[dexster]

hi

have done some thread searching (trolling) for an amp to complement the ath-5000 and ...
have come up with 2 possible contenders ?

the Yamamoto HA-02
or ath-ha5000

both are very different amps... yet they are similarly priced?!!

the impressions i have got (from reading) is that:

- the HA-02 is better in terms of longevity (ie can upgradeable to different headphones and still keep this amp) and can also be used for speakers (within reason) etc

-BUT the HA-02 has questionable build quality with a few different posts mentioning a persistent humming sound... this maybe an inherent fault of tube amps but im sorry it is unacceptable once the cost is considered...


the ha5000 however , is basically the opposite..
- not really upgradeable to another set of headphones ... seems like it is purpose built for the w5000; and lets face it i am not going to upgrade amp/phones for a while..

-yet could not find any post /complains regarding its build , humming sounds etc


any suggestions recommendations would be appreciated...

btw: i am relatively fresh to amping headphones yet i dont really want to make a silly (costly) mistake

 

[slwiser]

I have had both but not the same time as with my W5000 so I can't say for sure. I prefer the sound of the HA-02 overall to the HA5000 when I had it with the phones I had at the time; i.e., UE9 and ANC7.

Bottom line is you can't lose with either of them. Both are very good but slightly different.

 

[wower]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dexster /img/forum/go_quote.gif -BUT the HA-02 has questionable build quality with a few different posts mentioning a persistent humming sound... this maybe an inherent fault of tube amps but im sorry it is unacceptable once the cost is considered...

I assume you have already found the W5000 amp registery but I wanted to clear this up. Reports say this low freq humming is cleared up with a good 3rd party power cord. The unit is outwise dead silence. As for the "persistent humming sound" itself, since I have no power management, I can confidently state that it is not something you would ever hear in everyday use.

 

[dexster]

thanks for the quick reply slwiser ... did u notice any humming from the amp or did it cause humming through the phones???

im a little (lots) scared of the humming noise , especially since there is no aussie distributor for Yamamoto ...

 

[dexster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wower /img/forum/go_quote.gif I assume you have already found the W5000 amp registery but I wanted to clear this up. Reports say this low freq humming is cleared up with a good 3rd party power cord. The unit is outwise dead silence. As for the "persistent humming sound" itself, since I have no power management, I can confidently state that it is not something you would ever hear in everyday use.

thanks wower... yes, u have read my mind

so 3rd part power cord is the solution... not the build quality of the actual amp itself....

also i am unclear as to what u mean by 'power management'

i apologise inadvance if the answer is obvious but i am rather fresh as stated in the OP...

 

[minivan]

are u from australia?
to buy the yamamoto, the local distributor is:
puremusicgroup - Yamamoto HA-02 Headphone Amplifier (Powered by CubeCart)
for the ha5000, u can buy it from www.pricejapan.com

there are also 2 amps that build for the audio technica phones
the higher fidelity-ha-01 and the g &w ath-f100
there are comparision of these 2 amp against the ha5000
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/aud...photos-186672/
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/aud...w-f100-228810/
both amps are from china ,and only priced at fraction of cost of the ha5000
to buy them, u can contact
ljra2@hotmail.com liu jian from china

 

[piotr z]

I'll say go rather for ha5000 than for yammy - yammy is not a good match for w5000 - as for me

 

[Sarchi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by minivan /img/forum/go_quote.gif for the ha5000, u can buy it from www.pricejapan.com

Pricejapan will also quote an excellent price on the HA-02. It was 78400 Yen including shipping and their fee, which works out to about $700 US. But you will pay import duties when it arrives in your country.

The appeal of the Yammy for me is the simplicity - a single stage tube amp (aka "spud" amp) should generally sound very direct, open and uncluttered. OTOH the AT amp is designed around the W5000, so it's a tough call.

 

[vcoheda]

the resale value on the ha5000 is bad, as people rightly or wrongly only see it as a good fit for the w5000. i would get the ha02.

 

[tuatara]

I'm one of those who has experienced a slight hum with the Yamamoto.
A couple of points on that.

1/ It varies in volume depending on headphones, loudest with the AD2000s.
Once the music is playing it is inaudable and never intrusive. With some phones it will be a non issue.

2/ I believe some owners have eliminated this by trying different tubes, something I will get around to trying some time but it reality I find it such a non issue that I haven't rushed to do anything in 10 months ownership.

3/ I'm not entirely convinced that it's a power supply issue, at least in my case as my music room uses a seperate power feed from the house and I have no problems with other gear.

4/ The build quality of the amp is first class and it would be the last in my collection to be parted with. They'll have to prise it from my cold, dead hands

ps. Just to throw something else into the mix. I enjoy my W5000s with the Opera. I was looking at getting the AT amp to pair with it but having to use a stepdown transformer from 240V and adding another device into an already overcrowded rack put me off. From memory I think GarryH is another Opera/W5000 user and has posted some interesting thoughts on the two.
Worth a search.

 

[minivan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarchi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Pricejapan will also quote an excellent price on the HA-02. It was 78400 Yen including shipping and their fee, which works out to about $700 US. But you will pay import duties when it arrives in your country.

that's a surprise, i thought they only sell whatever they listed in the webpage.

at the end of the day, i think it all come down to personal preference, one is ss amp and the other is tube. i had listened to both side by side and found they have very different sound signature. if u have the $$$$.. buy both

 

[wower]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dexster /img/forum/go_quote.gif also i am unclear as to what u mean by 'power management'

I don't want to wonder too far off topic but basically power management is power conditioning or a good power distribution unit, good cables and making sure they aren't all lying over each other. Right now the corner near the socket is just a pile of cords. It looks like a nest. It's a power management nightmare. Japan uses slightly different power specs (no ground) and I don't no the situation in my new place so power management would be a pain at the moment. When I move back to Canada I'll be sure to invest a reasonable amount of money and time in power managemenet. Reasonable being the optimal word there.

 

[slwiser]

On my Yamamoto HA-02 I use a standard power cord but I do use it after a Zerosurge unit which provides quite a bit of power conditioning. Mine is very quite.

 

[Sarchi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by minivan /img/forum/go_quote.gif that's a surprise, i thought they only sell whatever they listed in the webpage.

If you check the navbar links on PriceJapan's homepage, they will basically get you "the lowest street price in Japan" (on anything you want), plus a markup of 4000 Yen. Plus shipping of course. Seems like a pretty good service....I haven't ordered from them yet, but they seem to have good response on emails etc.

 

[dexster]

thanks for all the replies...

in terms of power management , i use 2 levels of surge protection for my more 'expensive' electronics , like pc , monitor , tv etc

by '2 levels' i have a surge protector on the mains socket as well as using a surge protected power board...
... i am hoping this is enough cause the HA-02 seems like the winner to me

also, thanks minivan for pointing out pricejapan.com

nice little web site that one... will hopefully use many times :cheers dude: