[LCMusicLover]

I don't mind the wait I just wasn't sure what was happening

Yes, I apologize. I got an work emergency which ate up last week and my weekend. But I’m finally home, and the P1 will ship tomorrow.

 

[qgakkun]

It's really very fast. Glad you enjoy it.
Just a few tips for you:
1. P1 is very sensitive to power supply and it has built-in filter, so better use single crystal copper or fine silver power cable.
2. Better make sure the power cables of P1 and the sound source are in the same socket to avoid ground loop interface.

Thanks

I have several power cables and I will try them. Thank you.

 

[LCMusicLover]

Well, I shipped the P1 yesterday. I got stuck with some unexpected business travel and held onto the amp a week longer than intended. I apologize for that.

So, the real question is, what did I think about the amp. I was mostly done with a very detailed write-up before my trip happened. But when I came back and re-read it, I decided scrap it as I was really splitting hairs to get to any conclusions. Instead, let me give the TL;DR version.

I have two other solid state amps, Violectric v280 and Bryston BHA-1. I have 4 top-end headphone sets: Focal Utopia, ZMF Blackwood Auteur, HifiMan HE-1000v2, Ether Flow Open. All my listening is done balanced:

Intel NUC (running Foobar 2000) ==> Schiit Eitr ==> EVS-modded Sonica DAC | Denafrips Pontus DAC ==> Emotiva XSP-1 preamp ==> Violectric V280 | Bryston BHA-1 | (briefly) Soundaware P1 ==> Utopia | Blackwood Auteur | HEKv2 | EFO

Going in, I wondered how much difference I would hear from the P1 vs the v280 and the BHA-1. In a couple words ... very little. I've already come to the conclusion that the v280 and BHA-1 are so close together, that I would really struggle to pick which amp I was hearing in a blind test. It turns out that the P1 is very close to the same.

I would call all three of these amps pretty neutral. Maybe just a hint of warmth, but that's it.

The biggest differences I picked up with the P1 were:

- Very slight increase in openness of sound-stage
- Small difference in the character of the bass. P1 seems slightly raised in the mid-bass, while the v280 has just a hair more sub-bass extension -- most noticeable on HEKv2
- Slight smoothing of the top end, but this was really only noticeable on my Utopia
- Maybe improved dynamics with the two planar sets (HEK, EFO)

Again, these are all very slight differences. I mean I was picking through my favorite test tracks, and then playing them over and over, going back and forth between amps. Honestly, if you said I had to pick one of the three amps, I would really struggle to pick a 'favorite'.

As far as non-SQ assessment goes, I really liked the amp. Very solid feel, no usability issues, plenty of power for all my cans, well packaged. I did think the grey was a bit boring -- if I were to buy one, it would definitely be blue

Bottom line: A fine solid-state amp, with plenty of power to drive most cans, excellent sound quality with a neutral sound signature. Very competitive with my Violectric V280 and Bryston BHA-1.

 

[soundaware]

Well, I shipped the P1 yesterday. I got stuck with some unexpected business travel and held onto the amp a week longer than intended. I apologize for that.

So, the real question is, what did I think about the amp. I was mostly done with a very detailed write-up before my trip happened. But when I came back and re-read it, I decided scrap it as I was really splitting hairs to get to any conclusions. Instead, let me give the TL;DR version.

I have two other solid state amps, Violectric v280 and Bryston BHA-1. I have 4 top-end headphone sets: Focal Utopia, ZMF Blackwood Auteur, HifiMan HE-1000v2, Ether Flow Open. All my listening is done balanced:

Intel NUC (running Foobar 2000) ==> Schiit Eitr ==> EVS-modded Sonica DAC | Denafrips Pontus DAC ==> Emotiva XSP-1 preamp ==> Violectric V280 | Bryston BHA-1 | (briefly) Soundaware P1 ==> Utopia | Blackwood Auteur | HEKv2 | EFO

Going in, I wondered how much difference I would hear from the P1 vs the v280 and the BHA-1. In a couple words ... very little. I've already come to the conclusion that the v280 and BHA-1 are so close together, that I would really struggle to pick which amp I was hearing in a blind test. It turns out that the P1 is very close to the same.

I would call all three of these amps pretty neutral. Maybe just a hint of warmth, but that's it.

