What are my options for a really sweet single ended headphone amp?

[deepak]

I think it was either 15.2k or 15.6k new. Let's just say i got it at significantly less than that... somewhere in the 4 figures. I've been sworn to secrecy by the seller ;p

Did sleestack sell his Qualias as well?

[Icarium]

Yeah, mine are from him. I wouldn't have bought the headband myself otherwise unless mine broke.

To be honest I am not sure that this amp necessarily would sound better or significantly better than a maxed out beta22/dynafet tuned with synergistic boutique parts. But it has an insane list of features. If you really wanna go singlepower solid state you could talk to mikhail about splitting the reference or the tuneable section into a one box solution that isnt in a maestro chassis and probably would cost you somewhere around 5k or less depending on parts/options.

[recstar24]

I really loved the sound of the L3000's out of my moth 2a3, so jpak I think going with Craig would be a good idea. Craig apparently knows how to design decent stuff so you should be okay

Transformer and OTL is really a preference thing. In the end, I think I really preferred the sound of the moth 2a3 over the Zana. The Zana is dead neutral and more "accurate" but the transformer coupled moth has a warmer, fuller, tone, the whole cliched debate of "accuracy" vs "musicality" if you wish to go there.

Tango iron is no longer available, they went out of business, you might be able to score a set on ebay but you know how that story goes. If you have the dough audionote iron should be at least near the same level. Craig likes the electraprint iron, which he used for his moth amps, and since he already has a connection with Jack from electraprint he would be able to arrange getting you some custom iron made. I believe Craig told me that the HD2 with electraprint transformers comes very very close to jp #'s with the tango.

I think ER's idea of B52 cut in half is also a great option! You could cut it in half and donate the other half to postjack or something to include with his giant blackgate he was planning on building. Or maybe you should just get a raptor. Oh wait same thing...

...damn it, you've won this round...

[deepak]

lol Ryan thanks man.

Yeah if I got a B52 I would be inclined to give the other half to my homeslices postjack or jb. jb the mad scientist could probably do something to make it sound acceptable.

[recstar24]

lol Ryan thanks man.

Yeah if I got a B52 I would be inclined to give the other half to my homeslices postjack or jb. jb the mad scientist could probably do something to make it sound acceptable.

BTW - Craig was supposed to be building a 300b transformer coupled amp but apparently it didnt pan out or maybe he got sidetracked - go figure. Sometimes he builds one of something and forgets about making it commercial. You might want to ask him about it and see whats up. His goal was to make a 300b that was better than the cary for about half the price, something along those lines.

[deepak]

BTW - Craig was supposed to be building a 300b transformer coupled amp but apparently it didnt pan out or maybe he got sidetracked - go figure. Sometimes he builds one of something and forgets about making it commercial. You might want to ask him about it and see whats up. His goal was to make a 300b that was better than the cary for about half the price, something along those lines.

Cool. I will be sending him an email for things I'm looking for in the amp. On the subject of the Cary (I assume you mean 300SEI) from what aerius and a few other DIYAudio guys say it really shouldn't that hard to make an amp that sounds better than a 6SN7-driver/300B amp. Or at the very least measures a hell of a lot better.

[recstar24]

Cool. I will be sending him an email for things I'm looking for in the amp. On the subject of the Cary (I assume you mean 300SEI) from what aerius and a few other DIYAudio guys say it really shouldn't that hard to make an amp that sounds better than a 6SN7-driver/300B amp. Or at the very least measures a hell of a lot better.

Not only that, but it actually isnt really designed correctly. There is a resistor, I believe its 120 ohms (might be 240 ohms), that is connected to the headphone output. The reason being is that it reduces hum with low impedance cans like grados, because power supply hum leaks through to the output and you can hear it. However, now that your output impedance is overly high on the the grados the bass sounds rubbery and the overall sound is very loose with somewhat bloated bass. So Craigs version would have an external power supply, run the output directly from the transformer taps, and not have to rely on using a high resistor on the output to reduce hum and noise, thus keeping damping factor high even with low impedance cans.

