Manley Absolute Headphone Amplifier - Stunning!

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General:
Super clean and highly reviewed headphone amp from Manley.

Fist photo is a stock image as this thing is super difficult to shoot. The rest are of the actual unit

Tube Notes:
The 12AX7's are JJ and the 6AQ5 are French made. All test well.

From Manley:
There are fifteen independent controls available, each of which was exhaustively developed for convenient adjustability and aural variety. Two selectable stereo RCA jack pairs receive the input signals. Even these RCA jacks are of our own design. Teflon® insulated and gold plated, we have been producing these excellent RCA jacks since the mid-1990s.

The volume is controlled on the facia by the sexy front thumb wheel and also by the included Radio Frequency remote control, both of which operate a precision stepped relay ladder matrix attenuator in half dB steps. The RF remote can be operated anywhere in the home, even through walls or cabinetry, especially useful when using the unit as a stand-alone preamplifier. Next to the front volume control wheel you’ll find the Mute switch to instantly kill the signal. Spinning the volume wheel all the way to minimum also mutes the signal.

And you know how maddening it is to try to listen to a mono LP record on headphones - which is why we have provided a MONO switch!

In case your source needs some correction or if your own ears do not hear equally, we have included a Balance Control which can swing the signal up to 72dB either way. In its center detent position, this special balance control is completely out of the circuit. Also to be able to execute some sonic authority over what is handed to you in a given recording or to just make your headphones sound nicer (to you!) we have provided historically proven pleasing and gentle Tone Controls - and these Baxandall Bass and Treble equalizers can be completely bypassed at the push of a button. Try them! We think you really will enjoy having the choice to enliven and enrich your sonic experience.

Along those lines, the Variable Feedback control allows you to control the amount of overall negative feedback applied to the amplifier from 0dB, or no Global Negative Feedback, to 10dB of NFB. Negative Feedback in electronics is when a small portion of the output signal is re-introduced back to the input signal to provide a more stable and beneficial corrective result. This control is very useful when determining how “tight” you want your amplifier to sound. For example, a simple female vocal with minimal percussion can sound more intimate with very little feedback, but a complicated symphony orchestra passage may sound better positioned with more feedback. Applying different amounts of negative feedback can also affect the slew rate and apparent “speed” of the sonic character.

Other aspects for which to listen include placement, forward or relaxed, darker vs shimmering, or punchy vs mellow. Feel free to play with this knob and listen for the not-so-subtle diversity that altering the amount of feedback provides. It’s one of our favorite circuit tricks and we’ve been pulling this one for decades!

Ah! And our other coolest tonal trick: Switching Topology!
We’re pretty sure we originated this concept in the audiophile world back with the Manley SE/PP 300B power amplifiers and it’s only because we have our own in-house magnetics department that we are able to devise such complaisant output transformers that can accommodate such radical demands. The Absolute Headphone amplifier features custom hand-wound air-gapped dual-mode MANLEY IRON® output transformers, designed and manufactured at the Manley Labs factory in California. Interestingly, the output tube stage can be switched on-the-fly between all-triode Push-Pull to Single-Ended topology.

This completely alters the harmonic structure from odd-order to even-order and basically halves the output power again providing yet another spicy ingredient to flavor the sound.

Additionally, with a push of a button, these transformers cycle through three ranges of output loads accommodating headphones from 12 to 600 Ohms or greater. Choose between three sets of outputs: the expected ¼” TRS Headphone Jack, a 4-pin XLR Balanced Stereo Output for your high-end balanced headphones, and a set of stereo RCA outputs to use this component as your line-level preamplifier in your existing hifi system. The Bypass Thru Mode sends RCA Input 1 directly to the RCA Outputs, when in STANDBY mode. Useful, as your main audio system sources can drive either playback system without having to change upstream cabling.

The Absolute Headphone amplifier incorporates our own innovative purpose-designed-for-audio High Voltage switched-mode power supply. All super-low impedance DC rails are fully regulated and worlds quieter than any linear supply we have ever encountered. The resulting sound is fast and dynamic with a deep punchy bass, deadly-quiet inky blacks, and superior headroom.

