The only other button on the front panel is a ‘select’ button for switching inputs, of which there are three – two RCAs and a balanced 4.4mm. That’s because their front panel features both (typical) 6.3mm and (niche) balanced 4.4mm headphone outputs, as well as a gain button that switches between ‘high’ (1.5W into 32 ohms through the 6.3mm, and 3.8W into 32 ohms for balanced) and ‘low’ (260mW into 32 ohms for the 6.3mm and 1W into 32 ohms for balanced) modes. Not only are the pair compact enough to call them ideally sized for a desktop application, but they also offer a platter of connections that make them fit either as a middleman in a headphones-only desktop system or a wider hi-fi system, and can accommodate headphones that vary widely in type and impedance level. Weight 550g (unit), 1.59kg (power supply)įully aware we’re using repetition for emphasis here – ‘functional’ is a word that applies rather broadly to the CH-Amp. Impedance 200 ohms (balanced), 100 ohms (unbalanced)ĭimensions (hwd) 3 x 15 x 15cm (unit), 6 x 15 x 15cm (power supply) Inputs RCA x2, balanced 4.4mm Output level 8V (balanced), 4V (unbalanced) Outputs 6.3mm, balanced 4.4mm headphone outputs, RCA pre-out, balanced 4.4mm pre-outs The top half’s buttons control the CH-Amp’s power, mute, input selection and volume functions, while the bottom half’s buttons control a connected Tradutto – handy or futile depending on whether you own one, of course. Mind you, that is offset by a couple of nice touches: the volume dial clicks subtly upon rotation, and even more rewarding is that when you unmute the CH-Amp (by pushing in the volume dial) the volume gradually increases back to the level it was at over a few seconds, rather than it just startling your ears.Ĭhargeable via USB-C, the aluminium slab of a remote control is a nicely weighted thing, too. The only thing that really bothers us is the ‘PSU-3’ and ‘CH-Amp’ labels not lining up with one another when the units are stacked. Next to the most contemporary-looking desktop alternatives – those from the likes of Chord Electronics or Schiit Audio, for example – the EarMen do look like they belong to a previous era due to the amplifier’s primitive OLED display and pin buttons, but we’re still fond of their mature, ‘traditional hi-fi’ look.
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