Hello, I want to build the F5 turbo v2 to drive my HE6SE (waiting delivery from HIFIMAN), but I have only experience in soldering cables for headphones. I’m very careful and precise in my work, but I’m still unsure about jumping on this DIY build as my first project.
Reason I want to build the F5 turbo is that I already have a Topping A90 and readings from forums make me think I need a speaker amplifier. The A90 delivers 4.8W to 50 Ohm, and following the chart listed on DIY-Audio-Heaven and recommendations of up to 16W to 50 Ohm from other forums, I think the 50W from F5 turbo v2 to reach 8W to 50 Ohm is bare minimum for reaching a Profound improvement in sound quality.
Some people say 10W (8 Ohm) Class A (First watt F1) works like magic with the HE6SE but I don’t understand why? 10W according to DIY-AUDIO-HEAVEN is 1.6W in 50 Ohm.
English is not my first language so please ask if anything is not making sense.
EDIT: Maybe posted this in the wrong forum section? If so please move in moderators
Reason I want to build the F5 turbo is that I already have a Topping A90 and readings from forums make me think I need a speaker amplifier. The A90 delivers 4.8W to 50 Ohm, and following the chart listed on DIY-Audio-Heaven and recommendations of up to 16W to 50 Ohm from other forums, I think the 50W from F5 turbo v2 to reach 8W to 50 Ohm is bare minimum for reaching a Profound improvement in sound quality.
Some people say 10W (8 Ohm) Class A (First watt F1) works like magic with the HE6SE but I don’t understand why? 10W according to DIY-AUDIO-HEAVEN is 1.6W in 50 Ohm.
English is not my first language so please ask if anything is not making sense.
EDIT: Maybe posted this in the wrong forum section? If so please move in moderators
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The earliest (1928) research on good home loudspeakers suggested using a whole Watt of audio power. (That was a lot back then.) The 1-Watt level persisted through most of the home radios in my life. Recent price trends make a couple Watts affordable for "basic home sound".
Hi-Fi enthusiasts tend to play loud, be critical of slight distortion, may use insensitive speakers if they sound "better", and are willing to pay for "more". Hi-Fi historically runs 10 Watts to 100 Watts (and more and less of course).
I have often run 20 Watt and even 600 Watt amplifiers at less than one Watt, for soft music in the night.
High-power amplifiers are not always as "sweet" as the best low-power amplifiers. (Of course there are sour amplifiers at all sizes.)
Headphones historically need about 1/1000th the power of loudspeakers (they are at least 30 times closer to the ear, 30^2 is 1000). The A90's 5 Watts in a "headphone" amplifier is very-very-very-very generous. You can afford to do this at headphone powers. The equivalent 4,800 Watts in loudspeakers would blow-out my house wiring, except I could not afford it.
Just because an amplifier makes 5 Watts in 50 Ohms does not mean it is happy driving 8 Ohms (unless the maker says it is). It could cut-out or over-heat. While you "can" use the same amplifier for loudspeakers or headphones, generally we use different amplifiers.
The F5 is a known-good amplifier with enough power for many listening needs. Unless you only play heavy-metal Rock at police-calling volume, I am sure you will enjoy it for many sessions.
Hi-Fi enthusiasts tend to play loud, be critical of slight distortion, may use insensitive speakers if they sound "better", and are willing to pay for "more". Hi-Fi historically runs 10 Watts to 100 Watts (and more and less of course).
I have often run 20 Watt and even 600 Watt amplifiers at less than one Watt, for soft music in the night.
High-power amplifiers are not always as "sweet" as the best low-power amplifiers. (Of course there are sour amplifiers at all sizes.)
Headphones historically need about 1/1000th the power of loudspeakers (they are at least 30 times closer to the ear, 30^2 is 1000). The A90's 5 Watts in a "headphone" amplifier is very-very-very-very generous. You can afford to do this at headphone powers. The equivalent 4,800 Watts in loudspeakers would blow-out my house wiring, except I could not afford it.
Just because an amplifier makes 5 Watts in 50 Ohms does not mean it is happy driving 8 Ohms (unless the maker says it is). It could cut-out or over-heat. While you "can" use the same amplifier for loudspeakers or headphones, generally we use different amplifiers.
The F5 is a known-good amplifier with enough power for many listening needs. Unless you only play heavy-metal Rock at police-calling volume, I am sure you will enjoy it for many sessions.