[Lucikun]

Anyone have experience with the Arya Organics and he1000se? I’m looking for a good complement to my Calderas under 2k. Any other suggestions also welcome.

 

[harris4crna]

Anyone have experience with the Arya Organics and he1000se? I’m looking for a good complement to my Calderas under 2k.

I returned the Arya Organic to purchase the Calderas. I would come to the same conclusion with the HE1000SE. Great headphones, but not for me. Definitely give them a test run if not familiar with the Hifiman sound. If you are familiar, and like it than they may complement your collection.

 

[AudioDuck]

Anyone have experience with the Arya Organics and he1000se? I’m looking for a good complement to my Calderas under 2k. Any other suggestions also welcome.

A used pair of ZMF Atriums should run within your budget, and if you have the amp to drive a 300-Ohm headphone you should have a very complementary set.

 

[ECKHUAAA]

Anyone have experience with the Arya Organics and he1000se? I’m looking for a good complement to my Calderas under 2k. Any other suggestions also welcome.

The HIFIMAN Edition XS at around $500 is an actually excellent headphone and I have the HIFIMAN HE1000SE also and used to have Arya but not the organic.

 

[Infinifox]

Anyone have experience with the Arya Organics and he1000se? I’m looking for a good complement to my Calderas under 2k. Any other suggestions also welcome.

I have had the Arya Organics for a few months (and still have them now) and just got the Calderas. Prefer the Calderas over the Arya Organics and would also probably echo the suggestion for the ZMF Atrium Opens. The Arya Organics to me just sound thinner compared to the Calderas.

 

[Lyssky]

Anyone have any recommendations for a good headphone amp for the Caldera Open/Atrium Open? Right now I just have a Motu m2 that goes to a schiit magni but it needs to be on high gain. Needs to be something that is not super massive as it sits on my computer desk. Looking at a budget around $500. Ideally 1/4" or 4 pin XLR

I was looking for a more powerful amp to go with my Mojo 2 and I had around the same budget as you and my research led me down to 2 options, Pietus Maximus and Lake People G111mk2 whose used is around $500. I didn’t want to buy a used amp so I went with Pietus Maximus for which friends who had experience with it gave high praise especially about its synergy with the Caldera. Well I wish I could provide you with some impressions but I’m in Istanbul and it has been 2 months since I bought it. I’m still waiting for my friend in the US to find someone who could bring it here.

 

[iamoneagain]

Ok, it only took 2 days but I’m back with the stock pads. So even with the EQ adjustment, what I ended up finding slightly off with the thick pads was this hall-like, reverb effect. Generally gives things a more spacious sound but then I tried the following:

Girl in Amber - Where the Viaduct Looms - Flaming Lips w/ Nell Smith. It’s a Nick Cave covers album.

Anyway, when played the first song of the album, it just felt off to me. Thought now it’s possible just recorded weird, since Flaming Lips tends to do weird things. But then when switched back to stock the weird reverb effect was fixed. So that’s it for me. Sticking to stock and done playing around with pads. Think I’m all set with the Caldera open but I’ll give the Caldera Closed a good listen at next SoCal CamJam. Pretty confident I’ll like the open version over the closed but just need to be sure.

So I ended up being thrown for a loop. Going back to stock now sounded slightly shouty. It was the first time I experienced this. So I threw the suede pads on there and the vocals sounded much better. However, I missed all that extra bass goodness of the thick. So in the end, I went back to the thick pads with the slight mid EQ boost. I think that one song is just an exception to what wonderful sound I’m getting overall. Even with stock, that song does have some interesting reverb effect going on but the thick exaggerate it. Everything else sounds great and find myself hearing new things I haven’t heard before due to the more open soundstage.

 

[Pharmaboy]

The best synergy I've experienced with dynamics and planars is the Icon Audio HP8.

yup!

 

[Pharmaboy]

So I ended up being thrown for a loop. Going back to stock now sounded slightly shouty. It was the first time I experienced this. So I threw the suede pads on there and the vocals sounded much better. However, I missed all that extra bass goodness of the thick. So in the end, I went back to the thick pads with the slight mid EQ boost. I think that one song is just an exception to what wonderful sound I’m getting overall. Even with stock, that song does have some interesting reverb effect going on but the thick exaggerate it. Everything else sounds great and find myself hearing new things I haven’t heard before due to the more open soundstage.

"Just when I thought I was out, they* pull me back in!"

*Lambskin thick pads

 

[djentbat]

I was looking for a more powerful amp to go with my Mojo 2 and I had around the same budget as you and my research led me down to 2 options, Pietus Maximus and Lake People G111mk2 whose used is around $500. I didn’t want to buy a used amp so I went with Pietus Maximus for which friends who had experience with it gave high praise especially about its synergy with the Caldera. Well I wish I could provide you with some impressions but I’m in Istanbul and it has been 2 months since I bought it. I’m still waiting for my friend in the US to find someone who could bring it here.

I really love the rebel amp, really punches above its weight

 

[ChJL]

The best synergy I've experienced with dynamics and planars is the Icon Audio HP8.

hmm... compared to the amps in your signature of course, right? so your favorite amp so far...

yup

same for you?
I mean that obviousley would make it the best HP amp for both driver types alike, right?
ZMF's or "all"?
edit: just search for it and realised there are postings from quite some time ago...

 

[Pharmaboy]

hmm... compared to the amps in your signature of course, right? so your favorite amp so far...

same for you?
I mean that obviousley would make it the best HP amp for both driver types alike, right?

