need to set boost to 10 dB with a consumer dac’s xlr and I didn’t know that.

 

[tunes]

A guy I know and who lives in Berlin, went to the Heddphone company located in Berlin, Germany to get a first hand impression of the upcoming Heddphones.
He told me that he liked what he heard, that the company "is almost there" and trying to iron out the last issues.
He was not able to do a direct comparison between the Heddphones and the cans you have mentioned though. But according to him these headphones carry the promise of TOTL headphones for a projected price around $1700 Euros.
The only bigger issue the company is working on, is an area, where many headphone companies seem to have issues at, namely the bass.
He said that these phone are very "promising" with a sweet treble and clear midrange and that the company tries its best to stick to late autumn for its official release date.

Thanks for the info. Looks promising at a good price.

 

[Tekunda]

I just learned that Heddphone will exhibit at the Audiovista in Krefeld, Germany, which is around the second week in September 19.
They will have on display all the usual heavyweights, like Hifiman, Abyss, Audeze, Focal and the Heddphone.
Since Krefeld literally is around the corner from where I live, there is no question that I will attend the show.
Of course I plan to compare the Heddphones with above mentioned TOTL cans and will share here my findings after the show in September.

 

[Thenewguy007]

MY GOOF - I did not understand the difference between AES EBU and XLR and was using a digital cable with the preamp. That’s why it sounded terrible. Live and learn. Will amend or preface prior posts on this topic.

Isn't there no real difference between a AES EBU digital cable & a single XLR interconnect cable?

 

[bozebuttons]

Isn't there no real difference between a AES EBU digital cable & a single XLR interconnect cable?

AES EBU DIGITAL CABLES are 110 OHM, standard interconnects are not.

 

[WilliamWykeham]

Isn't there no real difference between a AES EBU digital cable & a single XLR interconnect cable?

Hmm.. this comment spurred me to go back to what I had been reading only to find several statements online that the real issue is using an analog xlr to transmit a digital signal, and that it should be ok to use a digital cable to transmit an analog signal, as long as magnetic interference isn’t an issue. So I guess either I have bad magnetic interference at my house, or there’s something unique about the LA4 where it doesn’t want to play with digital cables, or you always have to consider impressions could be psychosomatic - however I thought I really heard a difference - it went from harsh and uncomfortable to dynamic, smooth and dark. Will have to AB some more.

 

[Thenewguy007]

Hmm.. this comment spurred me to go back to what I had been reading only to find several statements online that the real issue is using an analog xlr to transmit a digital signal, and that it should be ok to use a digital cable to transmit an analog signal, as long as magnetic interference isn’t an issue. So I guess either I have bad magnetic interference at my house, or there’s something unique about the LA4 where it doesn’t want to play with digital cables, or you always have to consider impressions could be psychosomatic - however I thought I really heard a difference - it went from harsh and uncomfortable to dynamic, smooth and dark. Will have to AB some more.

Could have been the cables.
The harsher sounding ones might not have been shielded.

Heavier shielded cables tend to sound darker.

 

[Articnoise]

Isn't there no real difference between a AES EBU digital cable & a single XLR interconnect cable?

Oh yes they are made to be used to transfer different type of signals. AES EBU is especially made to transmission digital signals with fairly high sampling frequency of 44.1 KHz, 88.2 KHz and 96 KHz etc (so it is not made for low frequency signals).

An analogue audio IC is made to transmission analogue audio signal that is primarily in the 20 to 20.000 Hz with some harmonics that is much higher.

 

[ineztia]

According to the official posts, 100W amp(mostly, class AB) is recommended for this headphone, can I use a 30W class A amp to drive it ? for example, Accuphase E650, Passlabs INT 30A / INT 60 ?
Some Hi-End 30W class A amp is enough power to drive Dynaudio C2. lol.

 

[exdmd]

According to the official posts, 100W amp(mostly, class AB) is recommended for this headphone, can I use a 30W class A amp to drive it ? for example, Accuphase E650, Passlabs INT 30A / INT 60 ?
Some Hi-End 30W class A amp is enough power to drive Dynaudio C2. lol.

RAAL | requisite says 100 watts minimum but reviewers have said you need 150 watts per channel into 4 Ohms. Sure you will hear music with 30W but you will have limited volume and dynamic range. The general consensus is the least expensive amp to adequately power the SR1a is a single Schiit Vidar. Two Vidars in mono-block mode is better.

 

[Zhanming057]

According to the official posts, 100W amp(mostly, class AB) is recommended for this headphone, can I use a 30W class A amp to drive it ? for example, Accuphase E650, Passlabs INT 30A / INT 60 ?
Some Hi-End 30W class A amp is enough power to drive Dynaudio C2. lol.

As mentioned in this thread, you really do need the 100w and, ideally, more to drive them. 100w corresponds to about 120db of loudness at 33hz but even if you listen at quieter levels, weak amps will suffer in terms of bass delivery and energy.

Accuphase has the excellent E470/480 which is indeed very good for driving them, as with pass and the INT150.

 

[manueljenkin]

Hi Alex, I'm from digital electronics background but lately I have been getting curious about amp design and stuff.

What I'm seeing is that the box that comes with sr1a is a transformer that converts from voltage drive to current drive. Even a traditional ac current transformer will be losing a lot to resistance and magnetic losses in terms of energy, and with something that is as complex as audio signal I assume the loss will be even more.

I have got a different idea and I've sent you a PM. It'll be very hard to implement and might need lots more out of box thinking over the general current drive implementations used in led lighting systems, or even current drive audio amp systems like apogee groove or questyles cma amps. But if done properly, there's a chance the efficiency of the overall system could get much much higher (even portable scenario could be achieved).. and might even perform better.

Please reply me back if interested.

From a technical standpoint I assume the driving transients of ribbons (almost zero resistance load) can reach places where electrostats (capacitive load), dynamic drivers (resistive and inductive load) or planars (mostly resistive load) just cannot even think of, if we can nail down the driving implementation. Right now there's too much conversion happening and each stage of conversion could impart it's own imperfections (whether small or large) and also lose a lot of energy. I'm not sure of the transducer transients (it boils down to material science which I am not sure), but looking at fellow impressions, your transducer must be crazy fast.

Thanks and Regards,
Manuel Jenkin.