Auris Audio HA2-SE

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by gbeast, Mar 8, 2017.

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  1. gbeast

    gbeast Mighty Moral Power Ranger

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    Auris Audio HA2-SE
    [​IMG]
    Single ended Triode amp-1599.99 USD
    So the impressions even beyond headfonia (where I read the following first) are that the Auris is actually relatively cheap for the parts involved, sound quality, and the build because of the low labor or something (google translate can make it tough for me).

    Well...

    Saw the rave reviews of the Auris overseas; tried not to make a compulsive buy but caved and paid the full 1600 since not much else was of interest at the moment. Really hope it stacks up to the impressions of it everywhere. We will see. Very curious what anyone who has heard it thinks specially the EU SBAF'ers.. A particular set of impressions had it with more clarity and details than the moon 430.

    I will post impressions when it arrives but it may be a ways out from now because I don't think it's built yet.
     
  2. TheIceman93

    TheIceman93 El pato-zorro

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    Looking forward to your impressions. It certainly looks the part and the build quality appears to be very high.
     
  3. Drakkard

    Drakkard Facebook Friend

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    We have it now :) Great amp!
    First listen at the workplace (sorry for the mess!)
    [​IMG]
     
  4. thoth

    thoth Acquaintance

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    @gbeast: I see you had a Trafomatic Head 2 in the past. May I ask why you sold it? I guess HA2-SE should be at most at the same level.
     
  5. gbeast

    gbeast Mighty Moral Power Ranger

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    Because it left me craving a blacker background and slightly tighter bass. Also that amplifier TH2 is push pull design. I wanted either SET (like the Auris) or OTL for better nuance and microdynamics.
     
  6. gbeast

    gbeast Mighty Moral Power Ranger

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    @Thenewerguy009 you may want to chuck your TH2

    This amp is this business. Compared to the TH2 from memory it has these advantages
    • Impedance selector
    • Remote
    • Cheaper
    • Lighter
    • Clearer and more open sounding
    • More dimension and better imaging
    • Tubes easier to access
    • Single End Triode over Push Pull
    • Better Dynamics (best dynamics I have heard from an amp under 2K but I need to compare it to my Mogwai to confirm)
    • More transparent to tube rolling
    • Just as powerful, in fact though it is rated less
    • Hear through factor bests the TH2 and this sounds faster with harder bass
    • Sounds great from jump whereas the TH2 needs more warm up time
    • HD650 sounds awesome from it
    TH2 advantages
    • My Has a very good preamplifier
    • Better volume knob and easier to hone in on ideal volume
    • Balanced and single ended jack that can be used simultaneously (not without loss of SQ though)
    • Still looks better to me, especially the red one I
    • none sonically (most literally, atleast that my memory can conjure)
    My point of reference is that they have both been compared to the SPL Phonitor E and X and the TH2 actually lost a little bit of grounds to the SPL for midrange realism because the SPL did better than the TH2 in tonality and timbre even when it had the Holy grails in and upgraded output tubes. Also the soundstage between the two were about the same. Now swapping from the SPL E unit to the Auris HA2 SE has the imaging opening up with better placement, the upper midrange on the SPL now sounding pitchy, the treble less crisp, and the resolution a little less.

    I compared the SPL X and E to the TH2 thoroughly. Both needed tighter bass and the TH2 needed just a bit better microdynamics. Enter this puppy.

    I think my mogwai sounds thicker, slower, but heavier and just as punchy yet not as open and fast. It has upgraded caps and tubes but when it gets back I will post a comparison of the two here.

    The other amplifier I have on deck is the Wolf Ear Makoyi
    The Auris sounds clearer, more open, and punchy while the Makoyi in stock tubes sounds pretty compressed and lacks transparency.

    Now with upgraded tubes the Makoyi sounds much much much better, still just less open, dynamic, and clear as the Auris but it is less grainy, smoother, with better bass than the Auris.


    I would pick the Makoyi and some upgraded tubes over the TH2 as well because the TH2 does not sound as clean and refined as the Makoyi, or dense and organic. The Makoyi on these PSVANE KT88 MKIIs has a black background but is just a little shallow in depth with good width and tone density. Thicker than the Auris and TH2 but not sure if it is as thick as the Mogwai.
     
  7. Thenewerguy009

    Thenewerguy009 Friend

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    I dunno, you hated the HD800 with the TH2, but I love the combo.


    I'm using the HD800 without any mods & with the amp at high impedance, it has beat every other combo I've heard.
     
