Thank you. Very good review. I have owned the device for almost 5 months and can confirm most of what has been said. Unfortunately, I also have the problem criticized by many that the device overheats and shuts down after 2-3 hours in 100ma mode. Another point of criticism from me is the display, which is praised in this review. I see it completely differently. I don't like the fact that the display can neither be dimmed nor switched off. The layout of the information shown on the display could also have been better. If, like me, the device is positioned so that you look down from above at an angle, the information on the top can no longer be read. It is completely unnecessary to put the four outer pieces of information so close to the edge.
I recommend purchasing the AC Infinity Aircom S7 ($50) as noted above. This will keep the amp at about 50c in the 100ma mode at the lowest fan speed which is silent. You are welcome.
That's a great point about the viewing angle of the display. I did notice that the visibility drops off quite fast at an angle, but it didn't effect me in normal use so I didn't think to discuss it in the video. It seems there might be some product variance in the heat side of things. Perhaps inconsistent application of thermal paste on the heat sink?
Great review again. I bought this a few months ago and it instantly became one of my all time favourite purchases. My 4 Zmf's , empyrean and radiance all sound fantastic on this amp. No question it is my end game headphone amp, I cannot imagine how anything could make my music more enjoyable. I figure if you are happy, just enjoy being happy. And this amp make me very, very happy. Pure joy every time I use it. I put it on 1" speaker isolation pucks after reading about the heat. It gets warm but not what Id call hot, my feliks echo ran hotter. I also have the aune s9c dac which is excellent as well.
I completely agree about finding what makes you happy and then enjoying it. You can chase your tail in this hobby if you lose sight of the reason for this gear: to enjoy music!
I've watched roughly a hundred videos about dacs, amps, and headphones over the last few months. It occurred to me recently that you're the best there is for these videos.
So I have the S17 Pro and I’m trying to understand how you say it’s grainy in the top end and not warm because that’s not my impression of it at all. I suspect it may have to do with the DAC, at least when you were using the Chord-I can’t speak about the Yggy really, but I found the Hugo really dry and harsh. In fact, I thought the Archel was harsh when I tried it with the Hugo and then it wasn’t harsh at all when I switched to the Apple Dongle. I have my S17 Pro connected to a SMSL VMV d2r and it sounds super smooth and warm to me and I love it.
It's all about relativity here. Keeping the DAC consistent (and it doesn't really matter which one) while swapping amps, it was the treble character that most separated the S17 from the A3 Pro, Mjolnir 3, Prelude and Soloist. It's not massively grainy or harsh, but there's a little refinement to be gained with higher level amps.
Thanks for your insight. I am on the jumping board for a SMSL VMV d2r. What can you tell me about the sound of this dac alone? And I might stack it with this 17 pro :D
@@ThePupil smoothest DAC I’ve tried, I preferred it to my more expensive Holo Cyan or the Schiit Bifrost 1/2, but I think I’ve discovered that I don’t like the way r2r seems to add, I don’t know, “texture” to the sound which I think some people mistake for detail. The d2r didn’t do that, it also wasn’t clinical or harsh at all, and seemed to open up the soundstage in a great way. I also preferred it to the AKM and ESS DACs I’ve tried. So yeah, hit the spot for me.
My pleasure, Rainer. The queue got a bit overloaded recently so I've been hustling to get on top of it. Sorry there haven't been any behind-the-scenes videos for a while!
Another good review, big fan of your work. So, I have owned a MJolnir 3, and currently have a V222 and S17 Pro. The S17 Pro can make beautiful sounds with great bass, but often not as clear as the V222. The trade off being that the V222 can be aggressive and give me a bit of listening fatigue; the S17 Pro is a more relaxing listen, but you sometimes wish for more clarity and detail. I have also noticed that I prefer the S17 Pro on some albums and the V222 on others, so no clear winner IMO. Now, the Mjolnir 3 is like the V222 and S17 Pro had a baby, all the details and beautiful notes with hardly any fatigue. Sadly, I had to let my Mjolnir 3 go because I found it unreliable and fussy, however others have not had these issues. I have had audio ecstasy at certain times with the Mjolnir 3, unlike any listening experience I have ever had, but in the end it just wasn't worth it to me. The V222 and S17 Pro represent very nice listening experiences, but the Mjolnir 3 can blow you away. I think I am settling down a bit on my audiophile journey and am just going to enjoy what I have. I wanted to try some different headphones and amps, and I have done that. Now, I am just going to enjoy the music for a while and stop analyzing (ha ha, all audiophiles say that, stop tempting me Cyan 2!)
Well a good 6 months + in with this headphone amp, its outstanding the quality of sound has only improved over this time . 20 min warm up and its good to go, i do use a silent fan to keep it cool, not that its given any problems, i also sit it on a marble chopping board for any heat issues.. It works superbly well with my head sets . I have a Maverick audio unit also with the single tube and sparko upgrades ( just for a change) .. Im fast losing interest in my speaker set up for this up close and personal music escape.. Like a fine wine this unit only gets better ..
I own the S17 pro and can almost completely confirm the review. The "problems" in the treble are understandable to me, but I don't find them problematic. Very good review!
I never hear treble nasties from mine. I have five different Aune pieces. Excellent values..!!! You don't stack Aune products, you do use one inch footers underneath, aids in circulation.
Thanks for the informative review. I've had the S17 for five months (and it was a significant upgrade from the Liquid Platinum that I had been using) and I both agree and disagree with various points. Like you, I can discern little to no difference between 50mA and 100mA mode (though many do), however I do generally run it in 100mA mode. And I have also found the volume knob to be clunky for changing functions and it generally takes several tries to input changes correctly. However I disagree with you on the sound signature (at least for my ears, we all hear a bit differently)--like many reviewers, I do find that the S17 has a somewhat warm (or tubey) sound. It certainly adds a bit of warmth to my Hifiman HEK Stealth, which many find overly bright. (Though it is probable that the somewhat warm Denafrips Ares 12th-1 R2R DAC adds some synergy to the mix.) I've had a somewhat worse experience with heat than you, though not nearly as bad as many others. If you follow the Head-Fi thread on this amp, it is impossible not to conclude that there is significant unit variance concerning heat, which is troubling. Despite good ventilation and aftermarket legs that raise the S17 nearly an inch above the Ares 12th-1, as spring comes to New Jersey I have found it necessary on warmer days to use an inexpensive fan to prevent the amp from reaching 69°C after several hours of operation and automatically switching from 100mA to 50mA mode. Why Aune chose not to add additional venting to the case (which has only a small and inadequate number of vent holes on the rear) is a mystery.
