Stello Hp100

[tassardar_ 0]

Hmm there isnt much review for amps in this forums. Let me add this to it hehe.

 

Stello Hp100:

 

Pics and Specs can be found at http://www.hifi500.com/product/hp100.htm

 

Lets kick start my review on it:

 

This amp is bought second hand off this forum. I was always looking for a Solid State amp that accepts multiple input and lucky me I saw the add today lol.

 

Build:

Solid build. The whole chassis is build from metal. The top jsd openings as the amp gets warm overtime. The Back RCA connections are quite long so you can ensure that all the connections are secured and in. Volume Pot has tracks in them so you can find find back your last volume setting easily. This is also one part I dont really like as with my K701 I cant obtain the volume I want as 1 tick up its too high and other its too low. The volume pot do not make any sound even with sensitive IEM. The connection in the front is a Neutrik XLR Phone Jack which is pretty neat.

 

Functions:

Accepts 2 inputs and allow your choice of which input to output via the amp circuits. The back output circuit is connected to the amp allowing the volume to be controlled too. For me its a value add considering that I bought it for the main purpose as a Headphone amp. Now I can also connect in my speakers .

 

On the front panel, theres the switch for gain and input selection. For gain I highly recommand low even on my hard to drive k701/dt880. The high function is way too loud and due to the volume pot having tracks, you probably cant get the correct level of volume. The amp is dead silent on high or low gain for my er4p and um1. Hissing only apear near half mark. The input switching is great for me as I have a cdp and pc to run simultaneously. May get a dac in the future (probably not a stello one though) but thats sometime later. Both this function also affects the lineout at the back via rca allowing you to switch sources. Great for a preamp.

 

At the back it has the function to filter to sound. After some test using the various equipement, the top generally brightens the amp up abit while the bottom makes the amp duller. I will say its useful if the cans you use are too bright. On the K701 though, the bottom makes the bass sound rolled off and lose some of the impact. It doesnt affect cans so much though, just subtle and infact I dont even know what is the difference on tracks that dont have much bass. One thing though the bottom does make the sound seem alittle more detail on some tracks for me. Guess more testing is needed.

 

Sound:

 

As I didnt really use much amps. I can only write the points that make the k701 better then before.

 

Soundstage: Improvement over the other amps I have. For the K701 which I always gives me the feeling that the performers are far away in a large room, the amp changes that slightly by bringing the performers closer yet retaining the large room.

 

Overal sound change: I m not very good in seperating it out into high mids and low. It removes whatever brightness in the K701 that I had with the other amps. Instruments that I once have only a rough idea what they are actually sound more like the instruments that should be. In one track I used, there was a soft background plucking of guitar that sounds like plucking but with no proper tone. Now there is a proper plucking a delayed decaying of the sound making it actually sound like a guitar.

 

Bass by far is the best improvement and was the first thing I notice when I pluck my headphone in. I switch between the dt880 and k701 to reconfirm. The bass became way tighter then it was before. The impact is also better and really can be felt. This was something I could never experience using my k701 before this amp was purchased. This totally made me feel that all those that feel the k701 bass is lacking just didnt have the proper setup.

 

This amp is very detailed. Detail enough to bring out things I have never noticed before even at high volume. This is also a minus point as it does make the amp very unforgiving to the source and material. Matched with a phone like k701, all those low quality or badly recorded tracks at times may be deemed unbearable.

 

Overview:

 

Im very satisfied with this amp. This is the second home amp i purchased and the 6th amp I tested. The only function I felt it lacked is a crossfeed. With such a bass, extending or increasing ot is something that is totally not needed. This amp totally blows portables out of the water. The hornet and portaphile maxxed is no matched sonically. Of course though the price bracket is also a total different league to start with . The amp can also be used as a preamp with multiple source and volume control. What made me the most glad is that I finally can say that my K701 is a fantastic phone. The amp being more expensive then the equipement outputting the sound is not something that I expected but after using it, the decision to purchase this amp before another headphone was absolutely the right choice. Now all that is left a decent source for me.

