[Beolab]

...//...

 

[britneedadvice]

Hi 'Beolab'
As mentioned above, you are indeed in a fortunate position to give us a comparison of the Headtrip against some other TOTL products.
I went to a 'Meet' in England last year particularly to hear this product but  the circumstances didn't allow for a suitable audition.
I probably speak for many when I say that it's extremely difficult to audition some of these high-end products,let alone do A/B comparisons!
So,I for one would be interested to read your thoughts bearing in mind the other products you have  or have owned.
One product that is receiving great reviews (particularly from one Member who I have great regard for) is the Chord Dave.This product being utilised with the direct Headphone out socket-no dedicated Headphone Amp!
Clearly these are still 'early days' for you with this product but as and when you feel ready to give us your thoughts,it will be appreciated.
 
and......if there's anyone in the UK with one,I'd love to hear it !!
Thanks for your time

 

[listen4joy]

7000$? too rich for my blood! i can buy stax009+amp.. come on.... money dosent fall from trees, well for some people but not for the 90% of us.

 

[Beolab]

  Hi 'Beolab'
As mentioned above, you are indeed in a fortunate position to give us a comparison of the Headtrip against some other TOTL products.
I went to a 'Meet' in England last year particularly to hear this product but  the circumstances didn't allow for a suitable audition.
I probably speak for many when I say that it's extremely difficult to audition some of these high-end products,let alone do A/B comparisons!
So,I for one would be interested to read your thoughts bearing in mind the other products you have  or have owned.
One product that is receiving great reviews (particularly from one Member who I have great regard for) is the Chord Dave.This product being utilised with the direct Headphone out socket-no dedicated Headphone Amp!
Clearly these are still 'early days' for you with this product but as and when you feel ready to give us your thoughts,it will be appreciated.
 
and......if there's anyone in the UK with one,I'd love to hear it !!
Thanks for your time

 
Hi britneedadvice
 
Im glad to guide and help you out if i can. 
Yes i have have tested many diffrent Headphone / Amp configurations and i have listed a few of the amps i have owned in my profile and review in page 1 in this thread, , so it is easier if you can name a few in particular who you are interested in i think, and what headphones are you using ?
 
The Chord Dave i do not want to do any impressions on that amp yet, because i haven't had time to review it so much yet, just tested it shortly, and it is very promisingly good.
 
 
Thanks

 

[britneedadvice]

Hi Beolab
 
I would certainly suggest taking your time with any review/comparison,whether it's the Headtrip ,Dave or any other product.
The Headphone market is quickly evolving at the present time and 'goal posts' moving on a constant basis.
 
Certainly , on the Dave issue, whilst not a 'new' concept( that is, no Amp-dedicated or otherwise) the reviews by some would indicate that the reproduction out performs 'conventional' set-ups'. As stated by one, the traditional dedicated Headphone Amps Manufacturers, "beware" !!
So, it needs somebody,like yourself, who currently owns both the Dave , Headtrip ,BHSE & others (and many more pre-owned) just where it rates!! I suspect many would be interested in such a comparison
 
As for me,I'm a great tube lover.so any comparison there would be appreciated.I currently running a Meridian 818v3 / Allnic HPA-5000/HiFiMan HE1000 system.(As the Allnic seems as unloved as the Headtrip, I suspect no comparison will be available!!- from anyone ,that is)
 
....but,please take your time!(I have you 'subscribed')

 

[britneedadvice]

further to above-to clarify
 
when I mention  Dave v Headtrip, the issue really concerns the whole DAC/Headphone thing as opposed to the DAC/Headphone Amp/Headphone set up !
For me ,having the 818 would be an unnecessary 'doubling up' of DAC , which is something I'm not likely to change. 

 

[Leotis]

Anyone using the phase switches?
Which direction is the "normal" setting? Right or Left?
Thanks.

 

[yates7592]

For anybody on the fence, I have my excellent condition 230V Headtrip up for sale here:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/806103/wells-audio-headtrip-230v

 

[Beolab]

Have made a conclusion to sell my belived new barley used Wells Audio HeadTrip latest upgrade 110v-240v version , because i need too found other things in life ;(

So if anyone is interested in collecting one of the best SS HeadAmps in the world just place me a PM or hit the link below:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/807062/new-wells-audio-headtrip-headphone-ultra-high-end-balanced-amp-only-6-weeks-old-best-offer

 

[cladane]

Hello

 
So it seems reading the last posts that everybody sold his Headtrip !!
What happened ?? No more owner of this particular piece of gear

 

[Leotis]

Haven't sold mine.
Sounds top notch.
Maybe people sell because it's so freaking expensive for a HP amp they are willing to downgrade somewhat in order to recover some of their capital for other purposes.
I know I've considered it but doubt I could get enough to make it worth it.

