A Class A Headphone amp for less than $1000? The AUNE S17 Pro

[@marlowe1537]

Thanks for this long waited review, which is both informative and fair and ultimately pretty favorable to the S17, which I've had for about ten months. It largely tracks my experience (I also notice little to no difference between current modes) and the bass is quite impactful (my DAC is the R2R Denafrips Ares 12th-1). I mainly use the Hifiman HEK Stealth, which is probably tuned similarly to the bright Hifimans you mentioned, but don't notice any problem with the treble, which is probably one of the few upsides of being 71. BTW, you can lose the remote (though not recommended, of course) since all its functions are duplicated by the volume knob: single tap for input, double tap for current mode, long press for gain level.

[@gdemirjian]

You can do all the same controls via the volume knob just like the remote. Vol knob single press-input change, single press and hold-gain, double press-mA change. I just verified this on my S17. Having the temp indicator lets you know why it dropped to 50mA if it happens. Even with the firmware update, some folks don't give their gear enough breathing room. If some want to talk about the temp a lot, that's their problem. I use a separate thermocouple on my other class-a amp and love that this amp has the temp shown. Don't dumb it down just for a few dummies. lol. I think if the vol # size was larger it would be obnoxious. Now it is just as big, or bigger than most others. I can see it from across my room. WOW. You are the first I have heard from many reviews and lots of feedback that this amp is bright. It is one of the best with my HE6se V2 because of its tuby smoothness and having enough power to provide excellent control of that, hard to control driver. I like using my SMSL-SU9 DAC most with this amp. I can hear the difference with my Topping E50 DAC. Love your videos. Thanks!

[@Currawong]

Thanks for the info. Somehow I missed the other functionality with the volume knob. Some people are more sensitive to the treble peak that HiFiMan headphones have, some not. I guess that includes me.

[@gdemirjian]

@@Currawong Exactly. The HE6se V2 has a treble peak that I am sensitive to and the Aune smoothed that out for me. I think it has a lot to do with this driver finally getting enough power to drive more efficiently. Cheers.

[@jeffhernandez5098]

I had one very early on. I also had the heat issue. The thing got EXTREMELY hot. Like 69C hot. I had it on 2" pucks to make room for additional airflow. No help. I don't think they realized what the problem was because I was never offered a fix. Only a refund, which I gladly excepted. Bought a Burson Soloist 3xp, which is also a class A amplifier. Zero heat issues. I could rest my hand on the top of the Burson, unlike the S17 Pro.

[@ehilk8181]

Burson Soloist runs Class AB

[@ulgn1964]

I have mine on 4 round stands and have no problem with heat, after more then 90 minutes on highest setting it's around 60 degrees Celsius, never reach the point when it automatically switch to lower settings.

[@maximgodunov7717]

Another great review! Are slightly different tonality and better detail retrieval the only differences to be heard going from s17 pro to mjolnir 3?

[@bc8251]

Great Review 👍

[@korob20080]

Thx for the review. How does it pair with meze 109 pro?

[@OlivérPinkó]

Thank you for the rewiew Amos! How does it pair with IEMs?

[@Currawong]

It's totally not for IEMs.

[@OlivérPinkó]

@@Currawong thanks!

[@teknolojigundemi]

Thank you for Aune review. How much power needed for headphones? I know high impedance headphones and planar magnetics require high power. Which parameters i should look? Impedance, type ? I have Drop 6xx,Fiio k7bt. What you buy around 1K headphones/amp-dac price point?

[@xyanide1986]

Not all manufacturers will list the output power for different impedances, but the good ones so. If you have a 6xx, maybe check out the ifi zen can 6xx signature edition or the regular latest model ifi zen can. They're not too expensive and should suit your need. I really like their amplifiers and DACs.

