Reviews
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Bakoon HPA-21
Bakoon HPA-21 , is a truly unique product that is the world’s one and only current driving headphone amplifier.
By incorporating the SATRI Circuit technology, our years of R&D effort in current amplification technology is now perfectly refined for headphone listeners.
Unlike the conventional voltage driving method, the HPA-21’s current driving method achieves far superior driving precision, power and distortion level unmatched by any other available conventional headphone amplifiers. In addition, our latest analogue battery power supply technology has been meticulously analyzed and employed into the HPA-21, which further enhances the performance of the circuit to the next level.
If you demand the best headphone listening experience, look no further. The HPA-21 is here for you to meet your highest expectations.
Review
HPA-21 Review by Srajan Ebaen of 6moons.com and Wojciech Pacula of High Fidelity (English)
As I’d put it in my Year 2012 Retrospective, my ongoing search for headfi perfidity…er, perfection had hit the amplification mother lode with Bakoon’s AMP-11R. At $4.995 with a gorgeously machined mini metal rack, strapping this two-box class AB amplifier of 15wpc to my Audez’e LCD-2 seems overkill.
Until you hear it. Whilst the law of diminishing returns kicks in heavy past Burson’s $1.850 Conductor—we’re well on the limpid side of twice the price, twice the performance—the Bakoon at the time was my ultimate headphone amp. But it’s a lot more. Driving speakers copasetic with its power rating has it perform on the rarefied level of Nelson Pass’ FirstWatt SIT1/SIT2. Via its voltage-mode inputs. To hear the full Monty will require using Akira Nagai’s current-mode inputs.
They will enjoy matching outputs in Bakoon’s forthcoming DAC of course but just then featured exclusively on Bakoon’s EQA-11R phono stage. Late in 2012, Soo In Chae of Bakoon Korea had told me about a forthcoming 50wpc stereo amp and 200-watt monster monos and another surprise that would hit even sooner: a dedicated headphone amp. “More and more people love the AMP-11R as headphone amp. We thus wanted a more affordable model superior even to the 11R for this specific purpose.
With an output impedance close to 2.5MΩ, expect up to 1/10th the headphone distortion with the HPA-21’s current-mode output. We believe this will be a true game changer. It’s a larger one-box solution with internal battery power supply derived from our EQA-11R.” With Polish contributor Wojciech equally smitten with the Bakoon integrated on speakers and headphones alike to bestow upon it his rare Red Fingerprint award, anticipation within our ranks over a new Bakoon anything was high……
Specification
| Input | 1 SATRI-LINK (BNC), 1 Voltage (RCA) |
| Input Impedance | 100 KΩ (Voltage), 3.68 Ω (SATRI-LINK) |
| Output | Current / Voltage (simultaneous) |
| Gain | High / Low switchable (current output only) |
| Maximum Power Output | 1 watt (50 Ω, 1 kHz) |
| Frequency Response | 10 Hz ~ 1 MHz |
| Battery Type | Li-ion |
| Battery Operate Time | Up to six and a half hours |
| Battery Recharge Time | 4 hours (80% capacity) / 6 hours (full capacity) |
| Dimensions | 195 mm (W) x 237.5 mm (D) x 55 mm (H) |
| Shipping Weight | 4.5 kg |
