[Blackmore]

Just wonder if anyone of you guys, who own these beutifull amps, have ever tried TA10.1
Do not mean anything sarcastic, just want to know, thats all.

 

[nightfire]

If you can find one, the First Watt F1.

It's different from most other amps in the way it drives speakers (constant current class A topology) making it useless for normal multi-element speakers, and is overkill for most headphones.

For the K1000 though, it's just magic.

 

[WindowsX]

If my memory serves me right, F1 has 100wpc. I'm impatiently waiting for F1 MKII and TakeT, though...

 

[kugino]

yes, there are a number of amps out there like the F1/F2, pass labs stuff, sig30, and other power/integrated amps that drive the k1000 beautifully. but i'm wondering about standard balanced headphone amps that can be used with balanced headphones, but that can drive k1000s as well.

so, there's the beta22, gs-x, the apache? which of the rudistor amps?

 

[nightfire]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WindowsX /img/forum/go_quote.gif If my memory serves me right, F1 has 100wpc. I'm impatiently waiting for F1 MKII and TakeT, though...

More like 10Wpc.

The F1 is a pure class-A amp, so it draws a ridiculous amount of power for what it produces. However, those 10 watts are real - the distortion doesn't rise much as you move up from 100mW to 10W.

It was originally designed for high efficiency single-coil drivers, and was never very powerful.

I set the bias on my clone to ~7Wpc, so it draws about 150 watts continuously (yes, it gets HOT).

The reason class-D or class-AB amps sound better at 100W than 15W is usually because the distortion figure typically rises with the percentage of rated output currently in use. If an amp is rated 0.005%THD @ 1W and 0.1%THD at 15W, driving speakers at 8W will produce much more distortion than an amp rated 0.005%THD @ 1W, 0.1%THD @ 100W.

 

[OptionTrader]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nightfire /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you can find one, the First Watt F1. It's different from most other amps in the way it drives speakers (constant current class A topology) making it useless for normal multi-element speakers, and is overkill for most headphones. For the K1000 though, it's just magic.

I am very happy driving my K1000s with the F1. It has single-ended and balanced inputs, using one set at a time.

 

[WindowsX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nightfire /img/forum/go_quote.gif More like 10Wpc. The F1 is a pure class-A amp, so it draws a ridiculous amount of power for what it produces. However, those 10 watts are real - the distortion doesn't rise much as you move up from 100mW to 10W. It was originally designed for high efficiency single-coil drivers, and was never very powerful. I set the bias on my clone to ~7Wpc, so it draws about 150 watts continuously (yes, it gets HOT). The reason class-D or class-AB amps sound better at 100W than 15W is usually because the distortion figure typically rises with the percentage of rated output currently in use. If an amp is rated 0.05%THD @ 1W and 0.1%THD at 15W, driving speakers at 8W will produce much more distortion than an amp rated 0.05%THD @ 1W, 0.1%THD @ 100W.

Thank you. That's even more convincing

 

[Bizzel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kugino /img/forum/go_quote.gif this is what i'm leaning toward b/c of the mosfets...but who knows when justin will have these out. perhaps when the pico madness subsides?

I'm holding out on a GS-X until the new modules arrive but who knows when that will be. Please tell us more, Ed!

 

[vcoheda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kugino /img/forum/go_quote.gif i'm wondering about standard balanced headphone amps that can be used with balanced headphones, but that can drive k1000s as well. so, there's the beta22, gs-x, the apache? which of the rudistor amps?

that's a good question. i wonder which of the above performs the best with the K1000. regardless though, i suspect none will be ideal, or as ideal as a non-headphone amp. that's part of the reason i have shied away from this headphone (or earspeaker). don't want to purchase an amp just for that one use.

 

[bada bing]

Would a balanced two-board M^3 be suitable for a budget first amp to drive K1000's ? I currently have a S.E. M^3 with a very beefy S11 psu. Adding a second board would be the cheapest option for me to start out. For my situation, it would also have an advantage of being pretty easy to peddle in the event I moved up soon. A balanced M^3 could be separated into two standard M^3's which would probably have a much wider market? A balanced M^3 is good for about 20 watts per side if the psu(s) and thermal management is up to snuff.

You can probably tell I'm catching K1000 fever

 

[kugino]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vcoheda /img/forum/go_quote.gif that's a good question. i wonder which of the above performs the best with the K1000. regardless though, i suspect none will be ideal, or as ideal as a non-headphone amp. that's part of the reason i have shied away from this headphone (or earspeaker). don't want to purchase an amp just for that one use.

i recently sold my sig30 and while i was testing it prior to boxing and shipping it out, i was amazed at how great it sounded with the k1000. i'm now in possession of my gs-x and have not been able to listen to the k1000 out of the balanced outputs (since i'm not finished with my adapter cable), but it's not that great via SE 1/4" plug adapter.

i don't know how much the mosfet modules will help with the k1000...it's true that a dedicated power amp is needed to properly drive the k1000, but if the gs-x can be 90% of the ideal, i think i'd be happy with that.

 

[vcoheda]

^^ have you tried the K1000 balanced yet from the GSX. if so, did it work well.

 

[kugino]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vcoheda /img/forum/go_quote.gif ^^ have you tried the K1000 balanced yet from the GSX. if so, did it work well.

yes, i've run it balanced from the gs-x...it worked, but i wouldn't say it worked well. had i not heard the k1000 paired with the sig 30, F1, aleph, and other dedicated power amps, i probably would be happy with the gs-x/k1000 pairing. but, it sounded anemic from the gs-x...just not enough juice to drive them to their fullest. not sure what i'm going to do...probably wait for the mosfets and see how they fare.

 

[I_quadius]

SIR, I can only agree in part...since I use a "no gain" 2A3 amp with SOPHIA O/T's with an estimated 3.5w per side. My K1000's are are in heaven, the quantity (volume) is more than adequate &  the resulting sonic quality is STUNNING, &  ORGASMIC !!!  My only plan of up-grade, is periodic "tube rolling",  I challenge your audience to include the 2A3 along with 300B amps. 
 
Sincerely,  Gluteus Quadius  
 
 
 

 

[fatcat28037]

I drive my K1000 with a Woo 22 with Sylvania 7236 power tubes which increase the ouput to 2 watts. The K1000 require the volume set at about 50/60% as opposed to the RS-1 at 30/40%. The K1000 sounds very good.