Headphone Heights

RE: REVIEW: Fournier HTA-1 Other

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This Post Has Been Edited by the Author

In Reply to: RE: REVIEW: Fournier HTA-1 Other posted by jaydacus on December 18, 2011 at 22:50:51

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.

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 hope to have explained my personal reviewers biases a little better now.

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