[FanaticSankey]

Hey folks!!!!
My friend is interested in selling a Astell and Kern/JH Audio Roxanne 2 Siren series for a good price. If anyone interested kindly ping me.

 

[Giru]

I'm looking for a reference grade (or as they say "endgame") headphone amplifier. Haven't decided on the price yet but I'd love if it would be below 3000usd.
It should be just a headphone amp with no dac. Should be able to power anything from super sensitive IEMs to Planars with good musicality and dynamics with maximum detail.
Again, I'm using the word "reference grade" as I want something I can benchmark other components in my system with, when I'm upgrading or testing/auditioning more expensive gear. And Ofcourse for critical listening in general.

 

[AudioMoksha]

I'm looking for a reference grade (or as they say "endgame") headphone amplifier. Haven't decided on the price yet but I'd love if it would be below 3000usd.
It should be just a headphone amp with no dac. Should be able to power anything from super sensitive IEMs to Planars with good musicality and dynamics with maximum detail.
Again, I'm using the word "reference grade" as I want something I can benchmark other components in my system with, when I'm upgrading or testing/auditioning more expensive gear. And Ofcourse for critical listening in general.

This is Endgame: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/rol...high-end-headphones-iems.428935/post-15622482

 

[Giru]

This is Endgame: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/rol...high-end-headphones-iems.428935/post-15622482

Hey, I'm looking for a pure headphone amp and not amp dac combo. The dave certainly is a very good DAC ofcourse but apparently its headphone section seems more of an "extra" rather than an end-all-be-all solution.
In all fairness tho, I haven't heard the Dave. But, its wayy over my budget and not really what I'm looking for.
I am trying to setup a reference rig to test equipment and recordings. I was originally looking to buy a DAC first but I've decided to get the amp prior to spending the cheddar on the DAC. The "wire with gain" so to speak ( a "potentiometer with gain" ?).

 

[kartk]

I'm looking for a reference grade (or as they say "endgame") headphone amplifier. Haven't decided on the price yet but I'd love if it would be below 3000usd.
It should be just a headphone amp with no dac. Should be able to power anything from super sensitive IEMs to Planars with good musicality and dynamics with maximum detail.
Again, I'm using the word "reference grade" as I want something I can benchmark other components in my system with, when I'm upgrading or testing/auditioning more expensive gear. And Ofcourse for critical listening in general.

checkout Benchmark HPA4, its around your budget and has all the bells and whistles for a top end unit. SQ is pretty good too. Though for final SQ whole chain matters, esp transducers.

 

[AudioMoksha]

Yes, for that scenario and requirement Benchmark will be my pick also. I have been looking for a used price though, as brand new is way outta my budget. But it fits right in yours.

 

[kartk]

Just to add, I did get chance to compare HPA4 against Sapphire v4. Chain was Gustard U16 >> Yggdrasil V1, and HPs were Hifiman Susvara, HE1000se (which sucks btw), Arya, Ananda.. In dynamics we had adx5000, Utopia, HD800.. Between the 2 amps there were marginal differences, and HPA4 wasnt better than sapphire in all technicalities.. So i guess true endgame amp is not decided by price alone, and good amp can be had at much cheaper rates.

 

[Giru]

checkout Benchmark HPA4, its around your budget and has all the bells and whistles for a top end unit. SQ is pretty good too. Though for final SQ whole chain matters, esp transducers.

Hmmm. The HPA4 seems to have been well reviewed. I'll find someone who owns this so I can audition.
Although, I'll have to admit that benchmark products have never succeeded to impress me. Before I got my monarchy dac, i had got to audition the dac3 and the benchmark power amp. It was not worth the price the gentleman had paid. Detail retrieval was average and the seperation was pretty bad; (considering Ofcourse the price.). The dac3 headphone out was even worse but hey they never said it was a dedicated headphone amplifier.

From whatever material I read about the HPA4 in the past hour; the THX tech, the screen, preamp functions etc, the whole proposition makes me even more suspicious of its performance. I'd also factor in the THX 789 (which IMHO is just extremely overhyped); an amp I found to be the proverbial "bakri" amp for audiophiles all around the world who bought their units on the recommendation of Youtubers and so called "Reviewers" without even auditioning the amp (moment of silence for our bakris and bakras).

But I guess that's the trend in this buisiness. People wanna buy the stuff they saw not the stuff they heard.

 

[kumar402]

Hmmm. The HPA4 seems to have been well reviewed. I'll find someone who owns this so I can audition.
Although, I'll have to admit that benchmark products have never succeeded to impress me. Before I got my monarchy dac, i had got to audition the dac3 and the benchmark power amp. It was not worth the price the gentleman had paid. Detail retrieval was average and the seperation was pretty bad; (considering Ofcourse the price.). The dac3 headphone out was even worse but hey they never said it was a dedicated headphone amplifier.

