DAC/Headphone Amp combo

Vinnie R. · « **Reply #40 on:** 18 Jul 2009, 08:45 pm »

Hi Mariusz,

It was nice to see you on Friday, and sorry I had to stop you from trying to snatch two HPAs. This first batch is all sold and paid for, but next week I am ordering all the parts for another batch and will be sure to set aside two for you.

I must admit that you did good job trying to get them from this batch

A lot of my customers from Headfi.com who ordered would try to KILL you (and ME) if I let you take 'em

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New smart charging board and batteries are also great. Love the clicking sound when the unit is turned ON.

That's those beefy relays for the new RWA 12V SMART board. The board even has in-rush current limiting and can be configured for 12V, 24V, or +/12V (when I get the time, I'll be making custom battery power supplies using these). I even have a new SMART board in the works that can run 36V, 48V, or +/- 24V. But I guess I should mention this stuff in a new thread, soon

Thanks again,

Vinnie

Vinnie R. · « **Reply #41 on:** 27 Jul 2009, 01:42 am »

All,

Good news - production has been coming along great and I'll be starting to ship this coming week (everything is on schedule)!

So between this coming week and the following week, all the pre-order units (including those who sent in their Isabellina dacs for upgrade to the HPA) will be completed and shipped out.

I will email everyone individually once their order ships. Thanks again for all your support, enthusiasm - and of course patience

-Vinnie

PS: We are ordering parts for a new production run and hope to have all the parts ready in a few weeks. Ken at ALO Audio will also be stocking the Isabellina HPA and I'm sure he'll be offering some great combo packages (with headphones, cables, etc.).

mattyturner · « **Reply #42 on:** 27 Jul 2009, 11:39 pm »

So with the DAC / Head amp out of the way, when can we expect the Phono stage?

Vinnie R. · « **Reply #43 on:** 4 Aug 2009, 01:33 am »

All,

Just about all the Isabellina HPAs from the first batch have shipped. These past few weeks have been extremely busy and I apologize for not posting as often as usual

I have parts on order for a second production batch of Isabellina HPAs. I should have all the parts around mid-August, and then will begin the second batch. I'll keep everyone updated just like for the first batch.

I already have received some emails from those who want to order for the second batch. Just like for the first batch, please email me and I'll add your name to the list. When I'm ready to begin production, I'll contact you requesting payment, and will build in order...

The Isabellina HPA is a 'smokin good' dac/amp combo and I know you guys are going to love them!

Here is some early feedback that I already received:

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Vinnie,
First off....Kudos to you for a great headphone amp! i have two sennheiser headphones, the HD600 and the HD800. I have only listened thru the HD800 and my initial impressions are extremely favorable. From the moment i plugged in my HD800 and started listening i was like 'WOW'! Right from the get go i found the sound to be perfect. the whole range of sound coming from the Isabellina HPA from the bass thru to the highs are balanced in a way i haven't heard before thru any headphones or amp period.
I have owned the Grace Design M902 and personally found it to be too bright and harsh. i have also owned the Davry Engineering DA11 and found it be too soft and lush(heavy sounding is my best thinking for it). the only other amp I've owned was the firestone Little Country 3 and Spitfire 24 tube amp/DAC Separates which i found to sound good but, i didnt like having to have four separate pieces including their dac plus all the associated cables and plugs to make it all work.
Update: it has been 6 hours since i first started running my HD800 thru the Isabellina HPA with lossless WMA off my computer using the included USB cable. the soundstage continues to find me awed! i can't believe my long journery in search of the perfect amp, an all in one solution that sounds like the best tube amp you'll ever find, but taken one step further with a NOS(New Old Stock) DAC. I'll leave it up to Vinnie to elaborate on the NOS if any of you guys have questions on that end. Btw, my Isabelina HPA is serial # 002
I'll post again after i get to around 100 hours of burn in and let you know what i think. but at this point in time i see Vinnie becomming very busy building the Isabellina HPA's for the forseeable future.
Again i want to thank Vinnie for a... let's see a (quoting 3dgameman.com here) Totally Kick Ass Product!!
joe

Thanks, Joe!

