This is not the case for ST-Amp, both are sharing the same topology with almost no additional noise or THD as stated from Earmen, which I can personally attest to. Listening to both the SE and BAL out, it’s safe to say that the SE doesn’t sound bad compared to the BAL out, except slightly lacking in terms of dynamics, which is expected from SE output, i have tested some dac/amp which i shall not name to remain neutral, the SE output sounded bad compared to the BAL out, it is as if the SE’s circuit is designed badly and the focus is only on the BAL out. It doesn’t come with any power chord nor usb cable unfortunately, but for someone who’s already spending this much amount of money, they should already have several power cord or usb cables laying around, but nonetheless, it’s good to have so a first timer can enjoy the package right out the box. The ST-Amp came in a bare minimal packaging but is well protected, one box contained the ST-Amp, while another layer of box served as a protection layer. The amp itself has a noiseless LPS (Linear Power Supply) built in, which is something that i personally preferred instead of having a separate power brick dangling around The only complaint that I have is with the positioning of the anti-slip rubber pad which formed a triangle, which in my opinion isn't that stable as it can easily topple if you accidentally knock it or if you have a thick power cord, it may be an issue as well. I have the ST-Amp with me today, a fully balanced amplifier, although it has a DAC (ES9280) in it, its strength lies on the amping section rather than the DAC, while it is certainly good to have for those who are on a budget or looking to get an external DAC to fully utilise the amp of ST-Amp.īuild quality of the ST-Amp is solid, switches are not wobbly, the input and output ports are gold plated and have solid connection (doesn’t come off easily). Apart from the special topology of the amplifier, the power supply is worthy of excellent characteristics even at full power, which is often not the case with most amplifiers, so in their specifications you can find measurements but at half power.įor those who are not familiar with Earmen, Earmen is a company registered in the US, and a subsidiary of Auris Audio which is a high end Serbian brand that builds amplifiers as well as headphone amps, similar to Auris Audio, although Earmen is registered in the US, all of the products are made in Europe to uphold a certain quality standard. Power SupplyAt the heart of the device itself is a noiseless linear power supply with great stability, so it can easily provide enough power even for the most demanding headphones. Analog input or Digital/Integrated DAC gives you the freedom to listen to your favorite music from any source. Source of your choiceThe sound source can be chosen according to your choice. This option allows the user to use the ST-Amp as a DAC and preamplifier for a much more powerful system. Pre Out OptionOn the back panel of the device we have SE and BAL Pre-Out outputs. With perfectly balanced sound and incredible dynamics, you will have the feeling of being in a concert hall. In addition, it very easily controls various headphone drivers, thus improving accuracy, neutrality and transparency.Īmazing DynamicsDynamic range above >126dB will guarantee you liveliness and musicality that will allow you to never have the feeling that you are missing something. ST-AMP fully utilizes the maximum dynamics provided by the sound source, so you will not be deprived of any detail. Although many DACs have excellent specifications, it is not enough for the sound to fully express itself. SoundST-AMP affects the sound so that your DAC can be heard better. To make the experience complete, we use a high-quality balanced ALPS potentiometer that contributes to the sound remaining unchanged, and the user satisfied during use. The headphones output are powered by two TPA6120 operational amplifiers, which have proven to be excellent in the audiophile world. We use the exact same topology for SE signals, so they become Balanced in a special way with almost no phase shift, additional noise or THD, which is great news because the sound from the SE output does not lag behind the sound from the Balanced output. EarMen ST-Amp Desktop Fully Balanced DAC / Headphone Amp / Preampįully BalancedThe amplifier is fully balanced, so your every sound from the input will become even cleaner and better, but that's not all.
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