Icon Audio HP8 MKII

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by Rthomas, Oct 26, 2015.

  1. Rthomas

    Rthomas Friend

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    Anybody heard this with an HD650? This would be a great option for UK based SBAFs as an alternative to the likes of Woo Audio if its any good...
     
  2. Kon Peki

    Kon Peki Friend

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  3. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    OK, so I tried asking in the general questions thread, no bites- but stuff often gets overlooked there. I'm going to try again, please excuse making a thread for this.

    I'm very curious about the Icon Audio HP8 MKII:

    [​IMG]

    ..not just because it looks like a steampunk humidor, but because it's on @Tyll Hertsens infamous wall of fame. I know that he tends to favour sound that isn't excessively treble-forward, but generally has a good ear, so I suspect that there's something in it.

    Soo, have any of the usual suspects heard this one, and if so, what is the verdict?
     
  4. Huxleigh

    Huxleigh Almost "Made"

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    I'm curious about this amp, too. My suspicion is that it's decent, but overpriced. Still, if the performance is there, I'd like to know more about it.

    Aesthetically, the copper plate is sort of random. :confused: Can't help but think that could've been executed better, given the HP8's expense.
     
    Last edited: Oct 31, 2016
  5. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    Agreed, I liked it a lot more without:

    [​IMG]
     
  6. Huxleigh

    Huxleigh Almost "Made"

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    Definitely. Should've stuck with the more utilitarian look, I think.
     
  7. sashafuckinggrey

    sashafuckinggrey Acquaintance

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    icon audio is just oem chi-fi with UK tag, but it can probably be somewhat decent
     
  8. Robert777

    Robert777 Acquaintance

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  9. thegunner100

    thegunner100 Hentai Master Chief

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    Please check the forums or do a search for any existing threads first before posting one. Now we have three threads on the Icon Audio HP8.
     
  10. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

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    Merged content related to the Icon Audio HP8 MKII. Carry on :)
     
  11. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    Well, I just picked up one of these used - upgraded Jensen caps, standard non-ceramic CV181 tubes.

    It's clearly less of a brute than my Jotenheim, so I am going to want to mod myself some HD650s- it doesn't batter through the veil. Sounding pretty decent on my HE-560.. though It's not "much too fast, like a Sumo slamming dat ass" or anything. Reasonably detailed, not shouty- it has been passing the Pink Floyd test nicely.

    Obviously it will take more listening before I can say anything sensible. It's possible that I might have another interesting SET amp to compare it with soon (ahem).
     
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2016
  12. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    Late night tubeyness:

    [​IMG]
     
  13. Mayor D

    Mayor D New

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    looks like you can get this for around £450 second hand, worth it?
     
  14. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    If you're thinking about the one that was on Gumtree, that's a picture of it.

    I got a slightly nicer deal than that in the end, and yes, it was worth it. More detailed impressions when I am more confident about them- executive summary so far is a big thumbs up.
     
  15. JoeDoe

    JoeDoe Acquaintance

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    I had an Icon with the upgraded Jensen caps for a little while earlier this fall. Solid tube amp.
    Key features:
    • Takes two of the most common audio tubes out there: 6SN7 & 12AX7 - this means you have tons of options
    • Adjustable gain
    • Small footprint (compared to many) and excellent build quality
    • Very nice combination of British valve sound and hi-fi (meaning neutral/revealing)
    I'm a recent SBAF member, but I've done the head-fi thing for a while. I had the Icon at the same time as a Woo WA6SE and wrote a little comparo between the two. Bear in mind this comparo is based almost entirely on sound. The amps don't have a ton in common besides the fact that they are both valve amps and their MSRP is in the same ballpark:

    "Thought I'd share a few impressions of my new (to me) WA6SE compared to my Icon Audio HP8 MkII SE. The associated gear I used was a MacBook Pro running JRMC21, an EE Minimax+ with RTC 12AU7A, Grado PS1000s, and MrSpeakers Alpha Primes.


    Specs on amps:

    WA6SE: K-works modded with upgraded caps and improved signal wire. Using Cryo'd Jellyfish power cable, Fat Bottle drivers, and Cryo'd Shuguang 274b rectifier.
    HP8 MkII SE: Factory-installed Jensen caps. Using Cryo'd Jellyfish power cable, Sylvania 6SN7WGTs, and triple-mica Sylvania 12AX7.

    Dat Bass: Biggest difference between the two was here. The Woo just goes lower and harder. While both amps only get to around 9 or 10 o'clock with my PS1000s (and 11 o'clock with my Alpha Primes), I feel like the Woo has a much stronger grip on the low end. Is beefier, more controlled, and more extended. The Icon is no slouch, but going back and forth let on to some obvious difference. Honestly, the low end is probably where these two differed the most, and in addition to soundstage, what lead to the Woo being the keeper.

