[Bling527]

What’s everyone’s opinion in leave the Homage on 24/7? I want to keep my amp warm, especially during the winter. But I am afraid the VU meter might not last if I keep it on 24/7.

 

[Traiguen]

Hi everyone,
I just got my Homage, I will spend the weeks ahead comparing it against my Tor Audio Balanced as well as the Quicksilver Audio - both tube amps.
But something called my attention: Is everyone's Homage volume knob super-extra hard to turn?

 

[joshua1122]

Is everyone's Homage volume knob super-extra hard to turn?

I wouldn't say super-extra hard, but it is for sure harder than any other amp I own. It's slightly harder than my iFi Hip DAC to turn (which I appreciate, so it doesn't change in my pocket). But for a desktop amp, it's a bit excessive. Since it's a standard ALPS pot, I plan on just using the standard tricks to loosen it when I get a chance in the near future.

Edit: I have used several ALPS pots in various projects, and I have yet to encounter any this tight – so I suspect there could be something else that could be contributing to the excess friction.

 

[eTHE2]

I would concur. Not Super hard, but does require a bit of effort. Very smooth, but not as easy turning as other pots.

 

[joshua1122]

I wanted to put together a short update on my thoughts of the Homage after 3 weeks of constant use. It has been my daily driver and gets about 10 hours of play every day while I work, game, and relax. It's been driving my Susvara about 40% of the time, Caldera 40%, and VC about 20% of the time.

To get the obvious out of the way, my initial impressions have not changed. If I had to name the amp's defining characteristic, it would be "holographic", followed by detailed/neutral. The amp definite makes everything feel more diffused in a way that expands the staging in a more 3D way than I get with IEMs and other solid state amps. Going back and forth with the Jot2, I feel more "closed in" for sure.

I felt it was initially very bright, but after a couple weeks, I'm finding it has more to do with the Jot2 being a darker/warmer amp. Comparing it to other more neutral amps, the Homage seems pretty similar in tone.

I also received the Schiit Mjolnir 3 this week, and while that's still burning in, my initial impressions are that I've noticed that it has a great deal more dynamics than the Homage. Hammered dulcimers are a treat on the MJ3, unlike any other amp I've ever heard. However, it doesn't have the impressive sound stage and holographic image that the Homage has, to the point it was initially jarring on some tracks.

Unfortunately, I don't think either one is the "perfect amp" – but they're both worth keeping for their strengths. For now, I'm using a 3-way XLR switcher and keeping them both on my desk, so I can easily switch between the flavors. I think that's the best of both worlds.

 

[Swagsupply]

Has anyone who heard both the Homage and the Bliss or Oor have any comparisons on how they differ? I heard the Homage is a little brighter sounding compared to the latter.

 

[mattiastomas]

I wanted to put together a short update on my thoughts of the Homage after 3 weeks of constant use. It has been my daily driver and gets about 10 hours of play every day while I work, game, and relax. It's been driving my Susvara about 40% of the time, Caldera 40%, and VC about 20% of the time.

To get the obvious out of the way, my initial impressions have not changed. If I had to name the amp's defining characteristic, it would be "holographic", followed by detailed/neutral. The amp definite makes everything feel more diffused in a way that expands the staging in a more 3D way that I get with IEMs and other solid state amps. Going back and forth with the Jot2, I feel a bit more "closed in" for sure.

I felt it was initially very bright, but after a couple weeks, I'm finding it has more to do with the Jot2 being a darker/warmer amp. Comparing it to other more neutral amps, the Homage seems pretty similar in tone.

I also received the Schiit Mjolnir 3 this week, and while that's still burning in, my initial impressions are that I've noticed that it has a great deal more dynamics than the Homage. Hammered dulcimers are a treat on the MJ3, unlike any other amp I've ever heard. However, it doesn't have the impressive sound stage and holographic image that the Homage has, to the point it was initially jarring on some tracks.

Unfortunately, I don't think either one is "the perfect amp" – but they're both worth keeping for their strengths. For now, I'm using an 3-way XLR switcher and keeping them both on my desk, so I can easily switch between the flavors. I think that's the best of both worlds.