I'm more curious as to what amp is being used as the reference for what's warm/neutral. I compared the S17 Pro to multiple amps and with multiple headphones (neutral and coloured) before drawing my conclusions so I'm guessing that points of reference might actually be the difference here. The heat thing is definitely a slight concern so I do agree on that one that there might be product variance.
Thank you for your continued fantastic reviews as you obviously fit the moniker you have chosen. I do agree with the bulk of what you said about the character of the A17Pro which I purchased at the NYC Canjam to mate with the Hifiman HE1000SE headphones, and I must say they are a very good pair together that I highly recommend as a combo platter. I love the headphones but my only concern was about the slightest edge to the treble. I actually found the amp calmed it down to my liking. I listened to the prelude and the schiit amp as well with the HE1000SEs at the Canjam and would agree that the A17Pro does well against them. I actually thought a notch better, but this could very well be my ears wanting to have the A17Pro best the others reinforcing my ego for making the 'right' choice. I could not A/B the setups as the tables were all spread out and I might have raised some eyebrows and eire if I attempted to stretch long cables in this crowded event. (Maybe it would have worked with traffic cones? What do you think?) Besides the obvious choice of music, this pair works very well for watching streamed content by bumping up the sub-base region with my Mojo 2 EQ for a bit more impact. One other note that may be of interest to those looking into the A17Pro. To keep the temperature to a controlled range in the 100ma mode I purchased the AC Infinity Aircom S7 component cooling fan ($50) that has a very similar footprint to the A17Pro. If you use some rubber isolation feet on top of the Aircom S7 this will allow for excellent architectural support for the A17Pro to sit on. At the lowest setting which is only a 2 watts of draw, it is silent and effectively keeps the amp at 50c or slightly below when the base temp turns on at 23c. (Please note that I do wait until it is warmed to 50c to engage the fan as the Class A circuitry prefers some warmth for best operations.) By the way, at the CanJam I purchased both the above Amp and Headphone combo at a substantial discount as demos. As such, I also highly recommend any CanJam that you CanCan attend if you are in purchasing mode. Happy listening!
You’re totally right about the top end being a bit bright! I find it weird you didn’t see the difference in soundstage depth going from high gain to low. Mids are much more forward with less depth in high gain and also the same effect going from 100ma to 50ma. Low gain and 50ma are the only way I enjoy this amp.
You need to be very careful when switching gain modes that you match the volumes exactly. What you're describing is exactly the effect caused by having the amp slightly louder after switching to high gain. 🙂
Was looking for a product such as this to use with my hifiman 500 Denon 2000 headphones and work with Pontus 2 into Acoustic Energy Ae1 active. I'm loving it
I just got the, Pietus Maximus #4 by NITSCH thinking it was one the best $500 headamps (can't win them all). I love Chi-Fi however in my experiences all of my made in the USA gear still works while all the made in China stuff I owned is lying around in some landfill. I bought the Schiit Valhalla-2 the year it was introduced and I was using it today, reliability influenced my choice to go with NITSCH
Great review! I like how you point out the difference between apparent and actual detail retrieval. I dislike fakery of any kind and will always choose the real over the apparent, I tned to avoid all upper mid tilted products. What I also notice from many youtube Dac reviewers is that surprisingly no-one is reviewing the Teac UD-701N yet according to specifications (dual mono, four toroidal transformers, proprietary dac chips), trickle-down tech from Esoteric, audiophile experience and youtube demos, it is a serious candidate for best Dac in the market. Is there any way you are able to get hold of one - even a user sample - to review?
I don't have the feeling we're listening to the same amp 😅 I have never had an amp so inoffensive and smooth in the highs. And to my ears it's definitely not neutral, it's quite warm to my ears. (Apparantly I'm not the only one to notice these weird claims here)
First off, Thank you so much Lachlan for your dedication to the content of your channel. Your videos are informative, well created (soothing =) and it gets better compared to your older vids. I started my journey in the audiophilia a couple years back now I'm stepping really deep into the rabbit hole. Just got myself Hifiman HE6SE v2 along with Holo Audio Cyan 2 R2R dac and I'm still torn on which amp i should get with this setup. What's your take on the best amplifier that can push the he6? (which to my calculations, it needs at least 7 watts per channel to the drivers to be fully runnin' My budget is around 1300USD. Thank you again Lachlan!
Hi Sully and thanks for the kind words! I'd be looking no further than the Schiit Mjolnir 3 for the HE-6. It will be an awesome pairing. Your sums about power requirements are quite a way off so don't worry about the power output of the MJ3. It will handle the HE-6 fine unless you're listening at dangerous levels of doing extreme things with EQ. 🙂 If you're concerned about the power output still, the S17 Pro is your next best bet.
@PassionforSound Never though I would find someone who's using the holo audio cyan 2 and thinking of what amp to get as well haha I'm using Hifiman Arya Organic and contemplating between Aune s17pro & Schiit Mijolnir 3. What would you recommend?
@CsTruth I still didn't get my hands on Cyan 2 one yet, it's a bit harder to find since i live in the middle east. Don't you think the MJ3 is a great pair to the Cyan 2?
Again another great review and as a owner of S17 Pro I can confirm every of your findings soudwise... 👍🏻 Quick OT question - have you ever compared quality of output from your JCAT USB card (probably powered by LPS) vs output from a quality streamer? I stream from PC too (Audirvana) and deciding which way to eliminate the noise from my PC. Thank you.
