How good is an $8000 headphone amp? - Zahl HM1 Review

[@sjqideez6626]

Quite simply, this is the best review I’ve ever seen of ANY amp. Smashed it out the park Cameron. I’ve never heard the MySphere 3.2 sound better.

[@jeremyhowell2647]

Fitting all of those analogue goodness in that form factor is superbly impressive. I would love to have this in my studio

[@MeteoraEra]

I tried these recently with Dca stealth alongside with Shangri Senior, Sennheiser HE1 and Oor + hypsos with many high end headphones. The combo of Hm1 + stealth was the absolute best smoothest most enjoyable experience i had that couldn't be explained. Even smoother and better thank tubes yet being detailed, it made me insane

[@NorrinRadd2]

Had the same experience. HM1 + Stealth are close to a perfect match. DCA Stealth never sounded this good, no matter what other amp was used. Detailed, very involving and just pure enjoyment. One and only con for me is the price tag.

[@Wineormusic]

Great review Cameron. As a fellow owner I share your enthusiasm for the product. It just takes music to another level. Whilst there are features I don’t use, this targets a wide audience between professional and enthusiasts with something that will tick a specific box for a particular user. Personally I love the +15db for my phono preamp. I also love the stereo base control, it tends to live one notch to the right to just widen things but I’ll switch one notch to the left for older jazz recordings that are hard panned left and right. The one very minor quirk for me is when you switch it on, I’d like channel A to also switch on.

[@aublumberg]

Can't wait to receive mine as part of the 2023 batch

[@nitraM321]

that smart crossfeed alone seems like a good reason to buy this, but it’s also easy to emulate cheaply in DACS, for a more realistic price

[@chipsnmydip]

I've not heard it done the same with DSP.

[@sms-t1]

@@chipsnmydip I haven't heard of something like this either. But I hope RME is paying attention. :)

[@thewebart]

Lovely review. Glad to see the face behind these awesome videos.

[@robrider838]

An $8000 headphone amp will be amazing if you get it custom built, you know the builder, you understand the design and you get a complete breakdown of the parts used. For an $8000 headphone amp from an off the shelf manufacturer you'll be mainly paying for their marketing expenses. For example, open up a higher end Woo Audio and check out the transformers they are using.

[@chipsnmydip]

I think it's fair to say that Zähl is not a marketing heavy company, and this is their only foray into consumer audio. Their main business is professional consoles.

[@leeasy7112]

@@chipsnmydip Even the most product-selling oriented “reviewer” zeos thinks this amp is ridiculous, you can imagine how ridiculous the pricing this product has

[@chipsnmydip]

@@leeasy7112 Zeos didn't like it specifically because it's not cheap, and he doesn't like expensive stuff. He also paired it a $500 dac and

[@redstang5150]

@@chipsnmydip That's not true, he liked it but just could not justify the cost for your standard enthusiast. And let me know where you can get the ABYSS DIANA for

[@chipsnmydip]

@@redstang5150 Diana TC was the only high end phone he used. In the review he literally plugged in old school Walkman or airplane headphones. I sort of agree with your characterisation, but there was barely any review or commentary on the actual sound. What there was was positive, but I think he really wanted to express how offended he felt that such expensive amps exist and he doesn't understand the purpose. Realistically, and amp like this one makes sense if you have a really good DAC and something like Susvara. Maybe Diana TC, but I think Abyss are more for tube/warm amps.

[@PlugWoW]

I bought one and was going to sell it because my Ampsandsound Red October does everything better, but decided to try it out as a preamp for the RO and what the soundstage knob does to a good tube amp is so amazing that I won't be able to give that up. Will be keeping it as a preamp forever now! Suggest all of you try it out!

[@Wineormusic]

@Shafferspank I’ve been tempted to buy some Heed active speakers just so I can use it as a pre amp. Unfortunately I can’t try in my main speaker based system as I use an Ypsilon integrated amp. I do have a mate with very high end active speakers and will be giving it a spin in that system as a pre.

[@YouSuckAtHalo]

This is exactly how I'm planning on using it. I got the Red October just waiting for this amp to be delivered.

[@bobsykes]

Thanks for a really wide ranging review. I ordered on of the 2024 production units from your company, so let’s hope they ship on time! (For use with Abyss Diana TC to start).

[@gracefullygraceful9776]

Getting to a stage where Selection of the audio chain is more important than just a component that cost an arm and a leg

[@kentbergstrom3020]

Great review, now I have something new to dream about.