From whatever material I read about the HPA4 in the past hour; the THX tech, the screen, preamp functions etc, the whole proposition makes me even more suspicious of its performance. I'd also factor in the THX 789 (which IMHO is just extremely overhyped); an amp I found to be the proverbial "bakri" amp for audiophiles all around the world who bought their units on the recommendation of Youtubers and so called "Reviewers" without even auditioning the amp (moment of silence for our bakris and bakras).

But I guess that's the trend in this buisiness. People wanna buy the stuff they saw not the stuff they heard.

What headphone are you gonna drive with this amp? Dynamic or planar?
Do you have any sound preference? Warm or neutral?
Are you only open for SS or tube amp as well

 

[Giru]

Just to add, I did get chance to compare HPA4 against Sapphire v4. Chain was Gustard U16 >> Yggdrasil V1, and HPs were Hifiman Susvara, HE1000se (which sucks btw), Arya, Ananda.. In dynamics we had adx5000, Utopia, HD800.. Between the 2 amps there were marginal differences, and HPA4 wasnt better than sapphire in all technicalities.. So i guess true endgame amp is not decided by price alone, and good amp can be had at much cheaper rates.

The sapphire as in the diy one from rjm audio?
I had heard a custom made one based on the rjm boards, which the guy had got assembled here in India. It was dual mono and balanced. It sounded okay, pretty okay infact but was a touch sharp to my taste. Ofcourse it didn't have the dynamics or the drive of the v200 that was also present on the table that day, which impressed us all.

 

[lithiumnk]

I have both hpa4 & sapphire v4.
Hpa4 is in my main setup & sapphire in secondary/bedside setup.
Sapphire is an extremely impressive amp. It comes close to hpa4 in many areas.
If you are looking for only headphone functionality then sapphire is a no brainer & VFM.
But, in my setup hpa4 clearly performs better.
Yggy v1 + hpa4 pairing is not that good imho irrespective of headphones. I believe DAC/source matters here.
HPA4 has other very imp 2ch features which we are not taking into account.

 

[lithiumnk]

I am selling my Hifiman r2r2000 red.
Free shipping in India.
Will ship worldwide
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hifiman-r2r2000-red.932880/

 

[Giru]

What headphone are you gonna drive with this amp? Dynamic or planar?
Do you have any sound preference? Warm or neutral?
Are you only open for SS or tube amp as well

At the moment the main rig consist of the LCD4, the Phobos, oppo PM1, ath ad1000x and HD650. IEMs I have qdc 8sl and 8sh, hidition NT6, the UE reference and the er4xr. I have some more cheaper IEMs and closed back headphones also.
Oh and dacs are two: audio note 2.1 (modded) and monarchy m24.
For amp duties im currently using an Old Tisbury Challenge Amp 1 (thats begging to retire) and a 2A3 based SET tube amp (one of Loftin SE designs; build by a formerly at Promitheus audio). I've also owned the RNHP, oppo ha-1, audeze deckard , jotunheim, BH Crack, Lyr2, objective 2 and a pass zen (chinese make but extensively modded) for some interspersed periods of time.

Both my main amps are good and I've had a nice time with them but the problem is that they're now starting to bottleneck. Besides I have had a chance to listen to some amps from lake people and apex audio which has made me feel that amps are probably the most important part of any chain. A good reference amp is necessary to fill in the necessary missing links in your chain esp when buying or comparing gear.

I try to buy as much pre loved gear as possible but this time I wanna go all out and get the thing even on mrp if it gets me the performance.

 

[Giru]

I have both hpa4 & sapphire v4.
Hpa4 is in my main setup & sapphire in secondary/bedside setup.
Sapphire is an extremely impressive amp. It comes close to hpa4 in many areas.
If you are looking for only headphone functionality then sapphire is a no brainer & VFM.
But, in my setup hpa4 clearly performs better.
Yggy v1 + hpa4 pairing is not that good imho irrespective of headphones. I believe DAC/source matters here.
HPA4 has other very imp 2ch features which we are not taking into account.

Hmmmm. I would love to audition the HPA4 now but this stupid corona situation is gonna take a while I guess.
As I said the sapphire was indeed good but it was relatively non-engaging and sort of thin/distant sounding on low volumes and a touch sharp when pushed (heard on the hd650).
The imaging on sapphire was pretty good though which is proably coz it was dual mono.

 

[kartk]

Hmmmm. I would love to audition the HPA4 now but this stupid corona situation is gonna take a while I guess.
As I said the sapphire was indeed good but it was relatively non-engaging and sort of thin/distant sounding on low volumes and a touch sharp when pushed (heard on the hd650).
The imaging on sapphire was pretty good though which is proably coz it was dual mono.

Hmm, since its a DIY design quality of final sound will depend a lot upon component chosen, bias point and matching of devices (as its fully discrete).