[silkytoad]

So I opened up the amp, and found that theres 2 fuses on each side close to the heat dissipation. Not surprisingly, two fuses on one side appear to have burned. I will order some new ones and pray for that to be the only damage done!

Just for documentation sakes I will update with my situation.

I contacted Silvio Delfino and he recommended I do the following:

I'm sorry for what happened but a short on the output is usually a deadly condition for an amp, our can survive or just have small damage.
First of all, please give me the serial number of the amp.
You can find it on the rear panel.

Please follow carefully this procedure to replace the internal fuses:
inside the amp there are 4 fuses, 2A, Fast type (F) 5x20mm.
Fuses are mounted on the 2 power boards, mounted on the heatsink,
In case of short on the output and a high input signal the fuses blow.
You can try to replace all four fuses. Please be careful.
After replacing the fuses and BEFORE to connect the amp to speakers, turn on the amp, with NO LOAD: no speakers and no headphone.
You must verify if the 4 green LED on the power board, close to the fuses, turn on.
Check both channels.
If the fuses blow again and LED do not turn on, you have to return the amp for service.
If the fuses do not blow and LED stay on, wait some minutes and control that the amp is still working.
Then you can turn off the amp, reconnect the speakers (with NO short, please...).
I hope that you can solve the problem.

Best regards
Silvio Delfino

I was able to source some fast burn fuses from Amazon, and replace all 4 of them. I turned the amp on with no signal and load and fortunately the pair of LED’s on each side close to the fuses turned on green. I left the amp on for about an hour to make sure everything was stable before testing it again. To my complete satisfaction my amp is now singing as beautiful as ever!

A lot of lessons learned, especially as far as only purchasing speaker cables with connectors that minimize the risk of this ever happening again.

I hope you are all enjoying your Rivieras!

 

[silkytoad]

What power cords do you guys prefer using on the AIC-10?

Right now I’m using Sablon Gran Corona cable and I am very happy. TBH I haven’t done a lot of testing but curious to know if upgrading to the King is worth the investment!? Also curious to hear what others like!

 

[simorag]

After having listened the Susvara multiple times, always having the personal impression that they are the only headphones out there that can keep-up with the AB-1266 as an all-rounder, I finally gave in and indulged myself with a pair, thus expanding my stable of heapdhones (must borrow some additional pair of ears at this point ).

I need to settle on their presentation before I come out with some meaningful impressions, especially in the context of A/B-ing vs. my beloved Abyss which have been my go-to headphones for the last several years.

However, I wanted to quickly chime-in here about what it seems to be the hottest topic about the Susvara, at least based on the number of posts on their thread, i.e. amplification requirements.

Several (most?) Susvara users report having achieved the best sonic results via speaker amplifiers, sometimes up to or well above 100W / 8Ohm, claiming that one actually needs very beefy amps to really appreciate what the Susvara can do in terms of speed, visceral impact, soundstage, bass extension and heft.

Well, I am happy to report that the AIC-10, provided the speaker taps are used, is – to my ears – able to drive the Susvara with ease, having just surfed like a breeze over my slam / dynamics / deep bass / quiet recordings torture test playlist. I never went above 2PM on the volume knob even when pushing well beyond my most spirited actual listening levels.

When used via the headphone out, however, a smothering effect is apparent, in form of a notably more veiled, slower, duller presentation, with relatively poor bass control. Note that the hp still goes plenty loud, so that’s not the problem, it’s just as if some life is sucked out from the Susvara.

Bottom line is that for us AIC-10 owners, the use of speaker taps with the Susvara is basically a must for full enjoyment (and a very recommended option for the AB-1266 as well, for that matter) IMO.

I tend to believe that the effect is related to both the additional output power (close to 3Wrms on 60Ohm) AND to the much lower output impedance of the speaker out improving the damping factor.

Will come back some extended listening impression notes and comparisons in the future

 

[Ratephi]

After having listened the Susvara multiple times, always having the personal impression that they are the only headphones out there that can keep-up with the AB-1266 as an all-rounder, I finally gave in and indulged myself with a pair, thus expanding my stable of heapdhones (must borrow some additional pair of ears at this point ).

​

I need to settle on their presentation before I come out with some meaningful impressions, especially in the context of A/B-ing vs. my beloved Abyss which have been my go-to headphones for the last several years.

