Sounds like an interesting amp, just wish it shipped from US in case the amp isn't my preference. I'm maybe thinking of dabbling a bit but, worried the op-amp design might be a little too bright.
FLUX Mentor Class-A dual-mono headphone amplifier.
- Thread starter Ichos
- Start date
This is exactly what is holding me back from ordering. Still reconsidering all the alternatives.
There is no reviews with HD800...
Just a short notice from our friend Ichos:
This is not a bright amplifier. The treble is resolving, extended and refined. without a hint of sharpness or harshness. Energetic yet smooth.
Let's get something clear. I guarantee that the Mentor will not add or accentuate more the brightness of the HD800S but don't expect it to tame it or perform any kind of frequency manipulation. The HD800S will still be the same headphone as we all know it.
Slackaveli
Headphoneus Supremus
There is some serious cognitive dissonance going on with this amp.
Why is it soooo hard for people to accept it's a great amp?
Do y'all not remember Flux Volot, Flux Fa-10, Flux Fa-12, etc?
Why is it soooo hard for people to accept it's a great amp?
Do y'all not remember Flux Volot, Flux Fa-10, Flux Fa-12, etc?
Infoseeker
Headphoneus Supremus
If you want an amp that has some hope to subtley tame the HD800 treble with its influence, then I'd suggest the Bryston BHA-1 solid state headphone Amp. BHA-1 is transparent from the bass to the mids, and is subtley forgiving in the Treble (it is not a warm/colored amp). Or go full coloring-amp and risk buying a Schiit stack, but those are not great in terms of quality control. I'd suggest a Schiit Yggdrasil w/GS2 module, and a Mjolnir3 amp.
I don't own this Mentor but got a Volot. I also would say the Volot is just mostly transparent and does not add glare or shine to the playback. But it is not reducing it either.
Assuming my Volot share similarities to the current gen Mentor:
When using a generic D/S dac....the dac's glare comes through to the playback, but you get a fun incisive edge to the imagery, and more physicality to the bass(my Gustard A22 dac and Fiio R7 line out).
Using a custom fpga dac....like my Exogal Comet Plus dac....there is no glare at all to the treble. And you get a Goldilocks-Zone of imagery that has a enough edge to still feel nice. But definitely not as "fun" as the D/S stuff I have (but they have that accompanying glare).
Because of my Exogal Comet Plus dac, Ive never had to get an r-2r dac home to try with my Volot. Because this Comet dac probably covers a similar presentation and I bet is less boring in doing so.
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Slackaveli
Headphoneus Supremus
Yep, agreed. I'd add if one were to want a warmer colored Mentor/Volot class amp than the newest one , Flux M-Field , might be a better fit.
You also touched on something that I think is becoming all too common- blaming the amp for what is essentially a negative born from Delta-Sigma DACs.
There are still a lot of folks out there with serious misconceptions about DACs. Hearing folks speak of "too-bright", etc while using a D/S DAC is head scratching tbh. It's like, "Well, YEAH. What'd you expect?"
Well said but as always there are exceptions. I can think a couple D/S DACs that don't have that digital glare and artificiality.
Slackaveli
Headphoneus Supremus
Yeah, I totally agree if I didnt communicate that well.
Yep, I think that people when they hear highly resolving treble, they tend to go to topping's take on what highly resolving treble is, and that's why they think this amp is going to be overly bright and sharp.
You can ameliorate some of the issues with Delta-Sigma DACs by upsampling to DSD on HQPlayer, that's what I do with my my DAC and it helps a lot but I understand most people, even die-hard audiophiles will never touch upsampling because it's burdensome.
Right - but if it's not an ideal fit one has to ship it back to Ukraine is it?
psy472
500+ Head-Fier
Well yes. Actually I have personal experience with this. As you all know I got the 2 units for the dual mono setup. I bought a 2nd unit after liking the first.
Well the 2nd unit stopped working on me. I contacted Flux and they showed me where the cable may have gotten loose during transport. Considering the amp has to travel through a battle field to get to me, I am surprised my first unit is doing so great.
Unfortunately, the 2nd unit worked for a couple days then it died again. Permanently, this time. So I contacted them again and they are sending a new unit to me in the next couple days. Pretty quick response too.
On their site, they allow for 15 days to try out their stuff similar to how Schiit does it with their products. Shipping from there to here takes about 5-7 business days.
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Slackaveli
Headphoneus Supremus
Topping... and no offense to anybody here, but- thats more of a bleached-out, skinnier version compared to a smooth, full, dreamy treble of a Mentor. That said, it's a taste that some prefer and I think that is fabulous- it's just not for me.
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