I'm afraid I haven't built the WHAMMY, so I can't comment on how it sounds.
The HPA-1 has a discrete PSU and gain stages, using an opamp only for the DC servo, whereas the WHAMMY uses regulators in the PSU and opamps for the voltage gain stage. A discrete circuit, while more complex and costly, gives more opportunity for optimisation.
When you add in a case, transformer, large PCB, etc., the HPA-1 will be more costly. Possibly a lot more costly.
Cheers,
Jeff.
The HPA-1 has a discrete PSU and gain stages, using an opamp only for the DC servo, whereas the WHAMMY uses regulators in the PSU and opamps for the voltage gain stage. A discrete circuit, while more complex and costly, gives more opportunity for optimisation.
When you add in a case, transformer, large PCB, etc., the HPA-1 will be more costly. Possibly a lot more costly.
Cheers,
Jeff.
The E19 HPA board seemed to be a reject due to a host of problems. See my original thread on the topic.
E19 headphone amplifier board K2381 J407 MOSFET Yuanjing Audio
I would not recommend anyone to try it again. There are better offer on e-bay.
My latest mod is to up the supply rails to +/-18volt and replacing the output MOSFET using matched pair of RENESAS 2SK1058 2SJ162 from jackinnj.
Thanks for sharing your hard work, Jeff. The HPA-1 thread has been an interesting read and your casework is excellent.
Would you have the files for the front panel also? They look quite useful for other projects.
Thanks again!
Attachments
Hello everyone,
I apologize if this is the wrong place to ask but couldn't find proper thread for this question.
I currently have Amp I made based around OPA1688 and OPA1662, and want to make something more serious,
what are some recommendations, I have Sennheiser HD560s if that helps.
Thanks, and apologize again if this is wrong thread for this question.
I apologize if this is the wrong place to ask but couldn't find proper thread for this question.
I currently have Amp I made based around OPA1688 and OPA1662, and want to make something more serious,
what are some recommendations, I have Sennheiser HD560s if that helps.
Thanks, and apologize again if this is wrong thread for this question.
Try this one. Simple and sounds great. Can also drive small speakers. SE Class A single active (LU1014D or LD1014D - readily available genuines on AliExpress).
You can use halogen bulbs or resistors. It’s a fun amp to build.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/lufo-lite-a-1-transistor-se-class-a-headphone-amp.374760/
You can use halogen bulbs or resistors. It’s a fun amp to build.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/lufo-lite-a-1-transistor-se-class-a-headphone-amp.374760/
Haha, tell that to people who have a Pass F4, MoFo, etc. 
It’s a voltage buffer but a muscular one capable of great current. You don’t need much voltage gain on headphone amps. Your digital source or preamp is usually sufficient.
For demanding cans like HE6’s use a good preamp with higher output swing.
Your existing OPA1688 or OPA1622 will be perfect to drive the “buffer”.
Actually, I have a parallel 8x OPA1622 that drive 8ohm speakers at 11w.
What I have found to sound amazing is a E88CC buffer driving a TPA6020A2 Class AB. That’s about all the headphone amp anyone needs. It will get up to 2w into 32ohm loads. Beautiful harmonic profile at low THD.
It’s a voltage buffer but a muscular one capable of great current. You don’t need much voltage gain on headphone amps. Your digital source or preamp is usually sufficient.
For demanding cans like HE6’s use a good preamp with higher output swing.
Your existing OPA1688 or OPA1622 will be perfect to drive the “buffer”.
Actually, I have a parallel 8x OPA1622 that drive 8ohm speakers at 11w.
What I have found to sound amazing is a E88CC buffer driving a TPA6020A2 Class AB. That’s about all the headphone amp anyone needs. It will get up to 2w into 32ohm loads. Beautiful harmonic profile at low THD.
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A voltage buffer can only be a current amplifier and my "usual" smarphone needs a 3x voltage amp for my 250 ohms headphones...
Sennheiser hd560 is 120 ohms and might still need about 1.5x voltage amplification of the "usual" smarphone output...
Displaying unrequested knowledge as an answer to a different problem is irrelevant.
I bet that paradox 15 can read through your cheap talk...
E88cc can do greater things than just driving tpa6120...
Paralleling 8 opamps to drive a speaker instead of using just one to drive some bd139-bd140 pair ....
Sennheiser hd560 is 120 ohms and might still need about 1.5x voltage amplification of the "usual" smarphone output...
Displaying unrequested knowledge as an answer to a different problem is irrelevant.
I bet that paradox 15 can read through your cheap talk...
E88cc can do greater things than just driving tpa6120...
Paralleling 8 opamps to drive a speaker instead of using just one to drive some bd139-bd140 pair ....
I’m looking for a relatively easy to build amp for my HE6. I’ve been lurking here and other forums for weeks and it’s all very overwhelming to take it all in. I’m thinking a Camp Amp, F5 or F6, but may be way off. I just want a good amp that’ll power these power hungry headphones. I don’t mind buying a pre-amp to make the it work.
I can get a headphone amp that’ll drive it for $600+, but I like to build stuff and was hoping there’s options under $600 to build something that’ll outperform it.
