After spending years exploring different gears in my journey as an audiophile, I can say everything in our chain contributes to the overall output. Right from the recording of our music to the DAC in use or amp in use or the connected headphone can make or break the experience. When it comes to hardware everything should be synergizing right as per your listening preferences only then this hobby is finally worth it. I, being a gadget freak, an audio lover, loves to explore different gears. Every other day I see myself selling my current IEM or DAP. Some might say I have not found my personal sound yet(Believe me I am slowly settling now like for DAP I am sorted with HiBy RS6). But one thing in my collection is always the same, and that will be my Headphone. For my Headphone game, I feel complete with two different models from Sennheiser, the HD600 and the HD650. I have previously owned the HD600 and now I own the HD650. Believe me, I regret selling the HD600 too, both of these headphones together can be one’s endgame for sure.
Now coming back to today’s topic of the audio chain or stack. For a Sennheiser HD600/650 everybody including me recommends a Tube Amplifier. And not just any Tube amplifier, these headphones are known to scale well with better amplifiers, so the better amp you can give to the HD650, the better will be the experience. When I had the HD600, I bought the Cayin HA-1A MK2 for about 750$, now with the HD650, I went the exploring way. Mainly because my Headphone usage wasn’t much and I was not planning to put 1000$ for an amp due to budget constraints. First I got the Anode Acoustics #4 Solid-State Amplifier, a mighty powerful device that actually paired well with the HD650. Man the pairing of #4 with HD650 was quite good but it lacked the emotional touch that I knew HD650 is capable of providing with Tube Amplifiers(I have heard the HD650 with tubes so).
Then at an audio meet in my city, I got to experience the Dark Voice 336SE with HD650. It felt like a heavenly combo. I could feel the emotional connection with the HD650 now, so without wasting any more time I sold my solid-state amplifier and bought the Dark Voice 336SE the very next day. Even today I am using the Dark Voice as my amplifier for the HD650. The synergy is quite good with this combo. But my happiness and love with the Dark Voice are short-lived. Because I have now heard something better, something that made the HD650+Dark Voice synergy sound dull. Meet the
Anode Acoustics #1, a SET tube Amplifier hand-made by
Anode Acoustics in India. After so much background, today’s blog is being dedicated to the impressions of this brilliant handmade amp that is completely made in India. Without any further ado, let’s begin!!
Disclaimer:-
I got to audition the Anode Acoustics #1 HP AMP at their office in Delhi. Mr. Nitin Kaushik from Anode Acoustics helped me get about 3 to 4 hours of me-time with the amplifier where I paired it with the Sennheiser HD650 and Hifiman HE400i headphones as well as Sony IER M9 IEMs. At the time of this writeup, the #1 is available to purchase with them for 900$. You can contact them on
Facebook for ordering the #1.
Design & Build Quality:-
Anode Acoustics #1 is a very well-built amplifier. It has two PCL82 tubes at the top of the amplifier with three transformers and two knobs. One knob here is the volume knob and the other knob is for selecting the impedance mode. There are also two switches, one for power and the other for switching between the Pentode and the Triode modes. The headphone jack is at the top near the volume knob. There are also analog RCA input ports placed at the top of the amp. The chassis of the #1 has a wooden frame that houses a beautiful plate that reads Made In India by Anode Acoustics. One can feel the solid build of the amplifier by just touching any component on the amplifier. Yes, it looks hand-made, it has that feel but man the build-quality is top-notch.
My Chains:-
I connected the Anode #1 with three different sources, the first being my Schiit Modi 3+ DAC, the second being my HiBy RS6, and the third being a 7-year old S.M.S.L DAC(I don’t know the model no. it was in their office).
Driving Power:-
According to Nitin Kaushik from Anode Acoustics, the HP AMP #1 has a power output rating of up to 1W. I tested the pair with 300Ω Senn HD650, 25Ω HE400i(Planar magnetic driver), and 20Ω Sony IER M9. There is no noticeable hiss or background noise with any of the pairings that I tried. I never had to push the volume wheel too much for anything, I can simply say the Anode #1 is a very powerful amplifier that will suit both your IEMs as well as demanding headphones.
Sound Impressions:-
I went out of words the moment I connected the HD650 with the #1. The last time I heard the Dark Voice with the HD650, I fell in love with the combination. I said to myself that day, “Pulkit the Dark Voice and HD650 is a stack to own”, but man the #1 takes the HD650 to an all-new level of awesomeness. The #1 enables the HD650 to touch horizons that were not noticeable before, the headphone sounds airier, has a better punch in the lower end. You can literally feel every single guitar string being struck, the airiness with the #1 is at that level. The #1 on its own has a neutral and transparent sound signature. It doesn’t add warmth to the output but the added weight of a tube amplifier can be felt. Especially in vocals, they sound so emotional, so immersive that I got goosebumps listening to the track “Tere Bin” from the movie “Guru”.
Midrange with the #1 sounds rich with excellent vocals and instrument presentation. The stage gets a better sense of space, one can feel the perfect positioning of different instruments on the stage too. I would like to add this here, the #1 complemented the HE400i too. Being a planar driver headphone, it paired quite well with the #1, though its slight bit of brightness can be felt in the Treble region thanks to the transparent sound of the #1.
#1 allows your connected headphones to breathe properly with loads of clean power. This helps in allowing the headphones to perform their best with wide extensions at both the lower and higher ends of the frequency response range. Even with the Senn HD650, the treble detail and extensions are excellent. The treble with the HD650 and #1 is much more pronounced and lively as compared to the HD650 and DarkVoice combination.
There are two working modes on the #1, Pentode and Triode. Both have a slight bit of difference in sound output with the Pentode mode sounding more forward and lively. Especially in the midrange department. Triode mode is more for a smoother and laid-back experience.
In my short yet lively experience with the #1 and HD650, I was mesmerized and happy. I mean this stack is not just wonderful, this is like the perfect pairing. And not just for the HD650, The #1 paired well with the HE400i and the Sony IER M9 too. Now let’s share some comparisons with the Cayin HA-1A MK2 that I used to own a few months back.
Anode Acoustics #1 Vs Cayin HA-1A MK2:-
Both these amplifiers provide support for lower impedance headphones too. Cayin one is a great looker with a compact tower-style form factor while the Anode Acoustics #1 occupies its space with a fully laid out build. Here’s my take with both of these. (Photo of Cayin HA1A MK2 are from the archives).
>Sound wise both have a neutral tone, but the dynamics are better on the #1.
>Cayin one needed me to upgrade the pre-amp stage tubes, #1 on its stock form is much cleaner.
>In terms of output power #1 provides more power for our headphones.
>With better power, headphones show a better sense of space and air on the stage.
>In terms of build and aesthetics, Cayin HA 1A Mk2 is a great looker. The window on the front displays an array of five tubes.
>With its compact form factor, the HA1A MK2 occupies less space on the desk, #1 needs its full working space.
Final Words:-
Well, that’s about it. From my write up you might have got an idea that I loved the #1. I liked it to the extent that I am finding the Dark Voice actually sound not up to my taste. Definitely a recommendation from my side!! I would like to thank Mr. Nitin from Anode Acoustics for organizing this small meet-up and letting me audition the #1 at the office!!