The biggest differences I picked up with the P1 were:

- Very slight increase in openness of sound-stage
- Small difference in the character of the bass. P1 seems slightly raised in the mid-bass, while the v280 has just a hair more sub-bass extension -- most noticeable on HEKv2
- Slight smoothing of the top end, but this was really only noticeable on my Utopia
- Maybe improved dynamics with the two planar sets (HEK, EFO)

Again, these are all very slight differences. I mean I was picking through my favorite test tracks, and then playing them over and over, going back and forth between amps. Honestly, if you said I had to pick one of the three amps, I would really struggle to pick a 'favorite'.

As far as non-SQ assessment goes, I really liked the amp. Very solid feel, no usability issues, plenty of power for all my cans, well packaged. I did think the grey was a bit boring -- if I were to buy one, it would definitely be blue

Bottom line: A fine solid-state amp, with plenty of power to drive most cans, excellent sound quality with a neutral sound signature. Very competitive with my Violectric V280 and Bryston BHA-1.

Thanks for your sharing.
You are presenting a very good start of this program.

But I'd like to mention just one point, P1 is also a pre-amplifier, we also spent plenty of time and effort in tone tuning. I hope the coming participant will try this as well.
Thanks again.

 

[wazzupi]

Well, I shipped the P1 yesterday. I got stuck with some unexpected business travel and held onto the amp a week longer than intended. I apologize for that.

So, the real question is, what did I think about the amp. I was mostly done with a very detailed write-up before my trip happened. But when I came back and re-read it, I decided scrap it as I was really splitting hairs to get to any conclusions. Instead, let me give the TL;DR version.

I have two other solid state amps, Violectric v280 and Bryston BHA-1. I have 4 top-end headphone sets: Focal Utopia, ZMF Blackwood Auteur, HifiMan HE-1000v2, Ether Flow Open. All my listening is done balanced:

Intel NUC (running Foobar 2000) ==> Schiit Eitr ==> EVS-modded Sonica DAC | Denafrips Pontus DAC ==> Emotiva XSP-1 preamp ==> Violectric V280 | Bryston BHA-1 | (briefly) Soundaware P1 ==> Utopia | Blackwood Auteur | HEKv2 | EFO

Going in, I wondered how much difference I would hear from the P1 vs the v280 and the BHA-1. In a couple words ... very little. I've already come to the conclusion that the v280 and BHA-1 are so close together, that I would really struggle to pick which amp I was hearing in a blind test. It turns out that the P1 is very close to the same.

I would call all three of these amps pretty neutral. Maybe just a hint of warmth, but that's it.

The biggest differences I picked up with the P1 were:

- Very slight increase in openness of sound-stage
- Small difference in the character of the bass. P1 seems slightly raised in the mid-bass, while the v280 has just a hair more sub-bass extension -- most noticeable on HEKv2
- Slight smoothing of the top end, but this was really only noticeable on my Utopia
- Maybe improved dynamics with the two planar sets (HEK, EFO)

Again, these are all very slight differences. I mean I was picking through my favorite test tracks, and then playing them over and over, going back and forth between amps. Honestly, if you said I had to pick one of the three amps, I would really struggle to pick a 'favorite'.

As far as non-SQ assessment goes, I really liked the amp. Very solid feel, no usability issues, plenty of power for all my cans, well packaged. I did think the grey was a bit boring -- if I were to buy one, it would definitely be blue

Bottom line: A fine solid-state amp, with plenty of power to drive most cans, excellent sound quality with a neutral sound signature. Very competitive with my Violectric V280 and Bryston BHA-1.

The difference you mention, I hear, are of greater difference as I'm comparing this amp to the Cayin iha-6. I just prefer the sound coming from the P1 off the bat, it only took a few songs to say yes this is a solid state amp that I really like, but again I haven't used a large amount of top tier SS my biggest sample size was from CamJam NYC 2018. LCMusicLover you pointed out exactly what I got from this Amp soundstage was more open, microdetails in comparison to my iha-6 was cleaner ala more detail, more noticable. I'm enjoying how open the soundstage is, from a SS amp. I prefer the midbass bump so far, The smoothing off the top end I noticed at very high volume with my Auteurs, where on my cayin it would be ear piercing, not on the P1 but the vocals sounded kinda grainy at said volumes(was for a short period for testing only hehe), I did notice a large improvement in Dynamics in comparison to my IHA-6 and I'm loving it, it's actually making me excited for my Custom GLenn OTL tube amp(sorry not directly relating to the P1) this is a complement in its own right, thats because a dynamic high impedance HP like the ZMF Auteurs being driven from a SS but sounding tube-like is Awesome !
PRaT factor is a 10 for me !