The 6AQ5 or EL90 is the vacuum tube used in the output stage of the Absolute Headphone amplifier. It is well suited for our purposes in a headphone amplifier. The tube is configured as a triode due to the low power requirements needed for headphone use. This tube is widely available from well-known manufacturers such as RCA and GE. The tubes can be ordered as a matched quad and for ease of use the tubes do not require biasing. Simply plug them in and forget ‘em!

With its universal power supply allowing it to operate anywhere in the world, robust build quality and breathtaking audio playback, the Absolute Headphone amplifier is at home absolutely anywhere, from a cozy listening room, to your bedside, on your office desk, or as a reliable workhorse in a professional recording studio. Conductive plastic pots and film caps are just some of the fine components utilized, proven over decades of loyal use. Manufactured completely to stringent standards in California, USA, crafted by hand, by American workers, the Manley Absolute Headphone Amplifier certainly makes for a formidable player in today’s headphone listening arena.

This very unusual and visually striking audio sculpture was brought to life by Manley’s team of engineers including Mitch Margolis - of Manley STEELHEAD fame - and our lead engineer Humberto Rodriguez, finalizing the amplifier and bringing it to life and into production - in America, of course!

EveAnna Manley, President and co-founder of Manley Labs observes: “Headphone listening is not new to us; we have been producing personal headphone playback systems aka “Cue Mixers” for recording studios around the globe for well over twenty years.

In the HiFi world, our legendary Manley Neo-Classic 300B Preamplifier has become a total cult classic with headphone listeners since the mid-1990’s. Reaching forward, we wanted to produce an extraordinary sounding headphone amplifier chock-full of features and sonic variety for the audiophile, at a price that wouldn’t break the bank either. I know you’re going to Absolutely LOVE this exciting creation of ours.”

General Sound:
Accurate to the recording

Cosmetic Condition:
8/10 = Very Good. Excellent front faceplate, one minor flaw on chassis side or top. See our detailed rating description here.

Working Condition:
Working perfectly and tested in our lab and listening room.

Included:
Unit, remote, and power cord.

Packing:
Will be packed using our highly developed in-house process and custom packing materials.Original MSRP:
$5,499.00

Specs:
Amplifier Topology:
Triode Vacuum Tube Output Stage, Switchable Topology Single-Ended or Push-Pull

Vacuum Tubes:
2 x 12AX7 (ECC83), 4 x 6AQ5A (EL90)

Inputs:
2 x RCA (Input 1 & Preamp Output = Pass-Thru when amplifier is in Standby or Off)

Input Impedance:
50 kOhms (Pass-Thru= 300 kOhms)

Maximum Input Level:
7.7 VAC RMS (+20 dBu)
(Conditions: XLR output, PP mode, 16 Ohm load, VOLUME max, EQ out, 1kHz sine wave)

Gain:
Load 16 Ohm: 12 dB (Min FB), 3 dB (Max FB)
Load 62 Ohm: 17 dB (Min FB), 8 dB (Max FB)
Load 200 Ohm: 22 dB (Min FB), 13 dB (Max FB)
(Conditions: XLR output, PP mode, VOLUME Max, EQ out, 1kHz sine wave)

Input Sensitivity:
600 mV AC RMS for an output of 100 mW
1.9 VAC RMS for an output of 1W
(Conditions: XLR output, PP mode, FB 12:00 o’clock, 16 Ohm load, 1kHz sine wave, VOLUME max, EQ out)

Volume Control:
\- Precision Stepped Relay Attenuator 0.5dB per step
\- 63dB total attenuation – Volume setting to minimum = MUTE

Outputs (transformer coupled):
1 pair RCA- Unbalanced (Preamp Output)
1 x TRS ¼” JACK – Unbalanced
1 x 4 PIN XLR- Balanced
XLR-pin outs - (Left Channel Pin 1= Signal (+), Pin 2= Signal (-), Right Channel Pin 3= Signal (+), Pin 4= Signal (-))

Output Impedance:
Switchable: Low 12-50 Ohm, Mid 50-200 Ohm, High 200-600 Ohms
Maximum Output Power = 1W into 12 Ohms BW 22Hz-22kHz
 
Variable Feedback Control (FB):
MIN 0dB
MAX 10dB
(Conditions: BAL output, PP mode, 16 Ohm load, VOLUME max, EQ out)