However, I wanted to quickly chime-in here about what it seems to be the hottest topic about the Susvara, at least based on the number of posts on their thread, i.e. amplification requirements.

Several (most?) Susvara users report having achieved the best sonic results via speaker amplifiers, sometimes up to or well above 100W / 8Ohm, claiming that one actually needs very beefy amps to really appreciate what the Susvara can do in terms of speed, visceral impact, soundstage, bass extension and heft.

Well, I am happy to report that the AIC-10, provided the speaker taps are used, is – to my ears – able to drive the Susvara with ease, having just surfed like a breeze over my slam / dynamics / deep bass / quiet recordings torture test playlist. I never went above 2PM on the volume knob even when pushing well beyond my most spirited actual listening levels.

When used via the headphone out, however, a smothering effect is apparent, in form of a notably more veiled, slower, duller presentation, with relatively poor bass control. Note that the hp still goes plenty loud, so that’s not the problem, it’s just as if some life is sucked out from the Susvara.

Bottom line is that for us AIC-10 owners, the use of speaker taps with the Susvara is basically a must for full enjoyment (and a very recommended option for the AB-1266 as well, for that matter) IMO.

I tend to believe that the effect is related to both the additional output power (close to 3Wrms on 60Ohm) AND to the much lower output impedance of the speaker out improving the damping factor.

Will come back some extended listening impression notes and comparisons in the future

Congratulazioni Simone! Sooner or later I will have to give the Susvara a chance too!

 

[F208Frank]

For anyone interested to buying the
AiC-10 that is barely used and couple months old from the 1st owner here it is:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-riviera-aic-10-totl-headphone-amp-months-old-1st-owner.954164/

 

[Ratephi]

Trying to revitalize this (way too) quiet thread with a couple of questions about tubes to all of you current and former owners of AIC-10: which tubes have you tested on your Riviera and which one(s) spend most of the time in your amp?

As far as I'm concerned, these are the tubes that I tried (and own) so far:
- Telefunken ECC802s - 1960s
- Amperex Holland bugle boy ECC82
- RCA Clear Top ECC82 - 1960s
- Mullard CV4003 ECC82 - 1970s
- Fivre ECC82 - 1958
- Radio Technique long plates ECC82 - 1959

I must admit that not all of them have gone through extensive use but so far my personal favourites are two relatively different tubes:
- Telefunken ECC802s: this is probably my overall reference, because of its dry, airy, very analytical nature which I appreciate particularly with classical and some live modern Jazz (the genres I spend more time with)
- Fivre ECC82: I find this tube a very good all-rounder. To my ears, it's a pinch softer and warmer than the Telefunken. I find that they complement each other well. Actually, if I had to choose one and one only tube to be used with literally any musical genre, the Fivre could actually be my choice (at least, out of the few tubes I've had the chance to try so far..)

Who's next?..

 

[simorag]

Trying to revitalize this (way too) quiet thread with a couple of questions about tubes to all of you current and former owners of AIC-10: which tubes have you tested on your Riviera and which one(s) spend most of the time in your amp?

As far as I'm concerned, these are the tubes that I tried (and own) so far:
- Telefunken ECC802s - 1960s
- Amperex Holland bugle boy ECC82
- RCA Clear Top ECC82 - 1960s
- Mullard CV4003 ECC82 - 1970s
- Fivre ECC82 - 1958
- Radio Technique long plates ECC82 - 1959

I must admit that not all of them have gone through extensive use but so far my personal favourites are two relatively different tubes:
- Telefunken ECC802s: this is probably my overall reference, because of its dry, airy, very analytical nature which I appreciate particularly with classical and some live modern Jazz (the genres I spend more time with)
- Fivre ECC82: I find this tube a very good all-rounder. To my ears, it's a pinch softer and warmer than the Telefunken. I find that they complement each other well. Actually, if I had to choose one and one only tube to be used with literally any musical genre, the Fivre could actually be my choice (at least, out of the few tubes I've had the chance to try so far..)

Who's next?..

I tried the following (in bold are the ones I currently own):

- Telefunken ECC802S Diamond (60's)
- Radio Technique ECC82 long plate (60's)
- Marconiphone B329 (50's)
- Fivre ECC82 (50's)
- Mullard CV4003 (50's)
- Brimar CV4003 (50's)
- Philips Miniwatt Long Plate O Getter (1959)
- Valvo ECC82 45° getter (1960)
- Mullard CV491 (several units from 1955 to 1958)

Mi favorite with the Abyss TC is the Mullard CV491, thanks to its rich and euphoric midrange, followed by the Fivre (more transparent and punchy, but still with a hint of warmth).

