Wells Audio HeadTrip Amp impression review combined with JPS Labs Abyss
Have just received from Jeff my beloved Wells Audio HeadTrip amp Nr.32 , and it is probably the most complete, transparent and best Head amp / speaker amp i have ever heard period!
I have head and owned allot of different
High End speaker amps and a few headphone amps during the years:
The SS / Tube Head amps i have tested at home and have owned is as follows:
Chord Electronics DAVE , have a world class amp, but nerds a little more power to drive the Abyss and He-6 sufficiently.
1,3 watts at 46 Ohm.
Chord Mojo Black DAC/AMP
Can drive the Abyss like the Hugo, but it is almost a joke.
Previous:
Chord Hugo Black DAC/ AMP
To veil and sharp and thin.
Lacked of power with only 0,5 Watt of power.
AudioValve Solaris World class hybrid Tube / SS Electrostatic / OTL amp 8-12 watt Dual Mono.
Where a little to warm and soft, and lacked of power in the presentation.
SOLD!
Woo Audio WA5 Black Ed Tube amp
Nicely sounding amp, but hide allot of the inner detail in the music, with a warm articulated sound because it is a Tube amp.
SOLD!
Cavalli Crimson Tube / SS hybrid
Lacked in control / you have wished it had a little more drive and articulation and visceral bass.
SOLD!
Schiit Ragnarok SS Amp 2x100watt 8 Ohm
I found it a not as transparent or balanced, it was a little to much Lo - Fi stereo amp sound for me.
SOLD!
Sim Audio Moon 430 Neo
The finish and feeling in the volume nobe is world class, and you can easy be tricked by it and think it have to sound good just because of this.
But the sound liquid and almost 90% transparent to the source, but the rest of the 10% is to neutral and thin in the sound, it gave me the shivers and i couldn't stand it!!
SOLD!
Audio-GD NFB-1 Balanced Class A 2x 7.0 watt @ 50 Ohm AMP ( Mini Master 9 )
To numb in the bass and was not quite transparent to the DAC source. Sounds very much like the Sim Audio 430neo !
SOLD!
Pathos Aurium Tube / MOSFET hybrid 2x 1.1 watts Class A @ 50 Ohm AMP
Very high resolution / detailed amp , perfect for a studio with headphone monitors, but it did not have any warmth or bass, and run out of power with only 1.1 watt @ 46 Ohm.
The build quality is world class and the volume got great feeling, but more for Audize LCD-X cans.
SOLD!
It all began with Jeff @ Wells Audio had plans for creating a new un-compromised HeadPhone Amp based on his highly acclaimed speaker power amps.
Jeff wanted to design a amp with good synergy with the JPS Labs Abyss in mind, and with the power to control these hard flirted / driven magna planar headphones (Speakers).
And the result are mind blowing, with the use of just the best components available, and the use of JPS Labs internal cabling, this is a no compromise Ultra High End amp!
Before with every other amp i have tested with the Abyss, they was a little unengaged and had a V shaped midrange, but now it is like a newly tuned guitar, the Abyss is like on their toes and alert all the time for the smallest gesture from the all mighty HeadTrip!
The sound that this heavy duty powerhouse produce is remarkably over the top good!
The background noise is dead silent and totally blacked out, with ultra whispering visceral deep low band bass with nice detail. And the impact is breathtaking, so many times i have thought during my listening sessions that it is my B&W Subwoofer and speakers in the livingroom that are shaking and playing, because you are feeling the impact in your hole body.
The midrange is as i mentioned a hole other cup of tea, more dry, vivid, extremely well articulated, and you do not have to sit and try to hear the musicians voice clearly any more or turn up the volume to get satisfied .
The amp is like a fine tuned V8 engine with great torque from even low volumes and up.
The high resolution detail are very transparent and does not hide any of the Ultra High End DAC Chord DAVEś resolution.
It is magical good separation and very nice inner detail and much air around all the notes that come flying at you with high resolution and great speed.
As a comparison i hade the privilege for a privat listening to the highly acclaimed Sennheiser Orpheus II, where from my listening i think that the HeadTrip/ Abyss combo is as good in many aspects, but in the end they come out on top when it comes to quality of bass, control, timing, detail resolution and soundstage.
Here the HeadTrip/ Abyss & DAVE $35.000 combo came out on top with easiness against the acclaimed worlds best $55.000 headphone/amp combo!
Read my hole Sennheiser Orpheus II Vs Abyss/HeadTrip review impression here:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/666765/the-jps-labs-abyss-ab-1266-impressions-thread/3700_50
My short conclusion is that the HeadTrip is the best amp money can buy today!