[JBLoudG20]

lol Ryan thanks man.

Yeah if I got a B52 I would be inclined to give the other half to my homeslices postjack or jb. jb the mad scientist could probably do something to make it sound acceptable.

Oh hell yah playa! I like my nickname.

[aerius]

Question. Must it be a single ended amp?

[deepak]

Question. Must it be a single ended amp?

No it doesn't. But I'd rather not do anything to my cable (I really hope you're going to suggest P-P and not balanced )

[kevin gilmore]

How to turn a ray shambles product into a singlepower product...

Take a B52, make a set of unbalanced cables and tie them to an xlr with pin 2 and pin 3 connected

together. Take the balanced outputs, and tie both Left channels together and both Right channels

together. Viola two tubes in parallel top and bottom per channel.

(with respect to ground)

[aerius]

No it doesn't. But I'd rather not do anything to my cable (I really hope you're going to suggest P-P and not balanced )

Let's just say I've acquired the schematics to Roam's P-P 50 amp, which he says can easily used with 45's if you need current production stuff, or with 12 or 6W6's if you're poor. I'm currently building a 12W6 version.

[Guest sacd lover]

Let's just say I've acquired the schematics to Roam's P-P 50 amp, which he says can easily used with 45's if you need current production stuff, or with 12 or 6W6's if you're poor. I'm currently building a 12W6 version.

I have a bunch of 6/12w6gt's ... those are very linear run as a triode. Nice tube.

[hungrych]

Let's just say I've acquired the schematics to Roam's P-P 50 amp, which he says can easily used with 45's if you need current production stuff, or with 12 or 6W6's if you're poor. I'm currently building a 12W6 version.

Out of pure curiosity, around how much in parts would that cost?

[aerius]

Out of pure curiosity, around how much in parts would that cost?

I'm a cheapass with access to several local surplus stores, so I can do it for about $100-150, plus the chassis. $10 UTC transformers, fuck yeah!

Otherwise, you're probably looking at something like $800 for the audio transformers alone if you go for Lundahls, plus the cost of everything else. I'd ballpark the total cost at about $1200-$1500.

[postjack]

Otherwise, you're probably looking at something like $800 for the audio transformers alone if you go for Lundahls, plus the cost of everything else. I'd ballpark the total cost at about $1200-$1500.

well for that amount you could get half a b52, which can power any hadphones to very loudlevels of volume.

[deepak]

I'm a cheapass with access to several local surplus stores, so I can do it for about $100-150, plus the chassis. $10 UTC transformers, fuck yeah!

Otherwise, you're probably looking at something like $800 for the audio transformers alone if you go for Lundahls, plus the cost of everything else. I'd ballpark the total cost at about $1200-$1500.

T8. I need to PM Roam. Are the Emission Labs 45s any good?

[recstar24]

T8. I need to PM Roam. Are the Emission Labs 45s any good?

Oooh, 45's are nice tubes. Work really well for headphones since they only output about 1.8 watts run at max, which is plenty for headphone drive. Very linear sounding tube and musically engaging. I heard the later moth si2a3H that can run 2a3's or 45's and it kicked ass with the 45's, I preferred it over the 2a3's.

[deepak]

Mmm...tent pitchin' going on with all these possibilities. Now if only there were 40 hours in a day.

[JBLoudG20]

In soviet Russia, tent pitch you!

[Thelonious Monk]

in soviet russia that joke is still not funny lol

[JBLoudG20]

In soviet russia you might get into my pants, but that only after vodka drink me.

[deepak]

aerius any updates?

[deepak]

To add, I could do it with 45s, since the EML stuff is still in production and a pair of the 45-mesh tubes is well in my price range.

if anyone was curious I believe Mr. Shadow is having a friend build him a 45 tube amp for his W11JPN.

[aerius]

aerius any updates?

Gimme a day or two to clean up and post the schematics. My weekend's been rather busy.