I hope to write a more detailed review around the end of my time with the amp.

PS which dac did you prefer with the P1 the Denafrips Pontus or EVS-modded Sonica Dac (i have a unmodded Sonica) oh ya PS PS I got the amp and it came in the original condition noted .

 

[DaaDaa]

i cant wait for my turn

 

[LCMusicLover]

The difference you mention, I hear, are of greater difference as I'm comparing this amp to the Cayin iha-6. I just prefer the sound coming from the P1 off the bat, it only took a few songs to say yes this is a solid state amp that I really like, but again I haven't used a large amount of top tier SS my biggest sample size was from CamJam NYC 2018. LCMusicLover you pointed out exactly what I got from this Amp soundstage was more open, microdetails in comparison to my iha-6 was cleaner ala more detail, more noticable. I'm enjoying how open the soundstage is, from a SS amp. I prefer the midbass bump so far, The smoothing off the top end I noticed at very high volume with my Auteurs, where on my cayin it would be ear piercing, not on the P1 but the vocals sounded kinda grainy at said volumes(was for a short period for testing only hehe), I did notice a large improvement in Dynamics in comparison to my IHA-6 and I'm loving it, it's actually making me excited for my Custom GLenn OTL tube amp(sorry not directly relating to the P1) this is a complement in its own right, thats because a dynamic high impedance HP like the ZMF Auteurs being driven from a SS but sounding tube-like is Awesome !
PRaT factor is a 10 for me !

I’ve never heard the Cayin. But what I read about its sound suggests neutral/slightly bright. By comparison, both my amps fall into neutral/slightly warm and I think the P1 is closer to my amps than to your Cayin. I also read that the Cayin produces an average at best sound-stage. I also suspect that your un-modded Sonica will be a little more Sabre-ish sounding than mine. In all, I think your chain is probably changed more by the P1 than mine. And if the Sonica/Cayin pairing is a bit ‘...too much of a good thing...’ than I would expect the P1 to help.

PS which dac did you prefer with the P1 the Denafrips Pontus or EVS-modded Sonica

I didn’t get much preference for amp/DAC pairings. More DAC/hp pairings. It’s possible that the P1 helped the open musicality of the Pontus more than it helped the analytical detail of the Sonica. But I’m definitely wandering into ‘..maybe I hear that...’ territory.

BTW, as one might expect, I prefer my Utopia w/ the Pontus. Auteur are kind of either/or. Pontus opens them up a bit and promotes their lovely mids and musicality, while the Sonica’s detail really livens up the sound, surprisingly, especially the bass. HEK’s are also either/or. Sonica really helps when they seem too laid back. But the Pontus absolutely blows up the sound-stage — by far the biggest such difference. EFO is best with Pontus.

Amusingly, I just received a Singxer SU-1 to replace my Eitr. It turns out that it made a big difference with my Pontus — really helps the sound-stage. I had been feeding the Pontus via coax (only output on Eitr). From the Singxer, I’m using AES/EBU. So I wonder if the Singxer is that much better than the Eitr, or if the Pontus AES/EBU is so much better than its coax input. I’ll have to compare.

... PS I got the amp and it came in the original condition noted .

Glad to hear it

 

[LCMusicLover]

...But I'd like to mention just one point, P1 is also a pre-amplifier, we also spent plenty of time and effort in tone tuning..

Yes, I have a preamp in my system, so I only used the P1 as an amp. I also only listened balanced.

 

[soundaware]

The difference you mention, I hear, are of greater difference as I'm comparing this amp to the Cayin iha-6. I just prefer the sound coming from the P1 off the bat, it only took a few songs to say yes this is a solid state amp that I really like, but again I haven't used a large amount of top tier SS my biggest sample size was from CamJam NYC 2018. LCMusicLover you pointed out exactly what I got from this Amp soundstage was more open, microdetails in comparison to my iha-6 was cleaner ala more detail, more noticable. I'm enjoying how open the soundstage is, from a SS amp. I prefer the midbass bump so far, The smoothing off the top end I noticed at very high volume with my Auteurs, where on my cayin it would be ear piercing, not on the P1 but the vocals sounded kinda grainy at said volumes(was for a short period for testing only hehe), I did notice a large improvement in Dynamics in comparison to my IHA-6 and I'm loving it, it's actually making me excited for my Custom GLenn OTL tube amp(sorry not directly relating to the P1) this is a complement in its own right, thats because a dynamic high impedance HP like the ZMF Auteurs being driven from a SS but sounding tube-like is Awesome !
PRaT factor is a 10 for me !

