Cheers, that’s made my mind up then, thanks 
What is a floating pot?
The pot in the original Headline was installed so it floated - i.e it wasn’t fixed to the chassis or fascia. This mean’t it was much quieter than it would otherwise have been. However, the drawback to this arrangement was that if the volume control was used in any sort of heavy-handed way then the soldered legs would be stressed and eventually one might fail losing sound in one channel.
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Oh, boy: you’ve got to love the way Julian did things!
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I have both an Olive NAHA1 & a black NAHA2. I have run both from “olive” NAPSC1, black NAPSC2 & Olive Hicap. Headphones are Sennheiser 650.
I found that:
the NAHA2 was better than the NAHA1
the NAPSC2 was better than the NAPSC1
there was not a lot of difference between the Hicap & either NAPSC.
Currently, the NAHA1+NAPSC1 in on my wife’s system, and the NAHA2+Hicap* is on my system.
*why the choice of PSU on the “main” system? because I have a spare Hicap doing nowt, and it has an on/off switch.
One point to note is that is frequently reported that the volume pot in the older olive units has a tendency to go crackly (mine certainly did). However, it’s a relatively easy return-to-base fix.
A second point is that the Headline uses only one supply rail.
As ever, YMMV
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Hi, @Mal4533 .
I run a NAHA2 with a new FCXS, which is an improvement over my previous, somewhat tired FC2X.
I have not tested using a NAPSC. I did find a borrowed HCDR was better/sublime, at a price.
Traded my HD650s for AKG 301s some years ago for a bit more lively sound.
This may be no help at all, but I hope it is.
Nick
Have to agree @Dunc.
I actually did have a spare Supercap2 lying around (doesn’t everyone, lol?) and how it enhanced the HL2 was a delight…but would I buy a Supercap for or with a Headline? Er…nope.
I now have the Violectric V200, I don’t miss the HL2.
I still have the SC2 sitting around, waiting for a service. Can’t seem to bring myself to get shot of it!
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Thanks Richard; I was imagining it was something electrical, rather like the floating earth in a Naim tuner. Clearly, there is floating and floating.
Very helpful👍 I’m looking for a headline 2 and will start with a newer napsc. Thanks for this thorough analysis ! Covers off what I was thinking about last night.
Cheers mal
Make sure you tell is how it sounds when you get one.
Exactly steviebee
Having tried quite a few headphone amps, I would just look for a secondhand violectic amp and that will do very nicely for just about any headphones you have.
Cheaper than a secondhand headline2 and hicap as well and has so much more to offer, but then we are all different, this is exactly what I did and couldn’t believe how much better it was, plus balanced, pre and can even run 2 headphones at the same time, it’s so powerful.
Plus built in dac if you want it, I didn’t and volume pot upgrade if you want as well.
It’s a lovely bit of kit and very well received amongst the headphone guys
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Another happy V281 user here. No dac, no fancy pot though. Run my Focal Clears balanced.
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They certainly go very cheap second hand, don’t they?! Wasn’t expecting that. Did you compare to the Lehmann Linear?
Got mine for a steal a few years ago
They are fantastic bit of kit, especially the V281
I bought a headline 2 with a NAPSC a year ago and really like it. Addded a high cap about six months ago and really like it very much.
I would definitely go with the headline for £350….and maybe send them both up to Darren and Class A for a service.
I paired it with an HD 660 s.
Just before Christmas I bought a beyerdynamic T5 For late night listening….absolutely no lack of bass there. Love it.
Get it….it’s very cheap and if you don’t like it (can’t see that happening) you can sell for probably what you bought it for!
Good luck!
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