[@gunnarsandberg8132]

Still i use my EF6 for HE6 and HE500 🙂

[@MuhammadKharismawan]

im satisfied with the output options my TA-ZH1ES thank you, i dont need all the power in the world

[@petercraig389]

One of my favourite reviewers, along with Currawong

[@N02tradamus]

I got Envy instead. Live to put it head to head with my upgraded tubes.

[@HiFiInsider]

I'll have to check this out at CanJam next week.

[@adewolf]

I’ll be at CanJam next week in Schaumburg

[@kraken-s]

Another amazing review! Keep going!

[@eddsson]

Amazing review. When I see a Zähl I always get a bit giggly, hah. Yes, price isn't aimed towards me but damn them features alone makes me want this. Thanks, GS/Headphone Show.

[@eddiebaby22]

I think with all DACs measuring spectacularly well these days we need more of this. Customisable options to tailor sound to suit. Why they don't just do this rather than releasing new DACs with negligible differences everytime is just beyond stupid. Although it's a bit like the technology hold back with PCs, they had the power to make things much better but only released incrimental updates to keep people hungry for more and buying. Moores Law. I'm SMSL, Topping and the like have the technology to do this now.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

One thing ive always asked is to have a discreet parametric eq adjustments in a dac. The only one that fors it completely uncompromised is the qudelix 5k to my knowledge. Even the RME is only 5 Bands. Its really embarrassing we are still accepting "Bass boost" on a product only 0.05% of people who listen to music would even purchase (not talking about this product, i mean the availability of all dacs).

[@eddiebaby22]

@@enjoshi-godrez8775 It coming I'm sure, the trouble is SMSL, Toppings and the likes have 10s of 1000s of DACs to sell us first before they actually get around to it. It might have already been made even. I've looked at the Qudelix 5k and yes it seems to be the one which has got best use of EQ on a DAC so far, although the ES100 is also another with better than normal 'bass boost' and a good eq to use. The RME allows tailoring of each frequency I think but it only allows 5 as you say so it can be limiting.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

@@eddiebaby22 the es100 is still GEQ. Its really embarrassing how much audiophiles still rely on things like souce matching or cables to change the way something sounds to their liking, when the changes are so tiny you could simply eq them in less than 10 minutes for free. People will pay 1000s on these source equipment, when apart from correctly loading a headphone (which as golden sounds says, higher current lower gain for planars, higher gain lower current for 150ohm+ dynamics), everthing else could be handled by eq. All of it. We just need to demand it.

[@tednicholson9225]

@@eddiebaby22 the es100 is still GEQ which is still pretty pathetic at making adjustments to a headphone. Even A&K daps have fixed band PEQs. The RME has custom band PEQ, but only has 5 of them. As Joshi says, the qudelix 5k is the only device that has a PEQ that can accept orditory1990 or crinacle presets. For something that cost around $100, its genuinely unacceptable that its still the only one. The ability to make any headphone adhere to any target you want sounds like something only the TOTL type dac would provide, not a $130 one.

[@eddiebaby22]

@@enjoshi-godrez8775 Yes. And I have been guilty of that also, having spent many hundreds even thousands on synergistically matching equipment. But as you rightly say a lot of the time it can be done with EQ. The trouble is EQ fell out of favour with the audiophile community a long time ago and everything went purist, which was great for sales but not for consumers.

[@masterxyr]

I bet Zahl will frame this review on his wall. What a sick tour of that stellar piece of gear. Guess the price makes sense in this current market :( dammit ... but how is the synergy with such a classic as the kph30i? You're a very special and welcome addition to the audio review scene, mate! cheers

[@leviathan5207]

>Guess the price makes sense in this current market How in gods name did you come to that conclusion?

[@masterxyr]

@@leviathan5207 it's partially handmade by a selected few; carries a renowned sound engineer's design; its features actually and objectively perform; built like a mf; everything is more expensive now than 5 years ago. How in god's name do you _not_ come to this conclusion?

[@Kevin-jp4rb]

Have you guys tried Heada(mame) closed or open-back? How do they compare to HD600? What about the Ploopy headphones?

[@frozzle]

I never noticed the Saint Motel EP picture on the wall behind you. what a good band

[@GoldenSound]

My type :D

[@krazyfrog]

Golden videos just hit different.

[@MarcioCV]

i'am hyped, what a amp !

[@johnratcliffe6438]

It was an amazing review! I really enjoyed it, thanks!

