[lumdicks]

My Kinki just came in. I shall let it burn in a while and can't wait trying it with my Susvara and other cans.

 

[joseG86]

Beautiful, give it 1 full week of burn-in... At least!

 

[pankar0]

My Kinki thr 1...Thanks JoseG86 for your recommendation and your help.
It's a marvelous amp..!!!

 

[joseG86]

My Kinki thr 1...Thanks JoseG86 for your recommendation and your help.
It's a marvelous amp..!!!

What a beautiful setup you've got my friend, it must sound grand with the Arya, specially after the burn-in time haha, congrats!

 

[lumdicks]

My Kinki just came in. I shall let it burn in a while and can't wait trying it with my Susvara and other cans.

My THR-1 has burnt in for 1 week now and I am keeping it on 24x7. I just want to share that it is the biggest hidden gem in my over 20 years voyage in Home HiFi, portable audio and desktop head-fi. I shall try to summarize my experience below.

1. THR-1 really needs at least one full week or 300 hours at best to burn in (thanks @joseG86 ). I strongly recommend to keep it always on as it only generates a bit warmth in the case.
2. It is powerful enough to drive all low sensitive CANs including Susvara. I usually listen at a volume level at position at 12 or 1 o'clock for my Susvara.
3. THR-1 strikes a perfect balance between tonality, resolution, musicality and output power. It performs perfectly along all frequencies with deep and textured bass, sweet mid and smooth but well extended high. The sound is so smooth, cohesive and musical that makes every minute of listening so enjoyable.
4. The sound is neutral with a bit on warm side. Sound signature is more on tube with speed and dynamics of solid state.
5. Compared to Burson Conductor 3XR, the output power is similar. The Burson seems more resolving which throwing crazy details in your face. For THR-1, all details are also there but in a more subtle and harmonic way, connecting notes into music seamlessly.
6. Only weakness compared to my Benchmark HPA4 is a bit lower resolution and higher noise floor, in which HPA4 is at reference level. I am now using my HPA4 as Line Amp and THR-1 (at maximum volume) as power amp, and it improves the above weaknesses vastly.
7. I have never really enjoyed my Stellia previously as I found it a bit harsh and bright sometimes. With THR-1 the Stellia just sounds perfectly without any harshness and brightness in the mid and high.
8. The THR-1 is the worthiest purchase of mine ever, and at the price I paid (a bit higher than USD1K) it is a real steal.
9. Since it was fully burnt in, it is my favourite amp at all time (please see my signature for desktop amp I own).
10. THR-1 carries my highest recommendation and if audition is not possible, you won't go wrong by getting it blindly.

 

[pankar0]

My THR-1 has burnt in for 1 week now and I am keeping it on 24x7. I just want to share that it is the biggest hidden gem in my over 20 years voyage in Home HiFi, portable audio and desktop head-fi. I shall try to summarize my experience below.

1. THR-1 really needs at least one full week or 300 hours at best to burn in (thanks @joseG86 ). I strongly recommend to keep it always on as it only generates a bit warmth in the case.
2. It is powerful enough to drive all low sensitive CANs including Susvara. I usually listen at a volume level at position at 12 or 1 o'clock for my Susvara.
3. THR-1 strikes a perfect balance between tonality, resolution, musicality and output power. It performs perfectly along all frequencies with deep and textured bass, sweet mid and smooth but well extended high. The sound is so smooth, cohesive and musical that makes every minute of listening so enjoyable.
4. The sound is neutral with a bit on warm side. Sound signature is more on tube with speed and dynamics of solid state.
5. Compared to Burson Conductor 3XR, the output power is similar. The Burson seems more resolving which throwing crazy details in your face. For THR-1, all details are also there but in a more subtle and harmonic way, connecting notes into music seamlessly.
6. Only weakness compared to my Benchmark HPA4 is a bit lower resolution and higher noise floor, in which HPA4 is at reference level. I am now using my HPA4 as Line Amp and THR-1 (at maximum volume) as power amp, and it improves the above weaknesses vastly.
7. I have never really enjoyed my Stellia previously as I found it a bit harsh and bright sometimes. With THR-1 the Stellia just sounds perfectly without any harshness and brightness in the mid and high.
8. The THR-1 is the worthiest purchase of mine ever, and at the price I paid (a bit higher than USD1K) it is a real steal.
9. Since it was fully burnt in, it is my favourite amp at all time (please see my signature for desktop amp I own).
10. THR-1 carries my highest recommendation and if audition is not possible, you won't go wrong by getting it blindly.

+1000 in every word you write... the THR-1 deserve more attention and more love from all of us in this hobby.

 

[joseG86]

I was lucky to get one for 500€, 2017 unit with problems in the right channel.... I thought I fixed it by cleaning the potentiometer but sometimes it appears, I had to remove the screws from the sides in the front and that way no more problems and sound is amazing.

I have compared THR-1 against Feliks Elise with PSVane CV181 MK2 valves and they are very close, Elise wins in clarity, it sounds more transparent and if the song allows it, very real.

The THR-1 is just an amazing device to listen to music for hours and hours without no fatigue ever, it doesn't get hot at all and in my case, I also use the preamp and I'm very very happy with it so far, closest contender was the Jotunheim 2 but didn't like the slightly boosted treble with my HPs

 

[lumdicks]

Just want to update that the THR-1 sounds amazingly now after 300 hours burn it. It already put my Benchmark HPA4 + Burson Conductor 3XR combo in dust, and it is the most enjoyable and analogue sounding headphone amp that I have ever heard.

