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In Reply to: RE: Hafler HA-75 posted by Dawnrazor on August 08, 2019 at 19:44:45
Hafler released the Hafler HA-15 Solid State Headphone Amplifier about the same time as the HA-75 (Tube).
I read a review praising it and the HA-75 together. It retailed for $449.00 and seems sold out/discontinued.
Anyone own or heard the HA-15?
Follow Ups:
I've owned the HA15 for six months. I use it with Beyerdynamic DT 1990 and Grado GH4 headphones. IMO, it brings out the best in both: powerful, tonally neutral, fast transients, highly transparent.- The "Focus" (i.e. crossfeed) feature is fantastic with some recordings.
- The second headphone jack is nice if you have two sets of headphones with similar sensitivities.
- Balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA inputs, and a pair of RCA outputs for pass-through. The RCA out doesn't go through the Hafler circuits at all. In fact the HA15 doesn't need to even be running to use the RCA outs.It's a bit too sensitive for the 32-ohm Grados, the volume pot stays below 9:00 unless you turn down the source level. It runs around 11:00 with the 250-ohm 104dB DT 1990, so lots left for less efficient headphones.
Edits: 05/01/20 05/01/20 05/01/20
Cool report. Thanks for chiming in. Seems one difference with the ha-75 is that there is a pass through RCA out and also a pre out if you want to get some of that tube sound to other stuff.
I really like my 75 and it sounds like you like your 15 alot as well.
I use one of the headphone outs for the right channel and one for the left. Not sure it makes any differnce since the grounds are tied but the short version is that I was already set up like this in the past so it was somewhat easy to adapt. I did change a solder connection on one channel so it would work.
Cut to razor sounding violins
Hey DR,
Apologies for busting into this thread with off topic stuff.
Received the BBE Sonic Max about 3 weeks ago and now have about 80 hours on it.
This thing really ups my enjoyment of the music I play here! Most of the time, I have the left knob set between 12 & 1 O'clock and the right hand knob set at 1 O'clock, with the amp. vol control set between 9 & 10 O'clock. Full, tuneful, solid, and well defined bass!!! I just can't get this with eq or vol control.
I wonder how this piece would be on a speaker system?..Anyway, thank you for the heads-up!!!
Take care and stay safe!!!!!
HA! Now I have it in writing. Dawnrazor is NOT crazy or losing it!!!
I am sooo glad you dig it. Man I was skeptical that a cheap piece in between the dac and amp would do more than mess things up. But damn man I can't live without it!!
I have the Lo Contour set to 1pm and the Process knob at 12pm. I rarely touch them but its nice to have that kind of control for some recordings.
The question I had was "would this work for headphones?" since its actually designed for speakers. So no worries there...but it works great on speakers.
It has really changed my audio goals. Was solidly in the purist don't process the signal camp and now total 180.
One thing that it allows me to do is that I modded the headphones (much like my maggies) to be over damped. The bass is reduced but the clarity is increased. With the BBE and the VOX switch on the Hafler I can bring up the bass to compensate and get extension AND resolution. Its a revelation.
Always wanting to improve I looked into things. BBE makes a higher end model where you can adjust channels independently but that is most likely for the studio. I can't see in a stereo system where one would ever get the left and right channels balanced the same. Also someone on the Planar asylum mention that Aphex had a similar product and that they were much better, etc. It appears that product is disconnected.
I describe the difference as imagine you are at a club and the band is playing on stage but the lights arent on. Engaging the BBE is like turning on the lights.... you can now see (hear) sooo much more.
You nailed it man, no eq or volume control will do what this thing does and at $130 its value ratio is obscene. The dough it will save me chasing perfection when its often just a knob turn away....
And fwiw I have been thinking about getting some Sen HD600 or 650 or probably the 660s. But always stopped because the bass is not what I get with planars. Well if I lowered the bass extension by over damping things and the BBE brought it back maybe a pair of Senns would respond the same?
May be worth an experiment...but man I need soundstage.
So glad it is working out for you dude.
Cut to razor sounding violins
DR,
What you say about turning on the lights is exactly correct!!!!
Funny thing, I had my younger son come over to have a listen with his cans and he asked to borrow the Max. I told him NO, but I would get him one. I don't want to be without it, even for a short time!!!..LOL...
Oh, and for the rca version, it's only 100 bananas....
LMAO. You know its good when you will pay dough to not be without it!
IMHO its like the biggest improvement for $100 I can think of. Way off the charts for value.
As you said, way more than an eq. Mine now has hat envy...
Cut to razor sounding violins
"When you will pay dough to not be without it"...Good point!!!..It went right over my head when i wrote it..hahahaha
Hat envy!!!!!...Too funny!!!!..Maybe I can find a hat for your Max!!!
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