[Decel]

I'm mighty interested in getting the SA-5k (btw, anyone in Canada know a good place to get them?)

I'm looking for a pocket-sized amp for them, but was told that the SR-71 aren't a good match. I've read a lot of good things about the SM3 (Xin's SuperMacro3 right?) and wonder if they'd be a good match for the Sony's.

If not, what are the other alternatives?

Edit: Forgot to say, those would be my first set of amps, so if they go well with what I currently have, that would be a bonus

 

[goto2003]

I heard a SA5K with SM3 (NE5534 OB) at a meet situation and had a pretty good result. It may be a better synergy when using ON SA5534 OBCA.

 

[devwild]

I've certainly used the combination with my gear (specifically the microdac -> sm3 -> sa5k for several weeks strait). I found it had a surprisingly good synergy that I did not by any means expect. I think it's the best amp in it's class (portable + price range) for good results with the sa5k of what I've heard. That opinion, of course, heavilly based on personal taste and the fact that I use the SM3 with warm opamps. Many of the similar-class amps are fixed with (or seem to be) AD opamps which I find too shrill for the 5ks.

 

[drarthurwells]

Get a class A output stage amp if you can.

 

[Decel]

Eum, sorry to say this, but it's all greek to me. I'm an audiophile (Edit: more like an audiofan) but I have no clue when it comes to amps and such

NE5534 OB?
ON SA5534 OBCA?


Edit: Ok, I read the SM3 FAQ and I get the gist of it. But I don't feel like opening that box and risk tweaking things inside, and end up breaking it .

1- Where do I get these opamps, and how much do they cost?
2- Anyone with SM3s, can Xin add them in (for a fee of course)?

 

[grawk]

Xin doesn't generally seem to want to put the opamps in for people. It's part of why his stuff is so cheap. It really is fairly simple to put them in, especially if oyu just do it once and then not swap em out again later.

The ON SE5534 OBCA is an On Semiconductors SE5534 (variant of NE5534) in Xin's Output Bypass Class A adapter. You can only get those from onsemi.com as samples it seems lately, because they're remarkably hard to find, and Xin has been unable to find a distributor with them in the US.

 

[Decel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grawk Xin doesn't generally seem to want to put the opamps in for people. It's part of why his stuff is so cheap. It really is fairly simple to put them in, especially if oyu just do it once and then not swap em out again later. The ON SE5534 OBCA is an On Semiconductors SE5534 (variant of NE5534) in Xin's Output Bypass Class A adapter. You can only get those from onsemi.com as samples it seems lately, because they're remarkably hard to find, and Xin has been unable to find a distributor with them in the US.

I apologize for the upcomming barrage of questions:
But he sells these opamps right (at least some of them?)? Or am I on my own for that too?
As for the amp itself, is it the SE5534AN i see on their product page (I can't see a bare SE5534). And when they mean sample, it's 1-2 and not 50 right?

This is starting to get complicated..