    Mids: Very comparable. The Icon's midrange might be a hair more lush, a la old school British tube sound, but the Woo has the slight edge in clarity. Once again I feel like the extra juice behind the Woo helps to de-congest the midrange a little, which is great for a lot of the jazz/fusion that I enjoy.

    Treble: Once again, neck and neck. Both extend very well and don't lose a step in detail retrieval. The Icon is a bit more laid back, in nature, while the Woo is more honest. (Notice I didn't say forward.) I think the Icon may like pair better with AKG or upper-end Sennheiser sound, while the Woo may play better with Audeze's.

    Soundstage/Separation: The Woo is the winner here. Things are much more spread out, especially with regards to depth. Not to sound like a snob, but things are much more 3D with the American. The Icon is solid in his own way, but the Woo's just more convincing.

    Bear in mind, each amp uses different tubes, in different ways, so I guess there's no way to offer a completely honest comparison, but these are my findings. Obviously, tube-rolling and messing around with things like power cables and internal upgrades can tweak the sound of these guys, but even after a few different tubes on each, my findings remained largely unchanged."
     
  16. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    I do enjoy it when people come bouncing in without intros to start telling you about their aftermarket tubes and cryo-treated whatnots. Really captures the spirit of the place.
     
  17. JoeDoe

    JoeDoe Acquaintance

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    Apologies. I've always been more of a reader than a poster. Protocol escapes me sometimes. I've introduced in the appropriate thread now.

    I'm a long-time musician/head-fier who's learning that the ocean of overhype on HF is getting harder and harder to wade through. As for the Icon, the only tube amp I've enjoyed more than it was the WA6SE I compared it to, and even then it was only by a small margin.
     
  18. shabta

    shabta Facebook Friend

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    I own one. I used it with HD800 until I got an S. I found that Sylvania NOS from the 70s 6sn7gtb and modern JJ gold plus for 12AX7 sound pretty good. I can't remember what else I tried anymore, so take what I say as superficially as you want. Icon audio seems to think that CV181s sometimes sound a wee bit better, but for whatever reason, tend to go microphonic really quickly (as little as 6 months). But some users don't agree. I guess YMMV. In either case of HD800 flavor, it made the high end just a little rounder and more floaty than some of my SS amps. Seems like a good match for bright headphone which the Senns both are. The bass is pretty deep and authoritative, especially compared to my now long gone Leben 300xs which had bass that was a little flabby on headphones. The stereo separation isn't as wide as on SS but that is ok with HD800 family cuz already it's sooooo wide.

    In the US it is a little pricey, but I got mine here in europe for 670 (I think) euros which these days is barely north of $700. For that price it seems pretty good.
     
    Last edited: Nov 24, 2016
  19. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    No worries :) It's just better for people to say "hi", settle in and get used to the tone, as well as letting people get a handle on their preferences before they start making bold assertions. I think it's just one of the local peculiarities, being able to triangulate peoples' tastes and ear, so that you can use that to better qualify things that they say. For example, if you know someone likes warm sigs, or has odd treble preferences, it helps in understanding what they mean when they make apparently absolutist subjective statements (if that makes sense?).

    Anyway, welcome. Nice to hear someone else who has actually heard the HP8. Still listening to mine (which I got used as a partial trade, so very cheaply) before I say too much. I'm certainly not feeling the need to dick about with the stock tubes, which seem to give a gorgeous signature that is a different flavour to my other amps, I think Head-Fi's terrible ill-informed "tube rolling" threads have made me rather jaded about that. The token stock tube on a Vali 2? Yoink it out right away.. but in an amp like this? Measure twice and cut once- you may be missing the amp designer's point.

    Having spent a bit of time chatting with David Shaw, who designed the thing, I'm content to stick with his suggested tubes for now, rather than looking for unobtanium 1950s tubes that cost a fortune. I may well spring for the ceramic-based version when they wear, out, though- the brown plastic base is a bit ugly.
     
    Last edited: Nov 24, 2016
  20. JoeDoe

    JoeDoe Acquaintance

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    I agree with your approach to tube-rolling to an extent. The head-fi gang tends to get really crazy when it comes to tube rolling. Just check out that Feliks Elise thread...

    To the other side though, I think one of the draws for tube amp owners, myself included, is the ability to roll, not strictly for 'upgrading,' but also just for tweaking the flavor of an amp. There are always tubes that will synergize better or worse with your gear, just as there are tubes that even though they're made by different companies at different times, will make no appreciable difference in what you hear. Sinking $25-100 into some tubes is part of the hobby for me.

    You will not however, catch me sinking $$$ into an unobtainium valve from the 1940's with unicorn-hair filaments and dragon-tooth base...

    PS - If apostrophes were my thing, commas could be yours... ;) lol
    PPS - All in jest. I'm usually the guy ripping people for not knowing the difference between they're, their, and there!
     

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