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

[Currawong]

So, 8 years ago I got the HPA-01M from Drop, and wasn't impressed.
Enleum just sent me the HPA-23RM for review and this time things are totally different. Even out of the voltage port with the Utopias (2022, that sound comically bloated out of the current port, due to having an uneven impedance), the headphone drive and resolution are excellent.

It has only been a couple of days, so I'll post more later. But I'm impressed enough so far that I'm thinking that it may be better than a C9 (which I don't have any more to test, unfortunately). At $2,999 it should be!

https://enleum.com/hpa-23rm/

 

[NehPets]

So, 8 years ago I got the HPA-01M from Drop, and wasn't impressed.
Enleum just sent me the HPA-23RM for review and this time things are totally different. Even out of the voltage port with the Utopias (2022, that sound comically bloated out of the current port, due to having an uneven impedance), the headphone drive and resolution are excellent.

It has only been a couple of days, so I'll post more later. But I'm impressed enough so far that I'm thinking that it may be better than a C9 (which I don't have any more to test, unfortunately). At $2,999 it should be!

https://enleum.com/hpa-23rm/

Great picture. That's the configuration that's currently giving by bank balance some sleepless nights. Looks like a better option than the Lotoo Mjolnir.

 

[Currawong]

Great picture. That's the configuration that's currently giving by bank balance some sleepless nights. Looks like a better option than the Lotoo Mjolnir.

Yeah, for those with deep pockets, the options are getting quite serious.

Your post reminded me to give this another listen with something random, in this case, Fink's Horizontalism album and the Expanse. Bass detail and impact are insane, with instrument textures really blasted in your face. In fact, the overall detail retrieval is very impressive. Not the most expansive soundstage (any more than that is a good pun) and it doesn't have that "effortless" sound big amps do, but I really want to know what their other amps can do with these headphones now.

 

[Atriya]

So, 8 years ago I got the HPA-01M from Drop, and wasn't impressed.
Enleum just sent me the HPA-23RM for review and this time things are totally different. Even out of the voltage port with the Utopias (2022, that sound comically bloated out of the current port, due to having an uneven impedance), the headphone drive and resolution are excellent.

It has only been a couple of days, so I'll post more later. But I'm impressed enough so far that I'm thinking that it may be better than a C9 (which I don't have any more to test, unfortunately). At $2,999 it should be!

https://enleum.com/hpa-23rm/

I'm looking forward to your review of this, especially since my main headphone is the Utopia 2022. It is already intriguing that you report that they sound bad from the current port.

I've been looking for a high-end headphone amplifier for them, and nothing I've seriously considered (e.g., LTA MZ3, Enleum 23R, Nitsch DSHA-3FN) are portable in the least. Portability is a plus for me, and this is the most ambitious portable headphone amp I know of; I wonder how it compares to the MZ3 and 23R in sound. I wonder also how it compares to the amp already built into my Weiss 501-4ch DAC.

If it sounds worse than (for e.g.) the 23R, that will be a disappointment. While the 23R does cost much more, it is also a speaker amp: it's hopefully not unreasonable to expect that the 23RM will be its equal when driving just headphones.

 

[Terco]

It runs Susvara no prob

Fiio BTR5 > Enleum HPA-23RM > Susvara

 

[Tubewin]

It runs Susvara no prob

Fiio BTR5 > Enleum HPA-23RM > Susvara

If this sounds as good as the Enleum 23r for the Susvara, I'll sell my Enleum 23r, get this unit, and also purchase a holo bliss kte.. On second thought, I love the 23r too much to do that. But it had me tempted!

 

[Currawong]

One interesting thing that came up is the performance with the DCA Stealth and Expanse. As their impedance has something of a "bass shelf", it means that from the current output that you get a bit more bass. I find this works very well in giving the Stealth especially a bit more impact, which is where I see the value in using the 23RM as a high-end "portable" rig.

 

[OCC7N]

It runs Susvara no prob

Fiio BTR5 > Enleum HPA-23RM > Susvara

Seriously - from the current output - how much do you dial to to loud?

 

[OCC7N]

If this sounds as good as the Enleum 23r for the Susvara, I'll sell my Enleum 23r, get this unit, and also purchase a holo bliss kte.. On second thought, I love the 23r too much to do that. But it had me tempted!

I would really like some impressions on this as Im pulling the trigger on it

 

[Terco]

Seriously - from the current output - how much do you dial to to loud?

From my phone max volume, same in the BTR5, Enleum 2 o'clock for pleasant loudness, current mode has like a lot of bass.

 

[OCC7N]

From my phone max volume, same in the BTR5, Enleum 2 o'clock for pleasant loudness, current mode has like a lot of bass.

Thank you! That bass thing in the current sounds like a con, or?

I was hoping for a neutral sound

 

[OCC7N]

Can it run without battery?

 

[NehPets]

Can it run without battery?

Yes, it can.

 

[OCC7N]

Yes, it can.

Im really excited for this one as it checked the right boxes for me.

1 DC input
2 Beautiful design....like it is the most beautiful I have seen of the portables. 1000dollars worth for me just the aesthetic
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.

4 Now if it checks the most important box = Sound quality to my liking, which I hope is not to charming and to full of energy(synthetic) but true neutral/organic and and mature/calm.

 

[Nostoi]

I was hoping for a neutral sound

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