Massdrop x THX AAA 789

So, gathering what I can from these statements, having an order for the THX 789 means one need not get a Jot; they're substitutes for one another, rather than compliments?

 

Pump the breaks for a sec. They are both amps. What do you mean by "they're substitutes for one another, rather than compliments?" Were you thinking you would be running both at the same time somehow?

I'm confused by your entire post.

 

I forgot to rewrite the issue more clearly. Merely meant that a person getting a thx 789 doesn't also need a Jot.

More clearly:
Owning headphones with different sound signatures (warm, neutral, bright), a person would pair those different headphones with different amps. Owning more than one amp makes sense to provide synergies with those different headphones. Because the Jot and THX 789 are so similar, my conclusion from reading the impressions thus far: they would fulfill the same purpose (substitute), rather than pairing well with different headphones (compliment).

 

Honestly, if you are thinking of getting multiple amps for different headphones, at this price point you would be better served looking at amps of different topologies, like an SS amp and an OTL or tube hybrid amp.

 

Tubes are already on my radar (thinking about the Lyr 3).

 

Huh, and now it looks like Benchmark is making their dedicated preamp/headamp now:
https://benchmarkmedia.com/collections/preamplifiers
At $3k that's the same price as the AHB2

 

Objectivists rejoice!

 

Was the 789 at Canjam Socal? I asked one of the Massdrop people behind the desk, and they said it wasn't there.

 

"Objectivists" with more money than sense perhaps...Benchmark's prices are getting insane.

Compared to the DAC3 HGC

THD on the headout is lowered from -113dB to -125dB. Yay! 12db more inaudible than before! Bragging rights!

~2.4x the power, add more analog ins and outs, add a touch screen, remove the DAC, and charge $800 more for it?

I'm pretty much "objectivist" as they come, but I'm having a hard time seeing the point of this, at least seeing why they call it the "HPA" when it's primary function is clearly as a preamp...

 

From what we know so far, it looks like Benchmark have really thought this through, which is the right thing to do with this technology.

To put things into perspective people pay the same or a lot more for good high-performance volume controls/preamp. Many headphone people (HE-6 & speaker users will likely understand this better) don't even realize the importance of paying attention to this aspect, particularly at the high-end of the performance scale. If Benchmark's 256 steps balanced relay attenuator solution delivers performance wise (TBC), this could alone easily justify most of the asking price. From the other perspective as an integrated end-game headamp, it's is certainly not cheap, but not that expensive either, considering what the market price for top headmps is, many with more entry level volume controls. My expectation, based on what I know from the AHB2, is the performance of this will easily surpass the other solid state headamps out there. I personally don't plan to buy it, simply because I already have a very capable preamp of somewhat similar design and the AHB2s, but I'd like to hear it.

Again, only on paper, it seems like they are doing the right thing with it.

And yes, it does make the Massdrop amp look like a bargain, however as I have commented earlier in the thread, a budget pot will hinder the performance potential of this technology, and Benchmark know that. There's also that bundled PSU I am concerned about. If one already has a capable preamp, might as well buy the Massdrop amp, bypass its pot and you can have an end-game power amp. Then try some alternative PSUs. Damn, look what I did here and this thing isn't even out.

 

3000 amerirubles for a 256 attenuator is a wee bit insulting when a Freya gives you 128 steps for 700.

Especially when the rest of what you're getting appears to be larger number penis enlargement medication.

Smells like ORFAS.

Le Edit: wow, we're going way off topic.

 

Meh. Schiit amp stuff is not that great, so it's good they cost what they do. I would not be using one of their preamps before THXAAA.

 

Putting a 3k buckaroos pre before a 789 seems even less advisable.

Even a 47-step goldpoint passive is more moolah than the amp itself.

 

Yes, the Massdrop amplifier is priced ridiculously low for the performance potential of this technology. Which is why the Massdrop amp I think is really exciting, but it has some limitations as noted (volume control, PSU, internal conversion single ended <> balanced if that's a concern), for the execution at a budget point. The Benchmark if well executed, won't have the same limitations. Then the challenge becomes finding an equally capable source (not at all easy). I've not heard the Benchmark DAC3, but I am still a bit biased against D/S (though a bit less than a couple of years ago), and not even the latest chips and implementations crop impressed me that much in other competing products.

 

The Massdrop amp and the Benchmark amps use different versions of the THX-AAA technology (The Benchmark uses the flagship THX-888 while the Massdrop version uses something else, probably a modified version of the THX-788 judging from the voltage). Benchmark isn't just taking the same internals as the Massdrop amp, putting a preamp feature on it, and charging more than 8 times the price. Whether the Benchmark performs better is a different story, but it is using more "premium" version of the same technology.

With that said, I'd love to see Massdrop's version of an amp using the THX-888. I have really liked how Massdrop has tuned its products (@CEE TEE, please keep on doing what you're doing!), and I'd love to see what Massdrop could do with a higher-priced offering.

Edit: finished my sentence.

 

The Benchmark HPA4 will indeed perform as advertised.

If Massdrop uses a potentiometer (almost certainly does at its price point) it will have no where near the specs of the Benchmark as the volume control will be a big weakness.

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-thx-aaa-789-linear-amplifier

Balanced Output (Massdrop THX-789 amp):

• Output power: 6000 mW, 16 ohms, <1% THD (watts per channel)
• Output power: 6000 mW, 32 ohms, <1% THD (watts per channel)
• Output power: 800 mW, 300 ohms, <1% THD (watts per channel)
• Output power: 400 mW, 600 ohms, <1% THD (watts per channel)

The Benchmark specs:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0321/7609/files/HPA4-cutsheet.pdf?12328324487788066327

THD is noted to be less than .00006% at full load (16 ohms at 6W) for the HPA4 headphone amp.

I have Benchmark's AHB2 amp and a DAC3, and yes they are pricey. However, they do perform like they claim, are built very well and made in the US, and the manuals even have AudioPrecision test data to show it (and sites such as Stereophile and others have verified these measurements for the AHB2 I own).

Just adding a resistor in series with the headphone's output is going to dramatically increase THD well beyond what the THX AAA chips are capable of, let alone using an affordable potentiometer.

A few application notes I'd recommend reading:
https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/benchmarks-256-step-relay-controlled-attenuator
https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/ap...preting-thd-measurements-think-db-not-percent

 

I'm just blabbering here but i think the powergrab in the THX chipset is in the mobile market.

Strategic marketing plan: Put really well measuring chips in amps for $3k to convince "audiophiles" on merit of tech; offer trickle down to sub-$1k tech that sells like bonkers on MD/Monoprice/Amazon, etc.; secure contract with mobile manufacturer for 11 brazillion chips @$1.58 per chip versus $0.28 per competing chip because THX branding cache.

 

I agree, and I've spent thousands of dollars eliminating potentiometers from my life as well. After having done so, I lost no less than 5 lbs, met the woman of my dreams, and hope one day to be remembered for all of the charity work I have done teaching under privileged parrots how to speak pig latin.

I don't have a reply for the rest of your post, as I stopped reading at the point I realized you were making unsubstantiated claims and were likely a massive Benchmark fanboy.

Sorry.

Also, you should go post in the introduction thread. You know, like you were instructed to do in the stickied new member threads you didn't read.