 

Closing statement:

This is my first indepth review of a equipement I actually own. As such, any wrong usage of word please do forgive me. As this is the first mid/high range amp I am reviewing, I do not really know what other amp at this range can provide me. The last time I tested the higher fidelity at SE didnt give me the same feel as this amp though. According to them, the k701 on display is fully burnt in and given the same source + way better interconnects with my own cd i brought there, the sound just doesnt impress me enough to consider it as a purchase for the k701. Maybe if someone with a different amp can gimme a cross reference or wants to do a cross reference, ill be glad acceept it hehe. This ends my review. Back to my work now .

 

Equipement used for review:

Marantz CD5001

X-Fi Xtrememusic

Cheapskate interconnects

K701

DT880 03 edition

ER4S(for cross checking, I always felt this was the best phones for checking as it blocks out all background + its pretty balance and neutral. Also the 4p function is near to a normal low impedence IEM which I believe some ppl will be interested.)

 

Music:

My own personally collection of anime / english songs. Most of my cds are printed in japan. I dunno if that makes much of a difference though.

 

Side note: I read that the amp is easily affected by the interconnects. As such I may try getting a better one to cross check on that. If theres really a noticable difference, will update this.

 

Updates: The filter set to the bottom (b mode) is better on the dt880. The dt880 which I felt had ample bass to start with isnt really affected by having a slightly buffed bass. At this mode, the greatest difference is how instruments that are in the high region such as cimbles (did I spell them wrongly lol) and bells are being toned down. This made the background more noticeable. Soundstage also improve as now the instruments sound less upfront then before. For the K701 though the top position is still the preferred one lol.

 

Pic Updates:

 

My CD setup. Didnt want to show my computer and speakers as that place is darn messy as of now lol. Quality sarks as i didnt tweak the lighting enough.

[attachmentid=3818]

 

The Front Panel

[attachmentid=3819]

 

The back panel with my cheap ass cables lol. Need to rectify it soon

[attachmentid=3820]

 

Thats rounds up my stello hp100 review till I get some decent cables. The reason why I didnt had any decent one to start with is I dont really have any decent home amp before this and couldnt tell much of a difference using what I had lol.

 

BTW just to ask, advisable to stack the amp on the cdp? Both generate heat but the amp is hotter then I expected. Probably due to the inbuilt transformer.

Edited May 21, 2007 by tassardar_

[loop_ 0]

nice review, but you need nice pictures to go with it!

[variablefeedback 0]

bro, sound can be further improve since your are using generic IC cables.

 

Try Kimber KS series ..... be warned they are ex.

 

[tassardar_ 0]

Fast update hehe.

 

Upgrades my cable at last. Went down to stereo electronics to purchase the cables. Always wanted to test a high end cable to see if they are really worthed (to start, I used interconnects on portables before. The difference are there but usually Ill say too minute to really tell apart.)

 

What caught my eyes were silver cables. After some thought and recommandation by their friendly and patient staff (I visited there a hell lot of time and its pretty close to my home, usually left with nth.) I bought their argento pure silver cables terminated by them. Price you have to check it out yourself lol.

 

I first tried with the new cables, followed by a switch back and then back to the silver cables. This is the first time I will say THERE IS a noticable difference. Im not sure if its the amp which is said to be pretty senitive to interconnects, but I will say the sound is totally different.

 

From my stock copper cables, the sound is more closed up and warmer with a tad bit of muddiness in the bass. Compared to the argento pure silver, the soundstage just opens up. Theres lot more air now and the bass is tighter. It does lose some of the warmness but the difference and feel is totally different.

 

I had to say, when I first used it with my dt880 as my first headphone, I felt like this is the sound I was looking for.

 

Pics in the future ahead hehe.

[variablefeedback 0]

and when ar eyou going to stop upgrading har? :-)

[tassardar_ 0]

Lets see, a DAC and more cables. And of course some other headphones (dont consider headphones as upgrade, more likte alternatives)

[warsurferX 0]

Ergh... looking for an amp at the moment. Your review's making me drool... hehe. any change of trying?

Edited July 10, 2007 by warsurferX