Thanks for the impressions. Wanted to ask what dac were you using it with? Also what setting in terms of gain and impedance are you using with the Caldera's? Am struggling a bit to figure out a combo for the Caldera.
Am running a bifrost 2/64 xlr out to the homage. Recently been using mid gain and switching back and forth on the impedance. I find some songs it sounds amazing and some it sound a bit overly bright to me. (I am new to the Caldera so I'm also trying to get used to its sound signature).

 

[joshua1122]

Wanted to ask what dac were you using it with? Also what setting in terms of gain and impedance are you using with the Caldera's?

I've been using the BF2/64 over XLR for most casual/gaming sessions, and SMSL D300 over XLR + HQPlayer (DSD512, ASDM7EC-light 512+fs, poly-sinc-gauss-xla) for more critical listening. I'm using high gain (simply because bass shelf + ReplayGain + DSD safety -6dB makes it a bit weak otherwise), and low impedance for the Caldera, using stock lamb pads, no mesh.

I did find my normal EQ tuning I'd been using on the Jot2 to be pretty bright on the Homage, too. So I did have to redo my EQ and lower the 6-9kHz region a bit to make it closer to neutral. After the adjustments, I've been very happy with the Homage overall.

 

[aloki]

I've been using the BF2/64 over XLR for most casual/gaming sessions, and SMSL D300 over XLR + HQPlayer (DSD512, ASDM7EC-light 512+fs, poly-sinc-gauss-xla) for more critical listening. I'm using high gain (simply because bass shelf + ReplayGain + DSD safety -6dB makes it a bit weak otherwise), and low impedance for the Caldera, using stock lamb pads, no mesh.

I did find my normal EQ tuning I'd been using on the Jot2 to be pretty bright on the Homage, too. So I did have to redo my EQ and lower the 6-9kHz region a bit to make it closer to neutral. After the adjustments, I've been very happy with the Homage overall.

Gahhh the wait time for the Homage is rough.

 

[Aendir]

Hello guys,

I'm new to the hobby and I have a few questions about the Homage:

1. Is it typical to have to switch the left and right cables to achieve the correct sound in my headphones?
2. With a ZMF Vérité Closed, should I use gain if my volume is far from enough with 1.0?
3. Should I use the low or high output impedance switch?

Thank you!

A.

 

[KlaraKlang]

Hello guys,

I'm new to the hobby and I have a few questions about the Homage:

1. Is it typical to have to switch the left and right cables to achieve the correct sound in my headphones?
2. With a ZMF Vérité Closed, should I use gain if my volume is far from enough with 1.0?
3. Should I use the low or high output impedance switch?

Thank you!

A.

1. Change the XLR Cables then it is right
2. Switch down to 1.75 and check it out
3. for VC=high (check it out too)

 

[mattiastomas]

Dumb question, as the xlr connections on the Homage don't seem to have any markings, would it be safe to assume that it follows the RCA format? looking from the back: left would be red and right would be white?

Maybe thats why my Homage sounded a bit off when I plugged in via xlr at home. It sounded beautiful at work using RCA

 

[Basstutum]

Dumb question, as the xlr connections on the Homage don't seem to have any markings, would it be safe to assume that it follows the RCA format? looking from the back left would be red and right would be white?

Maybe thats why my Homage sounded a bit off when I plugged in via xlr at home. It sounded beautiful at work using RCA

I figured it out by looking at the internal pictures @joshua1122 posted that they are reversed.

 

[mattiastomas]

I figured it out by looking at the internal pictures @joshua1122 posted that they are reversed.

Not sure what you mean by they are reversed.

I just got home and tested it. So it does follow the RCA colors. Looking from the back left side is red and right side is white.

 

[KlaraKlang]

Dumb question, as the xlr connections on the Homage don't seem to have any markings, would it be safe to assume that it follows the RCA format? looking from the back: left would be red and right would be white?

Maybe thats why my Homage sounded a bit off when I plugged in via xlr at home. It sounded beautiful at work using RCA

When you looking from the front of your Homage, RCA Red= right , RCA White=left same with XLR