Headphone Amp

[Rare Bird]

I've been looking ages for a good cheap Tube headphone amp with hard wiring as bonus that has no trace of huming!

Dark Voice headphone amps caught my eye, has anyone used one of these at all?

[Techno Commander]

I have not listened to one, but the guys on Head Fi seem to really rate Darkvoice products. Although no longer available new, the Figaro was deemed excellent value for money (around £100).

[goraman]

I have loved the little dot III. BTW it is class A.
You can't do better for the money,all caps,resisters, build is fantastic.(WIMA,Rubycon,ect...)
And Mullard M8100 tubes are like $7.00 each and the power tubes are not expencive either.
I have used mine for 4 years on the same tubes with no troubble,and you can roll in the Russian Super Tubes if you want to go all out.
But not on the older little dot 3, THe board will say V 2.0 if it's a newer layout.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://lh6.ggpht.com/_RRoLRBPyKiw/R6ZCm1mgKZI/AAAAAAAAAGU/HctucTVDkZE/s800/MK3%2520Iso.jpg&imgrefurl=http://headphonesamplifier.com/little-dot-mk-iii-headphone-amplifierpre-amp/&h=532&w=800&sz=107&tbnid=P-eCuyhbTR7ZGM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlittle%2Bdot%2Biii&zoom=1&q=little+dot+iii&hl=en&usg=__is8GQOscQ4McnjuLHrGow5_OkZk=&sa=X&ei=wMeDTJXKPIb2tgPcxpj3Bw&ved=0CCwQ9QEwAw Stereofile also gave it a great review so they are way back ordered.

[Welder]

The World Audio Design HD83 isn’t a bad amp but it’s not that cheap any more.
It didn’t hum when I first built it and since I’ve re-boxed it and changed the earthing around a bit along with better caps it sounds pretty good to me.
I’m not sure I would go for a valve design if I had to replace it.
I rather fancy a listen to the new Matrix HD amp.

[Ali Tait]

Another vote for the WAD.I had one and thought it very good indeed.Upgraded mine with some boutique components.They do turn up on the bay now and again.

[Rare Bird]

I’m not sure I would go for a valve design if I had to replace it.


Hi John

Well the G&W 'TW-J1' is on the short list

:popcorn:

[aquapiranha]

The Little Dot looks nice but as with most Chinese amps is built for 220V so may have issues in the UK. I like the look of this..

http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/images/uploads/EARMAX1.jpg

Not exactly cheap though eh?

http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=877

[alfie2902]

I've got an Earmax Pro which the Earmax Silver Edition (above) is based on. It's a lovely little amp! A little different but no better (well perhaps a little) than the Dark Voice 336 I used to own at less than half the price. If you can find a Figaro on the 2nd hand market it would be a good buy IMO.

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss55/alfie2902/IMG_0307.jpg

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss55/alfie2902/IMG_0258.jpg

[goraman]

The little dots are also made in 120 volt.
The UK uses 240?
You could use a variac.

[Ali Tait]

Still happy with the amp Alfie? How do you like the AN? I put some AN copper caps in mine a couple of months ago.Very nice caps,and I really like the sound I'm getting now.

[RochaCullen]

How does stan's caiman or TC-7520 rate against these when used as a headphone amplifier?

Nathan

[aquapiranha]

How does stan's caiman or TC-7520 rate against these when used as a headphone amplifier?

Nathan

That is a very good question Nathan, one I would like an answer too also.

BTW, your speakers look interesting, any details / better pics? Ta.

Steve

[alfie2902]

Still happy with the amp Alfie? How do you like the AN? I put some AN copper caps in mine a couple of months ago.Very nice caps,and I really like the sound I'm getting now.

Hi Ali,

Yes mate still lovin the the NAF, even more so since swapping in a quad of GEC KT66 :eyebrows: I recently swapped the my speaker cables from Chord to Audio Note & the overall sound may be just a little to laid back now! So I'm going to play around with the valves & speaker cables a little more, but generally the NAF works the OBX-Rs like a dream :eyebrows:

I'm still enjoying the AN DAC too, it really works well in the context of my system! I tried the AN DAC with an old Pioneer Stable Platter CDP I have, but to my surprise the Copland proved to be the better transport. So that's how it's being used in the system ATM until I invest in a SB. I've not changed the caps yet so more to come too :) Have the AN caps replaced the SCR caps or have you changed some others? I'm interested to know more about which caps you've changed Ali!

I've built my son a little system & got hold of a beresford 7520 for him to use with his PC & was very impressed with it. I prefered the AN DAC but might just find myself a 7520 to play with a bit more & to put the X-box, A/V bits through the main system.

Back on thread I tried the 7520s headphone amp but only briefly, but would say it's pretty good too, may-be a little dark sounding but more than good enough for occasional headphone use. I prefer my EARMAX by quite a margin but would say the 7520 came very close to my old Headsave classic (with OPA627 and OPA637 opamps) which is a great little HP amp that can be picked up for only a few quid if you can find one.

[Ali Tait]

Bet those GEC's weren't cheap!

I swapped the SCR's into my 7510,as the 0.47uF value works fine with the input impedance of my Pre 2.I just wanted to try the AN Coppers,and they are cheaper than another set of SCR!

I find them very nice indeed,with perhaps deeper bass than the SCR's,along with being a little warmer,no bad thing with digital into electrostatics.Detail is just as good though.

[Ali Tait]

Either caps are a big step up from the standard Wimas