Best amps for orthos

The issue with headphone amps in general (for planars) is not enough current. So they crank up the voltage to make many watts and seem "so powerful". Buy a small speaker amp (2 watts is plenty) and enjoy life. And no more maxing out at 9:15.

 

I'm betting it has a cheap dual linear taper pot instead of a log taper pot, and there's a mismatch where the segments line up.

'Tis true. Speaker amps are the cheap and easy way to get the current required as they are designed for 4-8 ohms. Unfortunately, speaker sensitivity is much lower than headphone sensitivity, and then noise issues read their ugly head.

 

Yeah that's a good point. Although, I haven't run across this issue yet (and I'm not one to dismiss a high noise floor).

 

The new Mjolnir 3 is going to be 2 watts into 32 ohms with pure class A (and also switchable to push-pull Class A for more power) per Stoddard's recent blog on class A in head-fi. That may indeed be the one for the LCD-X and LCD-5

 

Yes my First Watt F4 is great with the LCD-4 but too noisy for the LCD-X or LCD-4z. And it's an official Nelson Pass amp, not a DIY clone, I picked up a quad mono Aleph J DIY amp because I thought it would be quieter, but it's so huge to dissipate all that heat that I can't fit it into my rig.

 

@rhythmdevils, have you tried an original Schiit Ragnarok integrated amp?

 

No, but I'm not that interested in solid state like I said for my sensitive Audeze's, and I have a speaker amp for my LCD-4. The First Watt F4 is a huge current buffer that gets voltage from my tube preamp, it should be great for orthos.

 

I'll report back soon with more details but I recently bought Azimuth's v. 1.5 Ragnarok and I'm really liking it. It's outstanding with my LCD-2C, doing the same things well that I described in a post above about the Mjolnir 1, but doing them better.

As I type this I'm listening to a pair of D8000 with it and am impressed (vs. my LAuX and V281), although, unsurprisingly, it's a significant step back from my Stratus (the D8K aren't hard to drive).

I've also got an Abyss 1266 Phi in house at the moment which the Rag does a very good job of driving (with full power), although thus far I prefer the LAuX with the Abyss because, I suspect, the LAuX provides the same kind of benefit as it does to Audezes, which is to lift the mids, which I find quite recessed on the Abyss.

I've also got a pair of LCD-4 in house right now, too, and I'll try them with the Rag as well and will report back in the next few weeks.

 

I have a FirstWatt F5 that I use for my HE6, but I've also tried it out with HD800s, Clear, and Arya.

I have gotten some noise issues but I believe it's more related to the electricity in my house.

There was a magical moment one time where I disconnected everything and plugged the stuff into another outlet in a different room, and I got dead silent background on the F5 with my Clears.

A few hours later the noise was back, almost like some sort loose electricity had accumulated in some component and that was the cause.

But from what I've read you have had some electrical issues as well so maybe it's related to that? I'm in the process of figuring out how to solve similar noise issues in my rig as well

Also if you ever plan on offloading the Aleph let me know I'd love to compare to the F5

 

How high would you still consider "low?" What range do you have in mind? Paradox, from what I remember, is ~55 ohms. What's your Fostex mod's impedance?

Yes, but some extent it's a matter of personal taste. I get the clear sense that the vast majority want their orthos to "wake up" or "pop." And that pushes them toward solid state, for the reason you mentioned. But I like it more when orthos sound laid back (in the colloquial sense, not as in treble roll off). So, I can use weaker hybrid tube amps. Right now, I'm using LAu X. But, to me, it's only 25% better than my old Vali 2 with a good, but not great, tube (e.g., Sylvania 6CG7 black plate).

 

The issue is not being "laid back", it is the issue of not having enough power and sounding thin and strained. Dynamics, dynamics, dynamics. Not that you have to be blown away, but the last you want is to make it sound like there is a limiter on top of everything.

LAuX smokes the old Vali 2 for breakfast. No comparison. Vali 2 is good for the money, and 2+ even better, but no way in the same league as something like BW, MJ1, or LAuX. Those are my top SS amps for orthos that I have heard so far. BHA-1 gets honorable mention, but I felt it was still to glary in the highs and had way too much gain. The volume knob also felt it was post-preamp.

If laid back is what you are after, a Liquid Platinum is more that style, or maybe Mini-GSX. Either way, it maybe the best you can do is tubes in the preamp section.

 

The more I listen to the Piety, I'm thinking similarly; it's just about 35-40% behind the LAuX for Audezes (whereas before I didn't think it was a fair fight at all), and I wouldn't be too miffed to only have it to drive my LCD-X.

The Piety is definitely a dark horse, and I wouldn't ever expressly suggest it for orthos, but if that's all you have, you're not missing too much from the LAuX aside from resolution, microdetail (same thing kinda?), and slam (but the Piety can slam). It also has that midrange engagement bob-ya-headness that plays synergistically with the relatively mid-recessed LCDs.

But the Piety is splashy, and the LAuX isn't, so if treble is a deal-breaker, you got a chicken dinner winner just on that alone. In the end, the LAuX does indeed smoke the Magni-sized amps, per @Azimuth, but by how much is the question, and if price-to-performance is a factor...

 

I am on the hunt for an amp that can power orthos (Pre Fazor LCD3 and LFF Code X) and incoming dynamic Verite Open. I came across this Arcturus Elysium headphone amp. http://www.tubesusa.com/arcturusaudio.html

I enquired about it and output impedance is 20ohms and puts out 5 watts. Retail is $5000 so not cheap. But uses Lundhal trafos and EML 20b V4. The 20ohm output impedance worries me. But the designer reckons it won't be an issue. Just curious as to anyone owns this amp and tried it with Orthos?

 

I wouldn't worry too much. I've tested a few orthos (ranging from the efficient 18 ohm MM-500 to a Susvara) off a transformer coupled amp with a 5 ohm output impedance with a similar power rating, and they sounded great. Mind you, a 20 ohm source might be pushing it for an MM-500, but they're efficient enough that it may not matter.

Looks like it might be a variation on EML/JAC's One-Tube-Amplifier. http://www.emissionlabs.com/datasheets/EML-20B.html

I think the real question is whether not a SE DHT will get you the sound you're after.

 

Hey where’s my Ultralinear?

 

BiFrost 64 > Freya+ > Gjallarhorn works well IMO for Dan Clark Audio headphones. Single ended from the dac with decent .5 meter cabling.

Banana to xlr female arrived as part of a package deal, not able to recommend a specific vendor.

Balanced cabling out of the Ghorn courtesy by Z and Co.

Beats Jotunheim 2 in my not at all ... rivals Mjolnir 2 ... with tubes you're not going above 1 am, if that, with ss buffer maybe 2 am.

Bass is very deep and likely a little pumped, otoh it could just be I'm hearing the sub bass for the first time ever?

Soundstage is wider than normal with these phones, and a little higher.

No high end glare.

 

Thinking about a pair of Gjallarhorns for Susvara.

Can the Gjallarhorn be stacked (with or without spacing)?

 

Similar thoughts and question here.