I hope to write a more detailed review around the end of my time with the amp.

PS which dac did you prefer with the P1 the Denafrips Pontus or EVS-modded Sonica Dac (i have a unmodded Sonica) oh ya PS PS I got the amp and it came in the original condition noted .

Really glad you liked P1 a lot.

BTW, Denafrips terminator is a good match for our reference digital transport D300REF, this set sells very well in China.
They are both reference, supporting IIS, and they have the same line sequence. So it's easy to connect.
Guess Pontus should also be great.

 

[soundaware]

i cant wait for my turn

You just have 2 men ahead of you.
Should be soon. LOL

 

[mtmercer]

Has anyone heard both the P1 and the Cavalli Liquid Crimson? If so please share impressions. The P1 and the Crimson are 2 amps that both seemed to be highly regarded.

 

[qgakkun]

My SOUNDAWARE P1 music listening ended. So I write my impressions.But language is not my mother tongue, so there may be words that I can not understand.

First of all, my environment will be as follows.
windows 10 (JRIVER 24) → USB→ iFI - Audio Micro iUSBPower → IFI-Audio Gemini Dualhead USB → IFI-Audio iPurifier 2 → DENAFRIPS 'ARES' R2R DAC → XLR cable → SOUNDAWARE P1.

Headphones confirmed the difference of sound mainly while connecting SONY MDR-Z1R, massdrop SENNHEISER HD-6xx, HiFiMAN SUSVARA, HiFiMAN HE-1000V2.

Sound quality:
The moment I heard it, I was surprised by the beauty of treble.And unbelievably from this little box, the Headphones output is very powerful.The whole sound has excellent high resolution and transparency, accurate, very dynamic and strong tone.The background is black, the sound stage is a bit wider and has more air. The bass is deep, tone, body, punch is wonderful.Weight and thickness are not rich, but the balance is good.The middle sound feels a little warm, there is smooth and slight reverberation.The middle sound feels a little warm, and it produces a smooth but thick sound.And since there is a little reverberation, when listening to a female vocal it sounds transparent but natural and attractive.Not a sound to pierce it coolly, it is smooth.

Because a sound of one is not emphasized and the balance of the sound is very good and does not feel the background noise either, there cannot be the thing that I am tired even if I hear it for a long time.
I can hear the background noise when I maximize it, but my ear breaks before reaching the volume.

The connection with the XLR cable (balance mode):
In the XLR balance mode, the volume of the midrange and low range increases, the width of the sound stage widens, the detail sounds good, it sounds dynamic, powerful and fun.RCA sounds more gentle.

High gain mode:
When you raise the gain switch, you can enjoy the powerful sound that the musical power gains momentum and the whole sound comes close, but depending on headphones, listening for a long time may make your ears exhausted. Especially the high region may become exciting.

power cable:
When changing the power cable, I felt a change depending on the cable, as the resolution increased and the thickness of the sound changed, but it is difficult to find out which range is changed by the cable, but it is fun to change.

Difference from VIOLECTRIC HPA V280:
In these two comparisons, the difference in sound was hard to understand and comparison was rather difficult.

First, the Headphones output of P1 is more powerful than HPA V 280. If the volume of P1 is at the 9 o'clock position of the clock hand, V280 will not become the same volume unless it is raised to the 11 o'clock.The difference of the whole sound, P1 is very clear, clear and beautiful. After listening to P1, the HPA V 280 is a slightly thick sound, and it sounds like she covered a piece of cloth.

The width of the sound stage is slightly wider in p1, especially the vertical direction is felt widely.In a song with vocals, if you set the volume of both vocals to the same size, you will hear the instruments go one step further deep into p1 and the depth will be there.As for the treble, P1 sounds better, the sound has transparency.In the mid range, both sound a little warm, but when listening to a female vocal, P1 sounds more realistic with some reverberation in the sound.Bass is deep, tone, body, punch, both are amazing. P1 feels a bit faster response speed.

Conclusion:
If you have HPA V 280, SOUNDAWARE P1 can be recommended if you are seeking transparency of the sound. Especially in SONY MDR - Z1R, I was very happy that it became a combination of sounds I was seeking.