[@dannyb3663]

This is the best you can get, period.

[@mignotmaxime2409]

How is it with SR1a and CA1a? Even if they are more current based headphones I imagine both resistor and transformer interfaces are not in the sweetspot of what the HM1 delivers the best. Am I right? Thx for the review btw but I will stick to my Purifi amp.

[@GoldenSound]

11:30 - When the chair squeak hits just right Relevant: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5uTdmZ8epl9obM

[@masterxyr]

well that was fun!! I am still in the 👀 phase with them... then again, currently undergoing my personal discovery of Rachmaninoff's vespers and liturgies and there's a very specific lethargy coming from that to anything else. Thoroughly recommend them

[@adeadcrab]

now we're talking

[@delskioffskinov]

Excellent review!

[@iridescentgherkin]

Sometimes I'm a bit of a soundstage knob.

[@yuunashiki]

that's a very nice album arts background. How did you make them?

[@mugen2002]

What headphone cables are used with the D8000 PRO LE shown at 14:11?

[@pedrobueno9813]

Any particular DAC you like the best with this amp?

[@KenMoreira]

his DAC is the May KTE

[@kagarlickij]

Can anyone advice on headphone stand used in this review? I want the same for my Susvara..

[@marcob.7801]

Is it good for electric blues?

[@latle111]

Thx for this review Peter Griffin

[@ZombieLincoln666]

It's ironic that you used tracks from Aphex Twin's SAW, given how poor those recordings are (at least on paper). That album has a ton of clipping.. Not what I would pick as reference material. Certainly Richard D James did not use Zahl's gear when he recorded SAW... pretty sure he was like 17 and used a cheap multitrack tape cassette machine. And the Richard D James album was almost certainly all done on a laptop with samples

[@chjl1221]

A product of this caliber should have a reviewer that dedicated and professional.

[@blejzerosamigos6115]

Great video, now you could compare it to the Feliks Audio Envy. That would be a great episode. 😁

[@kyron42]

I'm waiting for someone to make a cheaper version with all the same features.

[@ydid687]

you changed that logo a few months ago, what is it and why

[@kram5966]

EQ is free

[@tthedon2471]

how much?????????????? no way!!!!!!!! what's wrong with spl headphone amplifiers?

[@Beverain]

Anyone else pickup the low frequency thump at ~13:42?

[@codgerfiasco]

Having heard this I really wish Zahl would release a version that got rid of the A/B, the EQ, The L/R pan. You could then pick if you wanted the servo or non servo version. It would sound the same but be 'affordable'. The extra features are unnecessary. The company would make more profit from this version due to the sheer number of units shifted.

[@hartyewh1]

I doubt that would drop the price more than 1-2k$

[@codgerfiasco]

@@hartyewh1 Just to be clear you are saying that removing - A fully analogue mid side EQ - One of two whole independent input/output channels - Feedback circuit - Panning And take into consideration that they all have their own volume knobs. You think that would only shave off 1-2K?

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

Dude, it still takes multiple days to make each one of them, all of which are done by employees that earn magnitudes more than any worker in China. 90% of what you pay on any product is labour, thats not reduced if you still need to manufacture all those components in for your entire product portfolio by hand. It will never cost less than half this, because the labour cost would never scale 1 to 1. Even if it take 25% of the time to make, it will cost 50% less because of your overheads on every other cost for your company, which are ongoing regardless.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

​​​​@@codgerfiascoalso. The mass mass majority of the cost of an amp is in its power solution. Capacitors and transformers can cost $100's each to make. The components you have listed are a fraction of that cost.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

@@codgerfiasco also the potentiometer, they can be very very expensive.

[@goglea]

Compare $800 speker amplifiers with this and be amazed at how good they are. Am still trying to understand way do people keep trying to find headphones amplifiers (which are sounding linear) when they never really tried real amplifiers I know how this amplifier sounds like without even touching it. Linear and over expensive in excess. Is probably the feedback less version of Ferrum OOR and other similar. Everyone who spends that much money in headphones and amps should know that linear amplifiers sound's life less. A good sounding amplifier will give you an enachement sound (colorised) not linear. Full stop I use Yamaha A-S 501 (speaker output) with my Final D8000 Pro. This combo simply killed other amplifiers like Burson and Feliks Audio. Recently purchased the Ferrum OOR and HYPSOS and I'm slapping myself now for being stupid and buying stuff recommended on KZbin. Liners amps are fot studios. And basically useless for home.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

This is sadly true. Im using a benchmark amp to power susvaras, which does a better job than any amp costing 4 times more than it from what I heard at audio shows. The catch is they are very dangerous to use with dynamic headphones because their voice coils will melt due to farad capacitance attenuated if pushed hard enough. Thats why they all have to have step down relays on the output stage, which reduces the available capacitance, which is the exact opposite thing you want for a planar. Any modern good speaker amp has noise levels low enough that they work fine as headphone amps. I wish more people would realise a headphone amps should really only be used for dynamic headphones.

