Review and Measurements of Aune X7s and Arcam rHead Headphone Amps

[ishmeister]

Looks like all UK retailers have increased the price of the rHead I assume due to increased demand - now £199 everywhere (was as low as £149 at one point).

 

[amirm]

Looks like all UK retailers have increased the price of the rHead I assume due to increased demand - now £199 everywhere (was as low as £149 at one point).

Good. Maybe I can now sell it for good money.

 

[andrewdoan]

I own more HP amp/ DAC than I can count on my ten fingers. Thank you for your measurements and graphs.
I have a question about a newly purchase of the Aune X7s. Since I am planning to use my Aune X1s as pre-amp. After doing some research and watch the Z reviews, I bite the bullet and order the X7s from Penon audio. It took over 2 months to receive the X7s.

Out of my dissapointment, at the manufactory +25 db, there is a loud hum like there is an air conditioner nearby. At +15db gain , the hum is not that loud but it is audible during the low or quite passage.

At 0 db setting, ther is no hum but the juice is just not there. The class A Aune x7s barely can drive a 64 ohm can. I have to dial the volume of the Aune X7s pass 12 o'clock to have a desirable listening while with my Aune X1s , I only have set the volume control between 9 to 10 o'clock. So evidently, the Aune X1s has more power and more headroom than the A7x.

I contact Penon Audio several times via e-mail but it does not go anywhere even I received the Aune X7s for only 1 day by DHL.
Is there any way to " fix the hum" at higher setting than 0 db? I search and I ran across a fews consumers who have the same "Hum" issue. Do I get the lemon one or is it a designed flaw of the Aune X7s.

Coming from hi-end consumer electronics since 1978. I never drove my amp pass 12 o'clock, be it Krell or Brightston or the alike. I don't feel comfortable to drive the Aune A7x pass 12 o'clock and I believe I am not supposed to.

Please throw in your help. Thank you in advance. Sorry for my poor English.

 

[amirm]

What is driving the X7s? And does it hum without anything connected to its input?

 

[deffusse]

Hello, I've discovered this superb site. I'm on a track to buy a class A headamp for my dad, and after deep search I found this forum and thread. Since the beginning I was aiming for x7s, but now after I saw the measurements you had done i'm a bit scared of high output impedance. So considering this, should I rather go for rhead? The amp is going to be used with my old m8a dac.
Another question (offtopic), I haven't found much of S7 amp on web, anyone know if its a good one, or do I have to consider something else? I don't want an audiogd

 

[nhatlam96]

1.What happens if I plug in my headphone and speakers to the Aune X7s?
Does the Aune X7s then play sound to both at the same time?
2.The amp impedance should be 1/8 headphone impedance.
If I plug the DT770 80ohm into the Aune X7s, will it sound horrible or sth?
Because 80/8 ohm would be 10ohm output impedance for the amp, but the Aune X1s has 11ohm output impedance...

 

[PenguinMusic]

Hi,

As far as I am concerned I bought the Aune x7S.
Was thinking that it may be a product that looks nice but has terrrible inside make.
But this review was quite reassuring

I bought it from seller in Netherlands and got it shipped to France.

It is fed by it's sibbling the Aune x8 DAC.
Which is itself fed by computer using Linux and Sayonara Player.

I've set it to "medium" gain...

All I can say is it feeds my Hifiman DEVA easily and also my Oppo PM-1 with no problems.
Of course those are not really difficult to drive.
Despite the lower impedance, I did not notice any distorsion but of course both being planar magnetic, that may explain.

I am more than happy with the combo and would like to say that I am even considering the S Series from Aune (S6 Pro) to replace x8 and x7s...
Not sure if it will perform better, but you know...

Regards.

 

[Haider]

Anybody know the input impedance of the rHead?

 

[Indrajit]

What exactly is the power output of Aune X7s according to the measurement via a traditional 2vrms dac? Is it a full 1 watt at 300 ohm impedance as advertised? The measurement shows graphs but I couldn't decipher the exact value in terms of what they mean. Does Aune X7s via 2 vrms output 1 watt at 300 ohm?

 

[raif71]

Hi,

As far as I am concerned I bought the Aune x7S.
Was thinking that it may be a product that looks nice but has terrrible inside make.
But this review was quite reassuring

I bought it from seller in Netherlands and got it shipped to France.

It is fed by it's sibbling the Aune x8 DAC.
Which is itself fed by computer using Linux and Sayonara Player.

I've set it to "medium" gain...

All I can say is it feeds my Hifiman DEVA easily and also my Oppo PM-1 with no problems.
Of course those are not really difficult to drive.
Despite the lower impedance, I did not notice any distorsion but of course both being planar magnetic, that may explain.

I am more than happy with the combo and would like to say that I am even considering the S Series from Aune (S6 Pro) to replace x8 and x7s...
Not sure if it will perform better, but you know...

Regards.

I'm eyeing a 2nd hand x7s coz it's a class A amp and I've never really owned a true class A amp ... the closest I have is the Singxer SA-1 but I hear it's not really a class A amp...only in the lower voltages then will switch to AB. Do you still use it or you've moved to the S6 Pro or other setup?