[GoldenSound]

Has anyone compared the HM1 with the Benchmark AHB2 for driving headphones? I know Goldensound was using AHB2 to drive e.g. Susvara.

I prefer it to AHB2 (actually sold my AHB2 to help fund this purchase after hearing it in Munich)

 

[zen87192]

Has anyone compared the HM1 with the Benchmark AHB2 for driving headphones? I know Goldensound was using AHB2 to drive e.g. Susvara.

This is exactly what I was looking at to attach to my DAVE (as a pre) to drive my Susvara's and not wanting to go 'full hog' of the HM1.

 

[auded33]

Thanks Goldensound. Comparing the HM1 with Bliss, you said elsewhere that the HM1 was 'slightly' better than the Bliss. This sounds like a very marginal difference. Are you able to quantify or clarify?

 

[GoldenSound]

Thanks Goldensound. Comparing the HM1 with Bliss, you said elsewhere that the HM1 was 'slightly' better than the Bliss. This sounds like a very marginal difference. Are you able to quantify or clarify?

It's a little hard to quantify. What I'd say is that in pure SQ alone the HM1 edges out the Bliss mostly in the 'grip' you get with headphones like Susvara. Though both are still excellent and the Bliss is already much better there than almost any other amp I've tried.

Sq alone is a minor upgrade.

What really sells the HM1 is the ability to toggle feedback and the spatial adjustment. The combination of those two Allow you to just make things synergise with any headphone to such an excellent degree that its honestly hard to imagine not having them now

(eq is nice too ofc but you can do that elsewhere)

 

[auded33]

It's a little hard to quantify. What I'd say is that in pure SQ alone the HM1 edges out the Bliss mostly in the 'grip' you get with headphones like Susvara. Though both are still excellent and the Bliss is already much better there than almost any other amp I've tried.

Sq alone is a minor upgrade.

What really sells the HM1 is the ability to toggle feedback and the spatial adjustment. The combination of those two Allow you to just make things synergise with any headphone to such an excellent degree that its honestly hard to imagine not having them now

(eq is nice too ofc but you can do that elsewhere)

So these sound like features of the HM1 that you now can't live without. I cancelled my Bliss order and placed an order for the HM1 a week ago. I was having second thoughts but perhaps I'll stick with the HM1 as I can appreciate the merits of what you are saying. How does the HM1 perform as a preamp?

 

[rthomas]

So these sound like features of the HM1 that you now can't live without. I cancelled my Bliss order and placed an order for the HM1 a week ago. I was having second thoughts but perhaps I'll stick with the HM1 as I can appreciate the merits of what you are saying. How does the HM1 perform as a preamp?

You have so many Totl amps, it will be interesting to see if you hear the hm1 as a real upgrade.

 

[Nomax]

As you tried the Meier audio flagship, do you feel that the crossfeed on the HM1 has bested the Jan Meier implementation on the Soul ?
I'm pretty curious about that because Jan's crossfeed is/was a reference.

I know Jan personally...but his crossfeed circuit has nothing in common with that of the HM1

NOMAX

 

[Nomax]

Thanks for taking it in the right spirit. If you own 20 thousand dollars worth of Shunyata research accessories and $3000 double helix cables and believe that these items improve the performance of your transducers then we disagree on the importance of various components in the signal chain.

In my experience the headphones have been 90% of the equation.

I'm happy to be proved wrong about the HM1 if I ever get to try one.

Cheers

Yes i agree....the last word has the transducer

NOMAX

PS.Who does not need the features of the HM1 is well advised to look elsewhere
The Stealth sounds very good on the Benchmark as well as on the CMA 15...and the differences in normal operation are rather subtle
Ultimately, the added value should be immediately audible and clearly so...this is achieved by a different tonality / model or by what the HM1
offers in terms of his features
An without those I wouldn't even consider it at a third of the price
(2500 Euro for a pure analog amp without Dac/without remote is sufficiently ambitiousas as I personally find)

 

[Articnoise]

I know Jan personally...but his crossfeed circuit has nothing in common with that of the HM1

NOMAX

You do not need to sign every post you know.

 

[eskamobob1]

What is with everyone in this thread that hasn't heard the amp knowing its crap? You don't need to announce that you don't want it/think the price is dumb

 

[orrman]

What is with everyone in this thread that hasn't heard the amp knowing its crap? You don't need to announce that you don't want it/think the price is dumb

They are raising their post count until they'll be called headphoneus supremus or whatever makes them happy.

If someone wants to push for AB blind testing with 0.01db volume matching there are other forums for that. It has nothing to do with the HM1 and this thread tbh

And yes I do believe cables matter. And no they don't matter more than the gear they are connecting on both ends. I don't choose which salt to use before I pick ingredients and cook something, that doesn't make every salt the same even though they are all salty.

Cables are also hand made and have an artistic element to them. Same as watch straps. It can improve an experience in many ways, not only sound quality (which they also can help with to some degree).

**

Now that the rant is over...

Thank you for those sharing their experiences with the HM1, it's valuable for someone like me who's on the fence still deciding if it's this, Bliss, or nothing for now.

 

[rangerid]

Just wanted to give a heads up to those that were interested in North America, our 2023 batch is about 80% sold out at this point.

We are expecting to have to increase the price in January on the HM1, we don't know exactly where the final MSRP will land. Anyone that already has pre-orders with us that have paid in full before the price hike will have the old price honoured.

We've reached out to Michael to see if we can get more units for 2023 but as it stands right now, that batch is almost sold through.

Current expected ETA is late April, early May.

Hahahaha just when I thought the FOMO with this amp couldn't get any higher, well done.

 

[karlheinz147]

May need to wait until Golden gets his unit but I can always reach out to Michael and see if he has any pictures.

No pictures of the internals so far?

 

[auded33]

Yes, would be good to see internals. Almost all other amps have their internals exposed. Let there be no secrets I say.

 

[genefruit]

Yes, would be good to see internals. Almost all other amps have their internals exposed. Let there be no secrets I say.

I mean, I'd think at least one owner would want to pop the hood and see what's inside right?