My recently finished reference headphone amplifier

[sachi]

Just finished my reference headphone amplifier which was designed by Alex Cavalli of Cavalli Audio.

It is called the Stacker 2, a hybrid headphone amplifier.

Currently running 6CG7s on them, have a pair of Mazda aand RCA clear tops on the way.

Amp can be configured to run both 6.3 and 12.6 volt tubes, octal and noval..a tube roller's dream. The amp has a switch on the front panel to use as a preamplifier if need be.

WIll be installing a loop out so i can the same source with two different amplifiers.

Cheers,
Sachi

 

[kaushik]

Simply beautiful i can guess the sound too will be!

How much damage?

Someday i also wish:beer: to do some reference grade equipments.

 

[heliumflight]

That is indeed a pleasant site!

--
helium
Amp: Lyrita SET 2A3
Speakers: Vintage B&W DM4
Source: LG DVD + Beresford DAC
Cables: Lyrita's I.C & cables

 

[vinod_david]

Very nice.

 

[spirovious]

Very good work,it looks HP also made according to amp

 

[sachi]

Very good work,it looks HP also made according to amp

haha..indeed sir..albeit it wasn't planned i promie you. It just kinda happened.

THanks for all the kind words.
The headphones were made for me by a friend. They are basically drivers taken from a Fostex T50Rp orthodynamic headphones and put into cups made from an Afzelia burl.


Kaushik, the amp cost me about 800-900$ i think, haven't kept a proper account on it. Just received sockets for the buffer transistors so I can roll some NOS toshibas and Sanyos.

 

[spirovious]

The headphones were made for me by a friend. They are basically drivers taken from a Fostex T50Rp orthodynamic headphones and put into cups made from an Afzelia burl.
.

How much is cost of HP?
How do you rate SQ compared to other poppular HP?

 

[sachi]

How much is cost of HP?
How do you rate SQ compared to other poppular HP?

The cost of the headphone was 70$ new + 70 for the pair of used tax Omega 2 pads, rest were all bits and pieces that my friend didn't charge me for...but to me its value is priceless

Regarding the sound quality compared to popular headphones, other than probably the Stax Omega 2 driven by a high end amp like the BHSE, i'd be hard pressed to find a headphone that can compete with this.

It has some flaws, as in its not the most balanced headphone i've heard/own but its strengths completely over shadow them.


My honest suggestion for anyone getting into serious headphone listening is to pick up a pair of vintage orthodynamic headphones which range from 30-1000$ on ebay. There is a lot of fun to be had from them.

 

[spirovious]

Thanks for info,

I m using Senshier HD202 which is VFM(Rs.1600)not the best though.

 

[gurubhai]

Wow! that setup is pure awesomeness.

@Sachi : How does the stacker compare to other heavyweights like EHHA & beta22.

I have been looking for a decent orthodynamic headphone to match my modded HD580 on ebay for quite some time now. But a decent deal which the seller is willing to ship to India, is hard to come by.

 

[sachi]

Booyah!! :yahoo:

My EHHA is finally reborn..yet again!! Am done working on it ..not gonna mess with it ever. I've lost count on how many times i've rebuilt this thing.

Alex, has designed some friggin tough PCBs..hats off to him.

I am finally able to listen to sweet music from my beloved EHHA. hyeah:

Good thing I didn't give up and trash the boards as planned

Now for the money shot

p.s: Thanks for all the kind words guys.

 

[sachi]

Final pics of the EHHA..

she's all done now..replaced the fried mills with dale MIL spec non inductive resistors i picked up locally for small change.

Top panel in and set..no more touching the EHHA.

 

[bhanja_trinanjan]

Get a HD800 to complement that amp!

 

[sachi]

Get a HD800 to complement that amp!

haha..didn't really care for it when i heard it ..but that was under meet conditions..as it so happens a local HFier is dropping in tomorrow with his HD800 to listen on my Stacker and EHHA..should be interesting.:indifferent14:

 

[GeorgeO]

Looks very impressive..

George

 

[sachi]

Looks very impressive..

George

Thanks!!..she is my pride and joy (and sweat and tears )However, the stacker is better. The EHHA does sound amazing with lots more power than the stacker and is perfect for my 40 year old pair of Wharfedale ID1 Isodynamics (the progenesis for all orthos as we know it)

 

[sachi]

So HF user, myk7000 was here with his HD800...as expected..stacker beat out the EHHA convincingly..but then again it was the stacker that the ehha was up against

Personally, felt the HD800 was fluid, effortless across the freq spectrum, but a bit too clinical for my tastes.
Preferred my Thunderpants for overall musicality, preferred my ID1 as well over the HD800 musicality wise. The HD800 was however the better headphone otherwise with its superiority showing in the soundstaging and imaging. the placement of instruments was impeccable on it. Felt a little light on the bottom end compared to the orthos and the midrange was'nt involving as the orthos (biggest thing for me).

 

[gurubhai]

you got too many orthos. Sell some.

 

[sachi]

you got too many orthos. Sell some.

Nevar!!! Everytime I try to sell one of my orthos i make the mistake of listening to it before putting up the ad and sigh..the result is they go back into the storage box. FOr the price I'd sell them , they sound too darn good. I had this happen to me just yesterday when I was contemplating putting my third and last pair of Yamaha HP-50 for sale. But the time spent in perfecting the damping, the recabling, its just not worth selling it. ANd did I mention they sound awesome!! :yahoo:

Well, I am about to welcome yet another ortho into my inventory..This time its yet another thunderpants...Kingwood cups, with removable baffle so should be interesting modding this particular thunderpants.
Considering that among the 5 headphones, I use my thunderpants the most, can't wait to welcome this newest thunderpants into the fold hyeah:

 

[srikarkav]

Hi,
Looks like a gadget from another planet!! Awesome!

cheers,
sri