Review and Measurements of Massdrop THX AAA 789 Amp

[FunctionalDoc]

ouch
Was it a loud pop?

I was listening and was a decent pop .

 

[BigBeard]

Do you think this is sufficient to power an hd800 on SE?

 

[Veri]

Do you think this is sufficient to power an hd800 on SE?

Sure. In gain2/3, no problem.

 

[FunctionalDoc]

The good news is Massdrop has jumped in will be shipping out a replacement in next 1-3 days and then will print the prepaid UPS tag to return the failed unit.

So hopefully the new amp will last for a long time.

 

[Roen]

@AndrewMason

Can you share details regarding the circuit that allows Gain 1 to be lower than unity?

 

[Azeendeen]

How do this sound with the Hifiman X v2 ?

 

[Veri]

How do this sound with the Hifiman X v2 ?

Good

 

[ReAlien]

Finally got my hands and ears on both THX AAA 789 and Accurate Audio HPA A200 (full clone of Violectric HPA V200). By a cruel twist of fate, I'm without a cable for my 400i at the moment, and I listen to those beasts on Koss Porta Pro! I've never heard such a fine sound from my Koss!

Anyway, even on such simple headphones, I can tell that differences between these amps are large. And what is more interesting, I love both of them at the moment. THX is more clean sounding, more detailed, clarity of soundstage is amazing. Yet A200 is more lifelike, like music in a bar is more lifelike than the one in a recording booth. The sound is more full-bodied, much darker/warmer and intimate than THX. THX is more digital and A200 is more analog-sounding to me.

My wife says, the THX gives more of music.))

I will follow on comparison when I get my cable back.

 

[yummy]

@amirm
amrim, if you taking about using opamp as headphone amps/preamps, there's a pair of German crazy partners called Funk, in business for many years, king of low-distortion, not well-known in America, I only tell this to friends that are really into low-thd/+n, with modern opamps we could do many small high specs little thingy

http://www.funk-tonstudiotechnik.de/SYMM-VERST.htm#Headmaster
(LPA section)

http://www.funk-tonstudiotechnik.de/ABHOERSYSTEME.htm
(with cases)

every model tons of measurements

 

[amirm]

@amirm
amrim, if you taking about using opamp as headphone amps/preamps, there's a pair of German crazy partners called Funk, in business for many years, king of low-distortion, not well-known in America, I only tell this to friends that are really into low-thd/+n, with modern opamps we could do many small high specs little thingy

http://www.funk-tonstudiotechnik.de/SYMM-VERST.htm#Headmaster
(LPA section)

http://www.funk-tonstudiotechnik.de/ABHOERSYSTEME.htm
(with cases)

every model tons of measurements

They seem nice. How about contacting them and asking if they would send them in for review?

 

[Nango]

Another gentleman designing headamp diy stuff for lots of german radio stations and Max Planck laboratories all over Germany is this Heilbronn-based American engineer: www Amity.de

 

[maxxevv]

Very nice to see people opening up to the idea that a "transparent" sound is such a desirable trait in audio reproduction looking through the reviews of the amp on Massdrop.

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-thx-aaa-789-linear-amplifier/reviews?commentId=2315421


Think massdrop owes ASR some referral fees.

 

[Hemi-Demon]

Finally got my hands and ears on both THX AAA 789 and Accurate Audio HPA A200 (full clone of Violectric HPA V200). By a cruel twist of fate, I'm without a cable for my 400i at the moment, and I listen to those beasts on Koss Porta Pro! I've never heard such a fine sound from my Koss!

Anyway, even on such simple headphones, I can tell that differences between these amps are large. And what is more interesting, I love both of them at the moment. THX is more clean sounding, more detailed, clarity of soundstage is amazing. Yet A200 is more lifelike, like music in a bar is more lifelike than the one in a recording booth. The sound is more full-bodied, much darker/warmer and intimate than THX. THX is more digital and A200 is more analog-sounding to me.

My wife says, the THX gives more of music.))

I will follow on comparison when I get my cable back.

How are these clone amps, with respect to internal part quality, power supply, etc.? I was curious about the A281 off taobao?

 

[maxxevv]

How are these clone amps, with respect to internal part quality, power supply, etc.? I was curious about the A281 off taobao?

Which one is that ? Couldn't locate what you referred there.

 

[Hemi-Demon]

Which one is that ? Couldn't locate what you referred there.

https://www.chinahao.com/Product/52...mplifier_with_preamp__germany_lakers_hpa_v281

I am NOT recommending to purchase this, just adding the information

 

[maxxevv]

Externally, that's a complete copy of the Lake People Violectric V281 though.

 

[Hemi-Demon]

Externally, that's a complete copy of the Lake People Violectric V281 though.

Yes, that's the point..it's a clone, or knockofff. I don't own one. I have just seen them for sale, so I was curious since ReAlien, stated that he had one.

 

[Jimmy]

I wouldn't buy it and much less at the asking price, they are trying to profit from someone elses work and who knows what's inside.

At the price that the 789 can be purchased by USA folks I don't think that there's anything that can compete feature or quality wise.

I would buy it if not for the added shipping, customs and tax costs that sometimes can almost double the price when buying from europe.

For about 700 euros a used Auralic Taurus MK2 can be purchased, and Auralic will introduce a replacement this year, so in my opinion paying even more than that for a chinese knockoff amp doesn't make any sense.

Yes, that's the point..it's a clone, or knockofff. I don't own one. I have just seen them for sale, so I was curious since ReAlien, stated that he had one.

 

[Hemi-Demon]

I wouldn't buy it and much less at the asking price, they are trying to profit from someone elses work and who knows what's inside.

At the price that the 789 can be purchased by USA folks I don't think that there's anything that can compete feature or quality wise.

I would buy it if not for the added shipping, customs and tax costs that sometimes can almost double the price when buying from europe.

For about 700 euros a used Auralic Taurus MK2 can be purchased, and Auralic will introduce a replacement this year, so in my opinion paying even more than that for a chinese knockoff amp doesn't make any sense.

Yeah I would not buy it either, but I am always curious

 

[TChang]

Any one experience a scratchy noise when the volume knob is turned when there is no music or pause? The noise is similar to my old (30 years old) boombox volume control but not as load, expecially when pair with a high sensitive IEM like my BGVP DM6 that I purchased from MASSDROP. The sound can be heard from all 3 outputs but a lot louder from the balanced output. No effect by the gain control switch, however. I called Massdrop and they promptly sent a replacement unit, unfortunately it has the same exact issue.