Sciber ENFLOW Balanced Headphone Amp Review

[Shadowkill]

Hey everyone! Just wanted to share a quick write-up after doing a direct head-to-head comparison between the Topping L70 and the Sciber Enflow (running with a custom Encore linear power supply and a tube preamp setup). Evaluated using my planar magnetic headphones.
Long story short: on-paper wattage numbers in Chinese spec sheets and actual real-world load control are two completely different universes.
The Topping L70 is a decent, clean-measuring unit, but when a track demands a heavy, rumbling sub-bass drop, it starts running out of transistor headroom. It slightly compresses the dynamic range, and the soundstage collapses a bit. It replaces real authority with a sort of fake, etched sharpness that leads to listening fatigue pretty quickly.
Switching over to the Sciber Enflow makes it immediately obvious where the money went. This compact beast delivers up to 5 Amps of peak impulse current (up to 100ms) purely for load damping. For a demanding planar membrane, this is like swapping a 4-cylinder engine for a 5-liter V8. Backed by a custom LPS optimized to handle voltage sag effortlessly, this current hits the headphones instantaneously and without any ringing.
The Sonic Breakdown:
Current & Bass Control: The low-end execution is monumental. That dry, plastic-like click is gone; the bass has noticeably softened, becoming incredibly organic, analog, and textured. The feedback loop catches and stops the membrane with a vice-like grip exactly where the recording dictates.
Black Background & Soundstage: All that high-frequency switching "fuzz" and glare is completely wiped out. The background is now pitch-black, the soundstage stretches deep, and the layering is razor-sharp. You can listen for hours at high volume without a shred of fatigue.

 

[RogerSmith]

Hey everyone! Just wanted to share a quick write-up after doing a direct head-to-head comparison between the Topping L70 and the Sciber Enflow (running with a custom Encore linear power supply and a tube preamp setup). Evaluated using my planar magnetic headphones.
Long story short: on-paper wattage numbers in Chinese spec sheets and actual real-world load control are two completely different universes.
The Topping L70 is a decent, clean-measuring unit, but when a track demands a heavy, rumbling sub-bass drop, it starts running out of transistor headroom. It slightly compresses the dynamic range, and the soundstage collapses a bit. It replaces real authority with a sort of fake, etched sharpness that leads to listening fatigue pretty quickly.
Switching over to the Sciber Enflow makes it immediately obvious where the money went. This compact beast delivers up to 5 Amps of peak impulse current (up to 100ms) purely for load damping. For a demanding planar membrane, this is like swapping a 4-cylinder engine for a 5-liter V8. Backed by a custom LPS optimized to handle voltage sag effortlessly, this current hits the headphones instantaneously and without any ringing.
The Sonic Breakdown:
Current & Bass Control: The low-end execution is monumental. That dry, plastic-like click is gone; the bass has noticeably softened, becoming incredibly organic, analog, and textured. The feedback loop catches and stops the membrane with a vice-like grip exactly where the recording dictates.
Black Background & Soundstage: All that high-frequency switching "fuzz" and glare is completely wiped out. The background is now pitch-black, the soundstage stretches deep, and the layering is razor-sharp. You can listen for hours at high volume without a shred of fatigue.

how is the PRAT?

 

[Shadowkill]

how is the PRAT?

exemplary PRAT

 

[solderdude]

Would you say the sound scales better ?
Is there more slam with a faster punchier bass ?
I ask this because you reported a softened bass and I like it punchier and faster.
How is the synergy with a Topping DAC or is it better to use an R2R DAC ?

 

[RogerSmith]

exemplary PRAT

And the PLANKTON?

 

[GydruS]

Indeed that certainly helps with stereo imaging for low impedance headphones, especially with longer cables.

from: https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/tutorials/technical/balanced-vs-se/

‘Balanced’ headphone connections (or should I say independent L and R out) can be audibly different to TRS jack outputs when 2 conditions are met.
Those conditions are:

1. a 3-wire headphone cable is used.
2. the common return wire has a relative high resistance opposite the headphone impedance.

In other words there can be a difference in stereo imaging between TRS out and 4-pin (or 5-pin in case of Pentaconn) outputs.
This is caused by crosstalk but not one that makes the sound a bit more ‘mono’ but one that makes the sound artificially ‘wider’.
Normal crosstalk adds the left and right sounds as the signals have the same polarity, but the crosstalk we are talking about here subtracts left and right signals as the polarity is opposite.
Even a common mode wire resistance above 0.2Ω can have an audible impact when low impedance headphones are used but a 1Ω wire resistance is not an audible concern when high impedance headphones are used.