Just upgrade the RCA interconnects (Oyaide Tunami Terzo) between my M-scaled TT2 and THR-1 and surprisingly the improvement in dynamics and soundstage is so huge, and seems that THR-1 scales up well with the source and the interconnects.

 

[joseG86]

Just want to update that the THR-1 sounds amazingly now after 300 hours burn it. It already put my Benchmark HPA4 + Burson Conductor 3XR combo in dust, and it is the most enjoyable and analogue sounding headphone amp that I have ever heard.

Just upgrade the RCA interconnects (Oyaide Tunami Terzo) between my M-scaled TT2 and THR-1 and surprisingly the improvement in dynamics and soundstage is so huge, and seems that THR-1 scales up well with the source and the interconnects.

I haven't had the chance to try such amazing devices like the HPA4 or the 3XR but with TOLT headphones I am sure the THR-1 is a true winner.

Not the best in ultimate detail retrieval or analytic reproduction but for sure a very pleasant listening experience, never fatiguing and wonderful sounding one. Hours of fun and joy with any song you throw at it, never shy in power and proud of its tubey-like feeling without being tubey at all haha

Susvara must shine out of it

 

[tdx]

I am still trying to decide if this the better amp for Susvara/LCD-5 or if I should grab a V281 for the same price. If anyone has had ears on both I would greatly appreciate any comparison. Thanks!

 

[Ninja Theory]

My THR-1 has burnt in for 1 week now and I am keeping it on 24x7. I just want to share that it is the biggest hidden gem in my over 20 years voyage in Home HiFi, portable audio and desktop head-fi. I shall try to summarize my experience below.

1. THR-1 really needs at least one full week or 300 hours at best to burn in (thanks @joseG86 ). I strongly recommend to keep it always on as it only generates a bit warmth in the case.
2. It is powerful enough to drive all low sensitive CANs including Susvara. I usually listen at a volume level at position at 12 or 1 o'clock for my Susvara.
3. THR-1 strikes a perfect balance between tonality, resolution, musicality and output power. It performs perfectly along all frequencies with deep and textured bass, sweet mid and smooth but well extended high. The sound is so smooth, cohesive and musical that makes every minute of listening so enjoyable.
4. The sound is neutral with a bit on warm side. Sound signature is more on tube with speed and dynamics of solid state.
5. Compared to Burson Conductor 3XR, the output power is similar. The Burson seems more resolving which throwing crazy details in your face. For THR-1, all details are also there but in a more subtle and harmonic way, connecting notes into music seamlessly.
6. Only weakness compared to my Benchmark HPA4 is a bit lower resolution and higher noise floor, in which HPA4 is at reference level. I am now using my HPA4 as Line Amp and THR-1 (at maximum volume) as power amp, and it improves the above weaknesses vastly.
7. I have never really enjoyed my Stellia previously as I found it a bit harsh and bright sometimes. With THR-1 the Stellia just sounds perfectly without any harshness and brightness in the mid and high.
8. The THR-1 is the worthiest purchase of mine ever, and at the price I paid (a bit higher than USD1K) it is a real steal.
9. Since it was fully burnt in, it is my favourite amp at all time (please see my signature for desktop amp I own).
10. THR-1 carries my highest recommendation and if audition is not possible, you won't go wrong by getting it blindly.

Thank you for this helpful feedback. May I ask, with your THR-1 as power, and HPA4 as line, are you plugging your headphone I to the THR-1 or into the HPA4? (I understand you would control your volume from the HPA4).

 

[Ninja Theory]

@lumdicks can you please let me know your thoughts with the following chains - I have the Burson Soloist, so I am very interested in how the THR-1 sounds with these chains:

1. THR-1 as power and Burson Conductor as line/pre
2. Vice-vera, Burson Conductor as power and THR-1 as line/pre

 

[lumdicks]

Thank you for this helpful feedback. May I ask, with your THR-1 as power, and HPA4 as line, are you plugging your headphone I to the THR-1 or into the HPA4? (I understand you would control your volume from the HPA4).

Headphone always plugged in the Poweramp so in this case, it should be THR-1.

 

[lumdicks]

@lumdicks can you please let me know your thoughts with the following chains - I have the Burson Soloist, so I am very interested in how the THR-1 sounds with these chains:

1. THR-1 as power and Burson Conductor as line/pre
2. Vice-vera, Burson Conductor as power and THR-1 as line/pre

It depends what you want to achieve. In my opinion, the preamplifier stage of Burson is and Kinki are having similar quality. Generally speaking, you should put the one which tonality you prefer as the poweramp. So if you like to have the Class A sound signature of Burson to be preserved, you should make it a poweramp, and vice versa for the Kinki.

In your case, I think it will be a better idea keeping the signal path simple and short, and use either Burson or Kinki individually.

 

[Ninja Theory]

It depends what you want to achieve. In my opinion, the preamplifier stage of Burson is and Kinki are having similar quality. Generally speaking, you should put the one which tonality you prefer as the poweramp. So if you like to have the Class A sound signature of Burson to be preserved, you should make it a poweramp, and vice versa for the Kinki.

In your case, I think it will be a better idea keeping the signal path simple and short, and use either Burson or Kinki individually.

Thanks for these comments. For Susvara, I read the THR-1 can do a better job than the Burson (to bring out the best in the Susvara). Do you know if this is true?