"Shortest Way" SW51 Amp Impressions (Simple SET Amp)

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by Hands, Jul 12, 2019.

  1. Prydz

    Prydz Friend

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    Have I understood correctly that the production time for the 4th batch is 3 months +? Starting when?
     
  2. Zampotech

    Zampotech Friend

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    The start has already begun. Now the main components are already coming to me.
     
  3. Prydz

    Prydz Friend

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    Still a minimum of 3 months til completion or?
     
  4. Zampotech

    Zampotech Friend

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    3 months is the planned time. It can be reduced if favorable conditions are created, or it can be increased if aliens come to us, a meteorite falls, or some world problems are created again.
     
  5. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    Good things happens to those who wait.
     
  6. e.schell

    e.schell Friend

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    From the last batch it was 4.5 months (thanks to CoVid) give or take from time of order until it was making wonderful sounds flow into my ear holes but I would do it again without hesitate....love this little sucker!
     
  7. Enigmatic

    Enigmatic Friend

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    I placed the order during mid-May, and it reached me just about a week back - Mostly due to my own country's shipping complications - But I would imagine it would be the same for many other countries as well.

    This is a magical little amp, and the wait just made it much sweeter (even more so during times of instant gratification).
     
  8. insidious meme

    insidious meme Ambivalent Kumquat

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    Yeah, i ordered mine in mid June and received it at the end of October. I'll admit to not being the most patient of people, but this amp is as others have said better, a wonderful amp.

    (answering the next question from a post off Head fi, since it sucks for me to post there, and I saw the name here on the SBAF roster.)

    @ckhirnigs I have Verite Open used with this amp, and it does it justice for the most part. I've mentioned before that the SW51 I think values more towards amps over $1k. The Verites will indeed put its own color on the sound, but the SW51 won't exacerbate its coloring more than the Verite has, maybe except in the soundstage.
     
    Last edited: Dec 20, 2020
  9. Prydz

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    Looks like i'm joining the club. Placed an order today!
     
  10. ckhirnigs

    ckhirnigs Friend

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    I really appreciate your response. I posted my introduction here on SBAF yesterday, and by this morning I’ve already gotten an email from Zampotech confirming my SW51+ order. Now I’m getting a very insightful impression of the amp and my future headphones (though mine will be the closed version) from someone who saw my inquiry on Head-Fi. So far, I am super impressed with this place.

    I mentioned in my introduction post how the SW51+ will be my first tube amp. I was very close to ordering a Pendant along with my VC, but I am a sucker for a best-bang-for-your-buck-type deal. This amp saved me some serious cash. I’m amazed at what Zampotech has undertaken for this community. I’ll be sure to post my impressions in March or whenever he finishes up this next batch. For now, I’m just happy to be along for the ride. My past ZMF purchases have taught me that patience pays off.
     
    Last edited: Jul 9, 2021
  11. Skyline

    Skyline Double-blindly done with this hobby

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    Small update to my last post:

    I was finally able to rip myself away from the HD600 pairing to give the 650 a shot, and man...this amp brings out the best in both headphones. It's taken me from a hands-down preference for the 600 to making it a purely mood-based decision.

    As mentioned above, the 600 retains its quickness and clarity while gaining a touch of warmth and pushing it ever so slightly towards the 650 end of the spectrum.

    The 650, on the other hand, retains it's warmth and relaxing feel while gaining a touch of clarity/sharpness and bumping it ever so slightly towards the 600.

    They still sound distinctly different, of course, but each headphone's strengths seem to be given a boost, while their respective weaknesses are diminished.

    You can't go wrong with either pairing. Having listened to a very large # of amps under $800, I've never heard these two headphones sound this good.
     
  12. Pancakes

    Pancakes Friend

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    While waiting for my amp to arrive, just curious what others' experience is relative to the BHC. I looked around but haven't seen any comparisons.
     
  13. FlySweep

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    BHC can be tweaked quite a bit (tubes, CCS, PS chokes, etc etc.), so what version of the BHC you're referencing matters. Generally speaking, HD6XX series w/ the SW51+ will sound more neutral, better extended, cleaner, and less colored than it off the same chain with the BHC. Certain BHC configs will offer better macro-dynamics, a more liquid presentation, and a larger soundstage.. but I don't think any BHC configs will match SW51+ in micro-dynamics, plankton, clarity, or layering. SW51+ will also offer a blacker background than 90% of the BHC configs I've heard.

    For the record, I absolutely love the BHC.. and miss mine dearly. A tricked out BHC is my other "favorite" sub $1K amp for the HD6XX. The BHC would be an excellent complimentary amp to the SW51+ (as far as HD6XX are concerned) when it comes to sound, but I feel the SW51+ is mostly an upgrade in almost all technical areas.
     
  14. atomicbob

    atomicbob dScope Yoda

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    @FlySweep comparison is very good. I still have my BHC, choke mod, no Crack installed. I don't want my BHC to sound too similar to the other amps in the collection. It can sound magical on many jazz recordings from the 50s and 60s, and fusion rock from late 60s to mid 70s. The SW51+ is more versatile. The two amps are complimentary for HD6x0 and HD800.
     
  15. Lycos

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    Is it too late to order now @Zampotech ?
     
  16. Zampotech

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    based on past experience, i ordered components a little more than there were orders. There is also the possibility of ordering for 12 amplifiers.
     
  17. Lycos

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    From reading many impressions of this amp - it seems beside @Hands , most people only use HD6xx and HD800 for this amp.
    Has anyone tried planar (eg Ananda/Arya) or other low impedance headphones like Elegia/Elear/Clear ?

    Sorry for a stupid question: is it possible to mod it so output impedance is lower?
     
  18. sheldaze

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    Using a borrowed amplifier, I tried Utopia - it was competent, but was not tuned to the enhance the Utopia's strengths (or compensate for Utopia's weaknesses). Also it was being compared to amplifiers 10X the cost. I believe @Gaspasser likes it with Elex.
     
  19. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    Second the Eclair/Elex works great with SW51+.
     
  20. Tchoupitoulas

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    I kept an eye out for others' impressions of the SW51 with the Clear. See here for a brief but laudatory comment as well as @gixxerwimp's posts here and elsewhere, as well as these impressions. It didn't seem as though anyone disliked the pairing with the Clear.

    I'd be interested if the SW51+ works with planars, specifically the LCD2-Classic (this won't be my intended setup but I'm just curious).
     

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