Tom Christiansen Audio HPA-1 Headphone Amplifier [updated 15/04/2023]

tietoliikenne · April 3, 2023, 7:46am

The TCA HPA-1 is an amazingly transparent headphone/earphone amplifier. It has really good measurements and I could hear literally everything that my Zen DAC Signature V2 provides me. It does this on a whole new level than what the Lake People G111 MK1 could do. It’s a rather amazing piece of equipment. When matched with a Focal Clear Mg, unlike the G111, the music becomes exceptionally clear, where the bass, sound staging, and imaging is second to none. I truly agree with what lots of people are saying about this HPA-1, that it really doesn’t get better than this. For the Etymotics ER4SR, yeah it’s transparency, transparency, transparency. I now hear too much of the Zen DAC Signature V2 that I’ve asked Tom from TCA if he will ever work on a DAC. If he does not produce one in future, I just might have to settle for a Benchmark DAC3 B though I feel it’s rather high priced for someone like me.

In theory an amplifier is supposed to amplify a earphones/headphones exactly as it is without altering anything to the sound at all. In practice, few engineers could do that. Yet this HPA-1 does an amazing job at it. From hearing many systems, I genuinely feel this amplifier performs its best when looking at it objectively. I’ve been listening to this headphone/earphone amplifier non-stop since receiving it.

If you wanna bring out the best of your low impedance and/or low sensitivity headphone/earphone, you’ll need this HPA-1. Most amplifiers do not have what it takes to deliver in this department no matter what they say (from my personal experience). Every TCA HPA-1 amplifier is hand built by the amplifier’s designer himself, Tom, and undoubtedly as he has told me, there’s never been a unit sent in for warranty. If I’m not wrong, his company started around between 2019 - 2020 and mine is about the 500th unit based on the serial number. I know the number is much higher now as mine is old stock because I purchased it directly from the Philippines distributor, EggHead. I highly recommend purchasing it directly from TCA to ensure you get the most recent build.

So just as a guide, moving on from an amplifier to this means your headphones/earphones are better driven, which means it sounds more correct - you get the notion that everything just falls into place. As most amplifiers only do a pretty good job at this and add their own flavor, this amplifier will provide improvements to the sound as a whole while ensuring not to include its own flavor at all. This gives you specifically only what’s in the music itself (or rather, what’s in the chain of equipment in front of it). I know this because different songs have sound that is so much more different from each other than on any other amplifiers I’ve used before (this is my 11th year of being in this hobby actively). The sound or flavor is strictly determined by the equipment the sound engineer used as well as his mastering competency (and of course your DAC). The Lake People G111 MK 1 is on par with the Rupert Neve Headphone Amplifier, so if you were someone working in the audio industry, the HPA-1 will be a far better option at only slightly higher of the price. I guarantee it with complete confidence (built quality is pretty much the best where even the volume knob and 6.3 mm headphone jack is bolted to the chassis) this would make a great sound engineer’s amplifier.

Extracted from TCA’s own website. You can see the metal piece which holds the volume knob and 6.3mm connector in its place to the chassis below it.

Today, I just heard the McIntosh MHA200 amplifier at Jaben (https://store.jaben.com/) with the Sennheiser HD 560S and while it drives the headphones well, the main difference between the MHA200 vs HPA-1 is that the HPA-1 doesn’t have a flavor. However, everything else when it comes to the treble, mids, and lows, I don’t easily notice any difference. As such, if you were someone who wants flavor yet the power of a solid state, it is highly recommended to add a tube buffer in front of this amplifier (try a 300B pre-amp), or simply purchase a DAC with a tube output stage such as a Border Patrol DAC, Audio Note DAC, or Wavelength Brick N2. If I’m not wrong, the HPA-1 is a more transparent amplifier than the MHA200 in terms of what details are being let through, but if there is a difference, the HPA-1 is only marginally better.

wizardofoz · April 4, 2023, 3:10pm

I have both his HPA-1 and the more portable HPA-10. Both excellent pieces of kit.