Glad you liked the review! I have done that comparison a few times and generally find that the PC plus JCat card is comparable with streamers up to about the level of the EverSolo DMP-A8. Once you go beyond that to something like a Lumin streamer, the streamers start to pull ahead. This was using Roon on the PC for both the USB output and for streaming to the standalone devices.
There is a hype around this amp. It would make a very interessing pair whith it's brother S10N , the network streamer from Aune. S10N have fews reviews until now.
Yes, I always use devices for a while before doing any critical listening. That said, electronic devices rarely change much after the first few days of use.
@@PassionforSound Those with discreate compaonents get more refined after 15days or so. R2rs take few months. I suggest u to let dac amps pass current for few days before evaluation. It happened to me a few times and got stunned
mine is just arrived, you're right saying is not like a tube amp, for now i'm loving it, i got it used at 500 euros so it's hard to beat.... now i'm desperate in choosing the dac...any advices? as headphone i have hekse, i have very good ears, i'm musician, i listen classical country jazz, love details and dynamics but also a very organic sound...not digital
I'd consider something like the Schiit Bifrost 2/64 if that's an option. Chord Mojo 2 or Qutest are also great options. Finally, Gustard R26. Hopefully one of those is readily available and within your budget. 🙂
Thank you for your reviews. You're one of the very few that mention/factor in soundstage depth. Regarding the claim of the best amp for under $1k, would you recommend the S17 Pro over the Soloist 3XP, given that the 3XP can be had used with a supercharger for around $700? I've been hearing great things about the S17 Pro, but I've been waiting for your input.
I would probably go for the Burson, but with the expectation of also upgrading the op-amps to the V7 Vivids. Without that swap, the tonality of the 3XP can be a touch metallic in the treble and that's where the S17 Pro can have an edge, depending on tastes and the headphones being used.
Thank you for your responses. I've had my 3XP for a year or so along with the supercharger. I just recently swapped out the V6V opamps to the V7V's and the V7V's have tamed the occasional shout and glare that the stock 3XP would exhibit. Considering the cost of a used 3XP, supercharger, and V7V opamps, one could get a fantastic performer of an amp for ~$1k usd. Sounds like I'll be skipping the S17 Pro. You've saved me some money, for now... Thank you!
My search continues then. I just want a warm amp, and my goodness is it hard to find one available outside the US. Sure there are 2-4000 USD tube amps, but finding something below that that reviewers can agree on is really hard.
Thanks for another great review! ..One reviewer said he felt the breadth and depth of soundstage diminished from headphone to preamp use. Can I double-check you didn't notice this? Thanks, James
That's very hard to assess because the moment it's in a preamp setup, it's staging performance is directly affected by amp and speakers downstream. Unless you were to be able to quickly switch between two different preamps feeding the same amp and speakers, I think it's more a test of the downstream than the preamp, especially if those comments are comparing the headphone performance to the preamp (i.e. speaker) performance. The S17 Pro has full influence over the headphones, but only partial influence over the speakers.
I use the S17 pro mainly from preamp. I compared the device with another headphone amplifier/preamplifier. I can also hear the differences between the devices as headphone amplifiers in their function as preamps. As @PassionforSound already wrote, it is difficult to make a comparison, but my impression is not that the breadth and depth of soundstage diminished from headphone to preamp use.
Hi Lachlan! Will you be reviewing the Geshelli E3? I'd love to hear your views on it and specifically with comparisons against the S17 Pro (that I own) and the Mjolnir 3 (which is temping me).
I'm not sure yet about the E3, but it should be identical to the A3 Pro, just with XLR output for the headphones if it's like the previous Archel 2.5XL and Erish 2 equivalents. If that's the case, the S17 Pro will be slightly better and the MJ3 better again.
S9c Pro might be a better middle-point that doesn't get as hot? I am looking for a desktop XLR dac for my studio monitors that can also be used for headphones but have concerns over this overheating after 4+ hours. Seems like the S9c Pro is ALMOST as good without the heat? Love the looks and price...
TELL ME WHAT IS COMING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PS- I have the S17 and Archel 3 pro also and I agree with your take. I would also say the A3 low end is a little more rounded sounding, maybe even not as extended as S17.
I'm afraid I can't talk about it yet. 😁 Thanks for sharing your experiences with both amps. I definitely agree with your comments about the bass, but I think they're probably both as extended and it's the different characters of the bass that makes them sound that way. (Not saying this to be pendantic, just sharing thoughts about the ways an amp's character can influence our perception)
@@PassionforSound Hi, can you tell now? I'm in the market for a new headphone amp, but the lack of switching off the pre-amp output is a dealbreaker for me as I use studio monitors without any controls on them. My number one choice is Singxer SA-1 v2, but after seeing your review I feel like I could get better performance for the money. Anyway, I'm happy to wait for even better amplifier 🙂
I'm afraid I still can't say yet. However, I expect that the one I'm waiting on won't have switchable pre-amp outputs (they'll probably be on all the time)
I learned something owning aune s17. Class A works 100% all the time and A B amps work at 50%. That is why you won’t find an A class. Amps above 30 watts. Good question is A B amp superior to D class amplifiers?
“I think that some people are being tricked by their expectations.” That’s audio, right? *takes a long drag from his joint as he considers all the sunk costs along the way*
Hi.....How this one (aune s17) compare against Schiit lyr + or maybe Hifiman serenade ? Sorry i am asking because i am interested in all three...btw . now i am using Eufonika OTL amp (something like Bottlehead) and this small A class audiophonics k 214 which also is very hot (i could not after 3 hours lay hand on chasis) which also have 4 mosfets and comes from China butt ...price is around 99 euro...still biggest diff. is that Audiophonics have some ventilation holes and Aune probably want from buyer to be more involved (grab a drill and made some holes)..LOL.😀 With serenade i am talking about amp section of coarse ...
I haven't compared the two, but I suspect the Serenade will.coke very close to the S17 Pro, but probably will not quite match it on staging and resolution (by a very small margin, I expect). Given that the Serenade is a lovely DAC, though, it definitely makes up for it if you need a nice DAC too. I think the Lyr+ is a bit of a step further back from the other two without finding a really nice tube for it like a Ray 6SN7 Select or Reserve tube.
