HIFIMAN Goldenwave GA-10 Review — Headfonics

At the moment, Marcus critiques the HIFIMAN Goldenwave GA-10, a brand new desktop single-ended push-pull headphone tube amplifier with as much as 3W output energy. It’s at the moment priced at $1599.00

Disclaimer: I acquired this pattern in change for my trustworthy opinion. Headfonics is an impartial web site with no affiliate hyperlinks or standing. I thank the crew at HIFIMAN for his or her assist.

Click on right here to learn extra in regards to the HIFIMAN merchandise beforehand reviewed on Headfonics.

This text follows our present scoring guidelines, which you’ll learn in additional element right here.

HIFIMAN Goldenwave GA-10 Evaluation

Abstract

The HIFIMAN Goldenwave GA-10 is a good worth tube amplifier, constructed like a tank, simple to make use of, and straightforward on the ear with a spacious presentation that works exceedingly nicely with a variety of headphones and IEMs. 

Slide right here so as to add your rating on the gear!100 Votes

8.9

Execs

Spacious and balanced-sounding presentation, particularly on the X-Axis.

Works nicely with a variety of headphones and IEMs

Sturdy construct high quality and design.

Cons

Lacks a pre-amp output

Potentiometer dial doesn’t have an enormous quantity of resistance.

Different competing tube amplifiers provide a weightier low-end.

The GA-10 is the third launch from HIFIMAN’s 2023 acquisition of Goldenwave. It was launched in direction of the tip of 2024 to have a good time Goldenwave’s tenth anniversary.

Priced at $1599, this desktop tube headphone amplifier is positioned within the firm’s ‘Premium Collection’ lineup alongside the Mini Shangri-La electrostatic system and the non-Wi-fi model of the Goldenwave Serenade.

There are higher-end tube amplifiers in HIFIMAN’s lineup, such because the Shangri-La Jr and Sr. Nonetheless, these are electrostatic-only amplifiers and are engineered to particularly match with their accompanying headphones. 

If reminiscence serves me appropriately, then the GA-10 may nicely be HIFIMAN’s most bold general-purpose headphone tube amplifier to date.

Earlier makes an attempt had been principally hybrid choices at entry-level costs, such because the EF100 or the EF5 from 2010, so arguably the Goldenwave sub-label is proving a fruitful avenue, permitting HIFIMAN to additional diversify their vary.

Can this new providing stand tall in opposition to opponents such because the Cayin HA-2A, Auris Audio’s HA-2SE+, and even Feliks Audio’s glorious OTL-engineered EUFORIA evo? I discovered in my full assessment under.

Options

The GA-10 is a pure analog headphone amplifier with out pre-amplification functionality or an built-in DAC. It additionally has just a few eye-opening options or stats that may make it stand out extra from competing tube amplifiers. 

The obvious is the facility score. At 3W, it’s a reasonably highly effective tube amplifier, however that rated 3W is on a heavy 300Ω load, with the same old 32Ω milestone load candy spot dropping significantly to 600 mW. In easy phrases, the output energy sample has a powerful voltage bias. 

As a result of this amplifier’s structure is classed as a single-ended push-pull (SEPP), the listed output score is identical for all outputs, whether or not 4-pin XLR, 4.4mm, or the 6.35mm connection. 

That may probably information your hand to particular greater impedance headphones, such because the ZMF Headphones Atrium and the Sennheiser HD 800, for optimum efficiency.

Nonetheless, as you’ll find out within the synergy part on web page 2 of this assessment, decrease impedance headphones such because the Arya Stealth Magnet Version may also sound beautiful on the GA-10.

For the tube implementation, HIFIMAN/Goldenwave has chosen a reasonably in style and readily accessible mixture of 4 miniature dual-triode ECC83/12AX7 and 4 energy pentode EL84 (6BQ5) vacuum tubes.

These are break up into 4 per channel, with the ECC83 x 2 used as a differential amplifier and the EL84 x 2 as the driving force output.

HIFIMAN has not declared the tube makers, however I can verify my pattern has a mixture of Reflektor 6P14 and 12AX7 Sovtek tubes, with the present manufacturing run utilizing PSVANE equivalents.

