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| Model: | HTA-1 |
| Category: | Other |
| Suggested Retail Price: | $179 |
| Description: | zero feedback hybrid headphone amplifier |
| Manufacturer URL: | Fournier |
| Review by Adriel on December 18, 2011 at 13:40:46 IP Address: 68.6.143.128 | Add Your Review for the HTA-1 |
Specs:
12AU7 preamp tubes
10k Input Impedance
35 Ohm Output Impedance
Hello. I settled on a Fournier HTA-1 headphone amplifier for three main reasons. I wanted no global negative feedback, tubes if possible for tuning the sound, and the use of current production tubes available from more than 1 brand. So many tube headphone amplifiers out there use nos tubes, or a unique russian tube available through only 1 source, or used negative feedback. I anticipate keeping my tube products for at least 50 years, so a good supply of tubes today is important.
The HTA-1 was also attractive as my first dedicated headphone amplifier due to the price and a little less heat generated compared to a full blown tube amplifier.
Usage scenario:
I am primarily a speaker person, but headphones do have an important role. They come in handy during travel and exercise, but mostly I just need to block noise from time to time when I sleep.
Aesthetics and Ergonomics:
Colorful audio products only serve to limit the number of potential customers. One example of this is the bright red speaker amplifiers... who would want something like that, at the price they're asking for?
This product comes in a very blue anodized aluminum case. In case that is not enough, it also features three bright blue LEDs. Two are in the middle of the tube sockets. One is on the front panel. I put electrical tape over all of them.
Unfortunately the tube sockets are not the normal kind I would expect to find on a normal tube amplifier. A lot more care needs to be taken when inserting tubes into the HTA-1 than is customary for a tube product. Careful alignment of the tube pins is necessary because the socket pins are very easy to bend.
Power supply:
An HP, model 0950-4483, 31V, 2420mA, center-tip positive, switching power supply is provided. With the necessary skills, a DIY user could create a 24V battery or similar to use instead.
Sound:
Some hybrid amps have a sound that emphasizes the tube aspect. The HTA-1 is not one of them. It is very solid state sounding. While very detailed, and with full ambient sonics intact, it is a bit hard sounding with unpleasant treble extension. To combat this, I used the darkest current production 12AU7, EH, but it did not have a very large effect on the overall sound and did little to clamp the treble extension.
Headphones:
For this amplifier I use the Grado SR225. Top to bottom, it is the least harsh headphone I have, compared to the Sennheiser HD600, Stax 2020, and Bose On-Ear.
Tweaks:
Adhesive Stillpoints ERS sheets made a significant impact in reducing glare, but it was necessary to adhere two sheets internally to the top and bottom.
The front panel screws are glued in, which was apparent after my plastic torx screwdriver broke. A torx bit attached to a ratchet is necessary to break the screws free. It is necessary to get both front and back panels off to get decent adhesion with ERS, but even so it is very tight and impossible to get a picture perfect result.
Conclusion:
An acceptable entry level headphone amplifier. Although a hybrid, it is more of a lean, detailed, solid state sound than tube. For the features I'm looking for, the next step up would be a Decware CSP2+. This is a good value, and rightly or wrongly I rest easier without worrying about a Chinese amp going up in smoke.
| Product Weakness: | Flamboyant aesthetics. A bit harsh in stock form. Tube rolling not as significant as desired. |
| Product Strengths: | Zero feedback, current production tubes readily available. |
| Amplifier: | n/a |
| Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | n/a |
| Sources (CDP/Turntable): | n/a |
| Speakers: | n/a |
| Cables/Interconnects: | n/a |
| Music Used (Genre/Selections): | n/a |
| Time Period/Length of Audition: | 5 months |
| Type of Audition/Review: | Product Owner |
Just for fun I listened to my main system (all tubes with very frendly tube speakers and carefully tuned to my room. Played a Fibich solo piano CD on the Chandos label thru my Raysonic CDP.
Then I played the same music/CDP thru my Fournier using Senn 650's. This combo out 'tubed' the main system. It was warmer, as detailed, and believe it or not, not quite as extended in the high frequencies.
Sound like SS? Not in my experience, either like a SS headphone amp (I have a favorably reviewed one on hand to compare) nor a SS amp used in my main system.
I can appreciate your comments about the construction. Especially the little blue light which is garishly bright and is now covered with some of my wife's fingernail polish. I'm thinking of painting the unit black as well. Ugly little bugger.
BTW, I have and regularily use a Primaluna 3 pre-amp. I suspect if you use this as a reference for 'tubed sound' that may explain a lot. It is a good unit, but leaves a lot to be desired I think. I've found it on the 'dark/unresolving' side of neutral. But hey, we all hear things differently as well as value them accordingly.
My reference for tube sound will always be 300B set monoblocks. I sold those eventually when I went to planar speakers.To me, tube sound starts with a tube dac or tube phono, continues on with a tube preamp, and ends with tube amps. All without negative feedback or opamps.
I am not one of those people who think that throwing in one piece of tube buffered gear somehow tubifies the rest of a solid state system. Tubes in all equipment for me.
You are correct in that I prefer darker equipment, and I seek equipment with an emphasis on ambient details and trailing rather than leading attack. That is the way the audio note dacs are, and that is how I make my equipment sound through tube rolling. What you call "less resolving", I think of as "better safe than sorry". Very few equipment is capable of being 100% resolving with no fatigue 100% of the time. I go for 50% resolving, but no fatigue 100%.
That is why I shy away from the HD600 every time I put it on. It is like listening to a recording, since it sounds so neutral and flat. I put the SR225 on and everything makes sense to me again. It is like listening to a performance, not a recording, with the sound popping out and performers almost right there with me.