[@sjqideez6626]

The Metrum Amethyst & Soekris dac2541 are great options for DAC/amps, they are R2R ladder DACs too

[@crate718]

the 100ma makes the music more exciting, better bass and bigger sound stage. You have to let it run on 100 ma for 30 seconds before you hear a difference. It is not a summer amp. I do notice when the room is cool the s17 doesn't get as hot. It is interesting the low gain has less bass and wider sound stage then the high gain mode. I love this amp and when I hooked up my smsl sh9 to the s17 I got some interesting results which are amazing

[@Currawong]

Thanks for the comment. I'd be wary in thinking that there are tonal changes from changes in the gain settings, as our ears don't perceive frequencies with the same balance at all volume levels (search for "equal loudness curve"), so it's easy to think there are changes when there aren't. I'm glad the amp is working out for you though!

[@crate718]

@@Currawong I am also a musician. Like tubes don’t change the tone just the texture of the sound. Try it you might like it and thank you 😎

[@Ezees23]

"It is interesting the low gain has less bass and wider sound stage then the high gain mode..." That's almost EXACTLY how my Gustard H20 acts between gain settings (also Class A/AB: Lo gain: "softer" overall presentation, linear, wide SS; Hi gain: more controlled overall presentation, harder-hitting bass, more "direct" or "unvarnished" sounding; Med gain: a mix of both presentations, IMO;.....

[@crate718]

@@Ezees23 also really good pre amps have a low and high gain. My educated guess the magic mostly comes from the dac and pre amp and the amp and speaker compliments The dac and pre amp.

[@denisgrzetic416]

i have this amp for just three days and is too short amount of time to judge anything...i try all three headphones that i have (Hifiman Sundara,He 6 v2 and Senn 560 ovation) and difference between 50 and 100 mode i hear only with He6v2 and with that one i dont need to listen particulary carefull...Sundara and Senn 560 ovation - no difference at all....

[@Shozimus]

S17 vs Mjolnir 3 ? Wich do You prefer ?

[@Mark-fs7ok]

Watch the video. Sheesh

[@poturbg8698]

Have you reviewed any Burson components. A number of them are Class A.

[@KXP70]

Would love to hear his thoughts on the new Conductor GT4

[@ehilk8181]

Burson stuff is pretty much all Class AB.

[@navidhazegh5177]

Please make a review for topping dx9 pro

[@sjqideez6626]

Thanks for this, the s17 pro is a great performer for the price. I see you have the Sus Unvy, looking forward to your views on it soon.

[@Creaper08]

Does anyone use this amp with sennheiser hd800s and can give me some feedback . Does it have enough power to drive these headphones (e.g. 300 ohm)

[@JTB--]

You can Fry an egg on this thing

[@garfythecat]

Seems like a decent unit but I'm not sure about the 50/100mA selector or the temperature monitor. I feel like I would spend most of my time switching between the two and checking the temp rather than listening to music.

[@fabianoberlim9636]

At this price. Wouldn’t be better to stretch the budget and buy a Topping DX9?

[@KXP70]

Depends on what kind of sound you want.

[@salut9658]

An headphone amp doesn’t need to be 1000$, all it has to do is amplifying the signal without adding noise or distortion, with enough power to drive headphones, and it doesn’t cost this much to produce this circuit in 2024, this is overpriced marketing.

[@Currawong]

All headphone amplifiers will add noise and distortion. "Enough power" is unfortunately more than just a number. You can observe this by getting something like a Schiit Magni, which has "enough power" to drive most headphones, and hear the much greater bass distortion with a common pair of othordynamic/planar headphones than a more expensive amplifier.

[@xyanide1986]

You're welcome to buy anything else. Once you demo a bunch of these in a row you might get it.

[@Ezees23]

ASRer spotted, LMAO......

[@LeDechaine]

The Aune X7S is less than 300$ and is also apparently pure Class A. I love mine (I have the X7S 2018 version).

[@salut9658]

@@xyanide1986 Learn how the human hearing works before demoing that will save you money.