Impression with each Headphones:
Comparison of each Headphones is also easy, but write it down. Connection is XLR balance mode.

■ DT1770PRO
· Normal gain
If you set the volume to 9:30, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, there is no audible background noise.
I hear a higher resolution sound than the V 280 and it is very clear.
Just in the high region, the way the metal sounds will become stronger and the ears may become tiring a little. But, that metal sound is comfortable. The balance of the whole is very good.
High gain
If you set the volume to 9:00, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, a few audible background noise is heard.
Overall the power increases, but the sound of the high region is emphasized and the ear becomes painful.
In the RCA mode, the emphasis of treble is reduced, so the ear did not hurt.

■ MrSpeakers AEON Flow C
· Normal gain
If you set the volume to 9:15, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, there is no audible background noise.
Since the high region is tightened while being tightened higher than HPA V 280, it sounds like HPA V 280 is better overall balance.
· High gain
If you set the volume to 9:00, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, a few audible background noise is heard.
Overall the power gains. Especially since the bass is emphasized, the weakness of the low range of AEON Flow C is overcome, the balance of the whole is improved, it is more powerful and fun than the HPA V 280.

In the RCA unbalanced mode, the emphasis of treble is reduced, it becomes the usual sound of AEON and it is easy to hear.

■ HIFIMAN SUSVARA (balanced connection)
· Normal gain
If you set the volume to 12 o'clock, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, there is no audible background noise.
In HPA V 280, it was heard that the high region that was quiet was clearly out, and SUSBARA sounds a bit bold.
· High gain
If you set the volume to 10:30, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, there is no audible background noise.
I feel a little surprised that SUSVARA gives off a powerful sound so far. Especially good performance will be demonstrated even with heavy metal and hard rock as the thickness of the high frequency low range sound increases.

In the RCA mode, you can enjoy the usual sound of SUSVARA as a gentle sound, and it fits classical and jazz. And if you add iFi - Audio Micro iTube 2 as a spice during the DAC, your ears will be happy.

· Normal gain
If you set the volume to 9:10, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, there is no audible background noise.
P1 is slightly more powerful and high-pitched sounds beautifully, it is hard to understand the difference from HPA V280.
· High gain
If you set the volume to 9:00, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, there is no audible background noise.
Although it becomes strong overall, the high region and the mid region are emphasized too much, and often feel somewhat chickish by the song. Especially the voices of female vocals often became pronunciation that makes my ears hurt.

In RCA unbalanced mode, this person sounds better overall balance.

■SONY MDR-Z1R
Thanks to the wide sound of P1 and the high resolution, thanks to the expansion of the sound stage, the vocal was a step forward and it made it very easy to hear, it was fun to listen everyday.

■MEZE 99 NEO
The goodness of P1's treble was lost, so it was disappointing there.

■ Audio-Technica ATH-ADX 5000
It is easy to understand that there is a little warmth in the middle sound, the vocal feels sweet and gentle, and the guitar feels more stereoscopic.

■masdrop SENNHEISER HD-6xx
When listening with P1, the bass with elongation is clearly heard The speed seems to be a little faster. In the V280 it was the warm and loose sound of HD 6xx heard always.
If you change the HD6xx cable to the balanced cable, the power of the HD6xx will rise, the cloth will become clear sound as if it was removed and it sounds very refreshing, it will be a powerful and energetic sound from a gentle sound.

Finally, language is not my mother tongue, so there may be unintelligible words. Even so, I am happy if the splendor of SOUNDAWARE P1 was conveyed. thank you for reading.

 

[wazzupi]

My SOUNDAWARE P1 music listening ended. So I write my impressions.But language is not my mother tongue, so there may be words that I can not understand.

First of all, my environment will be as follows.
windows 10 (JRIVER 24) → USB→ iFI - Audio Micro iUSBPower → IFI-Audio Gemini Dualhead USB → IFI-Audio iPurifier 2 → DENAFRIPS 'ARES' R2R DAC → XLR cable → SOUNDAWARE P1.

Headphones confirmed the difference of sound mainly while connecting SONY MDR-Z1R, massdrop SENNHEISER HD-6xx, HiFiMAN SUSVARA, HiFiMAN HE-1000V2.