I own a bunch of amps, incl, the HP8 & compact OTL, Woo WA3. I also owned the Woo WA22 tc-tube amp at one time. Beyond that, I've heard any number of high end tube amps under show conditions (hard to know what I was hearing) and currently have a loaner ZMF Aegis. So I'm not the guy to ask about "best HP amp for both driver types." @goldwerger is probably your best choice for that.

But I will say this:

• TC-tube amps vary in their ability to drive planar headphones. Some are amazing; others less so. It seems to be more about design than a correlation with price, #of tubes, etc
• The ZMF Aegis is clearly the best amp I've heard for both dynamic drivers & planars, and that's with stock tubes. It lit up my Caldera Open like a Christmas tree. The Aegis is a TOTL amp of novel design that reportedly produces even more amazing sound after NOS tube rolling--it has a LOT of sonic upside there.
• But the Icon Audio HP8 comes shockingly close to the Aegis. It, too, drives the Caldera beautifully, as well as my SS amps. I compared these amps in my review of the Aegis, doing systematic comparative listening via the Caldera and VO. I expected the Aegis to excel (it absolutely did); but I didn't expect the HP8 would match up as well as it did.

The Aegis is a big amp with a big (at least for me) pricetag, though admittedly its price is a bargain given the freaky high prices that prevail in the fullsize tube amp market.

I already own the HP8, already went through the PITA of tube rolling. It sounds quite amazing for me on the Caldera (on every headphone). Can't imagine ever selling it.

 

[G8torbyte]

hmm... compared to the amps in your signature of course, right? so your favorite amp so far...

It is the amp I tend to use more than others because it is very compatible with multiple headphones including the Caldera. For it's price, size and solid build it is a good value that punches well above its weight in my opinion. There are other transformer-coupled amps mentioned on the (Un)Official Amp Thread for ZMF HP's that are better but those tend to be another $500-$1K in cost. The HP8's powerful delivery , control and commanding presence is addictive to me.

 

[goldwerger]

So I'm not the guy to ask about "best HP amp for both driver types." @goldwerger is probably your best choice for that.

I’ll do my best but I’m limited to what I’ve heard, and there’s so much that insurgent..

Anyone have any recommendations for a good headphone amp for the Caldera Open/Atrium Open? Right now I just have a Motu m2 that goes to a schiit magni but it needs to be on high gain. Needs to be something that is not super massive as it sits on my computer desk. Looking at a budget around $500. Ideally 1/4" or 4 pin XLR

You could go for either solid-state or transformer-couples tube amplifier for a one-and done amp for both planar and dynamic headphones.

Few ideas that may be additive just to open the discussion.. and given your criteria of small footprint, drivability of both planar and dynamic ZMF headphones, and price around $500

If you can give up the need for 1/4” then consider getting a used ZMF Homage. I’ve seen them go as low as $700+ on classifieds and all are practically new as it was recently released. Perhaps with bit of patience and luck, and if budget allow a small give, you can find one. It has an impedance selector that helps match your headphone resonance (and personal preferences) even further than most amps in that tier.

If 1/4” is required, and desktop space is valued, take a log at Auris Euterpe. It doubles as a headphone stand, and while not very powerful will handle ZMF headphones easily enough. Used ones may be in your range. For XLR you’d use an adapter.

You should look at Cayin iHA-6 which has been in the marketing for a few years and can be had new for about $500-600. It has all the functionality you seek, reasonably small, multiple headphone out and impedance selection. I don’t have experience with it, but ton of ZMF users have had.

 

[ChJL]

I own a bunch of amps, incl, the HP8 & compact OTL, Woo WA3. I also owned the Woo WA22 tc-tube amp at one time. Beyond that, I've heard any number of high end tube amps under show conditions (hard to know what I was hearing) and currently have a loaner ZMF Aegis. So I'm not the guy to ask about "best HP amp for both driver types." @goldwerger is probably your best choice for that.

But I will say this:

• TC-tube amps vary in their ability to drive planar headphones. Some are amazing; others less so. It seems to be more about design than a correlation with price, #of tubes, etc
• The ZMF Aegis is clearly the best amp I've heard for both dynamic drivers & planars, and that's with stock tubes. It lit up my Caldera Open like a Christmas tree. The Aegis is a TOTL amp of novel design that reportedly produces even more amazing sound after NOS tube rolling--it has a LOT of sonic upside there.
• But the Icon Audio HP8 comes shockingly close to the Aegis. It, too, drives the Caldera beautifully, as well as my SS amps. I compared these amps in my review of the Aegis, doing systematic comparative listening via the Caldera and VO. I expected the Aegis to excel (it absolutely did); but I didn't expect the HP8 would match up as well as it did.

The Aegis is a big amp with a big (at least for me) pricetag, though admittedly its price is a bargain given the freaky high prices that prevail in the fullsize tube amp market.

I already own the HP8, already went through the PITA of tube rolling. It sounds quite amazing for me on the Caldera (on every headphone). Can't imagine ever selling it.

I see thanks! I'm intending getting a tube amp for quite some time but can't decide because it also correlates with which HPs I'll get in the future... maybe CO? but if I decide on Susvara then it's a different amp discussion.
Funny but every couple of months a new piece comes out which I like because I don't have to make a decision just yet...

TC-tube amps vary in their ability to drive planar headphones.

That's what I struggle with, I don't have enough knowledge on which tube amp (characteristics) pair best with planars? no OTL I've read that much at least...
Was set on Icons 205D/300B - now Aegis is out. Also Abyss DC and Kennertons paper Arkon, CC,...
Maybe the german ZMF "colleague" will add Aegises also, will see...