[flohmann]

In another thread, some folks are debating what happens when you choose hi gain settings on an amp like Ray Samuels Hornet or Tomahawk.

Does the switch add a gain stage? Or does it just insert or remove a resistor?

Anyone know?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

I don't belive it inserts a resistor. The RSA amps have a slight but insignificant change in sound with different gains settings, so I doubt it is a resistor. I've read that the un-burned-in RSA Predator sounded different at low gain vs med vs high, but the differences got smaller as it burned in.

Now, some of the Xin amps offer both a resistor, and a gain (aka amplitude in Xin-talk) switch, and the resistor does change the sound. Some headphones do better with the resistor, like an Etymotic ER4P, or Altec Lansing IM716 without the pod, etc.

Some other amps are known to have different sound at different gain levels, like the Meier Cantate, and a couple of people reported a similar thing with the Meier Headsix. I am not sure why.