Sound quality:
The moment I heard it, I was surprised by the beauty of treble.And unbelievably from this little box, the Headphones output is very powerful.The whole sound has excellent high resolution and transparency, accurate, very dynamic and strong tone.The background is black, the sound stage is a bit wider and has more air. The bass is deep, tone, body, punch is wonderful.Weight and thickness are not rich, but the balance is good.The middle sound feels a little warm, there is smooth and slight reverberation.The middle sound feels a little warm, and it produces a smooth but thick sound.And since there is a little reverberation, when listening to a female vocal it sounds transparent but natural and attractive.Not a sound to pierce it coolly, it is smooth.

Because a sound of one is not emphasized and the balance of the sound is very good and does not feel the background noise either, there cannot be the thing that I am tired even if I hear it for a long time.
I can hear the background noise when I maximize it, but my ear breaks before reaching the volume.

The connection with the XLR cable (balance mode):
In the XLR balance mode, the volume of the midrange and low range increases, the width of the sound stage widens, the detail sounds good, it sounds dynamic, powerful and fun.RCA sounds more gentle.

High gain mode:
When you raise the gain switch, you can enjoy the powerful sound that the musical power gains momentum and the whole sound comes close, but depending on headphones, listening for a long time may make your ears exhausted. Especially the high region may become exciting.

power cable:
When changing the power cable, I felt a change depending on the cable, as the resolution increased and the thickness of the sound changed, but it is difficult to find out which range is changed by the cable, but it is fun to change.

Difference from VIOLECTRIC HPA V280:
In these two comparisons, the difference in sound was hard to understand and comparison was rather difficult.

First, the Headphones output of P1 is more powerful than HPA V 280. If the volume of P1 is at the 9 o'clock position of the clock hand, V280 will not become the same volume unless it is raised to the 11 o'clock.The difference of the whole sound, P1 is very clear, clear and beautiful. After listening to P1, the HPA V 280 is a slightly thick sound, and it sounds like she covered a piece of cloth.

The width of the sound stage is slightly wider in p1, especially the vertical direction is felt widely.In a song with vocals, if you set the volume of both vocals to the same size, you will hear the instruments go one step further deep into p1 and the depth will be there.As for the treble, P1 sounds better, the sound has transparency.In the mid range, both sound a little warm, but when listening to a female vocal, P1 sounds more realistic with some reverberation in the sound.Bass is deep, tone, body, punch, both are amazing. P1 feels a bit faster response speed.

Conclusion:
If you have HPA V 280, SOUNDAWARE P1 can be recommended if you are seeking transparency of the sound. Especially in SONY MDR - Z1R, I was very happy that it became a combination of sounds I was seeking.



Impression with each Headphones:
Comparison of each Headphones is also easy, but write it down. Connection is XLR balance mode.

■ DT1770PRO
· Normal gain
If you set the volume to 9:30, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, there is no audible background noise.
I hear a higher resolution sound than the V 280 and it is very clear.
Just in the high region, the way the metal sounds will become stronger and the ears may become tiring a little. But, that metal sound is comfortable. The balance of the whole is very good.
High gain
If you set the volume to 9:00, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, a few audible background noise is heard.
Overall the power increases, but the sound of the high region is emphasized and the ear becomes painful.
In the RCA mode, the emphasis of treble is reduced, so the ear did not hurt.

■ MrSpeakers AEON Flow C
· Normal gain
If you set the volume to 9:15, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, there is no audible background noise.
Since the high region is tightened while being tightened higher than HPA V 280, it sounds like HPA V 280 is better overall balance.
· High gain
If you set the volume to 9:00, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, a few audible background noise is heard.
Overall the power gains. Especially since the bass is emphasized, the weakness of the low range of AEON Flow C is overcome, the balance of the whole is improved, it is more powerful and fun than the HPA V 280.

In the RCA unbalanced mode, the emphasis of treble is reduced, it becomes the usual sound of AEON and it is easy to hear.

■ HIFIMAN SUSVARA (balanced connection)
· Normal gain
If you set the volume to 12 o'clock, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, there is no audible background noise.
In HPA V 280, it was heard that the high region that was quiet was clearly out, and SUSBARA sounds a bit bold.
· High gain
If you set the volume to 10:30, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, there is no audible background noise.
I feel a little surprised that SUSVARA gives off a powerful sound so far. Especially good performance will be demonstrated even with heavy metal and hard rock as the thickness of the high frequency low range sound increases.

In the RCA mode, you can enjoy the usual sound of SUSVARA as a gentle sound, and it fits classical and jazz. And if you add iFi - Audio Micro iTube 2 as a spice during the DAC, your ears will be happy.

