elysion
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Post by elysion on May 21, 2011 23:07:07 GMT
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chris1967
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Post by chris1967 on Jul 1, 2011 13:16:58 GMT
I got this amp a few days ago.
I must say i am very impressed, it is very clear analytical and forward... lots and lots of power.
Although it is new and it hasnt played many hours, i feel it might suite more laid back headphones such as Sen HD650, but this remains to be heard as the amp slowly beds in...
I will keep you posted and will add a few pics...
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elysion
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Post by elysion on Jul 1, 2011 15:00:09 GMT
I got this amp a few days ago. I must say i am very impressed, it is very clear analytical and forward... lots and lots of power. Although it is new and it hasnt played many hours, i feel it might suite more laid back headphones such as Sen HD650, but this remains to be heard as the amp slowly beds in... I will keep you posted and will add a few pics... It will be interesting to see/hear if Superlux has optimized this amp for some headphones out of its current product line. The Superlux product line is already very broad. They have 'phones beginning with 32 Ohms and ending (currently) with 150 Ohms. Perhaps it's also OEM design from a different manufacturer or the gain is simply a bit high. I'm a bit suprised that this amp didn't get more attention on the RG forum, especially since the various Superlux are very well covered. I'm even more suprised that I was the first one to post something about it.
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chris1967
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Post by chris1967 on Jul 2, 2011 7:53:46 GMT
I have been looking at this amp since the review in Headfonia, but i was not able to find it anywhere at a decent price. Thomann didnt have it in stock so i had to wait untis they had it. Also i waited a little longer in order to place an order for me and some friends from Thomann not to pay postage fee (20euro for Greece). What also intrigued me is the similarity to the HX-3 from Sound devices... www.sounddevices.com/products/hx3master.htmThis is very weird since the two units are practically identical... Also intrigued by the price the HX-3 sell in Greece... 310euro plus VAT !!!!!!!!!! www.elina.gr/0050000986/hx-3.htmlI have it for three days and all i can say that the 88euro i paid for it (85 now i think) was really worth it. Some points that have impressed me are the ability to work on 2 AA batteries and produce insane amounts of power driving three headphones at once... Sen HD650, Akg Q701 and Superlux HD681. It has a peak feature that warns you when the amp is bottoming out (separate for each output. It can be used with ANY external power supply 5-17 volt (i currently use it with a ps form a hard drive 12v). The unit is very well built... it certainly doesn't look the 88 euros i paid it looks more like the price they charge for the HX-3... In any event the sound is good but there is something bothering me in the high frequencies... it seems that it sounds like an unmodded HD681... but on the other, the amp might need more time to settle in, i am going to leave it on for a couple of days to see what happens... More to follow...
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Post by pcourtney1 on Jul 2, 2011 10:07:56 GMT
useful too being able to listen to 3 different cans at the same time, and carry on listening to the pair that sounds the best for that album/CD
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Post by clausdk on Jul 2, 2011 11:02:14 GMT
The pictures indicates that it has no RCA input ?? Only XLR..
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Post by PinkFloyd on Jul 2, 2011 11:10:56 GMT
The pictures indicates that it has no RCA input ?? Only XLR.. That's not a prob Claus... you can get RCA to XLR interconnects which are pretty decent.... I am running the balanced output of my DacMagic from the XLR sockets to phono. Looks like a very handy little amp, ideal for studios etc.
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Post by clausdk on Jul 2, 2011 11:17:51 GMT
Not a problem, i know, but it will add to the price off a budget amp. Which does not seem that clever to me maybe the stereo loop in is an input so a mini jack can be used ? I kind of like the design, a bit like the 50s..
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chris1967
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Post by chris1967 on Jul 2, 2011 12:08:56 GMT
There are no rca inputs but there are stero Jack inputs, they are labled Stereo Loop In...
1. mini stero jack in , for directly connecting your ipod line out mini jack 2. normal stero jack in.
