Helot 2x Headphone Vaccum Tube Valve Amplifier [12au7 / 12bh7] (Electro Harmonix Tubes)

Sources are LP5X with ML / Michael Fidler phono pre or WiiM mini bit perfect out to JDS Labs EL DAC ii+, both then to a Fosi P4 Pre. The amp is silky smooth, very little background noise, but not pitch black. It is smooth, relaxed & melodic, with reasonable detail. Female vocals are beautiful. Definitely worth the price paid. It takes a good while to warm up to its best, so turn it on an hour before you want it. I should also mention Spartan here too. I've had a couple of queries and they get back to you quickly. Customer service as it should be, but often isn't. This is an update after a year and a few headphones & amps later. Everything noted above stands, it is super smooth and easy on the ear, but I would add that this amp is at its best for lower level listening with acoustic / vocal music. If you want the greatest detail, high volumes and tight bass, look elsewhere. Bass distortion is clearly evident at high volumes, regardless of source.

If you're looking for a tube amp to use with multiple headphones, look elsewhere. I have nothing but issues with the amp clipping at normal listening volumes on two pairs of headphones. My modded pair of Sennheiser HD600s work fine and don't have any clipping, but my modded HiFiMan closed back Sundaras that need more volume over the HD600s, just clip like crazy. They're totally non-useable with this amp. My AKG K612 Pro headphones also start clipping at normal listening levels, as these also require more volume over the HD600s. Spartan Music claiming this amp can drive 600 ohm headphones is incorrect. I also wouldn't bother with anything under 100 ohm either, as the amp has a high output impedance and so my Beyer DT900 Pro X and Grado SR225X headphones are non-useable unless you use an EQ. I've swapped the Electro Harmonix tubes for a Japanese Mazda 12BH7A and an RCA 12AU7A, but it did literally nothing to the clipping. It has good build quality and it does sound good with the HD600s, but it seems the amp design itself is poor, and you'd be better off looking at the Little Dot MKII which I also have and which doesn't have any issues with any of my headphones.

I was after a good headphone amp with no frills to connect to the already excellent MSI Z790 ACE motherboard audio output which is really really good to begin with, but I just found listening to a tube amp just slightly better, cant really put my finger on it, but there it is. After some research I came upon the Helot amp and bought it, and so glad I did. It is excellent with my Sennheiser HD650 headphones and arguably as good as my Little Dot MkIVSE which I have downstairs which also has HD650 headphones. Now the only fly in the ointment which is most likely why people report that the unit runs hot. Your house mains voltage may be too high!, the filaments in the tubes are designed to run at 6.3v ac and they do if your supply is at 220v ac, but if like mine it is at 248 to 251v ac you will be driving the filaments at over 7v ac!, this will reduce the life of the tubes as well as generate a lot of excess heat. I built a buck transformer PSU to drop my supply from the 250v down to 220v ac so am using this and the amp is warm, but that is about it. It will still work at a slightly higher voltage but your tubes will burn out quicker and the unit will run warmer. I'm writing this listening to TIDAL streaming master quality tracks and everything is so detailed, and has a wide soundscape, no need for equalization, everything is just lush. I would really recommend this amp for the price if all you are after is a vacuum tube amplifier, no frills just an RCA input, On/OFF switch, volume knob and 1/4" headphone socket, paired with Sennheiser HD650's it's fantastic. Just to add the amp sits on the Topping E50 DAC perfectly, almost as if it were made for it, the amp is just a fraction narrower. The audio from these two combined is just brilliant with the HD650's, its absolutely brilliant and I have spent days and days listening to it. So pleased.

The Helot with Electro Harmonic Tubes sit in my 15k audio system driving a pair of Beyerdynamic Amiron headphones I took the time to burn in the Tubes for 100 hours and honestly they sound much the same as with 10 hours use Has a smooth warm but with good detail in the high treble but gentle with it, the bass is ok not strong not weak but in the middle so its balanced sounding very easy listening experience you could say a vinyl analogue sound from yesteryear (unlike digital which can sound hard Now my source is HD digital music from Deezer Flak and mostly 24it 48mhz/ 96mhz and also BBC Radio 1 sounds great as well (Hi Fi audio components, not a PC or smart phone) and they give all the punch attack and detail of quality hi rez digital music by the bucket load ~ without any tiring harshness - most importantly they drive easily my 300 ohm Beyerdynamic Amiron headphones with ease (and to very loud levels without distortion) - but again the Helot runs Hot the tubes and its in built mains Transformer get toasty quick, so give it lots of headroom to vent the Heat away (150mm at least! preferable in an open space Its a very well built headphone Amp quite Heavy all metal bodywork and a real mains lead socket at the back however looks very nice a cool retro talking point with friends note - this Helot Amp runs Hot! very Hot indeed this at around 40% to 50% volume levels (loud enough for me This Helot Tube Amp is up there with sheer sound quality of higher priced products costing several times more than its £149 ~ its the equal of Little Dot Tube Amps at quarter the price the lack of 5 Stars? the front Red LED On light is very bright a lower wattage LED would be better for long music night listening, a small point but that's just me (most probably wont notice .. yes i really like it

Non pensavo a tanta superficialita? anche se da un intermediario come Amazon, in quanto: Istruzioni inesistenti; cavo di alimentazione UK(terminale Inglese) quindi inutilizzabile, materiali di costruzione dozzinali ad un prezzo purtroppo esagerato!! Farò molta fatica ad acquistare ancora Hi-FI da Amazon, che considero responsabile anche come intermediario. NON COMPRATELO!!