· Normal gain
If you set the volume to 9:10, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, there is no audible background noise.
P1 is slightly more powerful and high-pitched sounds beautifully, it is hard to understand the difference from HPA V280.
· High gain
If you set the volume to 9:00, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, there is no audible background noise.
Although it becomes strong overall, the high region and the mid region are emphasized too much, and often feel somewhat chickish by the song. Especially the voices of female vocals often became pronunciation that makes my ears hurt.

In RCA unbalanced mode, this person sounds better overall balance.

■SONY MDR-Z1R
Thanks to the wide sound of P1 and the high resolution, thanks to the expansion of the sound stage, the vocal was a step forward and it made it very easy to hear, it was fun to listen everyday.

■MEZE 99 NEO
The goodness of P1's treble was lost, so it was disappointing there.

■ Audio-Technica ATH-ADX 5000
It is easy to understand that there is a little warmth in the middle sound, the vocal feels sweet and gentle, and the guitar feels more stereoscopic.

■masdrop SENNHEISER HD-6xx
When listening with P1, the bass with elongation is clearly heard The speed seems to be a little faster. In the V280 it was the warm and loose sound of HD 6xx heard always.
If you change the HD6xx cable to the balanced cable, the power of the HD6xx will rise, the cloth will become clear sound as if it was removed and it sounds very refreshing, it will be a powerful and energetic sound from a gentle sound.

Finally, language is not my mother tongue, so there may be unintelligible words. Even so, I am happy if the splendor of SOUNDAWARE P1 was conveyed. thank you for reading.

Even with a translation barrier i agree with his findings of the P1. Great review !

 

[soundaware]

My SOUNDAWARE P1 music listening ended. So I write my impressions.But language is not my mother tongue, so there may be words that I can not understand.

First of all, my environment will be as follows.
windows 10 (JRIVER 24) → USB→ iFI - Audio Micro iUSBPower → IFI-Audio Gemini Dualhead USB → IFI-Audio iPurifier 2 → DENAFRIPS 'ARES' R2R DAC → XLR cable → SOUNDAWARE P1.

Headphones confirmed the difference of sound mainly while connecting SONY MDR-Z1R, massdrop SENNHEISER HD-6xx, HiFiMAN SUSVARA, HiFiMAN HE-1000V2.

Sound quality:
The moment I heard it, I was surprised by the beauty of treble.And unbelievably from this little box, the Headphones output is very powerful.The whole sound has excellent high resolution and transparency, accurate, very dynamic and strong tone.The background is black, the sound stage is a bit wider and has more air. The bass is deep, tone, body, punch is wonderful.Weight and thickness are not rich, but the balance is good.The middle sound feels a little warm, there is smooth and slight reverberation.The middle sound feels a little warm, and it produces a smooth but thick sound.And since there is a little reverberation, when listening to a female vocal it sounds transparent but natural and attractive.Not a sound to pierce it coolly, it is smooth.

Because a sound of one is not emphasized and the balance of the sound is very good and does not feel the background noise either, there cannot be the thing that I am tired even if I hear it for a long time.
I can hear the background noise when I maximize it, but my ear breaks before reaching the volume.

The connection with the XLR cable (balance mode):
In the XLR balance mode, the volume of the midrange and low range increases, the width of the sound stage widens, the detail sounds good, it sounds dynamic, powerful and fun.RCA sounds more gentle.

High gain mode:
When you raise the gain switch, you can enjoy the powerful sound that the musical power gains momentum and the whole sound comes close, but depending on headphones, listening for a long time may make your ears exhausted. Especially the high region may become exciting.

power cable:
When changing the power cable, I felt a change depending on the cable, as the resolution increased and the thickness of the sound changed, but it is difficult to find out which range is changed by the cable, but it is fun to change.

Difference from VIOLECTRIC HPA V280:
In these two comparisons, the difference in sound was hard to understand and comparison was rather difficult.

First, the Headphones output of P1 is more powerful than HPA V 280. If the volume of P1 is at the 9 o'clock position of the clock hand, V280 will not become the same volume unless it is raised to the 11 o'clock.The difference of the whole sound, P1 is very clear, clear and beautiful. After listening to P1, the HPA V 280 is a slightly thick sound, and it sounds like she covered a piece of cloth.

