[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Very good in fact. IME, I asked for one assistance because my amp went to "ERR" after powering on for a few seconds. And they delivered three. Resolved the said issue. Replaced the casing. Cause they say Zebrawood peeled off. And gave me another remote since the one I have the symbols couldn't be seen. All free of charge since it's in warranty.

The woman (Anna Letizia) that behind their FB account is pleasant to chat to...

 

[RHMMMM]

I have been playing around with the power cables and conditioners on my headphone system which currently consists of the InPol headphone amp and Denafrips Terminator II 12th DAC.

I have swapped in and out some Isotek hardware: Evo3 Nova from my main speaker system, and an Evo3 Titan and Evo3 Genesis One that I bought for the headphone rig since MusicDirect has had the stuff on sale. I also have several Nordost Valhalla PCs including one I’ve reterminated with a Furutech 20A end, a Tyr2 and a Valhalla 2 PC. Using Valhalla 2 XLR interconnects.

I connected the InPol to the Titan and DAC to the Genesis and thought it would be as good or better than the Nova. But sure enough, somehow the Nova alone has better results. I believe the Nova has the same tech for the amp power outputs as the Titan (Direct-coupled transformers, basically), but apparently the the Nova also has some extra DC blocking technology.

Anyways, I’m going to try a few more permutations before I draw final conclusions but just thought I’d share that I have seen a very positive improvement in listening experience running the InPol through conditioning equipment and different power cables.

Since the InPol uses large inductors as part of the circuit, I guess it makes sense that power quality can make a difference - in my case and to my ears, cleaning up the power from the wall has noticeably improved the noise floor, dimensionality and overall refinement. I am wondering if it is benefitting from the additional DC blocking tech too… and just how much that makes a difference. I’ll swap hardware around more soon and report back.

I’d love to hear others’ experiences with power and the InPol Ear.

 

[chaZZZy007]

I have been playing around with the power cables and conditioners on my headphone system which currently consists of the InPol headphone amp and Denafrips Terminator II 12th DAC.

I have swapped in and out some Isotek hardware: Evo3 Nova from my main speaker system, and an Evo3 Titan and Evo3 Genesis One that I bought for the headphone rig since MusicDirect has had the stuff on sale. I also have several Nordost Valhalla PCs including one I’ve reterminated with a Furutech 20A end, a Tyr2 and a Valhalla 2 PC. Using Valhalla 2 XLR interconnects.

I connected the InPol to the Titan and DAC to the Genesis and thought it would be as good or better than the Nova. But sure enough, somehow the Nova alone has better results. I believe the Nova has the same tech for the amp power outputs as the Titan (Direct-coupled transformers, basically), but apparently the the Nova also has some extra DC blocking technology.

Anyways, I’m going to try a few more permutations before I draw final conclusions but just thought I’d share that I have seen a very positive improvement in listening experience running the InPol through conditioning equipment and different power cables.

Since the InPol uses large inductors as part of the circuit, I guess it makes sense that power quality can make a difference - in my case and to my ears, cleaning up the power from the wall has noticeably improved the noise floor, dimensionality and overall refinement. I am wondering if it is benefitting from the additional DC blocking tech too… and just how much that makes a difference. I’ll swap hardware around more soon and report back.

I’d love to hear others’ experiences with power and the InPol Ear.

IMO Power conditioning makes a difference at any level of system, but as we invest more into our systems in order to hear more into the music, those imperfections of sound, hisses and noise also become more readily apparent as well. It's here in a higher end system where power conditioning of any type makes a greater overall level of difference by dropping the noise floor.

At the end of the day properly done, low level detail is noticeably increased as well as sense of space.

 

[xtr4]

I have been playing around with the power cables and conditioners on my headphone system which currently consists of the InPol headphone amp and Denafrips Terminator II 12th DAC.

I have swapped in and out some Isotek hardware: Evo3 Nova from my main speaker system, and an Evo3 Titan and Evo3 Genesis One that I bought for the headphone rig since MusicDirect has had the stuff on sale. I also have several Nordost Valhalla PCs including one I’ve reterminated with a Furutech 20A end, a Tyr2 and a Valhalla 2 PC. Using Valhalla 2 XLR interconnects.

I connected the InPol to the Titan and DAC to the Genesis and thought it would be as good or better than the Nova. But sure enough, somehow the Nova alone has better results. I believe the Nova has the same tech for the amp power outputs as the Titan (Direct-coupled transformers, basically), but apparently the the Nova also has some extra DC blocking technology.

Anyways, I’m going to try a few more permutations before I draw final conclusions but just thought I’d share that I have seen a very positive improvement in listening experience running the InPol through conditioning equipment and different power cables.

Since the InPol uses large inductors as part of the circuit, I guess it makes sense that power quality can make a difference - in my case and to my ears, cleaning up the power from the wall has noticeably improved the noise floor, dimensionality and overall refinement. I am wondering if it is benefitting from the additional DC blocking tech too… and just how much that makes a difference. I’ll swap hardware around more soon and report back.

I’d love to hear others’ experiences with power and the InPol Ear.

