Best desktop amps for BA / BA+DD hybrid iems

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by rhythmdevils, Dec 5, 2020.

  1. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2020
    Likes Received:
    12,237
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Bay Area, CA
    Home Page:
    I know the Drop 789 is special for BA iem’s but it’s a 300$ massdrop amp. There must be better amps out there for BA or BA+DD iem’s.

    I thought the LCX would be a great but it hisses like crazy.
     
  2. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2018
    Likes Received:
    10,518
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Palms Of The Coasts, FL
    It's depends on the IEM and the amp.

    My JVC/Drops, Moondrop Starfield, and my Sony work great on my SW51+ and the DNA Starlett. The Campfires IMO sucked except on the 789 on lowest gain. BAs will be a crapshoot due to their nature on any time. This is why you keep an IEMatch near you, even if it can wimp out the sound on the Campfires IMO. However, the IEMatch should be able to get more BA ultra high input z to work on big boi desk amps.

    No, don't do the Starlett for IEMs only. Real headphones for that one with the added side of some IEMs working good on that one.
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Epic Epic x 1
    • List
  3. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2020
    Likes Received:
    12,237
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Bay Area, CA
    Home Page:
    I’ve got all Campfire iem’s. But I can’t believe the 789 is the only desktop amp that works with them, much less the best.
     
  4. Cryptowolf

    Cryptowolf Repping Chi Town - Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,450
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Rural Illinois
    I can’t help much with modern amps. I do enjoy my Campfire Vega and Lyra II with a RSA Hornet, Cavalii Liquid Carbon, or big boy amps with a 20 ohm resister adapter I purchased off Etsy. The adapter isn’t great as it changes the tone so I seldom use it. I hope this helps somewhat.
     
  5. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2020
    Likes Received:
    12,237
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Bay Area, CA
    Home Page:
    you don’t get hiss with your liquid carbon and CFA iem’s?
     
  6. EagleWings

    EagleWings Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,709
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    India
    The Lyr3 in LowGain had only a negligible amount of hiss with my EmpireEars Phantom, which is just as much sensitive as Campfire IEMs. I’ve read that the Gilmore Lite Mk2 is quite silent with even sensitive IEMs, provided its sound characteristics suits your preferences. I think Marv has shared some impressions.
     
    Last edited: Dec 6, 2020
  7. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2020
    Likes Received:
    12,237
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Bay Area, CA
    Home Page:
    I will never own a Gilmore amp because the designer is a complete deuce bag. And his designs all sound flat and sterile.


    Lyr 3 is interesting. I wonder how it would compare to the 789. Thing is all my iem’s are already too warm I had to get a Loki to turn up the upper mids and treble on both andromeda 2020 and og Solaris.
     
  8. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2015
    Likes Received:
    6,833
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Nashville, TN
    Home Page:
    Lyr 3 is "sweeter" sounding. It sounds a bit more wide and a bit more deep than the 789. I directly compared both and I'd probably prefer the Lyr 3. The 789 was truly amazing and dynamic though. It was just a bit more aggressive and maybe a bit more macrodynamics.

    My Gimore clone is not great on IEM's. I prefer it more for my high impedance dynamics, like my HD650's and HD59X's.
     
  9. yotacowboy

    yotacowboy McRibs Kind of Guy

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2016
    Likes Received:
    10,682
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    NOVA
    Home Page:
    I had Lyr3 and a borrowed 789 at the same time, and comparing using white Cerakote Andro, the 789 was pretty shockingly good. I don't know what it was about the combo, but I'm not exaggerating by saying it was the best synergy I've heard with Andro.
     
  10. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2018
    Likes Received:
    10,518
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Palms Of The Coasts, FL
    Because one of our very own at the time when he was working at Drop was focusing on Andro use on the 789.
     
  11. Cryptowolf

    Cryptowolf Repping Chi Town - Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,450
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Rural Illinois
    I don't notice hiss in the lower gain mode with a RSA balanced IEM cable. The exception might be if the hiss is over around 15 Khz because I don't have much hearing left in the higher frequencies. This grey muzzle has damaged hearing.
     
  12. dncnexus

    dncnexus Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2018
    Likes Received:
    1,171
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Virginia, USA
    I tried my Andros with both the Magnius and Asgard 3 and on low gain on both was able to use without hiss. I did run into very low gain space though
     
  13. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

    Staff Member Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,145
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Exit stage left....
    will have impressions soon on the iFi iDSD Signature with Solaris 2020. there is quality sound via 4.4 balanced jack, and yes the internal IEMatch enabled. the tube sound and black background of Woo WA8 Eclipse was also a great match for IEMs when I previously owned it.
     
  14. wormcycle

    wormcycle Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,506
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Toronto, ON, Canada
    My only amp right now is modified BHA-1, this is pretty typical mod lowering the gain by 12dB on both high and low. It is reversible. The DAC is Bryston BDA-2
    I do not have hybrid IEMS
    CA Vegas (DD) on low gain are quiet, no hiss whatsoever from both on SE and balanced out.
    I can barely hear Aras from balanced out, Super LITZ 2.5 mm cable, when not playing music and it is entirely non disturbing during playback. But not much room on the volume control. What surprises me that on SE out, and the stock LITZ cable, I hear more hiss, I expected exactly opposite.

    Now Etymotic ER4SR single BA driver are silent on balanced, the same ER2SE (DD) but those are pretty inefficient IEMS.

    But if I was looking for a SE desktop amp just for IEMs then RME ADI-2 DAC would be my first choice. I remember the dedicated IEM out to be exceptionally quiet, and I liked the sound very much.
    I did not have Aras then but I used it with SE846 that would hiss with anything except some DAPs, but not with RME ADI-2 DAC.
    One caveat that RME was not that exciting with full size cans.
     
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2020
  15. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,461
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Winnipeg
    Mod-able by DIY or done only in factory?
     
  16. wormcycle

    wormcycle Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,506
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Toronto, ON, Canada
    I was told by Bryston support that it was DIY but living 45 mins from their shop I just drove there and it was done by Bryston for $100 CAD. I was told that if I would want to reverse it myself, they would send me the instructions. But it is unlikely, I like this amp very much the way it is.
     
  17. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,461
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Winnipeg
    Thanks. I'm guessing it's probably a resistor swap.
     
  18. Poleepkwa

    Poleepkwa Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,557
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Finland
    I remember that the IEM out of the RME ADI-2 DAC was really good. More refined sounding than the THX789 for IEMS.
     
  19. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,200
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Northwest France
  20. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2020
    Likes Received:
    12,237
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Bay Area, CA
    Home Page:
    Anyone compare the 789 vs the jottenheim 2 for CA iem’s? Schitt says no hiss from the balanced output.
     

Share This Page