Specifications

Analogue section
Frequency response + 0 / − 3 dB D0,1 Hz – 200 kHz
Signal / noise ratio 110/114 dB
THD  /  Intermodulation < 0,001 % / < 0,001 % Channel separation > 108 dB
Class A operation up to 700 mA
Volume control Relay controlled in 1 dB steps, - 90 dB to 0 dB
Loudness switchable, adjustable on the speaker efficiency
Sound control switchable, channel separated. Bass and treble -6 dB to + 8 dB
Headphone outputs 6.3 mm plug, 4.4 mm Pentaconn, XLR-4 pin
Impedances: 8, 12, 18, 25, 40, 80 Ohms
Analogue inputs
High level (RCA) / balanced (XLR) 250 mVeff ... 4,5 Veff / 10 kOhms | 500 mVeff ... 9 Veff / 20 kOhms
Channel separation 110 dB
Digital inputs
1 x AES-EBU 32...192 kHz / 16-24 Bit
S/P-DIF: 2 x Standard Coax, 2 x optical TOS-Link 32...192 kHz / 16-24 Bit,
1 x BNC 32...192 kHz / 16-24 Bit,
2 x USB DAC: Device-Mode up to 768 kSps (PCM) and DSD1024*, supports
asynchronous data transfer.
*DSD 512 and DSD 1024 with Windows PC and appropriate driver installed only.
2 x HDMI IN, 1 x HDMI OUT with ARC (as an option)
Bluetooth A2DP (Audio), AVRCP 1.4 (Control) / aptX® HD , SBC, AAC
D/A converter section
PCM Double-Differential-Quadruple-Converter with four 32-Bit Sigma-Delta D/A converter per channel
705,6 / 768 kSps conversion rate
DSD T+A-True-1Bit DSD D/A converter, up to DSD 1024 (49,2 MHz), native bitstream
Upsampling T+A signal-processor – synchronous upsampling with four selectable oversampling algorithms. FIR short, FIR long, Bezier/IIR, Bezier, NOS (non-oversampling))
Analogue filter Phase-linear Bessel filter 3rd order, switchable with 60 or 120 kHz cut of frequency
Mains / Accessories / Dimensions
Mains 100 – 120 V or 200 – 240 V, 50 – 60 Hz, 100 Watts
Standby < 0,5 Watts
Dimensions (H × W× D) 10 × 32 × 34 cm, 4 x 12.6 x 13.4 inch
Accessories Remotecontrol FM8, power cord, USB-cabel for charging RC,
USB cabel 2.0 for DAC, RCA cabel
Weight 6,5 kg, 14.4 lbs
Finishes Alu silver anodized, Alu black anodized
Technical modifications reserved

Om T+A's hörlursförstärkare

It 2020 will be remembered as the year in which we introduced a whole new family of products: headphones. We develop a range of extremely innovative headphones and headphone amplifiers, evincing the same consistently systematic approach and commitment which we have always adopted in the development of our audio systems and loudspeakers.

Our first model of headphone amplifier is the HA 200, and it benefits from our extensive expertise and several decades of experience in the development and manufacture of amplifiers and transducers.

We have not been content simply to adopt existing technologies, preferring instead to develop and optimise them for the particular requirements of headphones. The result is a device the like of which has never before existed, but it is far more than that: it sets completely new standards in respect of sound quality, performance, connection facilities and appearance. In fact, the HA 200 encompasses the combined requirements of professional users active in studio technology and those of audiophile music lovers, who wish to run multiple headphones from a single device.

This principle was the obvious choice for our first headphones, based on the exceptional qualities of this type of planar transducer and our thirty-five years of experience in the development and manufacture of film transducers.

Planar-magnetic transducers are very similar to electrostatic devices, as their diaphragm also consists of a thin film driven by a strong magnetic field. For that reason it was therefore natural to develop an open planar system for our first headphones, and build them here in Herford.

The decision to start by developing a planar-magnetostat, and only then an electrostatic device, was based on the realisation that a magnetostat has a wider field of application, since it does not require a power supply voltage – as is the case with an electrostatic device. Both fundamental designs are ideally suited to High-End headphones, and are inherently superior to dynamic alternatives.

Design Philosophy
We insist that our headphone amplifiers should be capable of optimum sound quality, and for this reason we are developing them in a focussed manner, matching either dynamic and magnetostatic or electrostatic headphones. This decision obliges us to consider the completely different requirements regarding the output stages. The HA 200 is conceived to handle dynamic and magnetostatic headphones, and its entire circuit topology and technology are designed to fulfil the special requirements of these types of transducer. This is the only means of obtaining truly unique results in terms of sound quality. Compared with loudspeakers, the impedance bandwidth of headphones is substantially wider, and this presents a genuine challenge to the amplifier design. Low-impedance types require high currents, whereas high-impedance alternatives draw low currents, but require an extremely stable voltage.

This in turn means that the output stage must be capable of delivering relatively high currents, while the transformer and the mains section must be extremely stable and constant. Our amplifier has also been fitted with a circuit, which makes different output impedances freely selectable for each of the three outputs (6.3 mm jack, 4.4 mm Pentaconn, XLR-4 pin), so that the headphones can be optimally adapted to the individual sound ideas.