With the Susvara, the Fivre was definitely my favorite.

I am curious about the original Genalex from the 40's and the Telefunken G73R, but they seem extremely rare and outrageously expensive .

 

[tunes]

Great post @simorag , thanks!
Careful with that little table guys or you may be getting a Riviera at your doorstep before you know it first hand experience...

I largely agree with your comparison of Dave vs Riviera, I would change half a point here or there by the bottom line is that there is a significant gap. I used the TC out off the Dave for months and I’d add that the Riviera provides a much more relaxing listening experience (Mullard being the best tube on this count). Zero fatigue, which I cannot say for the Dave.
We could round everything off with a “fun” parameter, on that one the Riviera would shoot through the roof

Finally regarding pros and cons, I agree except for the look. For me is a big plus to have such beast in a rather unassuming (yet classy) package. Enjoy!!

Where does a $1,000 tube amp like the Quicksilver fit in here for those of us who can’t justify a $15K amp investment. I always wonder how these comparisons are made at such a high level since the slightest volume mismatch when comparing and lack of blinding makes everything a blur in acoustic hindsight whenever I have tried to compare pairings.

 

[BPED]

Trying to revitalize this (way too) quiet thread with a couple of questions about tubes to all of you current and former owners of AIC-10: which tubes have you tested on your Riviera and which one(s) spend most of the time in your amp?

As far as I'm concerned, these are the tubes that I tried (and own) so far:
- Telefunken ECC802s - 1960s
- Amperex Holland bugle boy ECC82
- RCA Clear Top ECC82 - 1960s
- Mullard CV4003 ECC82 - 1970s
- Fivre ECC82 - 1958
- Radio Technique long plates ECC82 - 1959

I must admit that not all of them have gone through extensive use but so far my personal favourites are two relatively different tubes:
- Telefunken ECC802s: this is probably my overall reference, because of its dry, airy, very analytical nature which I appreciate particularly with classical and some live modern Jazz (the genres I spend more time with)
- Fivre ECC82: I find this tube a very good all-rounder. To my ears, it's a pinch softer and warmer than the Telefunken. I find that they complement each other well. Actually, if I had to choose one and one only tube to be used with literally any musical genre, the Fivre could actually be my choice (at least, out of the few tubes I've had the chance to try so far..)

Who's next?..

I described all my tubes in post n. 2. In the end, as I use the TC 99% of the time, I prefer the Mullard...
I am curious about Telefunken but probably not the best match for my taste and gear currently. Maybe for the future if I change headphones..

 

[BPED]

Where does a $1,000 tube amp like the Quicksilver fit in here for those of us who can’t justify a $15K amp investment. I always wonder how these comparisons are made at such a high level since the slightest volume mismatch when comparing and lack of blinding makes everything a blur in acoustic hindsight whenever I have tried to compare pairings.

I don’t know the amp you mention but I bet the Riviera is not 15 times better (whatever that means)

 

[F208Frank]

Hey guys, just mentioning I have listed my AMP on the classifieds, I was off this forum for a couple of months and it was in limbo in the for sale forums. Please refer someone over if you know they want this unit, mine is like new, opened and set on rack, used under 15 times and am the 1st owner. Thank you.

 

[mammal]

Any owner of Riviera here who actually listens to AB-1266 from the headphone out, not using speaker taps? I will be honest with you, when I had my Chord TT 2, I was A/B-ing single ended 6.3mm vs balanced XLR for a couple of days and I could not tell a difference, maybe a bit more dynamic on XLRs (which is 3 or 4x more powerful than SE on TT2). But when I got dCS Bartók (which has only 2W on XLR) it sounded more powerful/dynamic/punchy/authoritative than TT2 ever was (I know, DAC plays a role, but still). What I am getting at, else than FOMO, are speaker taps on Riviera really necessary? I listen mainly to EDM, and yes, I know what to listen for when an amp is underpowered (like Hugo 2 was for Diana V2). Not trying to discount your experiences, but since I am comparing WA33 EE JPS with upgraded tubes (where you do not need speaker taps), I would really prefer Riviera, as I am in Europe so Woo Audio is difficult to get and Riviera is much easier, but also Riviera has only one tube to roll, so replacing it as it ages will be that much easier, also comparing to others too. Thanks for your honest feedback!

