Geshelli Archel2 Headphone AMP Review: another champ?

[Jave]

Can a potentiometer replacement solve the channel imbalance problem?

 

[lambdastorm]

I used to have the 1st gen Archel PRO. While it sounds good, the channel imbalance is very bothersome. The volume pot is also a linear one instead of an audio one which means your music can go from barely audible to ear splitting in the slightest twist. I admire what this company is doing and the direction they're going, but I would gladly pay $250 if they can slap on a RK27 pot.

 

[amirm]

Can a potentiometer replacement solve the channel imbalance problem?

Sure although you may have to buy a bunch, measure them all and see which is better.

You can also use ifi match so that you operate the amp at higher volume where this won't matter.

 

[Jave]

I used to have the 1st gen Archel PRO. While it sounds good, the channel imbalance is very bothersome. The volume pot is also a linear one instead of an audio one which means your music can go from barely audible to ear splitting in the slightest twist. I admire what this company is doing and the direction they're going, but I would gladly pay $250 if they can slap on a RK27 pot.

Why don't they?

 

[solderdude]

Why don't they?

They are looking for low price point. You can put in a $ 300.- stepper pot and get steps and fabulous channel matching and a great tactile feel but a limited volpot range (because of the steps). Sonically the amp will sound exactly the same (there are folks claiming otherwise).
The amp would measure and perform the same and sound the same but would be MUCH more expensive.
So they went for a cheaper pot with a fair linearity.
It's an open one so depending on how much one smokes in the house or where one lives (near the coast or inland) and other factors that will determine when the pot becomes scratchy.

The solution is very simple... use digital volume control.

 

[Wombat]

They are looking for low price point. You can put in a $ 300.- stepper pot and get steps and fabulous channel matching and a great tactile feel but a limited volpot range (because of the steps). Sonically the amp will sound exactly the same (there are folks claiming otherwise).
The amp would measure and perform the same and sound the same but would be MUCH more expensive.
So they went for a cheaper pot with a fair linearity.
It's an open one so depending on how much one smokes in the house or where one lives (near the coast or inland) and other factors that will determine when the pot becomes scratchy.

The solution is very simple... use digital volume control.

Who said balance controls are dead?

 

[amadeuswus]

Not sure what possessed me to search for "Geshelli Labs" on Amazon--well, it's the "Everything Store"--but the search engine spits back various supplement pills, including the bestselling "Horny Goat Weed Herbal Complex Extract for Men and Women."

Could such non-audio applications have been contemplated by the manufacturer? See "Why choose Geshelli?"on the website --

". . . . A time when music was pure, smooth and clean. Back when you could listen to that song, the one written just for you. When feeling each note reaching in and touching your soul was the standard."

 

[tjs1fa]

Ordered one... Can't wait to hear the clean music at affordable low cost

 

[Geshelli]

Not sure what possessed me to search for "Geshelli Labs" on Amazon--well, it's the "Everything Store"--but the search engine spits back various supplement pills, including the bestselling "Horny Goat Weed Herbal Complex Extract for Men and Women."

Could such non-audio applications have been contemplated by the manufacturer? See "Why choose Geshelli?"on the website --

". . . . A time when music was pure, smooth and clean. Back when you could listen to that song, the one written just for you. When feeling each note reaching in and touching your soul was the standard."

The seller fees the merchant pays to Amazon would have forced us to raise our prices to an unfair level.

 

[restorer-john]

Why don't they?

Maybe you can pull out the cheap-ass Chinese pot and put in an Alps of your choice with a $1 adapter PCB.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Adapter...m4b4b4848f9:g:tCUAAOSwJ8pbaX21&frcectupt=true

You may be able to squeeze it in, or not.

 

[restorer-john]

Who said balance controls are dead?

Not at my house. The sheer number of recordings poorly balanced is truly amazing. I remember in the 80s when obsessing over cassette recordings, I realized how deaf many recording 'engineers' must have been.

I wouldn't buy an amplifier without either a balance control, or at least a concentric, clutched, dual gang volume pot.

 

[RayDunzl]

The sheer number of recordings poorly balanced is truly amazing.

I can't think of any here.

I do have a VoxBox (budget label) recording of Charles Ives piano works where, on all three disks, the channels are out of phase.

 

[restorer-john]

I do have a VoxBox (budget label) recording of Charles Ives piano works where, on all three disks, the channels are out of phase.

That made me laugh. Out of phase, I used to think that was the provence of fast-fashion stores with multiple ceiling speakers in shopping centres (Yes, my pet hate as you walked in the door). My father (86yo) regularly regales me with classical recordings where they completely screwed up the orchestra left to right. And his favourite, a radio station which has resolutely refused to acknowledge their L/R transmission is inverted, even when playing recordings we all know...

 

[Jave]

I ordered one but am not sure when is it supposed to be released/shipped?

 

[amadeuswus]

I can't think of any here.

I do have a VoxBox (budget label) recording of Charles Ives piano works where, on all three disks, the channels are out of phase.


View attachment 36810

Hi RayDunzl

Ives might have been tickled by the out-of-phase stereo channels on a recording of his music. From Wikipedia:

"Charles got his influences by sitting in the Danbury town square and listening to his father's marching band and other bands on other sides of the square simultaneously."

 

[GrimSurfer]

Hi RayDunzl

Ives might have been tickled by the out of phase stereo channels on a recording of his music. From Wikipedia:

"Charles got his influences by sitting in the Danbury town square and listening to his father's marching band and other bands on other sides of the square simultaneously."

But he's a musician, which means that he has a golden ear, etc. etc. so none of that should matter...LOL.

 

[Jave]

Sure:

View attachment 36295

Looks like you found a crack in its performance. Fortunately low frequency distortion is very hard to hear due to high threshold of hearing there so subjective results would not be that.

Isn't the rise in THD relative to the 1KHz tests alarming? Shouldn't it be a red flag?
@amirm - Is there some measurements for ultrasonic harmonic distortion?

 

[nuxv]

I ordered one but am not sure when is it supposed to be released/shipped?

From their website: "You can place a pre-order now for $119.99. The retail price will be $149.99. - We are planning on shipping on or before 11/29/19 (Black Friday). "

 

[graz_lag]

But he's a musician, which means that he has a golden ear, etc. etc. so none of that should matter...LOL.

'Musicians are more likely than other professions to experience auditory decline ...'

https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2018/musicians-hearing-loss.html

 

[bobbooo]

Here you go:

View attachment 36296

Same rise in low frequency harmonics as in the previous graph is shown here. Our hearing is most sensitive in 2 to 4 kHz so there, we are absolutely in the clear.

Could you post the same multitone test for the JDS Labs Atom to compare?