The amp is supplied with a mini to normal stero jack male to male so you can use it with your ipod directly out of the box, or your pc sound card out
Another way is to use an rca to mini jack cable, i am sure anyone who uses headphone amps, mp3players and headphones has one...
I have just returned from my electronic store... got a pair of cheap xlr's...and guess what... the amp sounds better connected to my dac (Musical Fidelity M1 DAC) via xlr than my mid priced rca cable (silver cable neutric rca/mini jack)... i am going a little crazy about this... because i coulnt believe it possible...
Otherwise i thik that connectivity is not a problem... remember this is (presumably) a pro piece o equipment and they use mainly xlr microphone cables throughout...
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chris1967
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Post by chris1967 on Jul 2, 2011 12:19:55 GMT
And something else... what makes this product unique in my opinion is that it is battery powered.
So it can be used where there is no electricity (field use) and yet you can connect 3 headphones at once...
It should be seen in that context... if you want to find a fault with it it certainly is the lack of rca in/out... and that is about all there is wrong about it design wise...
Sonically i find it to have over emphasized highs, Headfonia's Mike says it is recessed mids... this is the point ( i am trying) looking into... but after all it is a 88euro amp...
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elysion
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Post by elysion on Jul 2, 2011 12:19:58 GMT
I'm almost sure that this amp design is not only used in the HA3D...
Perhaps, that's an explanation why these amps have XLR inputs. Very likely the amp design was intended for studio us. Just like other amps with multiple outputs (like the PreSonus HP4). There are LOTS of such studio amps around. Mostly they got almost no attention in reviews.
The PreSonus has balanced mono-jack inputs/outputs.
I don't know if it's a general problem with studio amps, but at least the PreSonus has a rather high gain (maybe with 600 Ohm 'phones in mind).
The HA3D has other similarities with the PreSonus HP4: Both have SMD opamps. Not easy to change those opamps.
Does anyone know how the caps in the HA3D are rated? The PreSonus HP4 uses only 105 degree celsius types. I was very suprised that they have used better than standard caps in the PreSonus.
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chris1967
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Post by chris1967 on Jul 2, 2011 12:48:14 GMT
Some quick pictures... Uploaded with ImageShack.usUploaded with ImageShack.usThree headphones connected... Uploaded with ImageShack.usThe loop out is line out, the loop in mini/normal stereo jack is line in, and just behind you can see the xlr connected Uploaded with ImageShack.usfront view, the switch between internal (battery) and external power switches between them without any click sound or anything... seamless. Notice the peak leds to warn you of clipping, anf of course the mono switch (useful for FM or monitoring old LP's while recording)
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chris1967
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Post by chris1967 on Jul 2, 2011 12:59:45 GMT
And a picture of all the possible connectivity methods Uploaded with ImageShack.us
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2011 13:29:11 GMT
That actually looks rather neat. For some reason I imagined it to be much larger.
As I never did read up on it, does the "internal power" mean battery for portable use? I saw the slots in the "handles" and presumed usage of a neck strap/lanyard.
How well does it sound with the K702?
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chris1967
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Post by chris1967 on Jul 2, 2011 13:50:04 GMT
Well at the moment the amp has managed to unveil the Sen HD650... it is a tad aggressive (at higher volumes) with the Q701's at the moment but i suspect this to be initial harshness because it has to settle down a bit...
I like it with the HD650's... i like it a lot...
Yes the battery means complete freedom in the field, and yes it seems to be slot for straps...
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Post by marcusd on Aug 29, 2011 11:18:17 GMT
I managed to snag this amp myself and I am also very impressed with the power output. I did ask Superlux if they considered throwing out one of the 3 headphone jacks and instead having a balanced xlr or mini-xlr output just to complete the system. Hmm.... was the response At least it was not a NO. I would pay an extra 20 to have one balanced out as well as the 2 balanced inputs and go down to 2 unbalanced 1/4 jacks just to bring in that added level of versatility. Interestingly like most Lux audio products the amp sq does veer slightly to the bright side of neutral.
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