My only gripe is no balanced output…but I guess you can’t have everything.

tietoliikenne · April 4, 2023, 4:01pm

Nice to hear and thanks for sharing! I appreciate it.

wizardofoz · April 11, 2023, 2:47am

Sent you a PM… maybe you missed it? Can join my SG Roonies Whatsapp group chat.

tietoliikenne · July 23, 2023, 3:00am

I decided to post here as I wasn’t able to post this long review on TCA’s website due to word limit.

I received and started using the TCA HPA-1 sometime since 1st April of 2023, and it’s been about 3 months of frequent usage before I wrote this. The reason is because I want to know if I really could hear the amplifier itself (it’s something I can only know after taking my time adjusting to its sound and knowing the amplifier well with nearly all kinds of music) and know what my opinion of this amplifier is after the novelty has gone.

To put it briefly, you really do not hear this amplifier, in the sense of there not being a flavour. There was a significant improvement moving up from my Lake People G111 to this amplifier in that it was cleaner and clearer sounding, the bass was punchier for my Etymotics ER4SR and I can no longer hear what I’d describe as a coloured translucent mid but instead get a transparent and clear mid and in every other part of other frequencies. The coloured translucent mid from the Lake People is what I think is the flavour of the amplifier, which I could only hear after moving onto the HPA-1. I haven’t heard a headphones amplifier with better transparency than this one, and yes, I’ve tried extremely high-end headphone amplifiers out of curiosity.

While what Tom achieved with its sound quality is what I’m most satisfied about, what I’m even more amazed than anything else out there (in comparison to all products, including my Hegel H120) is its build quality. The headphones jack is bolted-on to a metal plate where its volume control is bolted-on to as well, it’s seriously rigid. Using it feels extremely safe and secure that I won’t ever wear it out or age this unit (not only do I know that, but I also feel that). For something that provides this much reliability, its sound quality and the rare open-minded service from Tom, this unit isn’t expensive at all. Open-minded in the sense that he’s willing to sell you a single amplifier part at extremely low cost for you to fix it up even if it’s a cosmetic issue not caused by him (he does check the product very carefully before boxing them up). From experience, most brands will find it so ridiculous they will say it’s not their policy to sell you an individual part and you must purchase a whole new unit. What happened is that to purchase the chassis itself would cost nearly more than half the cost of the new HPA-1, but since he bought it in bulk and was able to get it for a much lower price, he provided me the same low price, despite me purchasing a single chassis.

Its Achilles heel however would be that the sound is strongly determined by the DAC you use, the cables and anything in the chain upfront. My current is now an iFi Zen DAC Signature V2. It sounds amazing! But it makes me itch for the sound of a much better DAC such as the Benchmark DAC 3B. I’ve owned this iFi Zen DAC Signature V2 since it was first released, so I know this DAC well. I have bad hearing in the sense that my ears can’t listen to something uncomfortable like anything piercing for too long, but I never found this issue with my HPA-1, I could listen to it for as long as I want, and the limiting factor to my listening sessions isn’t the sound, even if listening loudly, it’s the comfort of my IEMs on my ears. So, if you have a comfortable headphones or earphones, using this all day even if listening loudly, is possible for sure.

The philosophy behind building this amp, and from what I’m hearing is an exceptionally well executed “let’s build this amplifier to its theoretically most perfect way an amplifier is meant to be”. Adding nothing to the sound that comes in through its input but ensuring the headphones are driven correctly, that means compared to most other amplifiers, this one will match the widest range of headphones/IEMs and still sound amazing for all of them. Most amplifiers are not driving the IEMs or headphones as correctly as this does, you’re going to expect at least some or very significant improvements to its sound quality in comparison to other amplifiers out there, even if coming from the more expensive ones.