Hello. Thank for review. Is Aune s17 suitable for high-quality playback on hifiman he-6? Formally, the power should be enough, but in the specialized forum there are comments that with a very heavy load (Abyss 1266) there are very noticeable distortions. If you have information about the real compatibility of aune s17 and hifiman he6.
I don't have anything as tricky to drive as the HE-6, but there is nothing in the specs that would suggest the S17 should struggle with those headphones. I think it is probably something else that's causing the issues people are discussing, but it's hard to say exactly what's going on without asking them more questions.
FYI, the s17 pro in China is selling brand new for ~2800 yuan(395 usd) or ~2000 yuan(282 usd) on there used market(and is cheaper than the singxer sa-1/topping a90d over there), so this is more like a sub 400$ amp in some place, and for me it sounded like one, thick, warm and not that airy, and quality wise not really better than even the fiio k9 pro built in amp, maybe because of that so many people(include the owner of the s17 pro I heard) said that it's "holographic". I prefer the sa-1/a90d because it's just more airy and not as thick and somewhat close in. P.S: I actually think sa-1 is more airy and brighter and less thick and a90d.
That's a great price for this amp. I'm surprised to hear the comparison with the SA-1. That's a great amp, but the Geshelli A3 Pro was clearly better. The S17 Pro was a better amp than the A3 Pro IMO so I wonder if there's some product variance or something else at play.
@@PassionforSound I figured the Geshellie dac is very polite n smooth and if I pair it with aune s17 pro. To get more slam and wider sound stage. It is interesting that aune on 50 is class A B and 100 turns the amp to class A. Last night I hooked up the JS dac to my studio monitors and the results were heavenly. The sound stage and depth became massive
Yes because it's been publicly announced now - it's the Geshelli Labs E3. It might sound identical to the A3 Pro or it might be even better and compete with the S17 Pro - we'll see
@@PassionforSound If it has more power than the archel and sounds the same, it will be good. The archel runs out of power on the really hard to drive stuff.
I haven't heard the SH-X, but knowing that it's using op-amps and probably a nested feedback design (like THX amps), I'd go for the S17 Pro because it's likely to have far better staging.
@@PassionforSound Hi, I've heard smsl su-x + smsl sh-x + hifiman he1000se 8 days ago (it was good), but I haven't heard Aune s17 Pro ;(. Nevertheless, I'm leaning toward Aune s17 Pro like a bit better device.
It is the ONLY honest review of S17 Pro. All other paid reviewers just keeps on lying about it. Sadly I was fooled by them and bought one... Not satisfied at all. Sound is not bad, but far from the miracle the reviewers were suggesting. There's two notes to this test: the sound is changing along with temperature changes, so the sound is fairly different at 50 degrees and 68 degrees. And for me there is az audible difference between high and low gain: low is more detailed, high is more dynamic. Alltogether I plan to change it for a better amp.
There is no difference between the sound of high and low gain if you adjust the volume to be at the same level. I suggest a Topping product for you since I feel it is more suitable to your aspirations/expectations.
@@petermartin9494 You probably try to insult me but you're just suck at it. There IS difference, period. There is also difference in sound between different temperatures. Maybe you just don't have the ears to hear it. Try some topping products instead.
Probably not. I suspect the S17 Pro is a slightly better amp, being a dedicated device, but I suspect you'd be better off taking a step to the next tier up if you ever decide to add an external amp.
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Thank you. Very good review. I have owned the device for almost 5 months and can confirm most of what has been said.
Unfortunately, I also have the problem criticized by many that the device overheats and shuts down after 2-3 hours in 100ma mode.
Another point of criticism from me is the display, which is praised in this review. I see it completely differently. I don't like the fact that the display can neither be dimmed nor switched off. The layout of the information shown on the display could also have been better. If, like me, the device is positioned so that you look down from above at an angle, the information on the top can no longer be read. It is completely unnecessary to put the four outer pieces of information so close to the edge.
I recommend purchasing the AC Infinity Aircom S7 ($50) as noted above. This will keep the amp at about 50c in the 100ma mode at the lowest fan speed which is silent. You are welcome.
That's a great point about the viewing angle of the display. I did notice that the visibility drops off quite fast at an angle, but it didn't effect me in normal use so I didn't think to discuss it in the video.
It seems there might be some product variance in the heat side of things. Perhaps inconsistent application of thermal paste on the heat sink?
Great review again. I bought this a few months ago and it instantly became one of my all time favourite purchases. My 4 Zmf's , empyrean and radiance all sound fantastic on this amp. No question it is my end game headphone amp, I cannot imagine how anything could make my music more enjoyable. I figure if you are happy, just enjoy being happy. And this amp make me very, very happy. Pure joy every time I use it. I put it on 1" speaker isolation pucks after reading about the heat. It gets warm but not what Id call hot, my feliks echo ran hotter. I also have the aune s9c dac which is excellent as well.
I completely agree about finding what makes you happy and then enjoying it. You can chase your tail in this hobby if you lose sight of the reason for this gear: to enjoy music!
hi, have you noticed an improvement in the s9c pro since you first listened to it and after a while?
I've watched roughly a hundred videos about dacs, amps, and headphones over the last few months. It occurred to me recently that you're the best there is for these videos.
Thank you, Rob! I'm glad you feel that way
So I have the S17 Pro and I’m trying to understand how you say it’s grainy in the top end and not warm because that’s not my impression of it at all. I suspect it may have to do with the DAC, at least when you were using the Chord-I can’t speak about the Yggy really, but I found the Hugo really dry and harsh. In fact, I thought the Archel was harsh when I tried it with the Hugo and then it wasn’t harsh at all when I switched to the Apple Dongle. I have my S17 Pro connected to a SMSL VMV d2r and it sounds super smooth and warm to me and I love it.
It's all about relativity here. Keeping the DAC consistent (and it doesn't really matter which one) while swapping amps, it was the treble character that most separated the S17 from the A3 Pro, Mjolnir 3, Prelude and Soloist.
