[PortableAudioLover]

I'm thinking about upgrading my amp from the TT2 to the Formula S/powerman in the coming months.

1. I'm surprised that there isn't a specific thread for this gear yet, since it's been years since its release. Would it be alright if I created that official thread?

2. For Formula S owners, what interconnects have folks been using between it and your DAC?

3. Is there any difference at all in terms of power output or stereo separation between the XLR4, dual XLR3 and single ended 1/4inch?

 

[jlbrach]

quite honestly if you can swing the cash I seriously recommend the powerman...it makes it into a different and far better amp

 

[qboogie]

Feel free to get it poppin in the new Formula S thread
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/eleven-audio-xiaudio-formula-s-headphone-amplifier.956765/

 

[Ravatar]

i`m using an older accuphase (e250) and it´s awesome!

What is sound character of Accuphase pairing with 1266?

 

[BrowChan]

I can't believe I just listed my HSA AMP for sale. It was a hard decision for me, but I think I am getting the TT2 and use its rear to drive my TC (based on what I've been reading and have been advised) and call it a stall until I stop travelling to places somewhat frequently.

I hope I don't regret this.

 

[paradoxper]

irrelevant. completely different transducers technologies. that hasn't changed my man

DefQon no longer participates here. He also no longer participates at the other place.

However, his sentiment only applied to the OG which he was quite right.
You could argue, at that time, the OG Abyss was a little bass-trick-pony.

Shame on you for necro-quoting.

Now as a former STAX zealot in the DIY T2 camp, if you're going to STAX, go all the way.

If not, buy a SR1a.

 

[532500]

What is sound character of Accuphase pairing with 1266?

it just sounds right. the accuphase is al little warm and musical so to say while the abyss is accurate und high resolving. so it seems like a perfect match to me.

 

[vonBaron]

Pelican case for Abyss arrive!

 

[Stereolab42]

Learned a valuable lesson today on the power of the mind... I have the Drop 789 (which replaced my Monolith 887 for reasons unrelated to this post) to play with while my HPA4 is built. Last night I was listening to the Abyss on the WA5 and decided to switch to the 789. I become convinced it sounded like crap, compressed and dry. I couldn't shake the feeling after swapping a few times and comparing tracks. I then dragged out an old Violetric and compared the 789, Violectric, and WA5 on my Stellia, and came to the same conclusion -- the 789 sounded bad. Since the HPA4 uses the same THX AAA technology, should I immediately cancel it and look elsewhere?

Well, this morning, I realized I had an old A/B headphone switcher lying around. I couldn't use it with the Abyss but I could with the Stellia so I hooked it up and A/B'd the 789 and the Violectric (obviously both solid-state, so apples to apples). After level-matching by ear I went to get a drink, and in the meantime forgot which was A and B. (Yeah, hardly a scientific test, but trust me, I am VERY forgetful.) I compared a bunch of tracks and decided which position on the switch was my favorite. Guess what, it was the 789. The differences I thought I heard last night disappeared. With the 789 versus the WA5 on the switcher I did prefer the WA5, but I concluded it was due to the WA5's wonderful tube warmth, not because the 789 was any less dynamic.

Going back to the Abyss, without an XLR switcher I couldn't do the same blind-ish comparison between the 789 and the WA5 (my Violectric doesn't speak Abyss). Manually moving the cable and re-comparing tracks, however, I now don't hear what I heard last night. So my order for the HPA4 stands.

Moral of the story: Your brain is a liar.

 

[PortableAudioLover]

quite honestly if you can swing the cash I seriously recommend the powerman...it makes it into a different and far better

Learned a valuable lesson today on the power of the mind... I have the Drop 789 (which replaced my Monolith 887 for reasons unrelated to this post) to play with while my HPA4 is built. Last night I was listening to the Abyss on the WA5 and decided to switch to the 789. I become convinced it sounded like crap, compressed and dry. I couldn't shake the feeling after swapping a few times and comparing tracks. I then dragged out an old Violetric and compared the 789, Violectric, and WA5 on my Stellia, and came to the same conclusion -- the 789 sounded bad. Since the HPA4 uses the same THX AAA technology, should I immediately cancel it and look elsewhere?

Well, this morning, I realized I had an old A/B headphone switcher lying around. I couldn't use it with the Abyss but I could with the Stellia so I hooked it up and A/B'd the 789 and the Violectric (obviously both solid-state, so apples to apples). After level-matching by ear I went to get a drink, and in the meantime forgot which was A and B. (Yeah, hardly a scientific test, but trust me, I am VERY forgetful.) I compared a bunch of tracks and decided which position on the switch was my favorite. Guess what, it was the 789. The differences I thought I heard last night disappeared. With the 789 versus the WA5 on the switcher I did prefer the WA5, but I concluded it was due to the WA5's wonderful tube warmth, not because the 789 was any less dynamic.

Going back to the Abyss, without an XLR switcher I couldn't do the same blind-ish comparison between the 789 and the WA5 (my Violectric doesn't speak Abyss). Manually moving the cable and re-comparing tracks, however, I now don't hear what I heard last night. So my order for the HPA4 stands.

Moral of the story: Your brain is a liar.

What was the motivation of getting HPA4 rather than the formula S ?

 

[tholt]

Learned a valuable lesson today on the power of the mind... I have the Drop 789 (which replaced my Monolith 887 for reasons unrelated to this post) to play with while my HPA4 is built. Last night I was listening to the Abyss on the WA5 and decided to switch to the 789. I become convinced it sounded like crap, compressed and dry. I couldn't shake the feeling after swapping a few times and comparing tracks. I then dragged out an old Violetric and compared the 789, Violectric, and WA5 on my Stellia, and came to the same conclusion -- the 789 sounded bad. Since the HPA4 uses the same THX AAA technology, should I immediately cancel it and look elsewhere?