I was telling Tom to also market this as a studio amplifier, but maybe it’s too cliche, so I understand if he hasn’t done that. However, if HiFi in the sense of highest fidelity to its source file is what you’re after, this amplifier is for you. Your only other two options are the Benchmark HPA4 Headphones/Line Amplifier or Zähl HM1 Headphones Mixing Amplifier.

There’s this big part that Tom himself doesn’t mention, but he’s told me personally that all TCA products are hand built by himself, the inspection and QA as well. Yes, Tom designed and built every of these TCA amps individually that you can purchase. His products are built and inspected to their highest standards that even the chassis, if it has an unacceptable scratch, it won’t be used. He wipes away his fingerprints (if any) using solution before packaging it perfectly in their boxes after fixing them up. All HPA-1 received by you, will look and feel better than brand new. At the time of his writing to me, and I’m certain even now, there has never been a single return of HPA-1 for warranty or repair, and I’m not surprised by it at all, you can feel the exceptional quality when you’re using and listening to the HPA-1 itself.

At this point, I’m still highly satisfied with the TCA HPA-1 and having an upgrade itch, I wanna ask Tom 2 things. The first would be if he could build a DAC that competes with the best out there in terms of accuracy and honesty. The second would be a beefed up (not in terms of performance because the HPA-1 is already state of the art) version of the TCA HPA-1 in terms of a more luxurious chassis, heavy knob feels of the volume control without compromising on the build quality of the original TCA HPA-1 (keep the bolted-on headphones jack and volume control please). Literally provide me the same amplifier but with a more luxurious feel, and I’d still purchase it.

The two earphones that I use with the HPA-1 the most is the Etymotics ER4SR, and recently the Etymotics Evo. The Focal Clear Mg which I gave to my girlfriend, works perfectly too but due to bad ear, I’ve been unable to stand the high pressure of any large transducer headphones too close to my ears. Other IEMs I’ve used with this are the Acoustune HS1790Ti, Acoustune RS THREE, Etymotics ER4XR, Sennheiser IE 300, Audio-Technica ATH-M40x, Dunu Titan S, Etymotics ER4S, Etymotics ER4P. I’m using custom Van Damme cables for my balanced analogue connection from the Zen DAC Signature V2 to HPA-1 and for the digital cable from my Custom PC to DAC.

And if you think I’m overstating the qualities of this amplifier, you should check out Tom’s academic/work credentials. He’s someone very experienced and knowledgeable in his field, has amazing interpersonal skills yet is a very honest and down to Earth person. We need more Tom in this world.

mike_blain · October 31, 2023, 6:34am

Hey just curious, I have also have the HPA-10 which I find excellent. How much different does the HPA-1 sound to it’s smaller sibling? I’m wondering if it’s worth getting the larger one?

Much Appreciated.

wizardofoz · November 1, 2023, 5:40am

Can’t say I have put them up against each other. I inherited both from a friend but seldom use cans…only when mobile and mostly then it’s AirPods Pro 2 just as a matter of convenience with ANC and apple devices.

Maybe @tietoliikenne might be a better responder?

tietoliikenne · November 1, 2023, 8:39am

Hmmm I don’t have the HPA-10. but from what I understood from TCA is if you have high current earphones/headphones, basically low impedence, you’ll prefer the HPA-1 over the HPA-10. Other than that, if you were using a high impedence headphones, or with high sensitivity, he might be saying the difference won’t be as much.

I’d still get the HPA-1 though, it’s impressive and built better than the HPA-10. Some have reported HPA-1 sounding better than HPA-10 even though they were using high impedence, it’s just something Tom told me. Best to write to Tom himself, he’s proven to be a really honest person.

mike_blain · November 2, 2023, 7:27am

Interesting. Thanks for the reply. I’ll reach out to Tom and ask him how much of an improvement I’ll see over the HPA-10. Currently I’m enjoying it with ZMF headphones so I may not notice a huge jump in performance. It’s really a nice little amp and great if you’re traveling and need something to power some demanding headphones.

tietoliikenne · November 5, 2023, 4:57am

Hi @AMT, I’m not knowledgable in electronics, but I know the amplifier is well grounded. Probably it was grounded in a different way.

