The ENLEUM HPA-23RM & HPA-23RMH Impressions and Discussion Thread

[Terco]

3 It works in desktop mode(without battery) - How cool is it that it use easy to find replaceable battery 18650. People who vape understands what I mean.

Yep

 

[Terco]

Wrong amp for that - all the Bakoon/Enleum amps tend to have a rather coloured presentation.

I founded the Voltage input kinda neutral, definitely Current is more fun and colored specially in bass.

 

[Nostoi]

I founded the Voltage input kinda neutral, definitely Current is more fun and colored specially in bass.

Indeed, consistent with Enleum/Bakoon generally - though current output is where the real magic is. The upside is you basically get two amps for the price of one, though.

 

[OCC7N]

Yep

Oh I love that mod I remember buying the first release. Lost Vapes right?

Do you want e-recipes?

 

[OCC7N]

Indeed, consistent with Enleum/Bakoon generally - though current output is where the real magic is. The upside is you basically get two amps for the price of one, though.

Im wondering why 3.5mm were chosen for the other port. IEM?

 

[OCC7N]

Indeed, consistent with Enleum/Bakoon generally - though current output is where the real magic is. The upside is you basically get two amps for the price of one, though.

Also the R stands for reference. How colored is a reference sound? - should not be imo.

 

[Nostoi]

Also the R stands for reference. How colored is a reference sound? - should not be imo.

I can't answer that - manufacturers describe their products in all kinds of way. You'll have to try for yourself but if you're looking for a linear, neutral and uncolored presentation then I can unequivocally tell you current output is not that. But nor should it be. Rather, current output is dynamic, musical, and engaging. Bass is accented which is why it works well on Susvara and HD800s.

 

[OCC7N]

I can't answer that - manufacturers describe their products in all kinds of way. You'll have to try for yourself but if you're looking for a linear, neutral and uncolored presentation then I can unequivocally tell you current output is not that. But nor should it be. Rather, current output is dynamic, musical, and engaging. Bass is accented which is why it works well on Susvara and HD800s.

Looking for a very small(desktop/portsble) dac to go with it. Any recommendation to the enleum sound?

 

[ozziegurkan]

Just placed an order. I will be trying it with my RME, Cayin N7, and Holo Spring KTE DACs paired with Sus, Utopia, and Diana V2 to see what the fuss is all about. I have high hopes based on all the reviews. I will likely use this as my @work closed back amp with Cayin N7 as the DAC hooked to HQPlayer. And then at @home open back during work hours with RME hooked to HQPlayer. Will post back with impressions here.

 

[Nostoi]

Looking for a very small(desktop/portsble) dac to go with it. Any recommendation to the enleum sound?

Hugo 2 100%.

 

[Currawong]

I can't answer that - manufacturers describe their products in all kinds of way. You'll have to try for yourself but if you're looking for a linear, neutral and uncolored presentation then I can unequivocally tell you current output is not that. But nor should it be. Rather, current output is dynamic, musical, and engaging. Bass is accented which is why it works well on Susvara and HD800s.

I see that you have the old Bakoon Japan amps. Do you have the HPA-23RM?

 

[Nostoi]

I see that you have the old Bakoon Japan amps. Do you have the HPA-23RM?

They're actually all released in the last couple of years or so (HDA-5520MK2 released this year), it's just that Bakoon Japan doesn't do Enleum style Western marketing so no one knows...

I don't have the HPA-23RM but I had HPA-21 and HPA-01M. All fine amps.

 

[Currawong]

They're actually all released in the last couple of years or so (HDA-5520MK2 released this year), it's just that Bakoon Japan doesn't do Enleum style Western marketing so no one knows...

I don't have the HPA-23RM but I had HPA-21 and HPA-01M. All fine amps.

Edit: Re-wording what I wrote.

The current output of the HPA-23RM definitely has the same effect on headphones as previous Bakoon Japan and Korea amps, in that any headphone with a non-flat impedance curve will have its frequency response changed. However, I wouldn’t use the word "coloured" for that, as it implies what is done with other amplifiers by means of a deliberately altering the crosstalk or harmonics to produce a particular "sound". After comparing amplifiers, I don't feel that, especially from the voltage output, the HPA-23RM has any clear colouration in terms of deliberate tuning.

I had the HPA-01M, for which I wrote a review on here, and I didn't think it was a fine amp at all. It wasn't very resolving, and the voltage output was awful in comparison to the current output. My biggest concern when agreeing to review the HPA-23RM was that it would be a repeat of the past. Thankfully, it hasn't been.

The HPA-23RM is vastly better than what I remember of the HPA-01M. It doesn't have quite the wide soundstage my top amps, the ALO Studio Six or Schiit Mjolnir, but the resolution and headphone drive are excellent out of both outputs, considering that it is battery-powered. For example, I can clearly make out the difference in resolution between the Hugo 2/2go and TT2/MScaler set-ups through the DCA Expanse and Focal Utopia 2022 from either output.

I think you make a good point about getting the equivalent of 2 headphone amplifiers in one though. I hadn't thought of it that way.

 

[Nostoi]

I'd wait until you are able to try a HPA-23RM before declaring that they are all coloured and all sound the same (excepting the result of using the current output with non-flat-impedance headphones). I had the HPA-01M, for which I wrote a review on here, and I didn't think it was a fine amp at all. It wasn't very resolving, and the voltage output was awful in comparison to the current output. My biggest concern when agreeing to review the HPA-23RM was that it would be a repeat of the past. Thankfully, it hasn't been.

The HPA-23RM is vastly better than the HPA-01M. It doesn't have quite the wide soundstage my top amps, the ALO Studio Six or Schiit Mjolnir, but the resolution and headphone drive are excellent out of both outputs, considering that it is battery-powered. For example, I can clearly make out the difference in resolution between the Hugo 2/2go and TT2/MScaler set-ups through the amp, irrespective of output.

I think you make a good point about getting the equivalent of 2 headphone amplifiers in one though. I hadn't thought of it that way.

I didn't say they all sound the same, I said that Enleum has a house sound, which is true.

I know the Enleum HPA-23R well and my understanding is that 23RM sounds more or less the same on a smaller scale.

My point was simple in any case - current output is neither neutral nor what one would traditionally call "reference." As I also said, that's precisely part of the charm.

 

[DarKu]

Hi mates,
I posted my in-depth written and video reviews of the HPA-23RM a couple of days ago, I left a few sentences on how it compares with the AMP-23R and of course, I had a headphone party with all kinds of high-impedance and low-sensitivity headphones (even the elusive Susvara).
Without further ado, you can check them both (including some juicy pics) right here
https://soundnews.net/reviews/ampli...a-23rm-review-playing-in-a-league-of-its-own/