[@KingFiercer_zip]

I wonder how it compares to the Beta22 amp

[@gyurko]

Fuck me, what a thing of beauty. Only if rich I was

[@aceofspades6667]

You had me at Zahl.... although in reality I'm on a holo bliss kte budget.

[@nmnate]

Haha. Nothing wrong with 'settling' for Holo Audio. 🤣 Just a humble opinion from a content Benchmark owner. At some level I just lost my willpower to nitpick. 😅

[@dragons_advocate]

Only Golden can present an amp that is about 10x over my budget and still make it sound like it's a bargain.

[@pagobo]

Something about a British accent which makes a product sound more refined and expensive.

[@20puskinas1992]

Brits and Americans are experts at bullshiting.

[@chrislj2890]

Seeing the title of the video made me think that product would only be for delusional audiophiles. But after watching I realize I would go for it if I really was into using headphones, but I generally prefer speakers so the cost wouldn't be logical for me. Great video by the way.

[@20puskinas1992]

12:06 Not only that, but you must have good synergy between components. If you have warm dac you need clean and clear amp if you have clean dac you need warmth from the amp. One can get warmth or cleanliness from cables, but effect is not as big as from dac and amp. Most of the dac and amps can sound good given synergy between components, but most the audiophiles dont know what synergy is.

[@20puskinas1992]

@neandrewthal cause youre a noob in this hobby.

[@peergynt6515]

At these price points I struggle to figure out whether the manufacturer is a voodoo or a bang for the buck, perhaps somewhere in-between. No offense to the reviewer, just my knowledge is not enough to comprehend many of the points made that define quality.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

Then it isnt a product for you. Do you get upset that cinema cameras cost several 100s and 1000s? Just because its the same class of product, doesnt mean the use case is identical to yours.

[@peergynt6515]

@@enjoshi-godrez8775 Well performance isn't all that complex regarding cameras. There is resolutions like 2k, 4k , 8k becoming more available with time, 4k Red camera in 2007 is an example perhaps. And then the performance of the lens is important probably (i.e. the range / zoom). I know next to nothing about cameras, this is just my first thoughts. My point is that performance is easily quantifiable. Sound might also be quantifiable and not subjective in terms of performance, but it is generally more difficult I think to quantify the performance of sound (or this device in the review) for the average person compared to something like a camera. Understanding frequency response measurements is more difficult than quantifying resolution. Now a camera expert will probably reply and say that resolution has nothing to do with it, everything is fps, color accuracy or maybe even some subjective parameter that belongs to the arts. In that case then I guess I'm wrong.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

@@peergynt6515 im sorry but you saying understanding cameras is knowing what resolution is beyond parody. Absolutely embarrassing.

[@peergynt6515]

@@enjoshi-godrez8775 Ok, at least I gave it my best.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

@@peergynt6515 the $120k red komodo cinie camera has 19.9 Megapixels. The new s23 ultra has 120. That should give you a idea of how off the understanding resolution provides.

[@Mr._MN10]

You should have let one of your Headphoneshow colleagues review this one. Paying USD 7-8k yourself unfortunately tends to distort objectivity.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

You just can't accept something that sounds better is something you cannot afford. This is hard copium.

[@Mr._MN10]

@@enjoshi-godrez8775 I can afford it but I'd rather be convinced by someone who hasn't put 7k into it. I would prefer to see e.g. Andrew AB test this.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

@@Mr._MN10 he did. There is a short on their channel of his first reaction to it.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

@@Mr._MN10 you should also know GS is coming out with another review of the enluem 23r. A $7000 amp that he believes is overpriced.

[@Xamy-]

Good review. Not for me.