 

[simorag]

Any owner of Riviera here who actually listens to AB-1266 from the headphone out, not using speaker taps? I will be honest with you, when I had my Chord TT 2, I was A/B-ing single ended 6.3mm vs balanced XLR for a couple of days and I could not tell a difference, maybe a bit more dynamic on XLRs (which is 3 or 4x more powerful than SE on TT2). But when I got dCS Bartók (which has only 2W on XLR) it sounded more powerful/dynamic/punchy/authoritative than TT2 ever was (I know, DAC plays a role, but still). What I am getting at, else than FOMO, are speaker taps on Riviera really necessary? I listen mainly to EDM, and yes, I know what to listen for when an amp is underpowered (like Hugo 2 was for Diana V2). Not trying to discount your experiences, but since I am comparing WA33 EE JPS with upgraded tubes (where you do not need speaker taps), I would really prefer Riviera, as I am in Europe so Woo Audio is difficult to get and Riviera is much easier, but also Riviera has only one tube to roll, so replacing it as it ages will be that much easier, also comparing to others too. Thanks for your honest feedback!

Hi @mammal, I do not find the AIC-10 headphones out underpowered by any means for the AB-1266 TC. When using the XLR out I rarely go above h12, and it happens only with very quiet classical recordings. With most modern music, and EDM in particular, you have plenty of headroom using the XLR out.

My theory (I am no expert about this stuff) is that the more dynamic sound I seem to percieve via the speaker out could perhaps be due by its higher damping factor, and by the fact that you skip a component in the signal path (attenuation resistor).

Anyway, the taps are sure not 'needed' with the AB-1266, while I felt they were actually a necessity with the Susvara.

About the tube rolling with the AIC-10, the biggest advantage of having a single tube to roll is, IMO, that you can really fine tune the amplifier voicing to your liking by acting on a single 'variable', which is much easier to manage compared to a fully tubed amp where the permutations you would potentially get by acting on the various tubes could be a bit overwhelming (unless you are a hard core tube roller).

You could end up with a small NOS collection, say a Telefunken 802, a Fivre and a Mullard, to use on rotation, based on your day's mood, music type or just for the fun of it. Almost like having three different amps

 

[Articnoise]

Any owner of Riviera here who actually listens to AB-1266 from the headphone out, not using speaker taps? I will be honest with you, when I had my Chord TT 2, I was A/B-ing single ended 6.3mm vs balanced XLR for a couple of days and I could not tell a difference, maybe a bit more dynamic on XLRs (which is 3 or 4x more powerful than SE on TT2). But when I got dCS Bartók (which has only 2W on XLR) it sounded more powerful/dynamic/punchy/authoritative than TT2 ever was (I know, DAC plays a role, but still). What I am getting at, else than FOMO, are speaker taps on Riviera really necessary? I listen mainly to EDM, and yes, I know what to listen for when an amp is underpowered (like Hugo 2 was for Diana V2). Not trying to discount your experiences, but since I am comparing WA33 EE JPS with upgraded tubes (where you do not need speaker taps), I would really prefer Riviera, as I am in Europe so Woo Audio is difficult to get and Riviera is much easier, but also Riviera has only one tube to roll, so replacing it as it ages will be that much easier, also comparing to others too. Thanks for your honest feedback!

I have tested Chord TT2, single ended 6.3mm vs rear balanced XLR and the balanced didn't make my LCD4 sound better or anything close to my speaker amp from Moon. Planar headphone needs plenty of current and not only power to sound great, I guess Bartók (and AIC-10) with its bigger PSU probably have more of it on tap than TT2. If you look on how much, or should I say little current, the TT2 can deliver compared to the amount of watts its clear that the proporsen is not ideal for hard to drive planar.

IMO

 

[mammal]

My theory (I am no expert about this stuff) is that the more dynamic sound I seem to percieve via the speaker out could perhaps be due by its higher damping factor, and by the fact that you skip a component in the signal path (attenuation resistor).

Is this resistor there because of the volume knob? What if I order Riviera without one, I have seen them being called a “power amp”. I could then use the volume control on Bartok, would that work?