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Orchard Valencia Headphone Amplifier Analysis: Is it worth it?
GoldenSound analyzes the Orchard Valencia, an unusual headphone power amplifier without volume control, highlighting its build quality, objective and subjective performance, and considering whether its price is justified compared to alternatives.
1. 🎧 Introduction to the Orchard Valencia: An Unusual Power Amplifier
- ✅ The Orchard Valencia is a headphone power amplifier that has no volume control.
- ✅ Requires an external preamplifier or volume control on the source (DAC).
- ✅ It is a collaboration between Zeos and Orchard Audio, known for their Class D amplifiers, but this one is Class AB.
- ✅ Offers up to 17 watts into 32 ohms.
00:00 - 00:39
1. 🎧 Introduction to the Orchard Valencia: An Unusual Power Amplifier
- ✅ The Orchard Valencia is a headphone power amplifier that has no volume control.
- ✅ Requires an external preamplifier or volume control on the source (DAC).
- ✅ It is a collaboration between Zeos and Orchard Audio, known for their Class D amplifiers, but this one is Class AB.
- ✅ Offers up to 17 watts into 32 ohms.
00:40 - 02:17
2. 🛠️ Design and Physical Characteristics of the Valencia
- ✅ Matte finish with the Orchard Audio logo engraved.
- ✅ Features an IEC input and an internal power supply.
- ✅ Has XLR (balanced) inputs and speaker outputs (up to 8 watts into 8 ohms).
- ⚠️ The speaker and headphone outputs work simultaneously, requiring physical disconnection of the speakers when using headphones.
- ✅ Balanced XLR headphone output.
- ✅ The use of balanced cables is recommended, although it does not include a single-ended output.
02:18 - 04:25
3. 🤔 The Need for a Preamplifier and the Internals of the Valencia
- ✅ Being a power amplifier, it requires an external preamplifier for volume control.
- ✅ The reviewer used a Holo Serene KTE and a Framandler GSSE for evaluation.
- ⚠️ The interior seems "empty" for an amplifier of this price (originally $2,000, now $1,500).
- ✅ Includes a switched-mode power supply and an amplifier board with 24 OPA 1622 opamps.
- ✅ The price is justified in part by the components, but also by the profit margins of the parties involved (manufacturer, collaborator, distributor).
04:26 - 06:19
4. 📊 Objective Performance: Power, Distortion, and Noise
- ✅ Meets power specifications: 17 watts into 32 ohms and 1.7 watts into 300 ohms.
- ✅ Low total harmonic distortion and noise (THD+N): -117 dB into 300 ohms and -115 dB into 32 ohms.
- ✅ Low noise level.
- ✅ Low output impedance (0.08 ohms), ensuring no changes in sound with different headphones.
- ⚠️ Some noise from the switched-mode power supply is observed, but at a very low level.
06:20 - 08:43
5. ⚖️ Power Amplifier vs. Integrated Amplifier: Considerations on Volume Control
- ✅ The idea behind a power amplifier is to minimize distortion by eliminating the volume control circuit.
- ⚠️ Performance depends heavily on the quality of the preamplifier used.
- ⚠️ Using digital volume control in a DAC can reduce dynamic range.
- ✅ A high-quality passive preamplifier can be a good option if the cables are short.
08:44 - 12:43
6. 🎧 Subjective Performance: Sound, Synergy, and Timbre
- ✅ Works well with a variety of headphones, including ZMF Atrium, HiFiMan Susvara, and Abyss 1266.
- ✅ Described as neutral, transparent, and with a bit of extra energy in the highs.
- ✅ Very detailed and technical, without being the limiting factor with high-quality headphones.
- ✅ Good spatiality, superior to more economical options.
- ✅ Offers a good "slam" (impact) in the bass.
- ✅ The timbre of voices and instruments is generally good, without adding coloration.
12:44 - 14:31
7. 🤔 Criticisms and Final Thoughts on the Valencia
- ⚠️ Slightly bright, which can be problematic with already aggressive tracks.
- ⚠️ Not ideal for Mod House Tungsten users due to voltage limitations.
- ⚠️ Performance depends heavily on the preamplifier used. A DAC with low-quality digital volume control can result in a flat and disappointing sound.
14:32 - 15:52
8. 🏁 Conclusion: A Competitive Amplifier with Practical Quirks
- ✅ The Valencia offers competitive sound quality for its price.
- ⚠️ It has practical quirks that should be considered, especially the need for a quality preamplifier.
- 🤔 The price may be a bit high compared to the internal hardware.