Moon Neo 430HA Headphone Amplifier

[jdandy]

Has anyone had the opportunity to audition the Moon Neo 430HA headphone amplifier? Thoughts and impressions?

http://www.simaudio.com/DATA/PRODUIT...-amplifier.pdf

[djwhog]

Dan that sure has some impressive specs and seems to support it all in terms of formats.

Also has a lot of power and I think it looks like it could drive most any headphone.

Absolute sound did a good review I think late spring as have others, and even though it is about a $3500 amp, it was very positive I recall.

[Eisener Bart]

I listen Mr.Speakers Aplha Prime and HiFiMan HE1000 on this amp.
Good impressions, it controled both cans.

Smart construction - 3 kinds of headphones connections are located on face panel.

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by Eisener Bart

I listen Mr.Speakers Aplha Prime and HiFiMan HE1000 on this amp.
Good impressions, it controled both cans.

Smart construction - 3 kinds of headphones connections are located on face panel.

Sergio.......Did you get to spend some time with the 430HA or was it just a short listen with each headphone? This headphone amp is quite expensive, $3500 without the DAC option and $4300 with the DAC option. It does have amazing specifications. I also like that it is manufactured in Canada.

[jdandy]

Here is a look at the balanced headphone outputs that exist behind a sliding door and a peek inside the fully balanced Moon Neo 430HA headphone amplifier.

[greekgod]

I plan to audition this amp at RMAF. I will let you know what I think when I get back. So far, I've read nothing but good things about it and many people who have heard many different headphone amps seem to think this is the best sounding solid state available.

[Eisener Bart]

Originally Posted by jdandy

Sergio.......Did you get to spend some time with the 430HA or was it just a short listen with each headphone? This headphone amp is quite expensive, $3500 without the DAC option and $4300 with the DAC option. It does have amazing specifications. I also like that it is manufactured in Canada.

Short auditioning when I bought HiFiMan HE1000.
I will build my next power amp with same set of connections on face panel.

[Eisener Bart]

"SimAudio Moon Neo 430 HA - I had spent some time previously with this amplifier and coming into Big Sound, I was expecting this amp to compete well against anything. From a design standpoint, the 430 HA ticks off all the boxes for me. It is attractive, runs very cool despite its high power output, has a nice remote and full complement of headphone outputs and should you order the model with a built-in DAC, this could be one of the best all-in-one DAC/preamp/headphone amps available today. During the blind testing, Tyll asked me how I was able to single out this amp so easily and my response was that it had the most air and indeed this is one of its strengths. At 8 watts output at 50 ohms, this is one of a few amps that can drive the Abyss to full glory. In truth, it drove everything well. In comparison to the GS-X Mk2, however, for most of the headphones present with the exception of the Abyss and the HD800, it sounded soft and lacking in authority."

from here.

[greekgod]

I went to have a listen at RMAF and let me start by saying that I loved the Moon speaker amps. Their speaker amps were amongst the best at the show.

The only 430ha that I came across was in the Abyss room. With the Abyss it only sounded okay. It wasn't that it was bad, it just wasn't anywhere near as good as the Viva Egoista amp. After hearing the Egoista, there was just no going back to the Moon. The Egoista has this incredible ability to make music sound very three dimensional.

I also heard the 230HAD with Nighthawk headphones in the Moon room and it sounded very hazy and lifeless. It wasn't my cup of tea at all.

I wish I could have tried it with more headphones...

My favorite amp at the show was the Fostex HP-V8. It sounded absolutely incredible! It had a very warm and dynamic sound that made me want to listen forever. I would buy one in a heartbeat if I had the money. The price in not yet confirmed but I was told to expect $8000. I may have to sell a kidney to buy one.

[greekgod]

I should also mention that I was very impressed by the new Audeze amp called The King that was paired with the new LCD-4 headphones. They currently have a promo on The King for 25% off. I wish I could do a direct a/b comparison between Audeze The King and the Fostex HP-V8. Both were amazing sounding amps.