Joe Grado HPA-1

[spritzer]

Ok cool. It's still odd that something is cheaper over here with our fun VAT and other small expenses the state burdens us with.

[n_maher]

Ok cool. It's still odd that something is cheaper over here with our fun VAT and other small expenses the state burdens us with.

You should be psyched in this case but yeah, it does run contrary to way things normally go for you folks across the pond.

[spritzer]

You should be psyched in this case but yeah, it does run contrary to way things normally go for you folks across the pond.

We are getting screwed constantly. One nice thing this evening was that the post came with a package and I didn't have to pay anything... I'm really digging my Stax Gamma Pro's

The RK40 is a very nice pot and I have a small stash here with me. It's a bit sad that my new source makes all volume controls redundant...

[hirsch]

ok, i'll find Hirsch and maybe direct some of these questions to him. i did find one statement he made about the amp pairing very well with the HF-1, but no impressions with other Grados.

I can't remember that post. I don't think I owned the HPA-1 and HF-1 simultaneously, but this could be a memory fart.

I actually liked the HPA-1 with a variety of headphones, but time has overtaken the design. It won't hold a candle to something like the M^3.

IIRC, the RA-1 circuit is the HPA-1 circuit stripped to the bare essentials. The RA-1 has a very similar sound, but those stripped parts appeared to be responsible for the amp's smoothness, since the RA-1 had grain that simply wasn't present in the HPA-1. The boards of both are embedded in epoxy, so looking at the circuit can be destructive. Note that the posted photos appear to be of an HPA-2, which is exactly the same circuit as the HPA-1 according to Joe Grado, but he's been misleading before (the shield at the front is only present on the HPA-1, IIRC).

[Dusty Chalk]

I can't remember that post. I don't think I owned the HPA-1 and HF-1 simultaneously, but this could be a memory fart.

HP-1, perhaps? I remember you having a Joe Grado setup and a John Grado setup at one point.

[hirsch]

HP-1, perhaps? I remember you having a Joe Grado setup and a John Grado setup at one point.

I did have the HP-1 and HPA-1 at the same time I had an RS-1 and RA-1. The HF-1 was later. The only one of those I kept is the RS-1.

[lupus]

I can't remember that post. I don't think I owned the HPA-1 and HF-1 simultaneously, but this could be a memory fart.

I actually liked the HPA-1 with a variety of headphones, but time has overtaken the design. It won't hold a candle to something like the M^3.

IIRC, the RA-1 circuit is the HPA-1 circuit stripped to the bare essentials. The RA-1 has a very similar sound, but those stripped parts appeared to be responsible for the amp's smoothness, since the RA-1 had grain that simply wasn't present in the HPA-1. The boards of both are embedded in epoxy, so looking at the circuit can be destructive. Note that the posted photos appear to be of an HPA-2, which is exactly the same circuit as the HPA-1 according to Joe Grado, but he's been misleading before (the shield at the front is only present on the HPA-1, IIRC).

thanks for the updated information...if the M^3 is that much better, i will probably steer away from the HPA-1.

regarding your past comments about the HF-1/ HPA-1 pairing, i believe you said something to the effect that you were selling your HPA-1, but before letting it go you tested it with the HF-1 and liked it almost to the point of regretting the HPA-1 sale. that could be me getting something mixed up, though.