A return wire is the wire running from sleeve of the 3-pin connector in the headphone to the sleeve of 3.5/6.3 TRS plug. This wire is used for both drivers.
Cross-talk is not the same as cross-feed, in fact the effect is opposite and has a ‘widening’ effect whereas cross-feed has a ‘narrowing’ effect.
When a signal is applied to one channel a current will flow. That current will create a voltage drop across the return wire. That voltage is inverted in polarity opposite the applied voltage so subtracted from the applied signal. By itself not problematic other than some (impedance dependent) attenuation but… when there also is a signal applied to the other channel that dropped voltage will double for ‘mono’ signals and is subtracted (polarity inverted signal) from the other channel lowering the level of the mono signals.
In case there is stereo info (L and R having different signals) that stereo signal will be reproduced inverted in polarity in the other channel. This means the stereo image is ‘widened’ artificially and is not desirable when it becomes too artificially ‘wide’.
The mechanism behind this is shown below in the form of a schematic.

The lower the impedance of the headphone is (below 50Ω it might become an audible issue) and the higher the resistance of the return wire is the worse the effect is. Longer cables are likely to have a resistance between 1Ω and 3Ω or so.
In some cases I even measured the signals intended for the left channel at -25dB in the right channel. This is potentially audible. Any crosstalk below -45dB is inaudible.
This affects stereo separation and imaging. In fact, stereo imaging becomes a bit wider and mono signals are attenuated a little (< 1dB in any case).

4-pin headphone out thus is always (theoretically) ‘better’ in this aspect.
This has nothing to do with the signal being differential (balanced) or single-ended any other headphone amp with XLR/Pentaconn outputs that have the same output power from TRS and ‘balanced’ out.
It is because the headphone cable is 4-wire and has separated signal paths to each driver where as the TRS has a shared ‘return wire’.

Thanks! It is so useful and nice article!!! We have not enough time to write same to explan many things, so it is great to have this link now! )))

Is there more slam with a faster punchier bass ?
I ask this because you reported a softened bass and I like it punchier and faster.

In my personal expirience - Enflow will give what in the record is. E.g. if sample or musical instrument has soft bass - it will be soft, if punchy - than punchy. Of course, if headphones can do right.

 

[solderdude]

This compact beast delivers up to 5 Amps of peak impulse current (up to 100ms) purely for load damping. For a demanding planar membrane, this is like swapping a 4-cylinder engine for a 5-liter V8. Backed by a custom LPS optimized to handle voltage sag effortlessly, this current hits the headphones instantaneously and without any ringing.
The Sonic Breakdown:
Current & Bass Control: The low-end execution is monumental. That dry, plastic-like click is gone; the bass has noticeably softened, becoming incredibly organic, analog, and textured. The feedback loop catches and stops the membrane with a vice-like grip exactly where the recording dictates.

Planar headphone decay vs frequency via 0.1ohm (DF = 260) and via a 120ohm resistor drastically lowering the damping factor >1000x (DF 0.2)

Yes, electrical damping is NOT a thing with planar magnetic headphones.
I know... no one measures this (well I did) so it is easy to make unsubstantiated subjective claims.

this current hits the headphones instantaneously and without any ringing
The feedback loop catches and stops the membrane with a vice-like grip exactly where the recording dictates.

In both cases at 110dB SPL peak (1V in this case) the drawn current = 0.038A... yes... 38mA ... there are no 5A (up to 100ms) power supply capabilities needed nor used
No change in response whatsoever with planar magnetic headphones whether or not on L70 or any other amp that can supply the same required power.

Of course we can't 'measure':
low end execution
soundstage
etched sharpness
listening fatigue
noticeably softened bass
incredibly organic
analog
textured
high-frequency switching "fuzz"
glare
pitch-black background (well maybe S.N ratio)
layering
PRAT
plankton
micro detail
macro detail
imaging
texture
impact
chocolaty
syrupy

so those descriptors can be used for anything as they are without any real meaning (they can mean anything to anyone).

 

[Shadowkill]

I have audezy 2 classic headphones. With the L70, they sounded dry and uninteresting. After connecting them to an ampflow, the sound finally became "tasty." Chinese headphones struggle when it comes to delivering current, while planar headphones need it because of their low impedance. Plus, the amplifier here is built with very high-quality components; the Chinese cut corners on everything in the mid-range budget.

 

[amirm]

I have audezy 2 classic headphones. With the L70, they sounded dry and uninteresting. After connecting them to an ampflow, the sound finally became "tasty." Chinese headphones struggle when it comes to delivering current, while planar headphones need it because of their low impedance. Plus, the amplifier here is built with very high-quality components; the Chinese cut corners on everything in the mid-range budget.

No more fiction. State what you can prove, not what you claim.

 

[solderdude]

I have audezy 2 classic headphones. With the L70, they sounded dry and uninteresting. After connecting them to an ampflow, the sound finally became "tasty." Chinese headphones struggle when it comes to delivering current, while planar headphones need it because of their low impedance. Plus, the amplifier here is built with very high-quality components; the Chinese cut corners on everything in the mid-range budget.

Some facts.