It is good you wrote, since we are on completely different sides of the audio spectrum.
Edits: 12/19/11 12/19/11
I can't even imagine what kind of source you were using to get such awful sound out of this headphone amp. I can tell you that the DAC that comes built into the DAC2 connected to a properly configured PC sounds smooth, clean, and very detailed. I also was surprised to hear you say that it did not have much of a tube sound. To me it has so much of a tube sound that its hard to believe that it has solid state output. It sounds great with the supplied JJ tubes. Someday I might try something else, but I could just as easily see myself being happy with the stock tubes for the next 10 years.
The tube sockets are high quality ceramic and after having removed and reinstalled the tubes several times I have to believe that only the inexperienced would find the tubes difficult to insert. The tubes might have been a tiny bit harder to insert than in an amp where the sockets are on the surface, but I can't imagine actually bending the pins.
I do agree with you for the most part regarding the aesthetics. I like the simple clean design of the case and I don't even mind the color. What I hated was the lighting. The blue lights under the tubes were obviously intended for people that had never seen tubes before and the ridiculously bright blue pilot light was a real deal breaker. I decided to make my Fournier the way I said it should have been in my review. I removed the blue LEDs from under the tube sockets which required unsoldering and resoldering them. Then I traded out the blinding blue light for a much dimmer amber light.
"awful sound" is not what I had tried to say. I will try to explain better my personal biases.The HTA-1 is the 4th zero feedback amplifier I have owned. They are all special in that they present the full detail of ambient decay without truncation. But that occurs whether tube or solid state, so when I talk tube versus solid state I am using the generic stereotypical "dry vs wet" concepts.
Stuff I have used that have stereotypical tubyness:
EL34 monoblocks (tube)
300B monoblocks (tube)
Jolida integrated (hybrid mosfet/tube pre)
TAD Hibachi II monoblocks (solid state)Stuff I have that is drier, "solid state sound":
Charlize Tripath (solid state)
Topping TP30 (solid state)
Fournier HTA-1 (hybrid mosfet/tube pre)Stuff that is somewhat balanced:
Vintage 90s Rotel integrated (solid state)The one thing that gives away a solid state amplifier, to me, is those sharp high frequencies.
I took a quick look at my other stuff with tubes (monoblocks, preamp, phono, dac, hybrid integrated) but none are like the HTA-1 sockets. They have rounded top edges, concave slope toward the pin sockets, and the openings are seemingly pin-prick small at least for signal tubes. Impossible to misalign, easy to slide or rock in if needed. The HTA-1 has a flat top, wide openings, and requires a perfect alignment before pushing down. I haven't encountered anything like it before, and I admit I have had to perform some corrective re-straightening of bent stuff.
Edits: 12/19/11
Wow! Your experience with the tube sound has been somewhat different than mime. Assuming that the "Jolida integrated (hybrid mosfet/tube pre)" was a 1501 I owned one of those for awhile and though is to be the least tube like sound I had ever heard. I had just traded out a EL34 based amplifier and actually thought something was wrong with the Jolida because it was so flat sounding.
I still have it, the 1301 that I got immediately following boot camp in 2003. Ei 12ax7 was still available back then, as well as winged c svetlana. It had mosfet haze, about the only flaw I could think of. Now if only RAM was still modding it for class a operation that flaw could be corrected.I don't know why we heard it so differently. Maybe I'm just crazy.
Edits: 12/20/11 12/20/11 12/20/11
...the tube sockets are a bit tough to deal with because they are recessed (as you say) and because you can't see the sockets when inserting the pins due to the rubber tube dampers. I agree the quality of the sockets is just fine and I've never bent any pins.
I agree with you 100% on the sound. I find it very tube-like.
Although the silly lights don't bother me much, I do prefer the way yours looks and will probably mod mine when in the mood for a small project.
All-in-all, this little, affordable amp, has blown me away.
Dean.
reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.
My experience with the HTA-1 differs a little from yours.I found changing the tubes from the supplied J&Js to a pair of NOS RFTs made a pretty significant difference when using the Audio Technica ATH AD700. With either set of tubes I never found the sound hard and while the treble is extended, it is smooth. But with the J&Js the mids were recessed and the bass was light.
I've got a set of the Denon D2000s on the way and look forward to hearing how they work with the Fournier.
I agree about the tube sockets, you really need to be careful when aligning the pins.
Thanks for the mod tip. I might try that. If you were using the pictured input cable (as supplied by Fournier), I suggest changing it ...its pretty low quality.
I wonder if the lack of glare with mine is due to using an analog source and running it through a preamp and then to the HTA-1?
Great photography by the way !
Dean.
reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.
Edits: 12/18/11
From time to time I wonder how much of a difference a linear power supply option would make. I'm thinking the Firestone Audio Supplier PSU would be a good experiment, as it has 24V 500mA (HTA-1 approx 380mA @ 24V). Just not sure if the plug is the correct size, but should be possible to modify if not.Then again for the price and performance value of the HTA-1, I might as well enjoy as is.
The ERS is not one of those "voodoo" tweaks. Sometimes with GRPS data phones I get that tapping/beeping noise through audio transducers, waving the ERS in between I can clearly hear the difference in blocking some or all of that interference. Inside an audio chassis, my goal is to minimize internal RF. I could take it further and cover the transistors, etc.
I use ERS on chip-based designs, I've never had to use ERS on point-to-point wired components. When people use "too much ERS" and cause the sound to get "dull", I really think they had been compensating for the "excitement" in the sound caused by EMI, and now they are hearing the real sound of the gear they have chosen.
Edits: 12/19/11
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