Headphone amplifier Cary Audio HH1
The American company Cary Audio Design in the design model HH1 decided to take the best of both worlds, ie use hybrid circuitry. And, in fact, enhance the well-lamp voltage and transistors - current. In the end, even for high-load control is never superfluous. And when you consider that the manufacturer is fluent in both vacuum-tube and solid-state technologies, then apply them in a single device was quite logical.
Input stages HH1 built on double triodes 6922EH Russian production. Followed by the driver transistor balanced, and after it is already included push-pull output stages powerful complementary pairs MJE15032G/15033G. The signal at the output is fed through the relay contacts, which provides a delay when the amplifier, as well as breaks the load when a DC voltage at the output.
Much attention is paid to nutrition. Most of the housing is occupied by a toroidal transformer and three discrete stabilizer with powerful regulatory transistors. In smoothing filters use high-quality capacitors Panasonic FM. Volume Control - popular with progressive Homebrew potentiometer ALPS RK27. In general, the device is made by the ideology of advanced power amplifier version of Light.
When the lights start flashing ring network buttons, 40 seconds in the relay clicks and power goes to the operating mode. But this theory, in fact it is better for an hour to warm up to "the voice went into" elements of a sound path.
HH1 tested with two types of headphones - 300-ohm Sennheiser HD 580 and Philips Fidelo X1 impedance 30 ohms. Both have high sensitivity, wide working range and low distortion.
We start with the Sennheiser HD 580. The first thing to note - the complete absence of any noise or background with shorted inputs. And this, by the way, with sensitive headphones and lights at the entrance. Sound as a whole neutral, with a rich middle, but slightly weakened the upper range. Vocals gorgeous - relief, rich tone, perfectly articulated. Lowercase extremely informative without monotony, with clearly readable structure. Character play like an expensive monitor kit - mathematically accurate, but somehow detached, without a "spark". That is valuable - all properties are maintained at any volume. No distortion, no compression or color, margin dynamics enormous.
Go to the 30-ohm Fidelo X1. This is something - the sound appears drive, bass literally untied noticeably cleaned by the upper range. This variant is easily recommended to fans of rock and other genres emotionally charged. However, it is very noticeable sibilance on some recordings even too. Amplifier, being completely transparent in itself, tends to emphasize the features of the other elements of the tract. Therefore, the formation of an individual system is better to start with HH1, let alone under it to pick up the headphones and cables. The result can please even the most discerning audiophile.