I'm currently running a bespoke Furutech DPS4.1 PC with Furutech NFC IEC and NFC UK Plug (with SR Orange fuse) ~phew what a mouthful~. This cable was made by MCRU from the UK during one of their promo bundles. Improvements include better staging/imaging, resolution, transient response. However these "improvements" are mostly subtle to the untrained ear and subjective to your own chain.

 

[TheR0v3r]

I have very little experience with different types of power conditioners. And the one I use now was put in place before I got the Pathos so YMMV.

For along time I had no power conditioner and used basic cord. Then my dealer insisted that I’d hear an improvement with a conditioner and better cords.

First I tried one from Transparent w/ cord but I didn’t like and thought it sounded worse than without. So I sort of shelved the idea of improving the “power system”…

Many months later I tried a Shunyata which was better than without so that’s what I’m using now.

The improvements I heard was exactly what @chaZZZy007 described

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Have a descent setup using Puritan PSM156. With it, am happy the blacker/silent background it brings and its benefits: Increase in soundstage, more separation/layers, increased resolution/definition/micro details. Need not increase volume to appreciate music. Power chords are Supra Lo-Rads.

 

[TheR0v3r]

After owning the Pathos for about a month I wanted to share my impressions. The short of it all is that it’s fantastic

I’m usually never satisfied and always looking for ways to improve things (not always a good thing!). For the first time in my headfi journey I have an amp that just sounds… correct. I’m coming up short with colorful descriptors because it just moves me from being an observer of a musical performance to being a part of of a musical experience - from then and there to here and now!

The very first day I thought I’d made a BIG mistake in selling my Ferrum stack and buying the Pathos without any audition. After a couple of days and after switching tubes (and placing it on Isoacoustics) I started to think that this might work out in the end. And now after almost a month I’m totally and % convinced I made the right decision. This last week has been all about rediscovering music I love and discovering new music to love which is what this hobby is all about.

Thank you to all of you that contributed to this thread

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

I have an amp that just sounds… correct.

Very true..

 

[RHMMMM]

IMO Power conditioning makes a difference at any level of system, but as we invest more into our systems in order to hear more into the music, those imperfections of sound, hisses and noise also become more readily apparent as well. It's here in a higher end system where power conditioning of any type makes a greater overall level of difference by dropping the noise floor.

At the end of the day properly done, low level detail is noticeably increased as well as sense of space.

I picked up a used Shunyata Denali 6000s V2 and WOW.

 

[RHMMMM]

After owning the Pathos for about a month I wanted to share my impressions. The short of it all is that it’s fantastic

I’m usually never satisfied and always looking for ways to improve things (not always a good thing!). For the first time in my headfi journey I have an amp that just sounds… correct. I’m coming up short with colorful descriptors because it just moves me from being an observer of a musical performance to being a part of of a musical experience - from then and there to here and now!

The very first day I thought I’d made a BIG mistake in selling my Ferrum stack and buying the Pathos without any audition. After a couple of days and after switching tubes (and placing it on Isoacoustics) I started to think that this might work out in the end. And now after almost a month I’m totally and % convinced I made the right decision. This last week has been all about rediscovering music I love and discovering new music to love which is what this hobby is all about.

Thank you to all of you that contributed to this thread

Congrats!

What IsoAcoustics product are you using?

 

[TheR0v3r]

Congrats!

What IsoAcoustics product are you using?

Thanks!

I’m using 4 x Orea Bronze placed under each feet. Pretty inexpensive tweak and works like a treat

Disclaimer: Everything is placed on an old IKEA TV bench so results may differ if using a ”real” hifi rack.

 

[TheR0v3r]

I picked up a used Shunyata Denali 6000s V2 and WOW.

That’s a nice power distributor, like REALLY nice. Congrats!

What power cables are you using with it?

 

[RHMMMM]

That’s a nice power distributor, like REALLY nice. Congrats!

What power cables are you using with it?

Thanks for the info, I may pick up some of those feet also. Shunyata XC from the wall, Nordost Tyr2 to the DAC, Valhalla 1 to the amp.

 

[maro73]

Hello folks
I just received the Pathos Inpol Ear
The set up will be as follows :
Source : Lumin U1 + Chord Dave M scaler : Xlr Output to the Inpol (Fitted with the DAC Board)
Some questions please :
The source is 15 m away : would you use Coax out from the Lumin to the Dac board of the Input or USB or Optical ?
In some pictures of the inPol , I saw a RJ 45 which is no longer in my headlamp ?
Any clue ?
Last but not least : no owner manual was sent to me , and the web site doesn't offer downloads ? Is there someone on the forum who has a downloaded version of the owners manual ?

Many thanks
Cheers

 

[TheR0v3r]

Hello folks
I just received the Pathos Inpol Ear
The set up will be as follows :
Source : Lumin U1 + Chord Dave M scaler : Xlr Output to the Inpol (Fitted with the DAC Board)
Some questions please :
The source is 15 m away : would you use Coax out from the Lumin to the Dac board of the Input or USB or Optical ?
In some pictures of the inPol , I saw a RJ 45 which is no longer in my headlamp ?
Any clue ?
Last but not least : no owner manual was sent to me , and the web site doesn't offer downloads ? Is there someone on the forum who has a downloaded version of the owners manual ?

Many thanks
Cheers

Congrats

Here’s a post with the manual:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/pathos-inpol-ear-headphone-amplifier.955244/post-16985942