Signal to Noise Ratio:
83 dB (1kHz sine wave, 100mW output, BW 22Hz-22kHz)
(Conditions: BAL output, PP mode, FB 12:00 o’clock, 16 Ohm load, VOLUME max, EQ out)

Noise Floor:
-80 dBu BW 22Hz-22kHz
-85 dBu  A-Weighted
(Conditions: BAL output, PP mode, FB 12:00 o’clock, 16 Ohm load, VOLUME MAX, EQ out)

Channel Crosstalk:
-71 dB (1kHz sine wave, 100mW output, BW 22Hz-22kHz) Left Channel
-72 dB (1kHz sine wave, 100mW output, BW 22Hz-22kHz) Right Channel
(Conditions: BAL output, PP mode, FB 12:00 o’clock, 16 Ohm load, EQ out)

Balance Control Channel attenuation:
Left Channel= 72dB (1kHz sine wave, 100mW output, BW 22Hz-22kHz)
Right Channel= 72dB (1kHz tone, 100mW output, BW 22Hz-22kHz)
(Conditions: BAL output, PP mode, FB Min, 16 Ohm load, EQ out)

Frequency Response:
Push-Pull= Flat 10Hz – 20 kHz (-1dB @ 40 kHz)
Single-Ended= 20Hz – 20 kHz (-0.5dB @ 10Hz, -1dB @ 50 kHz)
(Conditions: BAL output, 100mW output, FB @ 12:00 o’clock, 16 Ohm load, EQ out)

Distortion:
Push-Pull= 0.16% THD+N (BW 20Hz-22kHz)
Single-Ended= 1.0% THD+N (BW 20Hz-22kHz)
(Conditions: BAL output, PP mode, 1 kHz sine, 100mW output, FB @ 12:00 o’clock, 16 Ohm load, EQ out)

- Supplied with Remora RF remote control
- Soft Start, 30 second mute-controlled power-up sequence
- Operating Mains Voltage: 90-250 VAC, 50-60Hz, universal works worldwide
- Fused Internally: 2A (T) 250V SLO-BLO located on MANLEY POWER® PCB
- Unit Dimensions: 11.5 x 5.5 x 8.2” (LxWxH)
- Unit Weight: 12 lbs
- Shipping Weight = 13.5 lbs
- Packing Carton Dimensions: 17 x 11 x 15”
- Power consumption STANDBY mode = 0.5W, Max Power = 80W
- Heat Rise above ambient temperature at rear panel: 25ºC or 44ºF
- Heat Rise above ambient temperature at side panels: 15ºC or 26ºF

The SkyFi Testing Process for Preamplifiers:

We start with a visual inspection of all internal components to make sure that there are no signs of heat stress or damage. Capacitors are checked for telltale signs of predictive failure including bulging, shrunken wrappers, or physical leakage. We also inspect the PCB’s for discoloration from resistors or transistors that may have been running hot. On vintage units we often spot check select capacitors for value and ESR.

When we first power on a preamplifier we connect its RCA output to a Sencore PA81 Power Analyzer which simulates real world loading conditions and gives us an oscilloscope interface. The first order of business is checking that the volume control works smoothly throughout its entire range with acceptable channel balance. This is accomplished by feeding a 1KHz sine wave into one of the preamp’s line level inputs while monitoring the preamp’s output on an oscilloscope. We then switch to a 1KHz square wave to test the tone controls, loudness function, and filters where applicable. During this step we are watching for equal alteration of the test signal by both channels. This also helps us identify dirty controls that will need treatment. Once the basic line stage functions are verified, we test each input individually. This is especially important for devices that use relays to select their sources. If the preamp is equipped with a phono stage we test that as well. We use an inverse RIAA filter which allows us to feed a reference test signal into the phono input with the proper RIAA equalization and level. A square wave or sine sweep is used to verify that the device’s phono stage is faithfully reproducing the RIAA curve. If the preamp under test has balanced inputs and/or outputs these are tested as well.

We finish up our bench testing with a listening test with our bench amplifier and reference speakers. During this test we check for hum or hiss that may not have shown up in earlier testing. We also check that all of the tone controls and filters perform as expected. If the preamplifier has remote control functions these are also tested. Preamps with tube circuits or complicated power supply topologies are connected at our long term test rig for extended stress testing under real world conditions.