So, a friend turned me on to the Sabaj PHA3 a couple of weeks ago. It was on Amazon for $27, where it is now selling for around $39. The great part is that it features a pair of E180F (6J9s in Chinese lingo)/6688 tubes in the signal path, albeit hybridized with some transistors on the input stage. Well, I listened, and heard tube things happening, and wanted to know what it would sound like with my HD 6XXs. And, so I bought one. It sounded pretty damned good for a $30 amp. And since it is really just a circuit and the tube does the sound work, I wondered how much better it could sound with NOS tubes. First up, I found some Amperex manufactured Phillips E180Fs ($25 a pop), probably from the 70s, Holland manufacture. I ordered them. And Holy shit. It did amazing things to the midrange. Textured, warm. Lovely sound. Well, I have been hearing about the glories of Mullard tubes. So I scoured the internet for Mullard 180Fs. Found 'em on Etsy, of all places for $30 a pop. They arrived today. I spent a moment listening to the Amperex renditions. Then I put in the Mullards. And the sound went from rich and warmly mid-range focused to broad-spectrum-linear with tube sparkle and air. This is my first foray into tube rolling, and I’m sold. On to my question to start the discussion. Has anyone tried this little amp yet and what is your take?
On a side note, I just added a pair of HiFiman Sundaras to my arsenal. And these headphones slam with tubes, and this amp in specific. Listening using the Mullard set of 6688s at the moment. Have not tried swapping in the Amperex set yet.
Hi. I’m looking for cheap tube amp for Sundara. There are a two different amps which I would buy from Ali - xduuo MT602 and Sabaj PHA3. Which of them I should try?
I haven’t heard the XDuoo. It’s supposed to be quite good. I just have enjoyed my experience with the Sabaj. Both have transistors on the output stage. Although, only the XDuoo, to my knowledge is class A, where I am not certain of the Sabaj- no specs on the transistor circuit are listed. Tube rolling should be relatively easy for either, and not terribly expensive. The whole reason I went with the Sabaj is that it was $30 at the time. I’m now bidding on a Little Dot MK II on eBay. All tubes, no transistors.
The LD MKII plays nice with the 6 series Senn’s, it’s what I used when I had my 660s’s…I have a MT604 now too which I use for my Planar IEM’s but no longer have the 660s’s…going from memory I’d probably take the LD MKII over the Hybrid in the Senn use case scenario but I guess that’s not really that helpful lol.
That’s what I’ve read. I’m curious to see if it will drive the Sundaras too. Although based on the specs, I highly doubt it will.
I’d go with a Hybrid for that set tbh…generally lower end OTL amps aren’t a great match for Planar’s…higher end then that’s another story, I’m sure more experienced folks on here can guide you in that respect 
To expand on the point @Ohmboy made, I have a TA-20 hybrid tube/Class A final amp and I have to say that the Sundara pairs really well with it. The HiFIMAN Edition XS sounds even better because of the improved dynamic range of the XS. Point is, these planars sound wonderful on a hybrid tube amp. I also have the 660S, which sounds really good as well, but the planars just seem to perform better. This has been my experience. Your results may vary, of course.
So, apart from the Sabaj being el cheapo hybrid amp, it’s the right direction, from what I’m gathering. Although, I’d really like to hear what they are capable of. What are some tube hybrids that are known for the good sound with the Sundara? Been considering the TA 20. Currently I’m using a SMSL M500 (1st gen) DAC for the digital. Not much need for an integrated dac/amp. Although balanced would be spectacular.
Man, that is a tough one to answer. For me, a tube hybrid is a great choice because it seems to be a happy medium between the clean, highly resolving sounds of solid state and the silky smoothness and warmth of a pure tube. The Sundara really seems to pair well with this type of amp. I have used the Sundara on other amp types and always come back to the hybrid as its best match. But many will arrive at the other sides of the fence as well. Which one you prefer is strictly personal preference. I believe that in general, of the three choices (tube, tube hybrid, and solid state) the hybrid is usually the least popular choice. It all depends on the use case.
As far as which hybrid to get, I only have experience with the TA-20 to date. I can say that the TA-20, which is a balanced headphone amp, has been a solid performer that I have enjoyed very much. In fact, for the price (currently $339 at Apos) I think it’s pretty hard to beat. XDuoo has a newer model out called the TA-22 that you also might want to look into, which is actually a DAC/Amp. That said, I have the Liquid Platinum tube hybrid headphone amp coming soon that I aim to replace the TA-20 with. So, if that works out for me, I may have a TA-20 in like new condition with 3 sets of additional tubes coming up for sale!
@fisherc6 I should mention that the Liquid Platinum I am waiting for is on sale right now for, ironically, $339. Another option to consider!
And another lol…they also do a HiFiMan specific combo
Nice! I’ve been watching the liquid platinum for a while, and saw it go on sale and sell out on Amazon. It’s a good price, for sure. Although I just looked up NOS 6922s. There are a bunch of manufacturers, but the Amperex ones I would want, or the mullard equivalent would run $400 for a pair…oof. Hopefully the electro harmonic ones it comes with are good.
Me, too! We are going to find out soon enough. Tubes in general are starting to get pretty pricey, so I feel your pain there. That said, I was able to secure a matched set of Gold Lion 6922s for a fairly reasonable price. They arrived last night. Just need the amp, now…
I hear good things about Gold Lion. I’m definitely interested in your impressions.
Copy. I was thinking of trying the stockers first. just to get a baseline. But you know I will be chomping on the bit to try the Lions, too! I have a set of Gold Lions that I rolled in for the TA-20 and they were great. Much sweeter sounding than the stockers that were in that amp.
I just discovered an excellent pairing in the Sabaj PHA3 and Sennheiser HD 599se.