I can get a headphone amp that’ll drive it for $600+, but I like to build stuff and was hoping there’s options under $600 to build something that’ll outperform it.
If you want a good HPA, there is always this project that retails for around $3,500 in commercial form, has won various awards, is Stereophile's standard HPA, etc.: https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/pass-hpa-1-what-do-we-know.300060/
In another thread someone is laying out out some new boards to make virtually the same HPA as his 3rd HPA project (with some input from Jam, who designed the original Pass HPA-1): https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/new-headphone-amplifier-design.376909/
If nothing else there is some interesting content to peruse. Makes for an exceptional HPA too. Not that expensive to diy; a good power transformer would probably be the most expensive part. But the HPA can work with a lesser power supply until maybe eventually a little more $$ are available to finish it up more like the original.
In another thread someone is laying out out some new boards to make virtually the same HPA as his 3rd HPA project (with some input from Jam, who designed the original Pass HPA-1): https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/new-headphone-amplifier-design.376909/
If nothing else there is some interesting content to peruse. Makes for an exceptional HPA too. Not that expensive to diy; a good power transformer would probably be the most expensive part. But the HPA can work with a lesser power supply until maybe eventually a little more $$ are available to finish it up more like the original.
Relax dude - I’m only offering ideas. If you don’t think it’s worthwhile that’s cool. But what’s with the “Paradox 15 can read through your cheap talk” comment?
Nelson Pass's DIY project called "ACA Mini" power amplifier might be a good choice to drive HE6 headphones. It's cheap (roughly USD 100 when you purchase the PCB & components yourself) because N.P. specifically designed it to use PCB mounted heatsinks. So the amp doesn't even need a chassis, and lots of DIYers have decided to use it without a chassis. It's meant to drive loudspeakers and will provide 5.5 watts into 8 ohms.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/diy-aca-mini.379037/
Link to builder photos, scroll to #494: https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/diy-aca-mini.379037/post-6906376
There's talk of eventually selling (PCB + kit of all parts) in the diyAudio Store someday but nobody knows when, and it's always later than you'd prefer. Always. There was a Group Buy for bare printed circuit boards a few weeks ago, now closed, but maybe you could request to be on a waiting list in case somebody drops out or fails to pay on time. Then you'd have the supreme joy of sourcing all the components yourself, during a worldwide supply shortage. On the other hand, plenty of optimistic DIYers decided to do exactly that, and entered the Group Buy with expectations of success and hobby enjoyment.
edit- whoops, forgot to mention: ACA Mini has a voltage gain of 5.7x , which equals +15.1 dB. The gain is set by a pair of resistors, which you as a DIYer could modify, and thereby achieve whatever gain you wish.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/diy-aca-mini.379037/
Link to builder photos, scroll to #494: https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/diy-aca-mini.379037/post-6906376
There's talk of eventually selling (PCB + kit of all parts) in the diyAudio Store someday but nobody knows when, and it's always later than you'd prefer. Always. There was a Group Buy for bare printed circuit boards a few weeks ago, now closed, but maybe you could request to be on a waiting list in case somebody drops out or fails to pay on time. Then you'd have the supreme joy of sourcing all the components yourself, during a worldwide supply shortage. On the other hand, plenty of optimistic DIYers decided to do exactly that, and entered the Group Buy with expectations of success and hobby enjoyment.
edit- whoops, forgot to mention: ACA Mini has a voltage gain of 5.7x , which equals +15.1 dB. The gain is set by a pair of resistors, which you as a DIYer could modify, and thereby achieve whatever gain you wish.
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This one should work well too:
Lineup´s 4W Class-A
I use it for my compression drivers with lower supply voltage and bias.
Any 20...30 watts/8ohms amp will drive the HE6...Just look for some good old time power amplifier...It's all you need.A 50watts class AB amp will usually drive its first 5 watts on 8 ohm in class A. Not sure how much will do on 25..32 ohms headphones, yet that's a fantastically lighter load than 8 ohms .You don't need anything fancy.If i was you I would've looked for a high quality 8 ohm power amp and there's plenty of them. Feel inspired by the guys driving their electrostatic headphones through step-up transformers or their 4 ohms Magnepan speakers with their 200watts Carver amps.Usually the best amplifiers of the 80's were 120...300watts/8ohms amplifiers and their distortions and signal to noise ratios at the nominal power would beat 90% of the today's fanciest headphones amplifiers at 100miliwatts .
Not sure that i should feel anything about all this talk around headphones amplifiers designed to drive headphones with lower sensitivity than my 8 ohms 1980's speakers...It's not the amplifiers that need to be changed...it's the headphones with a large pair of speakers .Yet i can understand that he6 is used to push warm air on people's eardrums so that is maybe why they are so appreciated...They're probably used to treat internal ear infections with hot air.
Not sure that i should feel anything about all this talk around headphones amplifiers designed to drive headphones with lower sensitivity than my 8 ohms 1980's speakers...It's not the amplifiers that need to be changed...it's the headphones with a large pair of speakers .Yet i can understand that he6 is used to push warm air on people's eardrums so that is maybe why they are so appreciated...They're probably used to treat internal ear infections with hot air.