Design

The GA-10 is a beast of a desktop tube amplifier. With a specifically designed, shielded 120W transformer, it weighs in at slightly below 12kg with dimensions of 330*110*380mm. This isn’t a dinky workplace area companion, requiring area to breathe and an honest rack or shelf to assist it.

That is an analog amplifier, so, relying on the size of your interconnects, you might want to place it fairly close to your DAC or supply place.

The aesthetics are beautiful, showcasing what is a reasonably unmistakable-looking Goldenwave design language first seen on the Serenade and Prelude fashions I reviewed in 2023. 

It’s a contemporary minimalist visible with thick aluminum plating ending in all black, save for silver mechanical switches on the entrance panel for energy, impedance, and enter choice. Socket and management labels are in all white, well-spaced, and straightforward to learn. 

Barely off heart on the entrance panel is the analog potentiometer with a marvelously huge quantity dial full with a finger recess that doubles for simple management and a quantity stage marker.

Sides and prime panels have some significantly heavy venting patterns, with the fitting and left vents broad sufficient to let you peer into the internals.

These panels are additionally liable for letting out some tube glow, although in comparison with conventional prime plate tube amplifier designs, the GA-10 is much extra discreet for lighting.

The GA-10 base is completed with 4 rubber ft which might be caught on and never built-in into the chassis. They do job of conserving the amplifier in a hard and fast place, even on tempered glass.

Watch out in humid circumstances or aircon-controlled environments, as you don’t dry out the rubber ft’ stickiness, they’ll fall off. The plus facet is that they’re replaceable from any respectable ironmongery store.

I/O

The entrance panel is correctly geared up for the total vary of recent headphone jacks, together with 4-pin XLR, 6.35mm, and 4.4mm. The one factor lacking is a 3.5mm connection, but it surely’s more and more uncommon to see that on amplifiers today.

The GA-10 has no pre-amp functionality or built-in DAC, so the rear panel homes a quite simple 4-pin XLR and twin RCA inputs, relying on the connection you want to use.

Keep in mind, it is a single-ended topology, so the output energy won’t differ. Nonetheless, relying on the DAC, you’ll be able to ship an improved voltage stage into the GA-10 by way of XLR to provide it a bit extra headroom, for instance, 4Vrms over 2Vrms.

Single-ended DACs that use twin RCA however provide controllable Vrms lineout, such because the Chord Electronics Qutest, are additionally value testing if you wish to use the GA-10’s RCA line-in.

Apart from the analog inputs, the GA-10 rear panel has a regular IEC C14 energy socket and a spare fuse on the far proper with a grasp on/off change.

Controls

Sadly, the GA-10 doesn’t include a distant management, however since it’s a headphone amplifier, I doubt you can be too distant from it except you’re working 5m cables and glued to your sofa.

The ‘Energy on’ standing is denoted by a single blue LED gentle above the silver mechanical energy change, which doesn’t provide an enormous quantity of resistance. Neither does the amount dial, which I additionally discover a shade on the unfastened facet, so watch out to keep away from pushing up the amount by by accident brushing it along with your arms. 

The excessive/low impedance and enter change selectors are suitably stiff, so I doubt these could possibly be by accident pushed throughout use. The impedance break up between excessive and low is roughly 0-60Ω for low and 60-300Ω for prime. 

Packaging & Equipment

The GA-10 comes packaged in regulation HiFi brown cardboard packaging. It’s commonplace, although on no account thrilling, with easy prints on the surface denoting the Goldenwave model on the surface (no HIFIMAN branding?). 

Inside, the unit is surrounded by heavy-duty foam inserts, although I might have most popular a vented tube amplifier wrapped in electrostatic shielding plastic or a protecting cloth mud bag. 

My assessment pattern got here with an influence plug for my area and setup for 220V. Yours will include a plug and voltage score relevant to your area, so it’ll fluctuate.

Apart from the above, I obtained a brief handbook in Chinese language, and once more, I presume your retail unit can have the identical handbook in English.

I might even have preferred to have seen a small Allan key included for lifting the highest plate to entry the tubes. The tube rolling neighborhood could be throughout this one, given how reasonably priced and simply obtainable these tubes are.

Click on page 2 below for my sound impressions and recommended pairings.

Click on page 3 below for my selected comparisons.

Sharing is caring!