It's not massively grainy or harsh, but there's a little refinement to be gained with higher level amps.
Thanks for your insight. I am on the jumping board for a SMSL VMV d2r. What can you tell me about the sound of this dac alone? And I might stack it with this 17 pro :D
@@ThePupil smoothest DAC I’ve tried, I preferred it to my more expensive Holo Cyan or the Schiit Bifrost 1/2, but I think I’ve discovered that I don’t like the way r2r seems to add, I don’t know, “texture” to the sound which I think some people mistake for detail. The d2r didn’t do that, it also wasn’t clinical or harsh at all, and seemed to open up the soundstage in a great way. I also preferred it to the AKM and ESS DACs I’ve tried. So yeah, hit the spot for me.
Your output is tremendous! Thank you very much for all your work and the value you provide.
My pleasure, Rainer. The queue got a bit overloaded recently so I've been hustling to get on top of it. Sorry there haven't been any behind-the-scenes videos for a while!
Yes, but is it balanced, and is it biased optimally, or indeed at all. 😉
I think I've missed something here, Jim.
Another good review, big fan of your work. So, I have owned a MJolnir 3, and currently have a V222 and S17 Pro. The S17 Pro can make beautiful sounds with great bass, but often not as clear as the V222. The trade off being that the V222 can be aggressive and give me a bit of listening fatigue; the S17 Pro is a more relaxing listen, but you sometimes wish for more clarity and detail. I have also noticed that I prefer the S17 Pro on some albums and the V222 on others, so no clear winner IMO. Now, the Mjolnir 3 is like the V222 and S17 Pro had a baby, all the details and beautiful notes with hardly any fatigue. Sadly, I had to let my Mjolnir 3 go because I found it unreliable and fussy, however others have not had these issues. I have had audio ecstasy at certain times with the Mjolnir 3, unlike any listening experience I have ever had, but in the end it just wasn't worth it to me. The V222 and S17 Pro represent very nice listening experiences, but the Mjolnir 3 can blow you away. I think I am settling down a bit on my audiophile journey and am just going to enjoy what I have. I wanted to try some different headphones and amps, and I have done that. Now, I am just going to enjoy the music for a while and stop analyzing (ha ha, all audiophiles say that, stop tempting me Cyan 2!)
Thanks for sharing your impressions!! That's a really interesting comparison between those three.
Well a good 6 months + in with this headphone amp, its outstanding the quality of sound has only improved over this time . 20 min warm up and its good to go, i do use a silent fan to keep it cool, not that its given any problems, i also sit it on a marble chopping board for any heat issues.. It works superbly well with my head sets . I have a Maverick audio unit also with the single tube and sparko upgrades ( just for a change) .. Im fast losing interest in my speaker set up for this up close and personal music escape..
Like a fine wine this unit only gets better ..
So glad you're enjoying it so much!
I own the S17 pro and can almost completely confirm the review. The "problems" in the treble are understandable to me, but I don't find them problematic. Very good review!
I totally agree. The treble is fine and the amp is great for the price (and even a bit more! Glad you're enjoying it!!
I never hear treble nasties from mine. I have five different Aune pieces. Excellent values..!!! You don't stack Aune products, you do use one inch footers underneath, aids in circulation.
I definitely wouldn't say the treble is nasty, just slightly grainy when compared to some other devices. It's still excellent overall. 🙂
Thanks for the informative review. I've had the S17 for five months (and it was a significant upgrade from the Liquid Platinum that I had been using) and I both agree and disagree with various points. Like you, I can discern little to no difference between 50mA and 100mA mode (though many do), however I do generally run it in 100mA mode. And I have also found the volume knob to be clunky for changing functions and it generally takes several tries to input changes correctly. However I disagree with you on the sound signature (at least for my ears, we all hear a bit differently)--like many reviewers, I do find that the S17 has a somewhat warm (or tubey) sound. It certainly adds a bit of warmth to my Hifiman HEK Stealth, which many find overly bright. (Though it is probable that the somewhat warm Denafrips Ares 12th-1 R2R DAC adds some synergy to the mix.)
I've had a somewhat worse experience with heat than you, though not nearly as bad as many others. If you follow the Head-Fi thread on this amp, it is impossible not to conclude that there is significant unit variance concerning heat, which is troubling. Despite good ventilation and aftermarket legs that raise the S17 nearly an inch above the Ares 12th-1, as spring comes to New Jersey I have found it necessary on warmer days to use an inexpensive fan to prevent the amp from reaching 69°C after several hours of operation and automatically switching from 100mA to 50mA mode. Why Aune chose not to add additional venting to the case (which has only a small and inadequate number of vent holes on the rear) is a mystery.
I wonder if those people who heard warmth from the amp were using more neutral headphones, and so it was easier to notice.
I'm more curious as to what amp is being used as the reference for what's warm/neutral. I compared the S17 Pro to multiple amps and with multiple headphones (neutral and coloured) before drawing my conclusions so I'm guessing that points of reference might actually be the difference here.
The heat thing is definitely a slight concern so I do agree on that one that there might be product variance.
Thank you for your continued fantastic reviews as you obviously fit the moniker you have chosen. I do agree with the bulk of what you said about the character of the A17Pro which I purchased at the NYC Canjam to mate with the Hifiman HE1000SE headphones, and I must say they are a very good pair together that I highly recommend as a combo platter.
I love the headphones but my only concern was about the slightest edge to the treble. I actually found the amp calmed it down to my liking. I listened to the prelude and the schiit amp as well with the HE1000SEs at the Canjam and would agree that the A17Pro does well against them. I actually thought a notch better, but this could very well be my ears wanting to have the A17Pro best the others reinforcing my ego for making the 'right' choice. I could not A/B the setups as the tables were all spread out and I might have raised some eyebrows and eire if I attempted to stretch long cables in this crowded event. (Maybe it would have worked with traffic cones? What do you think?) Besides the obvious choice of music, this pair works very well for watching streamed content by bumping up the sub-base region with my Mojo 2 EQ for a bit more impact. One other note that may be of interest to those looking into the A17Pro. To keep the temperature to a controlled range in the 100ma mode I purchased the AC Infinity Aircom S7 component cooling fan ($50) that has a very similar footprint to the A17Pro. If you use some rubber isolation feet on top of the Aircom S7 this will allow for excellent architectural support for the A17Pro to sit on. At the lowest setting which is only a 2 watts of draw, it is silent and effectively keeps the amp at 50c or slightly below when the base temp turns on at 23c. (Please note that I do wait until it is warmed to 50c to engage the fan as the Class A circuitry prefers some warmth for best operations.) By the way, at the CanJam I purchased both the above Amp and Headphone combo at a substantial discount as demos. As such, I also highly recommend any CanJam that you CanCan attend if you are in purchasing mode. Happy listening!
