Finally someone that talks about audio quality on headphones and not only the power. I own two of this AMP and over 20 headphones. The only thing I complain is the lack of front panel on/off button and not gain switch at the front. Why not installing a gain selector at the front during production line working only when the jumpers are installed. It would make such a difference. We should all write to emotiva. ;-)
Thank you. I just started this channel, 4 months ago, so I'm not very well known yet. My subscriber list, and number of views are steadily growing, so maybe with some hard work, I will someday get there?
This amp in high power is an awesome value. It has the most power for a headphone under a grand. My former Schiit audio magni 3 only put out 430mw/300 ohms. There was almost nothing at 300 ohms they drove correctly. I ended up with a valhalla 2 that is just over 800mw/300 and has plenty. That being said: The emotiva costs less and has more power.
William - Excellent review with valuable comparisons!!! I wonder if a volume pot replacement on the Emotiva could give it a better range for controlling headphone loudness. I LOVE the gain switch suggestion too! (Videography suggestion: Sit a little further away from the camera and you will get less wide angle distortion of your face.)
You could probably get some old PC jumpers and rig them with different resistors or even an adjustable resistor pod . That would act as a variable gain or gain jumpers with different resistors if in fact it outputs straight from speaker terminals to headphone out . Just thought I'd throw that idea out to you guys . It would actually be easy to do if there's enough room in the jumper cavity .
William my hifiman 4xx's want power would it be Overkill with jumpers installed if not this amp seems to be a no brainier for other power hungry headphones down the road thanks for the great reviews 👍👍
When using this with the jumpers on 50w via headphones do you require Special setting via ROON like -10 db when using it? I already own it and just bought a pair of DT 880 pro 600ohm version per ZIOS. If all goes well I will buy the Argon T50RP & the newer T60RP Argon version as well. I'm getting the DT 880 this week .
@@theheadphoneexperience-wil2250 Thank you for the reply I will be using it with my Chord Dave then BasX to the DT 880. I was thinking about the T1 V2 model but not sure if I will like the treble on them. I tried the 560 V2 a couple of years ago but with a Questyle cma 600i and I didn't like the treble on them, but now it was definitely because lack of power to them. So do the 560 treble sound like the T1?
Great review, William! Actually I'm looking for a real powerful amp for my HE 560 and the "heddphone". Looking at the price tag this piece seems amazing - but the milo from wells even seems better. Is the much higher price of the milo justified compared to the emotiva? Best regards!! Michael
I've compared the two side by side. The Emotiva can compete with the Milo in clean power output. Although the Milo is much more refined. The volume control on the milo is so much better, and easier to make small adjustments. As far as sound, the Emotiva will take the HE560 to 90%. The Milo to 100%
@@theheadphoneexperience-wil2250 Thank you, that was really helpful. I'm a fanatic for a deep soundstage and excellent layering. How do they differ in these areas?
@@delicate_hifi The Milo is better in every way, but there is a huge price difference. The Milo I reviewed was $2250.00, or almost 10 times the price of the Emotiva. The Milo does have one issue. It does not have a gain switch, and it does not work well with high efficiency headphones. You will hear a slight hiss. With anything as hard, or harder to drive than the Hifiman Sundara, the background will be dead silent on the Milo. The Milo works exceptionally well with hard to drive headphones. It made the Arya sound the best I had ever heard it.
@@theheadphoneexperience-wil2250 Thanks again, William! Hiss wouldn't be a problem as most of my headphones are hard to drive, but looking at the price tag I guess I go with the Emotiva and will look for a good dac with the money saved.
I was thinking of getting one for the Sundaras but held back on it cause I also thought it was gonna be overkill . With the jumpers off the 200mw of power just will not do but with the jumpers I probably will destroy these . Does it have any kind of turn on / off thump ? That in itself would kill headphones . Nice review though .
I have several hours running Sundara's on this amp. They sound great, but I wouldn't run the volume knob past 9 o'clock. They are getting pretty loud at that point. Besides, mine are on loan, so I have to be careful with them.
Please tell me is the EMOTIVA is powerful enough to drive the KEFs R300 or I should go for q100/300 ?? And is this good combo or marantz 6006 better than EMOTIVA! Thank! 🙏 Regards Dan
Turns out this thing and other Emotiva products don't actually measure well. Unless you just need a stupid amount of power for headphones and thats it, not worried about fidelity. I'd look for something else. www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/emotiva-basx-a-100-review-stereo-amplifier.20644/
That's really a bummer. I learned it today after using it with the DT 880 600 ohm for a year, and while it does get loud enough and no distorsion because of the 600 ohm of the headphone, there could be more improvements to the sound and clarity. In all cases I find myself being fatigued of the sibilance of the 880s that even EQ + low volume listening didn't fix that I'm probably gonna sell it. Well I guess I can sell these two bundled together for a pretty high price, I'm really interested in the Sundara recently.
@@trixniisama I'd go for the Topping A30 Pro now. AudioScienceReview gave it an outstanding review amd rather affordable. Oh and its got loads of clean power.
Finally someone that talks about audio quality on headphones and not only the power. I own two of this AMP and over 20 headphones. The only thing I complain is the lack of front panel on/off button and not gain switch at the front. Why not installing a gain selector at the front during production line working only when the jumpers are installed. It would make such a difference. We should all write to emotiva. ;-)
When added to the Emotiva PT-100 preamp/DAC/tuner, the A-100 Flex amp is a wonderful amp for both speakers and headphones.
underrated channel
I suscribed, thanks for your vids, it's very informative
Thank you. I just started this channel, 4 months ago, so I'm not very well known yet. My subscriber list, and number of views are steadily growing, so maybe with some hard work, I will someday get there?
