[George Hincapie]

Has anyone compiled a list of the best performing HPAs discussed in this thread? 142 pages is a lot for someone to go through.

 

[goldwerger]

Somewhere in the first 10 pages or so I put a list that, then, represented the dream amp everyone surveyed wanted to have. But lots more since launched and discussed.

 

[Pharmaboy]

Very cool!

It sounds like it was a SS amp designed with higher output impedance, which should make these kind of headphones much fuller sounding. Don’t see a lot of those types of amps. Very interesting

I could be wrong, but I seem to recall that back when Zach/ZMF first began offering high impedance dynamics (at the start it was the Eikon & Atticus only), he had good things to say about this amp as a source for them. Not that he represented Beyer in any way, but had heard his dynamics on it.

It was the case then, and still is the case, that there are very few SS headphone amps expressly designed for high impedance loads...

(Zach: if I'm misremembering, apologies)

 

[ckhirnigs113]

I could be wrong, but I seem to recall that back when Zach/ZMF first began offering high impedance dynamics (at the start it was the Eikon & Atticus only), he had good things to say about this amp as a source for them. Not that he represented Beyer in any way, but had heard his dynamics on it.

It was the case then, and still is the case, that there are very few SS headphone amps expressly designed for high impedance loads...

(Zach: if I'm misremembering, apologies)

This is correct. Zach has recommended this little amp quite a bit over the years for his dynamics.

 

[Monsterzero]

It was the case then, and still is the case, that there are very few SS headphone amps expressly designed for high impedance loads...

(Zach: if I'm misremembering, apologies)

Yup. Zach is a fan of the Beyer amp.

As far as solid state amps designed for high impedance headphones, may I present to you....

 

[Pharmaboy]

Yup. Zach is a fan of the Beyer amp.

As far as solid state amps designed for high impedance headphones, may I present to you....

They weren't actually designed for high impedance headphones, were they?

More like they have the voltage and current necessary to drive pretty much any impedance headphone...at least that's my understandingl

 

[goldwerger]

They weren't actually designed for high impedance headphones, were they?

More like they have the voltage and current necessary to drive pretty much any impedance headphone...at least that's my understandingl

the output impednace (damping factor) really helps with high impedance headphones. At least, for the vintage units in this picture, that's probably the case. The v550 on account of voltage around 21V at this impedance, but also some voodoo that I'm trying to figure out (at the moment, I'm working on a review of the new Tungsten which is pairing particularly well with the V281 which has an even higher voltage swing but very low output impednace; I'm still scratching my head around that one, but so many things go into circuit design, who knows what impacts what.. but yea, violectrics really pair nicely with high impedance)

 

[Pharmaboy]

the output impednace (damping factor) really helps with high impedance headphones. At least, for the vintage units in this picture, that's probably the case. The v550 on account of voltage around 21V at this impedance, but also some voodoo that I'm trying to figure out (at the moment, I'm working on a review of the new Tungsten which is pairing particularly well with the V281 which has an even higher voltage swing but very low output impednace; I'm still scratching my head around that one, but so many things go into circuit design, who knows what impacts what.. but yea, violectrics really pair nicely with high impedance)

Tungsten? Is that a new headphone?

Yes, Violectrics surely do very well with high impedance headphones. My V281 has repeatedly demonstrated that to my satisfaction.

 

[Monsterzero]

They weren't actually designed for high impedance headphones, were they?

More like they have the voltage and current necessary to drive pretty much any impedance headphone...at least that's my understandingl

Yeah the damping factor of vintage receivers is nice for high impedance HPs. They provide such a solid beefy sound, with ridiculous bass with all of my high impedance headphones. If you look at my signature, the only two headphones that I own that aren't high impedance are the Caldera and K701. Neither of those sound good on my receivers, nor did the ATH AD2000 when I had it. That has a 40 impedance.

There were some old crappy headphones back in the day (Koss and others) that had low impedance. I don't know how those would sound out of the receivers, but like I said all of the modern low impedance HPs I've tried get a really bad case of impedance mismatch with bass bloat.

But ZMFs, Sennheiser, AKG, Beyer high impedance HPs rock on vintage receivers.

 

[Monsterzero]

Tungsten? Is that a new headphone?

Yes, and wait until he tells you the sensitivity of it. Make sure you're sitting down.

 

[Pharmaboy]

Yes, and wait until he tells you the sensitivity of it. Make sure you're sitting down.

I'm sitting down right now (on my own ass, no less) ... so go ahead, tell me the sensitivity of it (pls).

 

[Monsterzero]

I'm sitting down right now (on my own ass, no less) ... so go ahead, tell me the sensitivity of it (pls).

150 ohms and 78 (!!!!!!!!) sensitivity

 

[Pharmaboy]

150 ohms and 78 (!!!!!!!!) sensitivity

Well, that's appalling (and challenging). I'm not home, or I would gaze at my "secret weapon for insensitive headphones," the Wells Audio Milo.

I've never encountered a headphone that insensitive, so hard to say what can drive that. But if anything can, it's probably Milo (w/13 dB attenuators disengaged, naturally; and no attenuation of the DAC's output voltage).

The last thing I need is another big planar. So naturally I'm interested in this one and just subscribed to the thread for it.

(masochism is a feature, not a bug, of both this hobby, and my personality)

 

[Monsterzero]

Yeah it makes the Abyss 1266, HE6 and Susvara look totally effecient

 

[goldwerger]

Tungsten? Is that a new headphone?

Yes, Violectrics surely do very well with high impedance headphones. My V281 has repeatedly demonstrated that to my satisfaction.

yea... not to take this thread too off topic, but here the thread for this upcoming release:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/mod...headphones-impressions-and-discussion.968835/

I'm working on a review probably be done in 1-2 weeks.
It's ridiculously low sensitivity, but high impedance. Some things can't drive it, others drive it exceedingly well. It's more nuanced than pure wattage (best synergies from all my amps, in this order: Aegis, V281, GOTL)
TLDR: (1) at <$2k it competes at the top-tier category, (2) soft and silky, relaxed presentation; it's like an upgraded LCD-4, or what the -5 would've been if the -4 was made less dark and better resolving. Over unique presentation, not competing as much as complementary to other planars

Anecdote - Ryan, founder, follows in footsteps of Zach. From Modding headphones to launchig (now) his own. Fun fact: the pads on this are made by Zach. So nice to see the paying forward in our industry.

Finally, quick pic from set I have at home now testing in my chain. A demo unit should be at CanJam SoCal at Mimic.

ok, let's go back to amps for ZMF... anyone more want info on the above, go to the Tungsten thread