The reason I said this is because on my setup, the Etymotics ER4SR which are 45 ohms, on low gain, I am able to turn up the volume to maximum, and still not hear any noise (this is not the case for other amps I’ve used before). I will however hear noise on high gain. The gain of this amplifier is very substantial and with the Etymotic ER4SR, I’m aways around 9 o’clock. Despite that it should be noted that having high gain or a powerful amp does not equate to better sound quality. As I learn from the Decware amps, it’s not about the quantity of the wattage but the quality of the wattage.

I realise I’m going off topic here, but this is just for other readers who might be curious if this amp can drive a demanding headphones, and the answer is yes

If you have questions about this amp, feel free to let me know, I might buy another of this amp from Tom next time as I’m very satisfied with it. Pass this old HPA-1 to my partner, and take the new one xD

tietoliikenne · November 5, 2023, 5:00am

Hi @mike_blain yes! and what I love about this amp is that the power spec supports a wide range. From any country, you just need a power cord that fits the HPA-1 and their socket, and you’re good to go. You don’t need a specific UK or US version of this amp like other brands.

and the power cord is a standard computer power cable, so you can get these anywhere in the world.

Oscar_Sanchez · November 15, 2023, 6:24am

Hey, any chance you’d be interested in trading/selling your HPA-1? I read your review and it’s convinced me to become an owner of the HPA-1. I thought you might be interested in the TCA HPA-10 which is like a mini version of the HPA-1. It’s a fantastic amp but I’d like to try the bigger brother to find out if it’s a step up.

I wouldn’t mind offering the TCA HPA-10 in a trade if it peaks your interest. Else, I could also offer to buy the HPA-1 at your asking price.

tietoliikenne · November 15, 2023, 6:51am

hey @Oscar_Sanchez, I don’t have plans on selling it. If I do get another one, my current will be given to my partner. Maybe someone who owns one will see your post here and offer to sell it to you. good luck!

Oscar_Sanchez · November 15, 2023, 3:37pm

@tietoliikenne Thanks for the fast reply!

Would you be interested in buying the TCA HPA-10 by any chance? I will be selling that unit in order to find a TCA HPA-1 purchase. It’s in perfect condition with original PSU. Not asking anywhere near retail price.

tietoliikenne · November 16, 2023, 3:09am

Hi @Oscar_Sanchez, thanks for the offer haha but not for me as I’m not needing another earphones setup at the moment. Anyway, since you posted it here, let’s hope someone reads it and picks it up!

For the TCA HPA-1, if you want to buy it brand new but at a lower price, you might be able to get one from Egghead HiFi Gallery Philippines | Mandaluyong. but I highly recommend getting directly from TCA if you want a guaranteed brand new item. I got mine from EggHead, and while they claim it’s brand new, it’s not, it’s been opened for others to test, or it might be a return product. There are evidence of usage such as chip at the back bottom edge of the amplifier, and bit of body oil on the item.

I’m someone who can’t stand used products if I paid brand new for it, so I even purchased a chassis replacement from Tom who kindly let me buy it at a substantial offer to replace it myself. This is no fault of Tom, this entire situation, but I guess some businesses such as EggHead are sometimes like that. Any companies that let you try a brand new item to see if you like it, is such a company. I’ve feedback to Tom for him to seal the item, but I think most audiophile companies don’t wanna seal it for some reason. Maybe cause most people aren’t this picky, but I am.

Tom actually told me he wipes the TCA products with isopropyl from his fingerprints after assembling, so I was really impressed by the care and detail in it. If you want to be guarenteed a brand new item, unfortunately have to pay the standard price and purchase from TCA themselves (the standard price isn’t expensive for what you’re getting). Btw take note that if you do purchase from EggHead and you’re very far from Phillippines, the shipping cost might be more, but it’s worth requesting and checking out.