CEC HD-51 Headphone Amplifier

[Rameish 0]

Okay. I've let the S$600 CEC HD-51 run in now for approx. 72 hours. First off the features:

 

Features

It has 4 headphone output female jacks as can be clearly seen on the front panel picture below. The 2 headphone out jacks on the left are controlled by the left volume pot and is the "for headphone only" section of the amp. The two headphone jacks on the right and the speaker output on the back (no picture sorry) are controlled by the right volume pot. When either of the two headphone outs on the right have a headphone jack inserted, this cuts off the signal flow to the speakers. The back has provision for a pair of balanced XLR inputs and RCA inputs. The choice is yours and the manual indicates that if your source has balanced outputs then you should use the balanced inputs. It also has provision for an outboard power supply which if used powers only the headphone section of the amp i.e. the left two headphone out jacks (you can no longer use it as a normal amp to power speakers). For that to happen you need to connect to the onboard power supply. Thus you could have two power supplies connected to the amp.

 

The amp as a speaker amp.

Although designed primarily as a headphone amp, the CEC HD-51 does drive sensitive speakers reasonably well. That is if you¡Çre on the market for a cheap integrated in the $400 ¡Ý $600 price cat you might want to consider the CEC - if you only have one source. The amp will drive speakers that have a sensitivity of 90dB but you really should try something a little higher like 93dB ¡Ý also stay away from 4 ohm speakers as the impedance dip could be as low as 2 ohms. The amp itself is on the bright side of things so partnering with a warm sounding, easy to drive speaker should be the way to audition it. But at 8 watts per channel, you better bring it along and hear for yourself before buying a pair of speakers.

 

The amp as a headphone amp

Well, even though the boss of Music by Design (MBD) warned me not to try it with low impedance cans I had to try. In fact the manual says that for the LEF technology to work well (don't ask me what LEF tech is as I don't know) you should use headphones with an impedance of 200 ohms to 600 ohms. So although it could drive both the Grado RS-1 (32 ohms) and the Grado HP-1 (40 ohms) the sound lean and when you cranked up the volume you could hear sight distortion.

 

So out came the Senn HD-600 and with it the CEC did well. It cleared up some of the veiled nature of the Senn HD-600 (a bit like using it with the Cardas blue headphone cable). But, I still found it a little bright and light weight so a change in interconnects from the Kimber Silver Streaks to the Grado Signature interconnects brought about some small but significant improvements. Switching to a Marantz CD-6000 OSE brought with it a little more warmth. BTW, the CDP that I had previously used was the Rotel RCD-971.

 

With careful partnering of associated equipment, I can recommend this amp. It should also be a sonic match for Beyer DT-990, DT-880, DT-770, DT-250 (250 ohm version only and not the 80 ohm version please). Other headphones are the Senn HD-600 (of course) and HD-580.

 

It will be way too bright with Beyer DT-931 or DT-831. Also, forget about trying this amp with low impedance cans like the Grados, Sonys etc.

 

Basically if you have a pair of cans that you find too warm or a bit on the bloated side then the CEC might just be the ticket for you. If you like cappuccino but find that you currently drinking latte then audition the CEC HD-51.

 

The CEC should be back at MBD some time next week and you should be able to try it out with the Grado RA-1 as comparison. Both amps are available at Music by Design, 2nd level Adelphi. If that doesn¡Çt do the trick then try a Grado headphone with Grado amp combo.

 

Please note that Senn HD-600 is my least favourite of my good headphone category. It¡Çs too rich and a little veiled. My personal favourites are the Grado RS-1 and HP-1. I also happen to prefer the Beyer DT-150, DT-831 over the Senn HD-600. The DT-880 is very similar to the HD-600 but slightly "faster sounding". The Beyer DT-250 (250 ohm verison) is the closed headphone for Senn Hd-600 lovers.

 

Edited April 15, 2003 by Rameish

[ablaze 0]

hmm, i MIGHT. not sure though.