Ken Ball of ALO Audio let me borrow his Senn HD800s, and these sound phenomenal with the Isabellina HPA! I've been doing a lot of late-night listening with this setup

I'm going to have to pony-up for a pair of HD800s soon.

I also have an Isabellina HPA customer who lives about an hour north of me and he is visiting next week and bringing his Sony R10s, HD800s, and D7000s. I'm really looking forward to comparing them, especially those R10s (they ALWAYS amaze me!).

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So with the DAC / Head amp out of the way, when can we expect the Phono stage?

That's one of the next projects on the list - thanks for the reminder!

All the best,

Vinnie

Afterimage · « **Reply #44 on:** 4 Aug 2009, 06:25 pm »

that is a nice lineup of phones. Now all you need is the other 2 new heavywts. on the market now. The JH13Pro, and the Grado PS 100o.

Vinnie R. · « **Reply #45 on:** 10 Aug 2009, 01:50 am »

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I also have an Isabellina HPA customer who lives about an hour north of me and he is visiting next week and bringing his Sony R10s, HD800s, and D7000s. I'm really looking forward to comparing them, especially those R10s (they ALWAYS amaze me!).

This should be happening this Friday!

Vinnie R. · « **Reply #46 on:** 19 Aug 2009, 01:19 am »

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I have parts on order for a second production batch of Isabellina HPAs. I should have all the parts around mid-August, and then will begin the second batch. I'll keep everyone updated just like for the first batch.

I already have received some emails from those who want to order for the second batch. Just like for the first batch, please email me and I'll add your name to the list. When I'm ready to begin production, I'll contact you requesting payment, and will build in order...

The Isabellina HPA is a 'smokin good' dac/amp combo and I know you guys are going to love them!

UPDATE:

All parts for the second batch of Isabellina HPAs will be here this week and we'll be starting production again!

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I also have an Isabellina HPA customer who lives about an hour north of me and he is visiting next week and bringing his Sony R10s, HD800s, and D7000s. I'm really looking forward to comparing them, especially those R10s (they ALWAYS amaze me!).

This was posted here:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f70/todays-mini-meet-red-wine-audio-isabellina-hpa-some-nice-cans-440020/

Best regards,

Vinnie

Mariusz · « **Reply #47 on:** 19 Aug 2009, 02:20 am »

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All parts for the second batch of Isabellina HPAs will be here this week and we'll be starting production again!

That's great news Vinnie.

Pzzz let me know when to come over to pick them up. (I'll have some free time - end of next week and week after that).
I might also have something ready for your office listening pleasure ........

Mariusz

Vinnie R. · « **Reply #48 on:** 19 Aug 2009, 02:23 am »

will do!

Vinnie R. · « **Reply #49 on:** 25 Aug 2009, 01:15 am »

More Isabellina HPA feedback posted here:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/red-wine-audio-isabellina-hpa-441696/

Thanks, Dean!

Vinnie

winebroker2007 · « **Reply #50 on:** 27 Aug 2009, 04:58 pm »

Vinnie--

Pardon my ignorance, but would I enjoy any improvements using the Isabellina HPA between my RWA-modded Olive Musica and my ATH-W1000 cans?

If the answer is yes, would I use the optical or coax output on the Musica to connect to the Isabellina HPA?

Also, could the Isabellina HPA also be used to feed the signal to my Signature 30.2, and would I find improvements to going that route (as opposed to my Olive Musica > RCA interconnects > Sig 30.2)?

Thanks,
--George

Vinnie R. · « **Reply #51 on:** 27 Aug 2009, 06:35 pm »

Quote from: winebroker2007 on 27 Aug 2009, 04:58 pm

Vinnie--

Pardon my ignorance, but would I enjoy any improvements using the Isabellina HPA between my RWA-modded Olive Musica and my ATH-W1000 cans?

If the answer is yes, would I use the optical or coax output on the Musica to connect to the Isabellina HPA?

Also, could the Isabellina HPA also be used to feed the signal to my Signature 30.2, and would I find improvements to going that route (as opposed to my Olive Musica > RCA interconnects > Sig 30.2)?

Thanks,
--George

Hi George,

Thank you for your post and these are all good questions:

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would I enjoy any improvements using the Isabellina HPA between my RWA-modded Olive Musica and my ATH-W1000 cans?