[@masterxyr]

ngl, I wouldn't mind getting it as a gift though

[@francesanderson]

with all due respect, the asking price is just plain ridiculous. what's the point of making an excellent amp if only 0.000001% of the population can afford it just crazy. okay moving on

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

Because each model takes multiple days to make. They are a small team, this isnt topping. If you make a "best of the best" product, then so is the salary of the people that design and make the "best of the best" product. All that matters is if you can justify employing these people to create it, which by them selling out, yes you can. You work in the highest performance player of an industry, you will demand the highest pay of that particular title, so you as a consumer, pay for those expertise to make that product. Thats true of all industries.

[@samulhardif8331]

Maybe you're from America or (no offence) a less developed nation, but the mass majority residents in cities and towns of Europe don't require cars, and many if them don't have them at all. Couple that with low or free insurance, and free high education, and most Europeans are saving thousands that Americas are spending on insurance and debt. They can afford such an item, in the same way you can afford a $8000 car. To a lot of people, a car and that amplifier are just as essential, which blows the minds of North Americans.

[@hafgrim.]

If you want the best then you have to pay the best people to build it with the best technology with the best parts. They can only build a few a year and as far as I know is that they are all sold until next year.

[@fahmieoracle]

The simple answer is this one is just not for you and general population. This one will get a lot of uses for pro audio though. With the increase usage of spatial audio in consumer market, headphone usage for mixing are more important now. Thus the need for high performance amp like HM1 is increasing.

[@chrislj2890]

@@samulhardif8331 $8,000? That won't get you much here in the U.S. these days. And if you are talking new most vehicles are $30,000 and up. We have two cars and a truck and the cost of maintenance, insurance and licensing really adds up. I would love to live where I had great public transportation or could use a bicycle like in The Netherlands. Your point is logical and a good way to look at the situation. Thanks for the input.

[@PixelPipes]

Endgame....but for real this time?

[@stephannordmann5346]

Thanks 4 the review but if I spend this kind of the money I would buy the SPL phonitor with the DAC or the T&A.

[@tommymai3062]

Just curious why you would choose Phonitor 2 + dac over this ? Cost or sound quality ?

[@churchusa]

8:55 To separate the audio to mid/side is NOT much more clever than a crossfeed. A crossfeed has more things going on, and there are different solutions and takes on a crossfeed circuit. 9:14 "Then it applies some crossfeed..." Not true, at least according to the manufacturer. This knob only adjust the volume level of the side information, leaving the mid information constant. Usually when you raise the side volume you get the feeling of the music sounding bigger and wider. But at the same time the relative volume for the mid gets lower in comparison. So stuff that are mixed in the middle (usually vocals, bass, kick drum) get pushed back in the mix. I don't mind having the option to control the mid/side, but there is absolutely nothing clever about it.

[@chipsnmydip]

I think you are wrong here. Wish I could locate the source but I read that there is some degree of crossfeed in combination with the MS processing. I've used MS processing before, and this is a bit different. It does not compromise the center channel that much.

[@churchusa]

@@chipsnmydip In the manual it says that it only affects the volume for the side signal. From no volume, aka mono, to an increased volume. (They don't say with how many dB you can raise the side signal over the 1:1 relationship though.) The volume of the mid stays the same. One would think that if there was anything more going on it would be mentioned in the manual or on the product page. With a designed test track it would be somewhat easy to check if there's more than just a volume shift for the side signal. "The stereo signal is converted into a mid signal (in simple terms, what L and R have in common) and a side signal (in simple terms, what distinguishes L and R). Summing mid and side signals in a 1:1 ratio will result in the original stereo signal. However, if you change the ratio between mid and side before summing them, you change the stereo base width. In our circuit, we leave the mid signal as it is. We only adjust the level of the side signal. If we lower the level, the stereo image becomes narrower, if we raise the level, the stereo image becomes wider."

[@chipsnmydip]

@@churchusa In any case it sounds different and better than Solid State Logic's stereo widening tool.

[@nicktan4530]

$8000 sounds the same as THX 789... if going nuetral and transparent, am not a troll ...

[@lordsinthegardenofEden]

🙄🤨🤚Nazimüll...

[@classic7033]

Goldensound. I summon thee! Which albums are on your wall of magnificence?

[@leviathan5207]

Audibly transparent and very powerful amps are cheaper than EVER. Anyone who buys this unit has a screw loose.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

Copium

[@leviathan5207]

@@enjoshi-godrez8775 Cry about it :)

[@chipsnmydip]

Nothing is audibly transparent.

[@johnratcliffe6438]

It was an amazing review! I really enjoyed it, thanks!