This amp in high power is an awesome value. It has the most power for a headphone under a grand. My former Schiit audio magni 3 only put out 430mw/300 ohms. There was almost nothing at 300 ohms they drove correctly. I ended up with a valhalla 2 that is just over 800mw/300 and has plenty. That being said: The emotiva costs less and has more power.
William - Excellent review with valuable comparisons!!! I wonder if a volume pot replacement on the Emotiva could give it a better range for controlling headphone loudness. I LOVE the gain switch suggestion too! (Videography suggestion: Sit a little further away from the camera and you will get less wide angle distortion of your face.)
After setting up, I think I leaned forward in my chair. I'm still new at this, and trying to work out the details.
You could probably get some old PC jumpers and rig them with different resistors or even an adjustable resistor pod . That would act as a variable gain or gain jumpers with different resistors if in fact it outputs straight from speaker terminals to headphone out . Just thought I'd throw that idea out to you guys . It would actually be easy to do if there's enough room in the jumper cavity .
William my hifiman 4xx's want power would it be Overkill with jumpers installed if not this amp seems to be a no brainier for other power hungry headphones down the road thanks for the great reviews 👍👍
Great review! With gain switch people would destroy their headphones unintentionally I guess. ))
When using this with the jumpers on 50w via headphones do you require Special setting via ROON like -10 db when using it? I already own it and just bought a pair of DT 880 pro 600ohm version per ZIOS. If all goes well I will buy the Argon T50RP & the newer T60RP Argon version as well. I'm getting the DT 880 this week .
When using the A-100 with jumpers installed. My source was a Benchmark DAC1, at full line level output. It worked well with the 600 ohm T1 2nd gen.
@@theheadphoneexperience-wil2250 Thank you for the reply I will be using it with my Chord Dave then BasX to the DT 880. I was thinking about the T1 V2 model but not sure if I will like the treble on them. I tried the 560 V2 a couple of years ago but with a Questyle cma 600i and I didn't like the treble on them, but now it was definitely because lack of power to them. So do the 560 treble sound like the T1?
Great review, William! Actually I'm looking for a real powerful amp for my HE 560 and the "heddphone". Looking at the price tag this piece seems amazing - but the milo from wells even seems better. Is the much higher price of the milo justified compared to the emotiva? Best regards!! Michael
I've compared the two side by side. The Emotiva can compete with the Milo in clean power output. Although the Milo is much more refined. The volume control on the milo is so much better, and easier to make small adjustments. As far as sound, the Emotiva will take the HE560 to 90%. The Milo to 100%
@@theheadphoneexperience-wil2250 Thank you, that was really helpful. I'm a fanatic for a deep soundstage and excellent layering. How do they differ in these areas?
@@delicate_hifi The Milo is better in every way, but there is a huge price difference. The Milo I reviewed was $2250.00, or almost 10 times the price of the Emotiva. The Milo does have one issue. It does not have a gain switch, and it does not work well with high efficiency headphones. You will hear a slight hiss. With anything as hard, or harder to drive than the Hifiman Sundara, the background will be dead silent on the Milo. The Milo works exceptionally well with hard to drive headphones. It made the Arya sound the best I had ever heard it.
@@theheadphoneexperience-wil2250 Thanks again, William! Hiss wouldn't be a problem as most of my headphones are hard to drive, but looking at the price tag I guess I go with the Emotiva and will look for a good dac with the money saved.
@@theheadphoneexperience-wil2250 My last concern is the blower/ventilation inside the Emotiva. Is it loud or annoying in any way? Best regards!
I was thinking of getting one for the Sundaras but held back on it cause I also thought it was gonna be overkill . With the jumpers off the 200mw of power just will not do but with the jumpers I probably will destroy these . Does it have any kind of turn on / off thump ? That in itself would kill headphones . Nice review though .
I have several hours running Sundara's on this amp. They sound great, but I wouldn't run the volume knob past 9 o'clock. They are getting pretty loud at that point. Besides, mine are on loan, so I have to be careful with them.
If the volume is turned down, there is no sound in the headphones when turning the amp on, or off. Just a tiny click inside the amp.
so will this power the akg k1000 fine?
Please tell me is the EMOTIVA is powerful enough to drive the KEFs R300 or I should go for q100/300 ?? And is this good combo or marantz 6006 better than EMOTIVA! Thank! 🙏
Regards
Dan
Yes it has the power
Turns out this thing and other Emotiva products don't actually measure well. Unless you just need a stupid amount of power for headphones and thats it, not worried about fidelity. I'd look for something else.
www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/emotiva-basx-a-100-review-stereo-amplifier.20644/
That's really a bummer. I learned it today after using it with the DT 880 600 ohm for a year, and while it does get loud enough and no distorsion because of the 600 ohm of the headphone, there could be more improvements to the sound and clarity. In all cases I find myself being fatigued of the sibilance of the 880s that even EQ + low volume listening didn't fix that I'm probably gonna sell it.
Well I guess I can sell these two bundled together for a pretty high price, I'm really interested in the Sundara recently.
@@trixniisama I'd go for the Topping A30 Pro now. AudioScienceReview gave it an outstanding review amd rather affordable. Oh and its got loads of clean power.