Headphone amp?

[GrahamS]

I said that I was a reconstituted audiophile but obviously my reconstitution has still some way to go! I see a writeup in What Hi Fi for a headphone amp with a price tag of £4500. It only has a headphone output. No speaker outputs. No line outputs. Why would anyone want to spend this kind of money and be restricted to headphones? What's wrong with the headphone output on a preamp like such as the Lavardin, Naim, AR or Leema? Does the person who buys such a thing do so to become a hi-fi martyr? "No, I won't buy loudspeakers!" Or are they so afraid of disturbing the neighbours or waking the baby that they won't have loudspeakers? Are they just selfish and insist on listening alone? Please explain....

[mikmas]

A headphone amp doesn't need additional line-outs or speaker terminals so why have them?

Generally they run alongside a power amp rather than instead of - although it doesn't preclude anyone only using headphones and never using 'full size' speakers.

There is a question whether £4500 is a bit barmy for what you get but that's a different issue.

[GrahamS]

There is a question whether £4500 is a bit barmy for what you get but that's a different issue.

That's my point. Surely it wouldn't be manufactured and marketed if there wasn't a market for it, so who buys it?

[Shovel_Knight]

I see a writeup in What Hi Fi for a headphone amp with a price tag of £4500. It only has a headphone output. No speaker outputs. No line outputs. Why would anyone want to spend this kind of money and be restricted to headphones?

Well, I can't speak for everyone, but I'm listening to music on my headphones much more often (and for longer) than on my speakers, so I would rather spend money on a high quality headphone amp. 4500 pounds is a bit steep though

Also keep in mind that headphones, especially high quality headphones, are extremely revealing (usually much more revealing than any speakers at the same price point) and any deficiencies in the signal chain are readily apparent when listening through a set of headphones.

What's wrong with the headphone output on a preamp like such as the Lavardin, Naim, AR or Leema?

I was under impression that Naim doesn't include headphone jacks on their preamps, am I wrong? Also it's my experience that for many "traditional" audio companies headphones are just an afterthought, and even if they include a separate headphone amp in their preamps, it's usually a very primitive affair that doesn't have enough juice to drive demanding loads or enough finesse to satisfy demanding listeners.

Or are they so afraid of disturbing the neighbours or waking the baby that they won't have loudspeakers? Are they just selfish and insist on listening alone? Please explain....

Once again, I can't speak for everyone, but for the first 30 years of my life I was able to listen to music ONLY through headphones. This changed only when I bought my first apartment. At one point I had more than 2000 euros invested in my headphone rig (which I had to sell, along with many other things, to finance renovation of the said apartment).

[Mike Reed]

Quite correct; I've never had nor seen a Naim pre. with h/phone out. I have h/phones (Senn 650) primarily to listen to the TV, so needed an amp. This can divert the TV signal to my pre. if I have the whole rig fired up. Similarly I can receive CDP, tuner and vinyl signals via pre. for that odd listen to music on cans. I can even use it as a 4 input pre. if/when mine goes for servicing. Haven't tried that yet, but it's there if needed. Cans are useful for fettling turntables, too (stylus cleaning etc.)

There's more to cans than you might think; and amp's, come to that.