  8. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    I'm not sure how well it's going to play with some headphones as it's output impedance range is selectable from 50-600 Ohms.
     
  9. gbeast

    gbeast Mighty Moral Power Ranger

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    Let me pump the breaks real hard. I am starting to have some issues with the amplifier as of right now:
    hum
    static

    :mad:
     
  10. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    That can definitely be from a bad tube. Have you tried stock tubes to check for noise?
     
  11. gbeast

    gbeast Mighty Moral Power Ranger

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    you know what.... I accidentally had the amp switched to EL95 tubes instead of PL95 tubes. I could have damaged the tubes (as per the manual). Set back to the right selection and it still sounds that way (the static). In fact it sounds just like a bad tube (filament flickering).

    The hum (sounds like a lightbulb is on) is a different story. It is faint then gets louder the longer the amp is on but the pot doesn't affect it.
    ----
    Oh forgot ^^ My dislike for the 800 had nothing to do with the TH2. I found it to be one of the better pairings as well.
     
    Last edited: Apr 17, 2017
  12. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    That humming that starts quieter and gets louder not affected by pot movement sounds like the Brimar tube I got with my Zana Deux. So, it could still be tubes...

    If it got messed up, then damn, that sucks. Hopefully some more knowledgeable users can come in and give additional advice.
     
  13. frenchbat

    frenchbat Almost "Made"

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    Some hum has been reported on French forums too I think. Hope it's just a bad tube.
     
  14. murphythecat

    murphythecat GRU-powered uniformed trumpkin

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    yes, some members on the french forum complained about some hum. seems like a real design problem with the Auris
     
  15. Thenewerguy009

    Thenewerguy009 Friend

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    Try flipping the tubes from left to right & see if he noise switches sides?

    It's a long shot, but getting tube dampers might help as well?
     
    Last edited: Apr 17, 2017
  16. gbeast

    gbeast Mighty Moral Power Ranger

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    At this point I am pretty certain it is the tubes that make the static. I ordered some new tubes and will

    But I think the hum is power supply related. I am going to see if I can disconnect the fluorescent light bulb inside of the amplifier to as well as

    I found this very helpful. This amp sounds good enough not to just give up on it or send it back.

    https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/noisebuzzinghumming-from-tube-amps/
     
  17. Thenewerguy009

    Thenewerguy009 Friend

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    Are you hearing the humming physically from the amplifier, as in not through the headphones, but from standing near the amp?
     
  18. gbeast

    gbeast Mighty Moral Power Ranger

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    Nope. Not at all.

    There is a fluorescent light that is pretty bright that comes on when you turn the amp on from underneath it. It is very close the headphone jack. Also I will get a ground lift adapter to check that.
     
  19. gbeast

    gbeast Mighty Moral Power Ranger

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    So an update to further listening with my Auris HA2SE has it very competitive with my Mogwai.

    Mogwai (UPGRADED caps and tubes)

    • Purer richer and heavier tones
    • Better depth and layering
    • More realism by a little bit sounding also a little more heavy and wet but refined and you can hear a little deeper into the music
    • Slightly better resolution
    • Slightly more transparent in the midrange
    • Responds better to tube rolling and some tubes make it sound a lot more euphonic and bold than the Auris
    • Larger images


    Auris HA2SE (stock)

    • Better treble extension and air
    • The notes attack a little faster with a quicker decay
    • Sounds a little less clean but is better with sensitive headphones
    • Has faint hum when no music is playing
    • Punches, kicks, snare thwacks and cymbals sound tighter and more focused
    • Better microdynamics and macro dynamics but just a little bit (an area that the Mogwai already excels in)
    • More neutral and flat in the midrange, less colored


    I would take a stock Auris over a stock Mogwai as the Auris is 1599 shipped to my door and the Mogwai is 1850 but the Auris has better access of volumes, a remote, selectable inputs, and looks better, but even some of the characteristics like tone density and realism go to the Mogwai even stock. However, the Auris can be even more snappy except for in the bass where they are more or less equals.


    Yesterday the Atticus was knocking on the Auris and its 'veil' felt lifted.

    Overall I prefer my Mogwai but like to have both for different songs.

    The issues I faced were tube related except the faint hum that I hear with no music playing. Also last night I heard some of that hum outside with the headphones off which leads me to think it is picking up noise from somewhere else and my other amps don't pick that noise up. Not sure exactly what it is but its less loud with these tubes in now and is basically a non issue even with the amp on for a long time. All is well.
     
  20. thoth

    thoth Acquaintance

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    So which one you would recommend for Atticus?
     

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