The HEA-1 was sent to me by its maker, who asked me to review it. Best I can tell, it’s available for sale only on EBay. It’s made in China.
Build Quality: A: The chassis is a very attractive metal case with a nice faceplate, although it is narrower and taller than some, and as such, mates best with a 1/2G Nano in portable use. Built in battery charging for 9V battery. Run time was decent, about 20 hours per charge. Nice and quiet as well. Well built and attractive amp.
Treble: A: Best part of the amp’s performance. Smooth, detailed, clean, non-fatiguing treble performance. Airy and extended. Really nice treble.
Midrange: A-: A touch of grain slightly sours an otherwise very enjoyable midband. Not edgy or harsh – maybe even laid-back just a tad too much.
Bass: B+: Good bass performance, but not great. Lacks weight and depth compared to the best here. Would not be a match for headphones that also lack bass depth and weight. The rest of the response is smooth enough that the amp doesn’t come off as bright, but better bass would be nice.
Neutrality: A-: Slightly light sound takes a little away from what is generally very good performance here.
Soundstaging: B+: The soundstage is slightly small feeling. Instrument placement and image specificity is good, but it seems like the stage is a little too shallow and a little lacking in width. Good, but not great compared to many other amps.
Transparency: B+: Loses just a little for the touch of grain in the midband. Otherwise actually quite good. I think classical music lovers would LOVE this amp.
So the HEA-1 is a nice amp, no doubt. Since it’s under $140, it’s not got a lot of competition in its price range, and I think it compares well with amps in that range in general. But it’s not a world-beater, and unless it becomes easier to get, it’s going to have a hard time attracting a following.
The HEA-1 was sent to me by its maker, who asked me to review it. Best I can tell, it’s available for sale only on EBay. It’s made in China.
Build Quality: A: The chassis is a very attractive metal case with a nice faceplate, although it is narrower and taller than some, and as such, mates best with a 1/2G Nano in portable use. Built in battery charging for 9V battery. Run time was decent, about 20 hours per charge. Nice and quiet as well. Well built and attractive amp.
Treble: A: Best part of the amp’s performance. Smooth, detailed, clean, non-fatiguing treble performance. Airy and extended. Really nice treble.
Midrange: A-: A touch of grain slightly sours an otherwise very enjoyable midband. Not edgy or harsh – maybe even laid-back just a tad too much.
Bass: B+: Good bass performance, but not great. Lacks weight and depth compared to the best here. Would not be a match for headphones that also lack bass depth and weight. The rest of the response is smooth enough that the amp doesn’t come off as bright, but better bass would be nice.
Neutrality: A-: Slightly light sound takes a little away from what is generally very good performance here.
Soundstaging: B+: The soundstage is slightly small feeling. Instrument placement and image specificity is good, but it seems like the stage is a little too shallow and a little lacking in width. Good, but not great compared to many other amps.
Transparency: B+: Loses just a little for the touch of grain in the midband. Otherwise actually quite good. I think classical music lovers would LOVE this amp.
So the HEA-1 is a nice amp, no doubt. Since it’s under $140, it’s not got a lot of competition in its price range, and I think it compares well with amps in that range in general. But it’s not a world-beater, and unless it becomes easier to get, it’s going to have a hard time attracting a following.