Would this amp be a worthwhile upgrade to an Asgard if I'm only using lower impedance headphones right now (Denon D2000, AKG K7XX, Grado RS-2i)? I intend to get a planar in the (hopefully) near future. I'm not unhappy with the Asgard, but I am always looking for products that are not only better (for a good price), but would allow me to upgrade to a balanced DAC in the future.
joezuuThe H10 seems to excel with planars and the HD650 cans, but will be a solid choice for most headphones. The multiple gain settings and very clean, black background help immensely in that regard. I haven't heard the Asgard side by side, so not sure if it's a huge upgrade.
Just remember that although it may take balanced ins, it is still a single ended amp with an unbalanced TRS headphone output.
Ninja1283I'd like to add that a balanced amp and an unbalanced amp are two different ways to reach the same end. A balanced amp is easier to engineer in a way that sounds better; a well-engineered unbalanced amp can sound just as good, if not better but it requires more work to get to the point.
joezuuThe H10 is a 1:1 clone of the Violectric V200 headphone amp, which is $1000 new. For only $300 it's a bargain! I know your post is old but everyone should know.
Zombie_XSmall correction - H10 is not exactly 1:1 V200 clone, although there are many similarities. From what I have heard, by using larger enclosure Gustard was able to improve on component placement. Anyway, I have H10 and it is splendid amp indeed.
OlekVery true. Looking inside, the first thing that jumps out is the dual toroid transformers. The capacitors are arranged differently, the volume control is in a different place in the circuit.
It shares some design elements with the Violectric, but that is as close as it gets.