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
I would like to say that you're my favourite youtuber when it comes to headphones and headphone amps. :)
Thank you! I'm glad I can help!!
You’re totally right about the top end being a bit bright! I find it weird you didn’t see the difference in soundstage depth going from high gain to low. Mids are much more forward with less depth in high gain and also the same effect going from 100ma to 50ma. Low gain and 50ma are the only way I enjoy this amp.
You need to be very careful when switching gain modes that you match the volumes exactly. What you're describing is exactly the effect caused by having the amp slightly louder after switching to high gain. 🙂
Was looking for a product such as this to use with my hifiman 500 Denon 2000 headphones and work with Pontus 2 into Acoustic Energy Ae1 active.
I'm loving it
That's great to hear!
I just got the, Pietus Maximus #4 by NITSCH thinking it was one the best $500 headamps (can't win them all). I love Chi-Fi however in my experiences all of my made in the USA gear still works while all the made in China stuff I owned is lying around in some landfill. I bought the Schiit Valhalla-2 the year it was introduced and I was using it today, reliability influenced my choice to go with NITSCH
I've just received a Pietus Maximus (still in the box), but will be comparing it to the S17 Pro soon... I expect it will be a VERY interesting battle.
Great review! I like how you point out the difference between apparent and actual detail retrieval. I dislike fakery of any kind and will always choose the real over the apparent, I tned to avoid all upper mid tilted products. What I also notice from many youtube Dac reviewers is that surprisingly no-one is reviewing the Teac UD-701N yet according to specifications (dual mono, four toroidal transformers, proprietary dac chips), trickle-down tech from Esoteric, audiophile experience and youtube demos, it is a serious candidate for best Dac in the market. Is there any way you are able to get hold of one - even a user sample - to review?
Thanks for the tip on the Teac. I'll see if I can find out who's distributing them here...
I don't have the feeling we're listening to the same amp 😅
I have never had an amp so inoffensive and smooth in the highs.
And to my ears it's definitely not neutral, it's quite warm to my ears.
(Apparantly I'm not the only one to notice these weird claims here)
I didn't say it's harsh. I said that other amps I have tried are smoother and more refined. What are your comparison points?
First off, Thank you so much Lachlan for your dedication to the content of your channel.
Your videos are informative, well created (soothing =) and it gets better compared to your older vids.
I started my journey in the audiophilia a couple years back now I'm stepping really deep into the rabbit hole.
Just got myself Hifiman HE6SE v2 along with Holo Audio Cyan 2 R2R dac and I'm still torn on which amp i should get with this setup.
What's your take on the best amplifier that can push the he6? (which to my calculations, it needs at least 7 watts per channel to the drivers to be fully runnin'
My budget is around 1300USD.
Thank you again Lachlan!
Hi Sully and thanks for the kind words!
I'd be looking no further than the Schiit Mjolnir 3 for the HE-6. It will be an awesome pairing.
Your sums about power requirements are quite a way off so don't worry about the power output of the MJ3. It will handle the HE-6 fine unless you're listening at dangerous levels of doing extreme things with EQ. 🙂
If you're concerned about the power output still, the S17 Pro is your next best bet.
@PassionforSound Never though I would find someone who's using the holo audio cyan 2 and thinking of what amp to get as well haha
I'm using Hifiman Arya Organic and contemplating between Aune s17pro & Schiit Mijolnir 3. What would you recommend?
Mjolnir 3 all the way! It's not particularly close between those two, even though the S17 Pro is excellent. The MJ3 is just nuts.
@@PassionforSound Thanks for the quick reply! I have heard many good things about MJ3 as well. I'll watch your review on the MJ3 :D
@CsTruth I still didn't get my hands on Cyan 2 one yet, it's a bit harder to find since i live in the middle east.
Don't you think the MJ3 is a great pair to the Cyan 2?
Again another great review and as a owner of S17 Pro I can confirm every of your findings soudwise... 👍🏻 Quick OT question - have you ever compared quality of output from your JCAT USB card (probably powered by LPS) vs output from a quality streamer? I stream from PC too (Audirvana) and deciding which way to eliminate the noise from my PC. Thank you.
Glad you liked the review!
I have done that comparison a few times and generally find that the PC plus JCat card is comparable with streamers up to about the level of the EverSolo DMP-A8. Once you go beyond that to something like a Lumin streamer, the streamers start to pull ahead. This was using Roon on the PC for both the USB output and for streaming to the standalone devices.
@@PassionforSound This is an excelent observation and great information for me, thank you!
There is a hype around this amp.
It would make a very interessing pair whith it's brother S10N , the network streamer from Aune.
S10N have fews reviews until now.
That would be great, but I can't afford to buy all the gear to review and don't have access to review units from Aune at this stage. ☹️
Hi, did the unit had a month of burn in before ur review or critical listening? Else customer experiences will vary!!
Yes, I always use devices for a while before doing any critical listening. That said, electronic devices rarely change much after the first few days of use.