Well, this morning, I realized I had an old A/B headphone switcher lying around. I couldn't use it with the Abyss but I could with the Stellia so I hooked it up and A/B'd the 789 and the Violectric (obviously both solid-state, so apples to apples). After level-matching by ear I went to get a drink, and in the meantime forgot which was A and B. (Yeah, hardly a scientific test, but trust me, I am VERY forgetful.) I compared a bunch of tracks and decided which position on the switch was my favorite. Guess what, it was the 789. The differences I thought I heard last night disappeared. With the 789 versus the WA5 on the switcher I did prefer the WA5, but I concluded it was due to the WA5's wonderful tube warmth, not because the 789 was any less dynamic.

Going back to the Abyss, without an XLR switcher I couldn't do the same blind-ish comparison between the 789 and the WA5 (my Violectric doesn't speak Abyss). Manually moving the cable and re-comparing tracks, however, I now don't hear what I heard last night. So my order for the HPA4 stands.

Moral of the story: Your brain is a liar.

I've had the 789 for a few months now. I bought it solely to use against another amp that I was troubleshooting. I assumed I would hate the 789 and return it after my experiment was over. Well, neither happened. I ended up liking it more than I thought, and keeping it just to have. I've been using it as my main driver until I can find a much better replacement. For its almost throwaway cost, it's surprisingly good with the Abyss. Not warm by any means, so if you need a little warmth, needs to happen up the chain.

 

[stemiki]

Learned a valuable lesson today on the power of the mind... I have the Drop 789 (which replaced my Monolith 887 for reasons unrelated to this post) to play with while my HPA4 is built. Last night I was listening to the Abyss on the WA5 and decided to switch to the 789. I become convinced it sounded like crap, compressed and dry. I couldn't shake the feeling after swapping a few times and comparing tracks. I then dragged out an old Violetric and compared the 789, Violectric, and WA5 on my Stellia, and came to the same conclusion -- the 789 sounded bad. Since the HPA4 uses the same THX AAA technology, should I immediately cancel it and look elsewhere?

Well, this morning, I realized I had an old A/B headphone switcher lying around. I couldn't use it with the Abyss but I could with the Stellia so I hooked it up and A/B'd the 789 and the Violectric (obviously both solid-state, so apples to apples). After level-matching by ear I went to get a drink, and in the meantime forgot which was A and B. (Yeah, hardly a scientific test, but trust me, I am VERY forgetful.) I compared a bunch of tracks and decided which position on the switch was my favorite. Guess what, it was the 789. The differences I thought I heard last night disappeared. With the 789 versus the WA5 on the switcher I did prefer the WA5, but I concluded it was due to the WA5's wonderful tube warmth, not because the 789 was any less dynamic.

Going back to the Abyss, without an XLR switcher I couldn't do the same blind-ish comparison between the 789 and the WA5 (my Violectric doesn't speak Abyss). Manually moving the cable and re-comparing tracks, however, I now don't hear what I heard last night. So my order for the HPA4 stands.

Moral of the story: Your brain is a liar.

HPA4 with Abyss great combination!

 

[Stereolab42]

What was the motivation of getting HPA4 rather than the formula S ?

More compatible with higher-sensitivity headphones, Formula S only has 6db difference between its two gains and I've read reviews that say even on low it's got a noticeable noise floor on such headphones. The Moon non-DAC 430HA is really my other choice, and it's in stock locally, if I didn't want to go with the HPA4. I wonder if anyone has compared them.

 

[jlbrach]

Learned a valuable lesson today on the power of the mind... I have the Drop 789 (which replaced my Monolith 887 for reasons unrelated to this post) to play with while my HPA4 is built. Last night I was listening to the Abyss on the WA5 and decided to switch to the 789. I become convinced it sounded like crap, compressed and dry. I couldn't shake the feeling after swapping a few times and comparing tracks. I then dragged out an old Violetric and compared the 789, Violectric, and WA5 on my Stellia, and came to the same conclusion -- the 789 sounded bad. Since the HPA4 uses the same THX AAA technology, should I immediately cancel it and look elsewhere?

Well, this morning, I realized I had an old A/B headphone switcher lying around. I couldn't use it with the Abyss but I could with the Stellia so I hooked it up and A/B'd the 789 and the Violectric (obviously both solid-state, so apples to apples). After level-matching by ear I went to get a drink, and in the meantime forgot which was A and B. (Yeah, hardly a scientific test, but trust me, I am VERY forgetful.) I compared a bunch of tracks and decided which position on the switch was my favorite. Guess what, it was the 789. The differences I thought I heard last night disappeared. With the 789 versus the WA5 on the switcher I did prefer the WA5, but I concluded it was due to the WA5's wonderful tube warmth, not because the 789 was any less dynamic.

Going back to the Abyss, without an XLR switcher I couldn't do the same blind-ish comparison between the 789 and the WA5 (my Violectric doesn't speak Abyss). Manually moving the cable and re-comparing tracks, however, I now don't hear what I heard last night. So my order for the HPA4 stands.

Moral of the story: Your brain is a liar.

I have learned over the years that a-b comparisons are useless...when it is nuance and detail etc that you are after you can only really appreciate differences living with different components..that has been my experience

 

[Stereolab42]

I have learned over the years that a-b comparisons are useless...when it is nuance and detail etc that you are after you can only really appreciate differences living with different components..that has been my experience

A/B is great for telling if there is an obvious difference between components. I agree it's less suitable for discerning subtle elements that take time to fully understand. You can always A/B switch more slowly but then you lose focus of what the previous selection sounded like. I see A/B as a rough filter for weeding out junk, but actual junk is rare these days.