Like this:Is it safe to conclude that in terms of the lowest measurable noise floor, the most accessible "end game" stack is Benchmark LA4/HPA4 + AHB2?
Like this:Is it safe to conclude that in terms of the lowest measurable noise floor, the most accessible "end game" stack is Benchmark LA4/HPA4 + AHB2?
exaSound e38v2 multichannel DAC.Wow!
What is the component on the top left?
That was the setup when I was doing the review. I have not kept them but I am contemplating it.Showoff!
That is a problem but largely solved by the tiny gadget on top of the right stack. It is a IR receiver/transmitter with the receiver dangling between the stacks and three transmitters which can be seen covering the IR receivers on the LA4s. It assures that all the LA4s get a "synchronous" input. Not perfect but close.With IR remotes, I expect that volume control across 3 LA4's is not 100% guaranteed.
Using $5k worth of electronics to power a $200 pair of headphonesNice photos of John Siau's home office (which includes the HPA4) in this blog post:
John Siau's home office
Using $5k worth of electronics to power a $200 pair of headphones
That was basically the norm 10 or so years ago until the HD800, T1, and LCD-2 kicked off the kilobuck+ headphone market. It was HD650, DT880, K701, or go home. At least for dynamics.
Only Stax was more expensive.
Things have sure changed...
Then NwAvGuy came along with his manifesto site and the Objective 2, and the interest for objective measurements for electronics started (and here we are at ASR). The reason we have such high performing amplifiers (and DACs) in the $100-$400 range today, is because of the market ripples the Objective 2 created.
I gave my old O2 to a family member (along with an impassioned plea not to get caught up in the audiophile BS), years ago. I think it's still working. That amp is going to be a piece of headphone history.
At least Stax came with their own amp. Still expensive. You could buy them individually. At the upper end Stax offered the SRA12S which included a fairly full function preamplifier--the HPA4 of its day. $500.00 ($2100.00 in today's dinero--phones extra).Only Stax was more expensive. Things have sure changed...
I actually have a prototype O2 that NwAvGuy sent me as review sample back in the day. I had a review thread for it somewhere on Head-Fi. I used it pretty much daily until last year when I replaced it with a Massdrop THX. And that was just so I'd have a balanced input to deal with occasional noise issues.
This blows my mind.Like this:
View attachment 55706
The good news is that the law of diminishing return is still in full force! Going to 40,000 Hz response will cost an extra $2,000 for bragging rights, but for the purposes of actually "hearing" great sounding music? Spending less than $800 gets you 99% there, I'd argue. I have the DT1990 Pro, and I'm looking for an excuse to get something from Focal, but after A/B testing, I just can't justify the premium for the "difference" not necessarily "improvement". Although I have yet to listen to electrostatic or mag-planar headphones... We are living in a golden age of affordable headphone gear without a doubt!That was basically the norm 10 or so years ago until the HD800, T1, and LCD-2 kicked off the kilobuck+ headphone market. It was HD650, DT880, K701, or go home. At least for dynamics.
Only Stax was more expensive.
Things have sure changed...
Yeah. I am desperate for a multichannel preamp but the tediousness of the setup and the cost have, so far, kept me from pulling the trigger.This blows my mind.
Wait a second, hpa4 unbalanced is 108 snr?
Looks like the a90 might beat it now also?
I still love mine though.
Also, do y'all ground anything together by standard practice? Or only if you hear problems?
The Oppo, Yamaha, Moon, and Monoprice pieces all have grounding posts, but nothing is connected.