@@PassionforSound Those with discreate compaonents get more refined after 15days or so. R2rs take few months. I suggest u to let dac amps pass current for few days before evaluation. It happened to me a few times and got stunned
mine is just arrived, you're right saying is not like a tube amp, for now i'm loving it, i got it used at 500 euros so it's hard to beat.... now i'm desperate in choosing the dac...any advices? as headphone i have hekse, i have very good ears, i'm musician, i listen classical country jazz, love details and dynamics but also a very organic sound...not digital
I'd consider something like the Schiit Bifrost 2/64 if that's an option. Chord Mojo 2 or Qutest are also great options. Finally, Gustard R26. Hopefully one of those is readily available and within your budget. 🙂
Thank you for your reviews. You're one of the very few that mention/factor in soundstage depth. Regarding the claim of the best amp for under $1k, would you recommend the S17 Pro over the Soloist 3XP, given that the 3XP can be had used with a supercharger for around $700? I've been hearing great things about the S17 Pro, but I've been waiting for your input.
I'd go for the Burson anytime
I would probably go for the Burson, but with the expectation of also upgrading the op-amps to the V7 Vivids. Without that swap, the tonality of the 3XP can be a touch metallic in the treble and that's where the S17 Pro can have an edge, depending on tastes and the headphones being used.
Thank you for your responses. I've had my 3XP for a year or so along with the supercharger. I just recently swapped out the V6V opamps to the V7V's and the V7V's have tamed the occasional shout and glare that the stock 3XP would exhibit. Considering the cost of a used 3XP, supercharger, and V7V opamps, one could get a fantastic performer of an amp for ~$1k usd.
Sounds like I'll be skipping the S17 Pro. You've saved me some money, for now... Thank you!
My search continues then. I just want a warm amp, and my goodness is it hard to find one available outside the US. Sure there are 2-4000 USD tube amps, but finding something below that that reviewers can agree on is really hard.
I am happy with the GoldenWave/HFM Prelude. Lachlan did a review on it too
I’m settled on xDuoo TA-20 Plus with Gold Lion 12AU7/GZ34. Like it sooooo much, from build, to sound.
@@siamxiii Thanks~ I will have to wait, HIFIMAN and XDUOO gear is really slow to be released due to tariffs in Korea, but maybe someday.
@@chungang7037 And yes, using it with Arya Stealth.
iFi Phantom.
Thanks for another great review! ..One reviewer said he felt the breadth and depth of soundstage diminished from headphone to preamp use. Can I double-check you didn't notice this? Thanks, James
That's very hard to assess because the moment it's in a preamp setup, it's staging performance is directly affected by amp and speakers downstream. Unless you were to be able to quickly switch between two different preamps feeding the same amp and speakers, I think it's more a test of the downstream than the preamp, especially if those comments are comparing the headphone performance to the preamp (i.e. speaker) performance. The S17 Pro has full influence over the headphones, but only partial influence over the speakers.
Many thanks for your reply - much appreciate your time. And understood re the difficulty in assessing this. Cheers, James
I use the S17 pro mainly from preamp. I compared the device with another headphone amplifier/preamplifier. I can also hear the differences between the devices as headphone amplifiers in their function as preamps. As @PassionforSound already wrote, it is difficult to make a comparison, but my impression is not that the breadth and depth of soundstage diminished from headphone to preamp use.
That's great to hear - thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience. Much appreciated!
Hi Lachlan! Will you be reviewing the Geshelli E3? I'd love to hear your views on it and specifically with comparisons against the S17 Pro (that I own) and the Mjolnir 3 (which is temping me).
I'm not sure yet about the E3, but it should be identical to the A3 Pro, just with XLR output for the headphones if it's like the previous Archel 2.5XL and Erish 2 equivalents.
If that's the case, the S17 Pro will be slightly better and the MJ3 better again.
S9c Pro might be a better middle-point that doesn't get as hot? I am looking for a desktop XLR dac for my studio monitors that can also be used for headphones but have concerns over this overheating after 4+ hours. Seems like the S9c Pro is ALMOST as good without the heat?
Love the looks and price...
I haven't tried the S9C so can't comment on how it compares, but if you need an all-in-one, I suspect it would be a very nice choice.
TELL ME WHAT IS COMING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PS- I have the S17 and Archel 3 pro also and I agree with your take. I would also say the A3 low end is a little more rounded sounding, maybe even not as extended as S17.
I'm afraid I can't talk about it yet. 😁
Thanks for sharing your experiences with both amps. I definitely agree with your comments about the bass, but I think they're probably both as extended and it's the different characters of the bass that makes them sound that way. (Not saying this to be pendantic, just sharing thoughts about the ways an amp's character can influence our perception)
@@PassionforSound Hi, can you tell now?
I'm in the market for a new headphone amp, but the lack of switching off the pre-amp output is a dealbreaker for me as I use studio monitors without any controls on them. My number one choice is Singxer SA-1 v2, but after seeing your review I feel like I could get better performance for the money. Anyway, I'm happy to wait for even better amplifier 🙂
I'm afraid I still can't say yet. However, I expect that the one I'm waiting on won't have switchable pre-amp outputs (they'll probably be on all the time)
No matter how good this is, and I believe it can be great, it won't fit in the space available on my desk. I'm more into the size of the X series.
I learned something owning aune s17. Class A works 100% all the time and A B amps work at 50%. That is why you won’t find an A class. Amps above 30 watts. Good question is A B amp superior to D class amplifiers?
It all comes down to the design of the amp rather than a specific topology being inherently better, I think.
Aune S17 or Gustard H26?
I'd love to hear that comparison. Maybe also throw in the Cayin IHA-8....?
Based on a few owners experience, Gustard is way better
I haven't tried the Gustard, but would love to.
It is the best under $1000. Thanks, I guess it is the amp for me since $1000 is the most I am willing to pay for a headphone amp.
“I think that some people are being tricked by their expectations.”
That’s audio, right?
*takes a long drag from his joint as he considers all the sunk costs along the way*
So, so true 😁😁
Hi, do you still recommend this aune for about 500€ second hand? I need a powerful amp to drive a hifiMan he6se v2. Thanks for the review, great job👌
Yes. Short of the Schiit Mjolnir 3, it's the best amp below the really big price tag amps.
