Enjoy the read!
Depending on the headphones but it can be really good and it can be just ok. It’s better than a lot of other amps but I wouldn’t get it focused on non estat as its value plummets.
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Imo the 007tii is a non-starter with the 007 mk2. Simply 0 bass control at all
Would agree to some extent, that being said I’d rather have that over some of the sub1k options that exist aside from a transformer lol. I do think it comes down as well to the tubes inside although that can only do so much. There’s really not many cheap ways to drive a 007 to a satisfactory manner for bass control imo, I think that’s something you just kinda universally have to concede on and at least focus on other aspects when it comes to this price point. I do think the 727 or 717 is the way to go and mainly what I was suggesting for the price point, but again as mentioned in the previous post it’s still going to be a decent compromise. But really just pony up and grab a kgsshv bare minimum imo
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Imo z10e realy walks away here being a solid technical step above the rest while also enhancing the real standouts of l700 (it’s wild ass staging)
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Would agree, would much rather take a z10e over a carbon with something like the l700. I think the carbon really only shines in comparison to other options with something like a 007 which really benefits from it’s heavy handed lower end control that other stax don’t seem to need as much (can sometimes come off as overdamped on other stax imo)
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What is a good amplifier in the 2k range that can run planar headphones? (like the rad-0)
I was thinking of the burson 3x gt, but I already had it before and I remember being unimpressed by it. Would the OOR/Hypsos still be my best option in that range? My dacs are all SE, if that matters, and my current amp is the GS-X Mini.
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Hello,
I find the Audio Technica AT-BHA100 quite interesting, but 4 ecc83 nos tubes can quickly become expensive.
The Vincent khv 200 doesn’t look bad, but you would have to see what the availability of tubes is like.
Spontaneously there is the woo Audio fire fleece and maybe the Monolith liquid platinium.
The latter will probably be in the top 3 of all of them.
Cayin ha 3A could possibly drive it, but we’re talking about a set of amplifiers.
I personally think that a hybrid amplifier is better for planar headphones.
Because they deliver a good bass due to the SS amplification and the mids and highs can be controlled more by the tubes.
Alternatively, there is something on custom construction where you can go for tubes that are common like 6sn7,6922,12au/at/ax7 and so on.
I talked to somebody a couple months back that had the same issue you had. He was looking for a amp to run planars like the RAD-0. The amps he tried was things like the Bryston BHA-1 and he wasn’t really satisfied with it so he was looking for another SS amp, so you can cross that off your list, but YMMV from his so who knows.
But there is a interesting SS amp right now in the used market that everyone keep calling it a “unicorn”. The previous owner from that seller had a Hifiman HE-5(I think) modded X. Planars like the D8K Pro, 4z, LFF Code X, Diana V2.
SS amp people keep calling it a “unicorn”: Cembalo Labs Spring 1 (RARE AMPLIFIER) | Headphone Reviews and Discussion - Head-Fi.org
Original seller for more information: Sold: Cembalo Labs Spring 1 - Rare Unicorn Amp | Headphone Reviews and Discussion - Head-Fi.org
All drove planars great in this house:
Gsx mini
Ifi ican signature
Woo WA22
Ferrum Oor with hypsos
CFA3
And maybe the BHA-1 and some of the violectric as well can be considered.
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The BHA-1 was great with planar headphones like D8K Pro LE and the Caldera, but can it drive something difficult like the RAD-0?
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Pass HPA-1 in addition to what @orrman mentioned. Bryston can drive the Rad-0 well, it enhances the already warmer signature of the Rad.
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Yes, Bryston has plenty of juice so long as one uses the XLR output. Problem is many who try don’t realize that using the 1/4” output only uses half the amp as it’s a dual mono design so half the power output.
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That makes more sense, appreciate the explanation!
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For around 2k ish new that I’d personally consider that can generally drive most planar well enough excluding synergy:
gsx mini/mk2
v550
bha-1
ferrum oor+hypsos
cayin ha6a
woo wa22
Quicksilver headphone amp
2k ish used:
pass hpa-1
liquid crimson (gold if you’re lucky)
mass kobo 433 (if you’re lucky)
moon 430 ha
luxman p750u
cayin ha300
xi formula s (with powerman if your lucky)
woo wa5le
allnic hpa3000gt
modwright tryst
a&s mogwai se
and so on
Really planar headphones span quite a range of needs for driveability, it would end up coming down to synergy more which would rule out and potentially add more options depending on the headphone, there’s a massive difference in what you can use to drive a d8kp vs susvara or what have you, would all come down to the headphones at hand
I don’t really remember the rad0 being all that picky about what drives it, but I also never really gave it the chance to figure out what worked well and what didn’t (at least for me personally), so can’t comment there, I’d probably look around and see what people are using to drive that specific headphone rather than just getting an amp that’s on average going to do decently well with a more wide range of planar but may or may not have good synergy with your headphone and dac
Speaking of that, it’s another thing to consider, you’re also going to want to match the amp to the dac correctly as well, with some amps being a fair bit more picky on that than others
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What specificaly didn’t you like about the GT? You could probabaly go mass kobo 433 given how easy rad are to run fwiw
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RAD-0 is actually quite easy to drive. Maybe your friend didn’t feel like it had synergy with the Bryston, since the RAD-0 has a warm signature and perhaps the Bryston made it too warm for him?
It’s been a while since I tried the Bryston but I thought the Pass HPA-1 worked well with both the RAD-0 and Caldera, for my preferences at least.
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Maybe, all he told me when he was looking for a new SS amp after trying the BHA-1 was, “I currently have a RAD-0 and it has been a challenging match up with amps, does good but want a bit more out of it.” Honestly, I think he just don’t like the RAD-0 since he is still struggling to find a amp with it.
Edit: I will ask him if he ever found a amp for his RAD-0
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Ok, sorry I should’ve just done this in the first place. So his reply on finding the RAD-0 synergy on a amp is the below comment. I gave it a quick read, but he likes the Pass HPA-1 the best with the RAD-0.
Per the RAD-0 owner I have been talking with:
“I had a few of my amps on the road loaned out, and they are now back so been using the Pass HPA-1 as that was the best synergy with the RAD. Gave them the energy they needed to not sound slow and lazy, as I mentioned before my Bryston is not bad with them and gives a completely different presentation than the Pass. Bryston is wider and warmer, but less height/depth so like an oval shape. Pass is tighter with balanced width and height, some may interpret this as a small soundstage but its not, it is more intimate because it is more of a circle shape than oval. I also have a TT2 which is an AIO, and it is great off that too but I don’t always want to use the Chord dac when running my kit because it is in another room.
Hope that helps for your friend, I have friends who also own the RAD been successful running a Vioelectric amps, some of the older models like the V281 and V280 which are identical in sound but have different feature sets. Another option for your friend while not truly solid state would be a hybrid amp. Oh there is one more, and this may sound ridiculous but honest to god is a great value and good match for planar and the Rad, Liquid Gold X; https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o…mplifier-from-monoprice-by-alex-cavalli.8287/”.
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Just a quick heads up, I found the V281 had fairly mediocre synergy with rad. I pretty greatly prefer the V550 with rad over it just due to signature.
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It sounded too rough and unpolished. It basically sounded “sharp” in the wrong way.
I was thinking of getting an MZ3, but I remember talking to someone here who didn’t like the pairing (Rad-0 with the MZ3). It seems like the MZ3 doesn’t have enough power for planars.
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