[boodi]

revamping the thread

I've been with the Ear hp-4 for quite a time now.
I've had to tuberoll it a bit ( some cash again on ) , and to couple different Ics too to match the Wadia sonic signature , where I thought that I would have never left the Jenving Supra Eff Ics .

It is true , this amp is a very good , equlibrated and versatile machine .
I've never had and heard something that drives the ps-1 so well. It finally does them some justice .

I just can't seem to desire anything more then this at the moment .
My system is eating rock , pop , folk , blues , jazz and some classic too with ease and I'm not going through my library to test here and there , I just throw in the music I want to listen and to take pleasure from .

I'm not going to upgrade amp anytime soon , and for the very first time in my headphone amp exp. I feel this heavy thing will very likely remain here for more then "some" time ; this if wallet will allow it .

Btw the amp drives very nicely also the recabled hd600 in the high-z plug , just when I'm need for some more stage space ( for ex. for classic ) that for the moment is just what I could ever desire more then when using the ps-1 with it

 

[braillediver]

Outstanding. I liked the HP4 so much I had to get another after I sold my first one in a fit of sanity.


Mitch

 

[Zanth]

There really is something about an amp, that after so much time, can still remain on top when so many new amps have flooded the market. It is one of the only true SET amps available for headphones; it is built like a tank; it is versatile (2 low Z and two high Z outputs) and backed by one of the most well-known companies in this hobby.

At this level of the game, one doesn't really get better, one gets different. That is something quite nice to realize, because unless one does substantial listening to other gear of the same scale, one can easily "retire" from the hobby unless electrostats are appealing. So far, no electrostat has enticed me enough to dive into that area of the hobby, but perhaps upon hearing the HE90's (or the upcoming Omega III's) I will think differently, but for now...I have my sights on the R10's and that should be it (well, I guess an uber SP amp to go with them).

 

[dsavitsk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zanth /img/forum/go_quote.gif It is one of the only true SET amps available for headphones

Do you know what the basic topology is? I've never seen the inside.

 

[braillediver]

Here’s the insides and a schematic:

Large schematic:

http://photo.head-fi.org/data/639/ear1.jpg

Mitch

 

[dsavitsk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braillediver /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here’s the insides and a schematic:

Thanks. Interesting design choices.

 

[dsavitsk]

Would anyone mind posting this schematic again? I never saved the design, and I'd like to have another look at it.

 

[Cool_Torpedo]

I don't have the schematics, but as far as I know and what's said at the own EAR's site:

Quote:

Tim de Paravicini has long had a worldwide reputation for valve preamplifiers and power amplifiers. Now he has applied his expertise to produce what is arguably the world’s finest headphone amplifier aimed at the highest quality dynamic headphones. The HP4 uses 6SL7 valves, properly matched to the load through de Paravicini’s renowned transformers, to deliver nearly 1W of high quality, low distortion power into high or low impedance headphones. The output circuit configuration uses de Paravicini’s ‘Enhanced Triode Mode’, as employed in the highly successful V20 and 859 integrated amplifiers, while the input is also transformer coupled, giving the flexibility to accept balanced or unbalanced signals from the preamplifier. For the greatest user convenience the HP4 has its own volume control, while input signals can be independently switched through to the power amplifier for headphone and/or loudspeaker listening. As with all EAR products, reliability is paramount and valve life is in excess of 10,000 hours.

The HP-4 is not a SET amp but a push-pull design as the V20 is, but it uses the Triode mode implementation instead of the far more common ultrlineal mode. Knowing EAR products it shouldn't be a shortcoming though. I wish I could listen to one of these without having to buy one blindly.

Rgrds

 

[fkclo]

Initially I struggled with the price of a HP-4 - even for a used one.

But now that I have owned it for some months, and notwithstanding all the other amps I have at the same time, I would say the HP-4 is worth every penny I paid for it. It is a magical tube amp not equalled by any I have heard so far.

F. Lo

 

[Kees]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fkclo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Initially I struggled with the price of a HP-4 - even for a used one. But now that I have owned it for some months, and notwithstanding all the other amps I have at the same time, I would say the HP-4 is worth every penny I paid for it. It is a magical tube amp not equalled by any I have heard so far. F. Lo

Did you really, REALLY have to say that?

 

[jpelg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kees /img/forum/go_quote.gif Did you really, REALLY have to say that?

Yeah, thanks a lot Francis!

The HP4 is one amp we've not managed to get up here in the NY/CT area meets. I'd love to hear one.

 

[fkclo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kees /img/forum/go_quote.gif Did you really, REALLY have to say that?

I was just echoing how amazing it is that the HP-4 is holding its own over all these years despite the flood of new, high-end, top dollar products. Many may hesitate and tend to believe newer is better. I just want to confirm the sonics of my HP-4 is still top notch even by today's standard

Or did I say anything inappropriate

F. Lo

 

[dsavitsk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cool_Torpedo /img/forum/go_quote.gif The HP-4 is not a SET amp but a push-pull design as the V20 is, but it uses the Triode mode implementation instead of the far more common ultrlineal mode. Knowing EAR products it shouldn't be a shortcoming though.

It uses triodes, so "ultralinear" is not an option. You need pentodes for that. But, be that as it may, I am not really concerned whether it is single ended or push pull, I am really just interested in how he transformer coupled such a high Rp tube. My own DAC is push pull while most of my amps tend to be single ended.

Quote:

I was just echoing how amazing it is that the HP-4 is holding its own over all these years despite the flood of new, high-end, top dollar products.

I think the issue is that very few of the newer designs out there are transformer coupled, instead being OTL or hybrid in one form or another. For my money, a good transformer coupled amp is nearly always better sounding. Here's mine: ecp.cc

Anyhow, if anyone has this schematic and can post it, I'd love to take a look.

Thanks

 

[Kees]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fkclo /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was just echoing how amazing it is that the HP-4 is holding its own over all these years despite the flood of new, high-end, top dollar products. Many may hesitate and tend to believe newer is better. I just want to confirm the sonics of my HP-4 is still top notch even by today's standard Or did I say anything inappropriate F. Lo

HP-4 is high on my "wanted but highly unlikely I'll ever be able to get it" list.
But who needs another headphone amp if you already have seven (or was it eight)?
I don't.

 

[IceClass]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kees /img/forum/go_quote.gif HP-4 is high on my "wanted but highly unlikely I'll ever be able to get it" list. But who needs another headphone amp if you already have seven (or was it eight)? I don't.

Funnily enough the HP4 is on my exact same list.

I've been lusting after one for eons (who wouldn't with those looks) but I'm unlikely to buy one new on a look-see and they don't turn up used too often and even then they're still spendy enough that you'd be foolish not to have listened to one first.

I wonder how it would be with these MDR-F1s.