[TigerStripedCat]

Ok, thanks. I just wanted to completely rule out the possibility that there was some sort of concoction I wasn't aware of that could do that.

 

[FiJAAS]

My Amp arrived today, used it to replace the FiiO E6 pre-amp in my Hi-Fi Rig :-









Sounds more detailed & punchy ..,

How do you like this amp compared to the Fiio E6?

Is the PA2V2 decent for Hip-Hop and R&B?
I plan to use is with Shure SE215.

 

[ceemsc]

How do you like this amp compared to the Fiio E6?

Is the PA2V2 decent for Hip-Hop and R&B?
I plan to use is with Shure SE215.

As quoted here : http://www.head-fi.org/t/596482/the-sub-100-portable-amps-shootout-8-1-amps-compared the PA2V2 has a deeper & wider soundstage than the E6. The sound is more defined & lush compared (warmer?) compared to the E6.

Also it is more tougher. My E6 has broke, probably when it was attacked by the cat; but in any case the multi-function rocker switch is too flimsy.

I don't have any experience with Shure Headphones but :
http://www.audiobot9000.com/match/shure/se215/with/electric-avenues/pa2v2

Hope this helps....

 

[JHern]

I've owned the PA2V2 since early 2006. It worked great for a year, and then I stopped using it for a while. Nevertheless I've kept it around after moving house six times (pretty much the only thing I still have through all that), and pull it out from time to time. Today it has a very scratchy pot and some slight noise/distortion in the left channel at certain volume levels. The basic sound signature remains the same, slightly warm, a touch extra rumble on the low end. Using good cans (e.g., ATH-ES10) I can feel the air flexing my ears even at frequencies below audible.
 
Of course you can't beat the price, nor the friendly customer service...perhaps the best-ever value in personal audio.

 

[Letsgogo]

Just bought a used one on craigslist.  Interestingly, the amp works well only above 60% gain.  Lower than that, the output generates sudden and strong hissing when tuning the knob.  Moreover, when I plugged in one of my phones, Earwerkz Supra, the lower level of gain from about 60%, the louder weird beep sounds that would kill my hearing.  Anyone experienced something like this?

 

[SDBiotek]

Just bought a used one on craigslist.  Interestingly, the amp works well only above 60% gain.  Lower than that, the output generates sudden and strong hissing when tuning the knob.  Moreover, when I plugged in one of my phones, Earwerkz Supra, the lower level of gain from about 60%, the louder weird beep sounds that would kill my hearing.  Anyone experienced something like this?

Try some fresh batteries. It's very common for volume pots to sound scratchy when you're turning the knob, especially with less expensive one like in the PA2V2, or when they get older.

 

[Letsgogo]

Try some fresh batteries. It's very common for volume pots to sound scratchy when you're turning the knob, especially with less expensive one like in the PA2V2, or when they get older.

Thanks so much.  I've just changed the batteries to the rechargeable ones.  The beep sound's gone!  But the scratchy knob turning issue is still around.  I guess it's old like you said since I just saw that it's made in 2010.  Any idea how to fix it???

 

[dudlew]

Not sure if there is a better way to clean it, but turning the pot up and down for a while eliminates the scratching at least for a little while. No music needs to be playing. just turn up and down quickly with the amp on and you will hear it get less scratchy until its virtually gone.

 

[needmoretoys]

  Not sure if there is a better way to clean it, but turning the pot up and down for a while eliminates the scratching at least for a little while. No music needs to be playing. just turn up and down quickly with the amp on and you will hear it get less scratchy until its virtually gone.

Spinning it up and down for a couple dozen times worked for mine after not using it for a couple years. If that doesn't work then spraying contact cleaner into it and spinning it might work more permanently. I would take out the batteries before doing that though and giving it time to dry out before reinserting them.

 

[Letsgogo]

  Not sure if there is a better way to clean it, but turning the pot up and down for a while eliminates the scratching at least for a little while. No music needs to be playing. just turn up and down quickly with the amp on and you will hear it get less scratchy until its virtually gone.

 

 
Spinning it up and down for a couple dozen times worked for mine after not using it for a couple years. If that doesn't work then spraying contact cleaner into it and spinning it might work more permanently. I would take out the batteries before doing that though and giving it time to dry out before reinserting them.

Thanks guys.  I've just got a reply back from Gary, the maker of the amp.  He said exactly the same as you guys.  Plus, he said somehow this was not avoidable since it sounded better this way.  I quote...

[color=rgb(68, 68, 68)] When the volume knob is turned, there may be a little noise though. This noise is a consequence of my design, which actually keeps the potentiometer out of the audio signal path. If I put the potentiometer into the audio signal path then the scratching noise would go away. However, the bad part about this is that the audio signal would technically be degraded for the entire time that music was playing. I thought it would be best to have the amp make a little noise only when the knob is turned, but to have the best sound when the knob was set. The resistive path in the potentiometers isn't as pure as in a regular resistor.[/color]

Moreover, he said if I feel that it's too loud, I could always send it back to him to check it! Awesome after sale service!

 

[Letsgogo]

One more update, i just notice that,mat those level sof gain that cause the noises, the volume on both sides of the headphones are unequal. This makes it really hard for listening on my IEM since I tends to use it at the lowest volume and it's hard to get the sound on both sides equal. I'll try @needmoretoys fix though.

 

[tjw321]

One more update, i just notice that,mat those level sof gain that cause the noises, the volume on both sides of the headphones are unequal. This makes it really hard for listening on my IEM since I tends to use it at the lowest volume and it's hard to get the sound on both sides equal. I'll try @needmoretoys fix though.

Just in case you didn't know, you can adjust the gain internally with a couple of blue screws, one for each channel. Here is a picture from Gary's site showing you how:
 
http://electric-avenues.com/audio/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Adjust-Gain.png

 

[Letsgogo]

  Just in case you didn't know, you can adjust the gain internally with a couple of blue screws, one for each channel. Here is a picture from Gary's site showing you how:
 
http://electric-avenues.com/audio/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Adjust-Gain.png

That helps a little. Great to know.  Still, at the lowest level is still too loud.  This Earwerkz's Supra is really sensitive.
 
Regarding the unequal volumes, it's more like bad connections at certain gain knob levels. So I need to fine tune the knob everytime I adjust the knob in order to get good connection on both sides of the phones.  I think I need to send it back to Gary in the end.

 

[locknloadfzj80]

I've had one of these for a few months. Got it to hold me over while searching for a Glacier. The little amp is amazing and I still find myself plugging into it regularly.

 

[purpledrank]

   
I have a pair of modded Yamaha YH-2 (~93db stock sensitivity), and a modded T50RP (~98db stock) that sound pretty good out of it. Since the HE-400 is rated at about 93db the PA2V2 should (theoretically) have enough juice to power these cans as well.
 
Have you adjusted the gain on the PA2V2? If I recall, Gary usually sets the gain at levels suitable for driving IEM/portables. In this case, maybe turning up the gain a bit will give you better performance.

I'm thinking about buying the Hifiman HE-400 and this amp. Gary said they would work together but the amp would struggle with the HE-500. When you say turn up the gain does that just mean opening up the amp and turning a knob? I'm new the headphone world and I've never owned an amp so I don't know how amps and gain are related.