 

[ufospls2]

 
Hey guys,
 
I have had a good 12 hours with my new amp, the Wells Audio Headtrip now. These are very early impressions, so I suppose some of my thoughts and views might change over time. I am using the Chord Mojo as my DAC right now, as I am flat broke after buying the Headtrip. In time, once I recover I will look into a desktop DAC, but for now, the Mojo is doing the trick. I owned the Wells Audio Milo prior to the Headtrip, and I enjoyed it so much I decided to go for the upgrade. 
 
Having spent time with two Wells Audio amps now, I think I am getting a feel for the house sound. It is slightly warm, but not overly so. It isn’t gushy and mushy, like some amps I have heard. The sound is very powerful, very dynamic, and very engaging. I would guess that these are features that span the entire Wells Audio range (please correct me if you have heard more of the offerings than I have, and they differ.) 
 
Now onto the Headtrip in particular. The clarity is stunning. I have read some people say that the Headtrip isn’t clear, and I just don’t understand where these people are coming from. Whilst it is very clear, the treble isn’t over emphasised, strident, or harsh in any way. The mids are just great, especially with the Abyss. They bring this slight warmth to the overall sound that is right up my alley. I am a bit of a basshead, and the Headtrip has bass in great quantity, but it isn’t boomy or overblown. It is fast and precise. Compared to my Auralic Taurus (my previous reference amp) there is more clarity, but the Headtrip is less sterile and cold. 
 
Similar to the Milo, I would say the Headtrip is a fairly “fun” amp! I don’t think it is a straight “wire with gain” type of amp. It definitely imparts its own flavour to the sound, but it is a flavour I enjoy immensely. Unlike the Milo, I can’t say this amp punches above its price point, as I have never heard an amp with a more expensive MSRP. To me, it is like the Milo plus 10% in all areas. As with most things in life, diminishing returns are at play here, and that extra 10% costs a lot. Thankfully I didn’t pay retail on the Headtrip, but it isn’t cheap. This is not a value proposition of an amp. This is an “I know what I like, and I’m willing to hurt my wallet for it” amp. 
 
The Headtrip is even more of a power monster than its little brother the Milo. There isn’t a headphone I can think of it can’t drive, HE6 included. I think the need for power gets over stated a lot, but there definitely are some headphones that seem to benefit from having extra power behind them. I happen to own two of them, the LCD-4 and Abyss. Compared to driving my headphones with the Auralic Taurus, the bass is bigger, and the sound is fuller and more cohesive overall. 
 
Now, similar to the Milo, the Headtrip plays very well with the HD800S. I have been listening to the HD800S exclusively for the past two months as I have been away from home, and plugging it into the Headtrip is like listening to a new headphone all together. There is a bit more bass, it warms up the mids a little bit, and the already great clarity of the HD800S is enhanced even more. 
 
The soundstage, depth, and imaging of the Headtrip are insane. That is all. 
 
To sum it all up. I’m SO impressed thus far with the Headtrip. This amp has taken every headphone I have thrown at it, manhandled it, made it sound super, and never runs out of oomph. There is so much control, especially in the low end. Not only does this amp drive any headphone on the market, it sounds amazing whilst doing it. Like the Milo, it is warm, but not mushy and undefined. It seems to have most of the benefits of tubes, with none of the hassle. This is not a budget option, it cost me a lot of money. I had decided I was ready to put together an “end game” set up, for all I’m not a fan of that term. As far as I’m concerned, my amp search is over, this is the perfect amp for my needs. Tons of power, a bit of warmth, great clarity, and kick you in the face bass.
 
If you have any questions just ask. I can thoroughly recommend the Milo from Wells Audio, as it is a bit easier to reconcile price wise, but if you want to go all out, and get that last 10%…well…you could do a whole lot worse than the Headtrip.

 

[Leotis]

When I jumped into head fi I didn't want to waste a lot of money moving up the fidelity curve in the usual multiple steps like I did with  my conventional audio setups. So toe in the water with LCD-3 and Pathos Aurium.
Some one convinced me that the Abyss was the top of the pile, so I got a pair. And I grabbed the Headtrip cause "the Abyss need power." So I haven't really listened to other headphones with my Headtrip. Is there another headphone that you think rivals the Abyss on the Headtrip?

 

[cladane]

Hello,
 
My main concern about the Headtrip and Abyss combo would concern the trebles behaviour.
 
I find the Abyss makes me uptight when hearing at miked violin tracks (Classic recordings like René Capuçon plays them) and I was wondering if the Headtrip would cool Abyss's ardour on that point.
http://www.qobuz.com/fr-fr/album/renaud-capucon-plays-rihm-dusapin-mantovani-renaud-capucon-philippe-jordan-myung-whun-chung/0825646026838
 
What Mr Skubinsky told about that :

I can tell you for sure that close miked violin recordings are not what we had in mind with the AB-1266. Would definitely recommend a tame headphone system for those types of recordings.​

 

[smodtactical]

I am thinking about this amp for my headphone collection in my signature. Any thoughts? Don't have a DAC yet to go with this. Also given my interconnects will be short do you think I need XLR or will RCA be pretty much the same?