I've lived for years with proper balanced equipment, while working in local Radio-station. So, with that experience, my stance is that pursuing "balanced" is fully justified only if going balanced all the way - means that all imprtant sources must be balanced
that means - properly balanced in concept and construction, not as majority of nowadays thingies are - inherently SE with some additional gizmo patch-like stage , put there just to add inverted phase
and - also taking in account that one really prefers THD Spectra naturally resulting from balanced - pretty much non-existing 2nd harmonic and existing 3rd (all even, all odds, same logic)
though, I had some success in forcing bridged gadgets to have dominant 2nd, but that's certainly exception from rule
of course, one is always welcome to buy Papa's **.8 amp, or even XS Amp, and enjoy all blessings which deliberately spoiled symmetry can bring
btw. I promised "small" Babelfish XJ iteration to try soon, even have FE pcbs made, and that one should be same way 2nd dominant as first (big) iteration
problem - my twin was never born
This is hitting all around on a thread I want to begin, and have thought about for some time. Most of it sprung out wanting balanced BA3. I thought BBA3 would be my end all (yeah, right) amp build, but brain will not stop thinking....While I like the idea, well balanced cancels out the harmonic distortion, which would include H2 right?
Perhaps " Spoiled symmetry" (and P3) is the answer here for BBA3. Then I thought, Well instead of Balanced, maybe cascode front end, raise rails, increase pairs of output devices and go that way.
Other thoughts (suggested by another member) would be BBA3 but altering gain, adding feedback and a few other tricks. As usual, I have not enough knowledge (or measuring where with all) to proceed. (or at least learn to do sims...)
If I had disposable income sufficient to just go buy a Pass Labs amp, I like the idea of 30.8. Plenty of power, and at least reviews indicate the flavor I am looking for? Seems like your description of "spoiled symmetry? Well, I cant rush out and buy that sadly, but gladly, I can continue to build here.
So, balanced doesnt necessarily mean "no 2nd harmonic pleasure" then? As popular as 2nd harmonic is around here and as many balanced/X'd amps as there are around here, I'm guessing I shouldnt be worried.
Trying to pick a lane, (balanced or more rail and output devices...and heat)
TIA,
russellc
My second idea, would only be about 30 watts, but allegedly very conservative and lots of peak power. I'm in way over my head, at the minimum I need to learn to do spice sims.
I can follow directions and build these clones ok, but this idea requires know how I dont have. Would love to imitate something like 30.8 as close as possible, but wouldnt we all! Following directions just gets you so far, and they arent available for this amp, more knowledge is needed or the door is closed.
First things first, attempt to learn spice and get this 2i2 and REW thing going, put off long enough.
Guess I better start saving for a real 30.8....
Russellc
I can follow directions and build these clones ok, but this idea requires know how I dont have. Would love to imitate something like 30.8 as close as possible, but wouldnt we all! Following directions just gets you so far, and they arent available for this amp, more knowledge is needed or the door is closed.
First things first, attempt to learn spice and get this 2i2 and REW thing going, put off long enough.
Guess I better start saving for a real 30.8....
Russellc
I waited almost 2 years to get in line for Iron. And got a version with a display and remote control.
I think it’s definitely the purest sound I’ve ever had the opportunity to hear in my life - that level of real performance was simply SpookY what Zen would say.
Bass is on a different level than anything I've tried so far, especially when it comes to kick - simply every bass feature is clear and distinguishes the character of drum kick from song to song, and bass guitar and double bass is incredibly pure and defined.
The amount of detail that is in the middle and high tones, things come out of the recording that I haven't heard before (I know it sounds like a cliché, but it really is).
I have the impression that the sound stage is a unlimited in width, in balance, depth and in additional layering. Each instrument or voice has an aureole around it - a balloon - with its own energy ...
I also use Iron as a direct source for my ATH-M70x headphones - and this is the best source I've ever heard directly on my head. The headphones disappear in space - if I didn't feel the pressure and the touch on my ears I would think that they are gone .... hallucinations .... every few minutes I look around ... I don't think I'm alone in the room .... GHOSTS.
This device can go smoothly on 6moons audioreviews
I think it’s definitely the purest sound I’ve ever had the opportunity to hear in my life - that level of real performance was simply SpookY what Zen would say.
Bass is on a different level than anything I've tried so far, especially when it comes to kick - simply every bass feature is clear and distinguishes the character of drum kick from song to song, and bass guitar and double bass is incredibly pure and defined.
The amount of detail that is in the middle and high tones, things come out of the recording that I haven't heard before (I know it sounds like a cliché, but it really is).
I have the impression that the sound stage is a unlimited in width, in balance, depth and in additional layering. Each instrument or voice has an aureole around it - a balloon - with its own energy ...
I also use Iron as a direct source for my ATH-M70x headphones - and this is the best source I've ever heard directly on my head. The headphones disappear in space - if I didn't feel the pressure and the touch on my ears I would think that they are gone .... hallucinations .... every few minutes I look around ... I don't think I'm alone in the room .... GHOSTS.
This device can go smoothly on 6moons audioreviews
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Nice! It is an amazing head phone amp
How did you implement remote control?
ZM prototype series, ZM sez not yet ready for regular production, parts availability and reasons due to Covid mess..........
I second that commotion; IP is excellent overall, but percussion and bass performance is indeedy.
My system now revolves around 002.
Franco
I had a discussion * (on the local forum they think I'm insane) about whether this device plays at 10Hz because I feel vibrations at 10 and below 10Hz (without any measurement) - I'm not a superman - I'm just trained to feel the vibrations in my head and body....
This is what transformers look like without Zen buffers
The upper signals on the oscilloscopes are input, that is, the full signal, and the other two are attenuated at one of the sections from the transformer ... this is measured balance and signal, so it is double.
so it goes from 10hz to 20khz nice
This is what transformers look like without Zen buffers
The upper signals on the oscilloscopes are input, that is, the full signal, and the other two are attenuated at one of the sections from the transformer ... this is measured balance and signal, so it is double.
so it goes from 10hz to 20khz nice
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Boyz, don't trust blindly in Mikorist's writings, besides being heavily biased- he's my Webhamster 
tnx Miko, but just to remind, full blown AP1 measurements of IP SE ( as whole package, not just AVC) are already published , starting from here (post #5) : Iron Pumpkin(s) and other smaller vegetable animals, Tips 'n' Tricks thread
tnx Miko, but just to remind, full blown AP1 measurements of IP SE ( as whole package, not just AVC) are already published , starting from here (post #5) : Iron Pumpkin(s) and other smaller vegetable animals, Tips 'n' Tricks thread