 

any links about this amp? never heard of it

 

edit: did a search, found a pic

* The pure A class operation which loads the individual LEF circuit (head phone output)

* In wide-ranging head phone correspondence (impedance 32 - 2000 Omega)

* Simultaneously 2 head phones enabled

* Speaker output equipment (impedance 4 - 8 Omega) .

- Rated output : Head phone section 32 Omega 0.38w

Speaker section 8 Omega 8w

- Load impedance : Speaker 4 - 8 Omega

Head phone 32 - 2000 Omega

- Input terminal : Balance x1

Imbalance x1

- Output terminal : Head phone output 2 system (6.3mm * 3.5mm) x2

Speaker output x1

- Power source : 100V and 50/60Hz

- External size : 217 (W) the X 308 (D) the X 59 (H) mm (the leg * terminal it includes)

- Weight : 2.1kg (only substance)

- Accessory : AC cord/code and RCA- mini- plug conversion cord/code

Instruction manual, guarantee

- Color : Gold

- JAN cord/code : 4992287129009

* Standard price : 39,800 Yen (classified by tax)

 

why'd you buy it Rameish? its yours right?

[Blues 0]

wow.. nice amp.

love the look.. definately will match well with rameish's marantz colour

[ablaze 0]

i'm just curious why the sudden purchase

[Blues 0]

yeah.. we shall wait for his review..

[evil-zen 0]

Rameish will be the regional one-stop headphone centre if he carries on like that.

 

How about the allesandro grados?

[N@Z 0]

I recall at MBD, Adelphi I saw a CEC DAC with a headphone out & built in digital volume control too.

[Rameish 0]

See preview above.

Edited April 15, 2003 by Rameish

[gryphon1972 0]

What are the inputs and outputs? It looks like it has got 8 watts class A to drive speakers..........

 

Hmmmm....wonder how it sounds driving a pair of loth x speakers ;p

[ablaze 0]

i see..

so how's it sound so far? and how much'll it cost roughly? looks like it might be priced around the price of the X-cans right?

[Rameish 0]

Ablaze,

 

I kid you not but I really don't know what the price will but doing a Yen to Sing conversion it results in the S$593 price. So adding shipping costs the price would be??? (I'll ask the boss today). BTW these are DBS rates at http://www.dbs.com.sg/ratesonline/fxbra.html - thanks goes to ablaze from some long ago post.

 

Besides the two 1/4 inch and two 1/8 inch headphone jack outputs on the front it has balanced inputs on the back and one pair of RCA inputs. There are also a pair of speaker out.

 

I will not give initial impressions bec they are so misleading - almost all amps sound bright and thin sounding for the first 24 hours and then start improving. We'll see.

 

Patience.

 

As for the colour - I really dont care for gold - champagne or otherwise. Similar colour to Marantz's gold. The blue led is like a torchlight - it lit up my futon when I sitched off all the lights.

Edited April 12, 2003 by Rameish

[pipee 0]

Hmm....an 8w solid state, imagine that. Not many speakers you can pair this with unless.....horns?

[Rameish 0]

The Sing dollar pice is 600. Confirmed.

 

In can drive low impedence cans - just dont push it. With Senn HD-600 it's quite nice. The brightness has melowed somewhat bit this is still a bright sound amp (in the positive sense). Just don't partner it with a bright source or cans. I can see people who have a Marantz CD-6000 OSE using it with Senn HD-600.

 

As a normal speaker amp it's rather limited - the 8 watts may be able to drive AKG K-1000 via the speaker outputs at the back. BTW it uses spring loaded speaker clips and not binding posts.

[ablaze 0]

Rameish..no fun lah. buy something REEEAAAALLY interesting like the R10s or the RKV and I'll be over in a jiffy hehe

 

ps. half-j/king, really busy yesterday..

[gryphon1972 0]

Wah spring loaded............