Hi.....How this one (aune s17) compare against Schiit lyr + or maybe Hifiman serenade ? Sorry i am asking because i am interested in all three...btw . now i am using Eufonika OTL amp (something like Bottlehead) and this small A class audiophonics k 214 which also is very hot (i could not after 3 hours lay hand on chasis) which also have 4 mosfets and comes from China butt ...price is around 99 euro...still biggest diff. is that Audiophonics have some ventilation holes and Aune probably want from buyer to be more involved (grab a drill and made some holes)..LOL.😀 With serenade i am talking about amp section of coarse ...
I haven't compared the two, but I suspect the Serenade will.coke very close to the S17 Pro, but probably will not quite match it on staging and resolution (by a very small margin, I expect). Given that the Serenade is a lovely DAC, though, it definitely makes up for it if you need a nice DAC too.
I think the Lyr+ is a bit of a step further back from the other two without finding a really nice tube for it like a Ray 6SN7 Select or Reserve tube.
@@PassionforSound Thank you very much - i was think also that but i wasn t sure ...this really helps .
How does this amp stack against the Singxer sa-1? Is it gonna have a similar sound signature? Is it a bit better in sound than the Singxer?
The Singxer is a little warmer/thicker sounding IMO. The S17 Pro is a bit more technically capable in resolution and separation of sounds.
Hello.
Thank for review.
Is Aune s17 suitable for high-quality playback on hifiman he-6? Formally, the power should be enough, but in the specialized forum there are comments that with a very heavy load (Abyss 1266) there are very noticeable distortions. If you have information about the real compatibility of aune s17 and hifiman he6.
I don't have anything as tricky to drive as the HE-6, but there is nothing in the specs that would suggest the S17 should struggle with those headphones. I think it is probably something else that's causing the issues people are discussing, but it's hard to say exactly what's going on without asking them more questions.
Which one is better, this one or the Fiio K9 Pro ESS?
They're very different because the S17 Pro is only an amp. As an amp, it's way better, but if you need a DAC as well, the K9 does that too. 🙂
Oh my bad. Thanks ;)
would the MDR-Z1R sound better with MJ3, V222 or S17 Pro?
I haven't tried the V222, but the MJ3 would be my choice over the S17 Pro.
It's how a headphone amplifier should be made.
Is the s9c also incoming?
Not at present. I can't afford to buy all the gear that I'd like to review and don't have access to review units for Aune at the moment.
Which one would you recommend for brighter iems?
Geshelli A3 Pro for sure! Smoother top end plus great, easy tone controls.
FYI, the s17 pro in China is selling brand new for ~2800 yuan(395 usd) or ~2000 yuan(282 usd) on there used market(and is cheaper than the singxer sa-1/topping a90d over there), so this is more like a sub 400$ amp in some place, and for me it sounded like one, thick, warm and not that airy, and quality wise not really better than even the fiio k9 pro built in amp, maybe because of that so many people(include the owner of the s17 pro I heard) said that it's "holographic". I prefer the sa-1/a90d because it's just more airy and not as thick and somewhat close in.
P.S: I actually think sa-1 is more airy and brighter and less thick and a90d.
Yeah i bought it in japan around $400.
Which website has it at that price? [in china]
That's a great price for this amp. I'm surprised to hear the comparison with the SA-1. That's a great amp, but the Geshelli A3 Pro was clearly better. The S17 Pro was a better amp than the A3 Pro IMO so I wonder if there's some product variance or something else at play.
Is the treble more problematic than the A90D or A70pro？
No. I'd take the S17 Pro over those - it's just not as smooth as options like the A3 Pro or Mjolnir 3.
@@PassionforSound Thanks for your response
maybe I should get this amp instead of the Geshelli?
I think both are excellent choices. It just depends on what you need.
@@PassionforSound I figured the Geshellie dac is very polite n smooth and if I pair it with aune s17 pro. To get more slam and wider sound stage. It is interesting that aune on 50 is class A B and 100 turns the amp to class A.
Last night I hooked up the JS dac to my studio monitors and the results were heavenly. The sound stage and depth became massive
Can you mention what is coming yet?
Yes because it's been publicly announced now - it's the Geshelli Labs E3. It might sound identical to the A3 Pro or it might be even better and compete with the S17 Pro - we'll see
@@PassionforSound If it has more power than the archel and sounds the same, it will be good. The archel runs out of power on the really hard to drive stuff.
what mic do you use in the video
That's the Rode PodMic 🙂
Hi, smsl sh-x or Aune S17 pro?
I haven't heard the SH-X, but knowing that it's using op-amps and probably a nested feedback design (like THX amps), I'd go for the S17 Pro because it's likely to have far better staging.
@@PassionforSound Hi, I've heard smsl su-x + smsl sh-x + hifiman he1000se 8 days ago (it was good), but I haven't heard Aune s17 Pro ;(. Nevertheless, I'm leaning toward Aune s17 Pro like a bit better device.
It is the ONLY honest review of S17 Pro. All other paid reviewers just keeps on lying about it. Sadly I was fooled by them and bought one... Not satisfied at all. Sound is not bad, but far from the miracle the reviewers were suggesting. There's two notes to this test: the sound is changing along with temperature changes, so the sound is fairly different at 50 degrees and 68 degrees. And for me there is az audible difference between high and low gain: low is more detailed, high is more dynamic. Alltogether I plan to change it for a better amp.
Sorry that you're not enjoying the S17 as much as you'd hoped. What are you planning to replace it with?
There is no difference between the sound of high and low gain if you adjust the volume to be at the same level. I suggest a Topping product for you since I feel it is more suitable to your aspirations/expectations.
@@petermartin9494 You probably try to insult me but you're just suck at it. There IS difference, period. There is also difference in sound between different temperatures. Maybe you just don't have the ears to hear it. Try some topping products instead.
@@PassionforSound Hi, I will go for a Violectric V550. But I have to save some money first :)
What’s better for less than $1500?
I was bored by the 1:11 mark.......do better
Honey, that's really not very nice ♥️
I have the Aune S9c and love it. Not sure I need the S17.
Probably not. I suspect the S17 Pro is a slightly better amp, being a dedicated device, but I suspect you'd be better off taking a step to the next tier up if you ever decide to add an external amp.