The Audeze 2 classic has 3x higher impedance (75 ohm) than the mentioned FT7 (26 ohm)
The Audeze 2 classic = 108dB/V so 2dB less sensitive than FT7 so requires 1.25x higher voltage.
This means that at 110dB peak SPL it draws 2.4x LESS current than the FT7 so 16mA
At 120dB peak SPL (impressively loud) it draws just 50mA peak (0.05A) at 4.25V. (average current draw with loud music would be around 10mA !)
The L70 is capable of delivering 400mA (0.4A).... that's 8x more current than you would ever draw while wearing it.
In 70 ohm the L7 will provide 16V = 3.6W (much more than the Enflow can namely 1.1W)

Where is the 'struggle' of amps (other than in your imagination) ?
Where is the 'high current' demand (other than in your imagination) ?
Where is the 'compression' (not shown in L70 nor Enflow measurements) ?
Where is the low impedance of the LCD2 classic (75ohm is not low but medium) ?

 

[Shadowkill]

No more fiction. State what you can prove, not what you claim.

You need to listen to the L70, then the enflow, then we'll talk about who has enough current and who doesn't. Please measure the maximum current that can be supplied to the damping, then everything will become clear to you and all the Chinese.

 

[kazuviking]

This compact beast delivers up to 5 Amps of peak impulse current (up to 100ms) purely for load damping. For a demanding planar membrane, this is like swapping a 4-cylinder engine for a 5-liter V8. Backed by a custom LPS optimized to handle voltage sag effortlessly, this current hits the headphones instantaneously and without any ringing.

And now we don't ignore physics it would blow your planars drivers instantly. Only DJ headphones are rated for 2-5W which would take the 5A peak without blowing.

and a tube preamp setup

Well you already destroyed any SOTA status with the tubes so theres that.

 

[solderdude]

You need to listen to the L70, then the enflow, then we'll talk about who has enough current and who doesn't. Please measure the maximum current that can be supplied to the damping, then everything will become clear to you and all the Chinese.

Why do we need to listen ?
Planar headphones are as good as purely resistive in the audible range.
They do not care about 'damping factor' nor does the LCD2 classic desire 'current' (shown with measurements that have a factor 5.6 lower damping current and >1000 DF).

You are not making any sense. The math is clear about this. The measurements are very clear about it.
The facts are clear
Chinese people nor manufacturers have NOTHING to do with your opinion either.
Stop making silly and unfounded remarks.

Please stick to facts.

And please tell me about 'maximum currents that can be supplied to the damping'.
What on earth are you babbling about ?

 

[Shadowkill]

Why do we need to listen ?
Planar headphones are as good as purely resistive in the audible range.
They do not care about 'damping factor' nor does the LCD2 classic desire 'current' (shown with measurements that have a factor 5.6 lower damping current and >1000 DF).

You are not making any sense. The math is clear about this. The measurements are very clear about it.
The facts are clear
Chinese people nor manufacturers have NOTHING to do with your opinion either.
Stop making silly and unfounded remarks.

Please stick to facts.

View attachment 543610

And please tell me about 'maximum currents that can be supplied to the damping'.
What on earth are you babbling about ?

Well, don't listen and live in the reality of "dimensions" and buy Chinese counterfeits with beautiful graphs and numbers, you listen to graphs, don't you?

 

[eddantes]

Well, don't listen and live in the reality of "dimensions" and buy Chinese counterfeits with beautiful graphs and numbers, you listen to graphs, don't you?

Ahhh the purity of russian tech vs the counterfeited chinese tech. Does that happen when chinese parts are assembled in russia? They get purified and made genuine?

 

[solderdude]

Well, don't listen and live in the reality of "dimensions" and buy Chinese counterfeits with beautiful graphs and numbers, you listen to graphs, don't you?

Nah, I make plots and graphs, post plots and graphs, interpret the plots and graphs and write/post about those plots and graphs.
Have not discovered a way to listen to plots and graphs.

Why don't you address the points I made ?

 

[solderdude]

Ahhh the purity of russian tech vs the counterfeited chinese tech. Does that happen when chinese parts are assembled in russia? They get purified and made genuine?

@Shadowkill is not doing Sciber (@GydruS) any favors with his rants.
He's just a proud owner that lacks knowledge.

I.M.O. there is nothing wrong with the reviewed amp.
Sure it is a bit pricey but performance and build quality are excellent.

 

[Nopiano]

It was sent to me by the company (a long time ago).

Before the war began with Ukraine, perhaps?

That was over four years ago, and also when I learned that the car I’d ordered used an Ukraine-made wiring loom so couldn’t be delivered. I’m not sure this device will be available outside its country of origin any time soon.

 

[Ziroz]

Ahhh the purity of russian tech vs the counterfeited chinese tech. Does that happen when chinese parts are assembled in russia? They get purified and made genuine?

To a certain extent, but what you really want is USSR tech that was unpoluted by external manufacturing, preferably made in the Russian SFSR.

 

[Bogda]

The power supply has a Russian power plug that wont fit our North American power outlets. So you need an adapter,

Europlug - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Why are Americans so ignorant about rest of the world?