Review and Measurements of Massdrop THX AAA 789 Amp

[Jimster480]

Recently acquired this amp... Didn't even realize it was this particular model, until I looked carefully. It is used with the HifiMan HE-6SEv2. Endgame. May move to a balanced DAC, just ... because

Peace.

Yep, I've been using it for 4 years now and love it.
I do wonder though on the Headphone AMP SINAD List it shows 2 SINAD (for 50mv load), one for balanced and one for SE.
Where was this measured @amirm because it isn't in this review. Unless it was buried in the pages somewhere.

 

[Jimster480]

I've been using a Schiit Asgard 3 and it's a great amp but the 789 has a much more open soundstage to my ears. I've used the new Modi 3E with my HD600's and they've never sounded better. With my Focal Clear Pro's and Avantone Planar headphones I like the Modi multibit with the 789.
Need help here please. I'd like to use my Asgard 3 as a preamp for my powered monitors. Is that possible with the SE pass on the 789?
All in all, the best $120 that I've spent audio in a long time.

Yes you can pass the 789 through to another Amp as long as it is fed SE. Unfortunately not with balanced though

 

[elira]

Yes you can pass the 789 through to another Amp as long as it is fed SE. Unfortunately not with balanced though

You can use splitter cables and have the same result.

 

[Jimster480]

You can use splitter cables and have the same result.

Splitter cables to have what result? AFAIK you can't just split analog signals like that without a quality loss

 

[elira]

Splitter cables to have what result? AFAIK you can't just split analog signals like that without a quality loss

Use your source with two amps. It's essentially what the "SE PASS" in the Massdrop THX AAA 789 Amp is doing, it's just a built-in splitter to daisy chain amps.

 

[ssmith3046]

Use your source with two amps. It's essentially what the "SE PASS" in the Massdrop THX AAA 789 Amp is doing, it's just a built-in splitter to daisy chain amps.

I use it with a pair of powered monitors. I've owned this amp for a few months now and really like it. I also kept my Schiit Asgard 3.

 

[Jimster480]

Use your source with two amps. It's essentially what the "SE PASS" in the Massdrop THX AAA 789 Amp is doing, it's just a built-in splitter to daisy chain amps.

Interesting. Have we tested performance with pass through? I always thought you needed some kind of active splitting.

 

[J Ratcliffe]

Which gain switch setting should I be using on this for Sundara please?

 

[Jimster480]

Which gain switch setting should I be using on this for Sundara please?

the One which sounds good to you. Personally there can be some imbalance at very low pot settings so it's best to use the lowest gain that works for your headphone.

 

[ethanhallbeyer]

These Drop 789 seem to have lost favor in a lot of message boards. Not sure why. Did new stuff come out that just totally eclipses these?

 

[dinglehoser]

These Drop 789 seem to have lost favor in a lot of message boards. Not sure why. Did new stuff come out that just totally eclipses these?

Totally eclipses? Nope. There's just cheaper stuff out now with similar power and transparency. That said, ditching one of these for something else newer and marginally better measuring (but in the same class) seems like a fool's errand - they're still great.

 

[ethanhallbeyer]

Totally eclipses? Nope. There's just cheaper stuff out now with similar power and transparency. That said, ditching one of these for something else newer and marginally better measuring (but in the same class) seems like a fool's errand - they're still great.

Ok great. Just wondering. Also, do you think an upgraded power supply brick would improve things at all?

Lastly, what cheaper stuff out now would those be?

 

[Jimster480]

Ok great. Just wondering. Also, do you think an upgraded power supply brick would improve things at all?

Lastly, what cheaper stuff out now would those be?

Nope, there is basically nothing to make this better its already TOTL tier.
There are some new Amps from SMSL & Topping which are cheaper like Topping L30 II and SMSL HO.
There are also Amps from Schiit and others.... but honestly this is the only Amp that has dual outputs at the same time with huge power for Planars (Amps matter for Planars) and still delivers top chart performance for a reasonable price. I use mine every day and have no plans to ditch it.
Just there are now cheaper options if you only want a single ended output, don't care about balanced, etc

 

[zepplock]

Jimster480 summarized it pretty well. It's a solid amp that is hard to improve on since it's practically perfect.​

 

[cubanmetalguy]

Totally eclipses? Nope. There's just cheaper stuff out now with similar power and transparency. That said, ditching one of these for something else newer and marginally better measuring (but in the same class) seems like a fool's errand - they're still great.

Indeed! And you can find them used for less than $150 USD.

 

[Jole]

And with failures..fully net of them...with red lights instead of white...someone said due to power supy

 

[Jimster480]

And with failures..fully net of them...with red lights instead of white...someone said due to power supy

What? I am not even sure what you are saying. My unit has over 10000 hours of usage on it and it has absolutely 0 problems. I use it to power heavy Planars all day every day.
The rest of your sentence.... I cannot make out.

 

[Jole]

What? I am not even sure what you are saying. My unit has over 10000 hours of usage on it and it has absolutely 0 problems. I use it to power heavy Planars all day every day.
The rest of your sentence.... I cannot make out.

Not me, people on reddit.com, you can check... and here on forum also were cases with ''red light''...when problem occurs people should know...probably there are no equipment without failures...that's why we read and inform ourselves to know what to do if its happen...

 

[Jimster480]

Not me, people on reddit.com, you can check... and here on forum also were cases with ''red light''...when problem occurs people should know...probably there are no equipment without failures...that's why we read and inform ourselves to know what to do if its happen...

I mean I suppose someones could have failed. Any product has failures, there is nothing where every single one of them is perfect...

 

[Diable]

Not me, people on reddit.com, you can check... and here on forum also were cases with ''red light''...when problem occurs people should know...probably there are no equipment without failures...that's why we read and inform ourselves to know what to do if its happen...

Your forgetting the thousands of others still in use with no issues. Amplifying the failures is just away to shit on the product.