Dynahi

[postjack]

Just showed up today:

stepped attenuator, four inputs, high/low gain switch

First impressions: this thing is HUGE, and pretty heavy (18 lbs maybe). Usually when I see something online, it ends up being smaller in person. I honestly expected the Dynahi to be about the size of a PPX3 chassis, and its actually as wide as the Melos and a bit taller!

I had a brief scare when I was trying to hook it up. The labels on the source selection knob on the front don't match up to the plugs on the back, so for a while I wasn't getting any sound. Now I have the ICs running into the DAC inputs, but my source selection knob is on tuner. Actually, the inputs on the back are labeled CD - DAC - AUX - TUNER, while the inputs on the front knob are labeled CD - DAC - TUNE - DVD. So right off the bat this amp feels pretty ghetto.

But what matters most is sound, right? So let me give a listen with all my cans for a while here.

[grawk]

I recognize that amp...tkam and I both owned it...

Just showed up today:

stepped attenuator, four inputs, high/low gain switch

First impressions: this thing is HUGE, and pretty heavy (18 lbs maybe). Usually when I see something online, it ends up being smaller in person. I honestly expected the Dynahi to be about the size of a PPX3 chassis, and its actually as wide as the Melos and a bit taller!

I had a brief scare when I was trying to hook it up. The labels on the source selection knob on the front don't match up to the plugs on the back, so for a while I wasn't getting any sound. Now I have the ICs running into the DAC inputs, but my source selection knob is on tuner. Actually, the inputs on the back are labeled CD - DAC - AUX - TUNER, while the inputs on the front knob are labeled CD - DAC - TUNE - DVD. So right off the bat this amp feels pretty ghetto.

But what matters most is sound, right? So let me give a listen with all my cans for a while here.

[aerius]

I recognize that amp...tkam and I both owned it...

Ha-ha! Postjack's getting sloppy thirds.

[Salt Peanuts]

Ha-ha! Postjack's getting sloppy thirds.

It's like that K1000 that's gone through multiple members here. I wonder how many others are experiencing sloppy thirds/fourth/fifth...

[justin]

Ha-ha! Postjack's getting sloppy thirds.

Unless he bought it from grawk/tkam it sounds like sloppy fourths

[Nanoha]

Unless he bought it from grawk/tkam it sounds like sloppy fourths

Haha, true.

I remember that amp cost quite a bit when it was new. Not sure how much though; somewhere around $2k?

On a somewhat related but not really related note, I've recently discovered just how much cases, faceplates, backplates, silkscreens, feets, connectors, etc. cost. I'm not liking it a bit.

[deepak]

How do you like the amp? How does it compare to your PPX SLAM or Melos?

[909]

X2

[postjack]

Early impressions

With the HD650

Pros: Annihilates any concept of a "veil" if their ever truly was one. Sometimes I get a little nervous listening to huge orchestral works with the HD650 powered by the Dynahi because I feel that, surely this time, the cans will just simply explode on my head, splattering brains and bits of skull-bone all around my listening area. I can smell the bits of skin frying up all gristly on the tubes popping out the back of the 999es. Seriously though, the dynamics with this combo are astounding. A good recording will sound great, going from deathly quiet to ear-blasting levels of loudness completely effortlessly. A big revelation for me has been that I did not know it was possible for an amplifier to increase detail retrieval. I honestly thought this was purely a source or can thing. But I'll be damned if I'm not hearing things in familiar recordings I've never heard before. Transients, attack, and decay are insane. I was particularly delighted to see how the Dynahi treats musical genres that, by their very nature use lots of compression and modern digital effects, like industrial, futurepop, EBM, etc. It seems to take these records and just squeeze each individual effect or instrument until a little space gets between them so air can breathe in. Very cool! In short, this amp makes the HD650 its bitch.

Cons: Highs are sharp, bright, and clear. Sometimes this can be bad. My ears were a bit shocked the first couple of times I listened with the Dynahi, I guess because I haven't heard a solid state amplifier since I sold my Corda HA2MK2SE last Fall. This took a bit of getting used to. Sometimes I feel like the Dynahi + HD650 lacks in the bass region. I reserve the right to change my mind about this, but its how I feel right now. I find myself cranking the volume up to higher levels to achieve more body to the sound, when really this just gives more volume. I used to do this with the Corda, and it was the first behavioral change I noticed when I switched to tubes (PPX3): that I didn't try to crank the volume as loud to get that satisfying, full, sound. In other words, all the cons can be summed up as "its still a solid state".

I am being overly critical of the Dynahi, when what I really want to do is bat my eyelashes at it and fawn. The sheer detail, speed, and power this amp brings to the HD650 outweighs any complaints I have at its solid-stateness, at least for the time being.

I've only given perfunctory listens with the RS-1 and HP-2. I'm going to do some more extensive listening with the HP-2 right now!

Also, while the Dynahi loves early Phish as well, it also really appreciates some of the post-hiatus shows. To paraphrase, the amp said something along the lines of "I really like the sick nasty jams like in that Piper on 3/01/03 in Greensboro". When I told the amp I was at that show it was all like "omg you rock!" then out of nowhere the Dynahi was like, "also tkam doesn't know crap about good ideas for headcase and you should definitely have your own forum where you talk about cool shit only!!" I was like "yeah man!"

i dunno the dynahi must be getting up on the world wide web while I'm sleepin'.

HP-2 with dynahi vs. melos snap judgement: dynahi snags slightly more detail and gives a bit more space, but the melos is just more organic and pleasant to listen to.

[deepak]

Nice impressions. The Dynahi is a great value on the used market.

[DigiPete]

Nice report!

Wait till you try a Dynamite in a balanced rig

[postjack]

so, what was the verdict with the RS-1s and HP-2s? i borrowed a Dynahi from Tkam for a while and, other than a hiss in one channel, i really liked it with my HP-2s.

I've done lots of A/Bing, since my source has two parallel outs this is easy. But I still have a hard time putting my finger on the exact differences. I guess this does say a lot in favor of the Dynahi if I have a hard time differentiating between it and the "ultimate synergistic" amp for the HP-2.

Its still pretty much like I said before, the Melos is more evenly distributed across the whole audible spectrum, and there is a smoothness and a gentleness that is just fantastic. But hell, if the Melos went kaput today I probably would be just fine with the Dynahi. If the Melos really is insanely superior to the Dynahi, either I haven't gotten that yet, or my inexperienced ears are none the wiser. But still, give me a bit more time, I might get it.