The last few years have brought a very significant change in the field of application of headphone amplifiers. In the past they were usually connected to the analogue output of a stereo system, utilising the system’s sources, but nowadays we frequently find a preference for dedicated stand-alone devices.

That is why we have not only furnished our headphone amplifier with very high-quality analogue inputs, but also installed digital inputs and converters of the highest quality, which make it possible to exploit a vast range of digital sources whilst maintaining very high standards of quality. The analogue and digital sections are completely galvanically isolated, and each features its own mains power supply. Our aim was to build a headphone amplifier which completely satisfied our very high requirements in terms of sound quality.

The outcome of our efforts is a true thoroughbred: an exceptional device which eschews integral digital sources completely, thereby eliminating even the tiniest of adverse influences in the analogue section of the amplifier.

The HA 200 offers a wide range of high-quality connection facilities on the input and output side, making the amplifier a superb choice for music-enthusiasts and professionals alike.

Technology
Our intention in developing the HA 200 was to build a headphone amplifier with the finest sound quality available anywhere in the world, and suitable for all kinds of dynamic and magnetostatic headphones. This means that the amplifier section would have an absolutely crucial part to play in the overall design.

And that’s why we decided to adopt the principles of our HV series: pure analogue Class-A design with special MOS-FET transistors, no op-amps, no chips and a separate 100-Watt analogue mains section. Even the crossfeed function is generated by an analog filter circuit. The XLR and Cinch inputs take the same form as in the HV series, and the pre-amplifier is designed in such a way that it feeds the output stage in the optimum manner.

Gas-tight encapsulated gold contact relays take over the volume control and adjustable loudness function and bridge the tone control completely (flat) on request, they are absolutely free of distortion and noise. Even after many years of operation these components are not subject to contact problems due to corrosion, dust or ageing effects. The relays are integrated directly into the circuit design, keeping the signal paths as short as possible.

Since we had decided to cater for different headphone types, the output stage needed to be extremely sophisticated. Normal loudspeakers have impedances in the range 2 to 10 Ohm, which is not critical. However, headphones may have impedances in the range 10 to 1000 Ohm, and this certainly presents a challenge. Low-impedance types draw high currents, whereas the currents flowing in high-impedance types are relatively low; however, the voltage must be very stable.

We overcame this problem by designing the output stage of the HA 200 to be capable of effortlessly delivering relatively high currents, while the mains section transformers (2 x 50-Watt) are extremely stable and constant. Sound quality can be fine-tuned by selecting different output impedances for each output (6.3 mm, 4.4 mm Pentaconn, XLR 4-pin), and Crossfeed-mode can also be switched in. The XLR 4-pin output can be used to drive loudspeakers if the user wishes to connect a stereo power amplifier (such as the AMP 8); in this case we can supply an XLR-4 to 2xRCA adapter.

In addition to the conventional high-quality analogue inputs we have equipped the HA 200 with a large number of high quality digital inputs. This makes it possible to operate the unit as a stand-alone device, and connect it to various digital sources according to personal taste and requirements.

There is no doubt that the HA 200’s digital input section is currently the world’s finest, since the USB-C inputs are based on the new high-resolution Thesycon chip, which can process up to DS 1025 and PCM 768. Professional AES/EBU and BNC sockets are also present, as are optical and co-axial SP/DIF. The Bluetooth input is fitted with AptX™ HD, two HDMI inputs (Stereo only) and one output ARC are available as options.

The extremely high quality of the inputs is maintained in the converter. The proprietary T+A True 1-Bit digital / analogue converter, which provides an incredible DSD 1024 for Bitstream, and the T+A quadruple converter with 32 Bit / 768 kHz for PCM, reflect the current State of the Art, and represent the limit of what is feasible today. The digital section features its own power supply, and is galvanically separated from the analogue section.

Although the primary purpose of the HA 200 is to be an amplifier with an extraordinarily high performance, this unusual flexibility on the input side is very helpful to various types of user. Since the amplifier employs our very finest DSD and PCM converters, the sound quality of the digital inputs is just as good as that of the analogue ones.

The wide range of connection facilities requires a very sophisticated control system and display for the amplifier as a whole. In fact, the HA 200 is intuitive and simple to operate, thanks to an ingenious combination of operating buttons and menu control system.

The two VU meters (QPPM = Quasi Peak Programme Meter Type 1) are accurate indicators which display the variation in various parameters, as in studio applications and measurement engineering. The level at the D/A converter and the amplifier can both be displayed, as can input level and output level, temperature and stream quality (which can be used to check the frequency of the data stream and even the cable quality). The pin-sharp screen displays the user’s selected operating modes, such as output impedance, volume, data rate, oversampling filter type or crossfeed. The brightness of the display, the LEDs and the VU meter is adjustable. You can even adjust the colour of these.

Since we have also designed the HA 200 for use in professional applications, the case is designed to be extremely solid and robust. The heatsinks are manufactured using an extrusion tool, the front panel is machined from solid metal, and the top, bottom and back panels are made from aluminium plates.

Ultra-close tolerances and accurate fits are the hallmarks of this case, and at the same time the design provides for homogeneous heat distribution, leading to optimum operating conditions for the electronics as a whole.