YES - The headphone output on the Isabellina HPA is significantly better than the headphone output of the modded Olive Musica.

And YES - the Isabellina HPA is also an Isabellina dac, so it has RCA outputs that you can feed to your Signature 30.2, and again, is a significant upgrade compared to the modded Olive's analog outputs.

You can try both the optical and coax outputs of your Olive (using your Olive as a digital transport to feed the HPA) and see which you prefer. I'm guessing the coax on the modded Olive (being a 75-ohm BNC) will be best and matches the 75-ohm BNC coax input of the Isabellina HPA. I also have a really good 75-ohm BNC-BNC digital cable if you need one...

Thanks again for your post, and please feel free to contact me if you are interested in the Isabellina HPA. We are currently in our second production run, and they are getting scooped-up quickly...

All the best,

Vinnie

Mariusz · « **Reply #52 on:** 9 Sep 2009, 04:29 am »

Hi Vinnie

I have received HPA Isabellinas today.
Couldn't resist and tried it out despite little free time due to renovation.
It sounds really great out of the box and it will surely improve over time.

I have one (maybe few) question tho:
HPAs came in together with Empirical Audio Offramp Turbo USB decoder which gave me some problems with Mac driver installation. But I managed to find & download it from M-Audio website and it seems to work fine now. It isn't the latest version but I can definitely hear the improvements in some areas. It came with factory installed digital coax out which brings it to my question.
Can HPA BNC Coaxial be replaced by standard RCA connection?
Or using the adapter doesn't make any difference?
I was also wondering if it is possible to run Offramp Turbo on battery power supply?
(I do not have any spects tho)

Mariusz

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Afterimage · « **Reply #53 on:** 10 Sep 2009, 07:54 pm »

I have had my HPA for a few days. I did a direct comparison with the very well regarded EAR HP4. The EAR may still be one of the best headphone amps out there despite it being produce before the headphone craze of the last few years. The Isabellina HPA was good enough to set the EAR aside. I couldn't decide which presentation or sound sig. I liked better. They are both great, but just a little different. I wasn't using a full size headphone. Instead I was using the new king on the block, the JH13 Pro, which is an IEM. When I told Vinnie I was planning using this phone with this amp, he was a little concerned as the amp was designed to be used with full sized cans and that an IEM may pick up some internal noise. Well, it was really never an issue so this amp is more than okay to use with IEMs. You can hear just a little tiny hiss when the volume is on zero but once you turn the volume knob just a little, you would never know it is there. Instead you just get great music. In the end, the sound quality is outstanding with the best of both worlds, warm and detailed. And the other great thing of course is the one box solution for a headphone setup on my limited space night stand. No interconnects, cd players ect... just computer and DAC/amp.

Vinnie R. · « **Reply #54 on:** 12 Sep 2009, 04:24 pm »

Hi Mariusz and Afterimage,

Thank you for posting your initial impressions of your Isabellina HPA!

Sorry for the delayed response - I've been in Portland, OR visiting Ken at ALO Audio:
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/6003411-post8.html
(I'll post about this in the other thread about adding a battery power output jack to your HPA

)

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Can HPA BNC Coaxial be replaced by standard RCA connection?
Or using the adapter doesn't make any difference?

No - we only use the high-bandwidth 75-ohm BNC jack for the Isabellina dac. We do provide the BNC-to-RCA jack adapter for those who use RCA digital cables. Ideally, if you can put a 75-ohm BNC jack on your source and use a 75-ohm BNC-BNC coax cable, you'll hear the coax connection sound its best

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I was also wondering if it is possible to run Offramp Turbo on battery power supply?
(I do not have any spects tho)

Yes - I'm sure this is very possible.

Red Wine Audio will soon offer SLA battery power supply units (hopefully in about a month or so) and we can configure them with various output voltages to meet the needs of your equipment (e.g. 5V, 9V, 12V, 24V, +/-12V). Much more detail about this will be posted in the future (and will be shown on the RWA website). These will feature the new RWA SMART board as used in the Isabellina HPA. Ken at ALO is also willing to help with making custom power cables to go between these battery supplies and your existing equipment!

Stay tuned on this!

Vinnie