The width of the sound stage is slightly wider in p1, especially the vertical direction is felt widely.In a song with vocals, if you set the volume of both vocals to the same size, you will hear the instruments go one step further deep into p1 and the depth will be there.As for the treble, P1 sounds better, the sound has transparency.In the mid range, both sound a little warm, but when listening to a female vocal, P1 sounds more realistic with some reverberation in the sound.Bass is deep, tone, body, punch, both are amazing. P1 feels a bit faster response speed.

Conclusion:
If you have HPA V 280, SOUNDAWARE P1 can be recommended if you are seeking transparency of the sound. Especially in SONY MDR - Z1R, I was very happy that it became a combination of sounds I was seeking.



Impression with each Headphones:
Comparison of each Headphones is also easy, but write it down. Connection is XLR balance mode.

■ DT1770PRO
· Normal gain
If you set the volume to 9:30, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, there is no audible background noise.
I hear a higher resolution sound than the V 280 and it is very clear.
Just in the high region, the way the metal sounds will become stronger and the ears may become tiring a little. But, that metal sound is comfortable. The balance of the whole is very good.
High gain
If you set the volume to 9:00, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, a few audible background noise is heard.
Overall the power increases, but the sound of the high region is emphasized and the ear becomes painful.
In the RCA mode, the emphasis of treble is reduced, so the ear did not hurt.

■ MrSpeakers AEON Flow C
· Normal gain
If you set the volume to 9:15, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, there is no audible background noise.
Since the high region is tightened while being tightened higher than HPA V 280, it sounds like HPA V 280 is better overall balance.
· High gain
If you set the volume to 9:00, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, a few audible background noise is heard.
Overall the power gains. Especially since the bass is emphasized, the weakness of the low range of AEON Flow C is overcome, the balance of the whole is improved, it is more powerful and fun than the HPA V 280.

In the RCA unbalanced mode, the emphasis of treble is reduced, it becomes the usual sound of AEON and it is easy to hear.

■ HIFIMAN SUSVARA (balanced connection)
· Normal gain
If you set the volume to 12 o'clock, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, there is no audible background noise.
In HPA V 280, it was heard that the high region that was quiet was clearly out, and SUSBARA sounds a bit bold.
· High gain
If you set the volume to 10:30, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, there is no audible background noise.
I feel a little surprised that SUSVARA gives off a powerful sound so far. Especially good performance will be demonstrated even with heavy metal and hard rock as the thickness of the high frequency low range sound increases.

In the RCA mode, you can enjoy the usual sound of SUSVARA as a gentle sound, and it fits classical and jazz. And if you add iFi - Audio Micro iTube 2 as a spice during the DAC, your ears will be happy.

· Normal gain
If you set the volume to 9:10, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, there is no audible background noise.
P1 is slightly more powerful and high-pitched sounds beautifully, it is hard to understand the difference from HPA V280.
· High gain
If you set the volume to 9:00, most recordings will be loud. At this volume level, there is no audible background noise.
Although it becomes strong overall, the high region and the mid region are emphasized too much, and often feel somewhat chickish by the song. Especially the voices of female vocals often became pronunciation that makes my ears hurt.

In RCA unbalanced mode, this person sounds better overall balance.

■SONY MDR-Z1R
Thanks to the wide sound of P1 and the high resolution, thanks to the expansion of the sound stage, the vocal was a step forward and it made it very easy to hear, it was fun to listen everyday.

■MEZE 99 NEO
The goodness of P1's treble was lost, so it was disappointing there.

■ Audio-Technica ATH-ADX 5000
It is easy to understand that there is a little warmth in the middle sound, the vocal feels sweet and gentle, and the guitar feels more stereoscopic.

■masdrop SENNHEISER HD-6xx
When listening with P1, the bass with elongation is clearly heard The speed seems to be a little faster. In the V280 it was the warm and loose sound of HD 6xx heard always.
If you change the HD6xx cable to the balanced cable, the power of the HD6xx will rise, the cloth will become clear sound as if it was removed and it sounds very refreshing, it will be a powerful and energetic sound from a gentle sound.

Finally, language is not my mother tongue, so there may be unintelligible words. Even so, I am happy if the splendor of SOUNDAWARE P1 was conveyed. thank you for reading.

Absolutely a thorough and detailed review which is really instructive.
Thank you so much for your effort with so many comparisons, really appreciated!!!

 

[DaaDaa]

thanks for the great write up. am i the next in line?