Sound Impressions - Benchmark HPA4/LA4 in use with a quality vinyl rig?

Thanks, yyzsantabarbara!

Ozzy62

It’s good to hear back from you having experienced the LA4 with tubes and vinyl. It took me a long time to lose the “sheen” and I don’t want that back. Just looking to build upon the relaxed sound that keeps me listening.

Yyzsantabarbara,

I contacted and heard back from Rory. The only issue regarding my using the HPA4 with my single ended components will be giving up some SNR and that makes sense. As, I won’t be giving up my single ended 300B mono blocks, I need more time to evaluate my options.

Another option that I considered was the Spatial Revelation Raven tube preamp that is fully balanced. I asked Don about using my system with his preamp, and he thought that my single ended amps would not be an optimal use of the system.

Both Rory and Don consider that their preamps are so good, that it would be difficult to find a better preamp anyway. Time is on my side, and will use it to think things through. I’ve been using a 1990 Boulder L3A line stage, and the capacitors were upgraded by Boulder 5 years ago. Single ended inputs with single ended and XLR outs. I’ve been extremely happy with the sound, but I still wonder if a newer line stage in my price range would make more sense?

Right, but I was using relaxed to describe the sound that I love, but that does not mean dull or non-involving. So, detailed, transparent, natural, etc., without any sheen. I understood from you that sheen meant anxious, or perhaps a bit too edgy.

I think we’re on the same page and I checked out your current system. Looks like our tastes in sound may be very similar. What gear were you using when you had the LA4 in place?

Do you think that any of that sheen you experienced with the LA4 may have been related to what you were using at the time?

Thank you ozzy62 and yyzsantabarbara. It’s interesting about the cables resolving your issue.

It may be best for me to try the 30- or 60 (preferred)-day trials offered for the HPA4. I’m at the stage in my life where I have a fine system that I love without the drive to make any major changes to my system. The one exception is with my Boulder line stage. So, my best bet might be to first compare the Boulder against the HPA4, and move on from there.

One issue simply may be that I still prefer vinyl over digital sound. I’ve noticed that the move towards balanced inputs and outputs has increased with amps and preamps. A trend to fully balanced components is becoming the norm, and I find that somewhat disappointing. What’s most interesting, is that the reviews from both users and professionals are mostly done with DACs with these components. And, even more interesting, fully balanced tube designs are on the rise. With the passing of the decades, I have seen this trend come and go. For example, I still own my BAT VK5 line stage from the nineties that is fully balanced and tubed. Later, the swing would return to single-ended and so on.

A  number of years ago, after I purchased my 300B monos, I was ready to purchase a Tron Seven line stage to complement my Tron Seven phono. I would discover that the Seven line was discontinued. While the Seven line was still around Tron released their new Atlantic line stage. In terms of sound, it was Atlantic, Seven, and Syren at the top. Today, there is also the Nemisis. With the Seven out of the picture it created a hole in what I was after. I filled that gap with my Boulder and had it re-capped by Boulder 5 years ago. I was honestly surprised by how good the system now sounded.

If the HPA4 does not improve my sound, sheen or no sheen, I have a couple of other contenders that I’m considering. Right now, these are the SPL Elector and the LTA microZOTL. These are analog line stages that offer single-ended ins and outs with excellent reviews.

The Elector was reviewed by the Part Time Audiophile in 2022. He loved it and kept it for himself.

I had checked out the Holo Serene, but again this is a fully balanced preamp, so not ideal for a single-ended output. It doesn’t make sense for me to pay for a design feature marketed for better sound (low noise), and then not be able to take advantage of it. This is what I discovered years ago with my BAT VK5 feeding into my Conrad Johnson Premier 11a. I wasn’t getting everything.

I’m ideally looking for a line stage with 2 unbalanced preamp outs. The second out is for my subs. An additional tape out would be nice for a headphone amp.

singingg,

Thank you for sharing your findings with the LA4. I plan on trying out the HPA4 in order to draw my own conclusions as the results are obviously system dependent. Actually, this makes sense for any new component in one’s system. So, providing a trial period is quite a problem solver.