Wanted Valve Headphone Amp

[Marvt74]

Looking for a headphone amp for when I want to sit downstairs, listen to my Hifi and be anti social.

Budget is probably up to about £400 though preferably less as I'll probably barely end up using it anyway and really just want a new toy that can be implemented discretely!

Headphones are a pair of Ultrasone 780's so could probably be driven bysomething powered by a hamster in a wheel.

[jostber]

On the valve side you have the mighty cool Carot One which you will get for £239:

http://www.itemaudio.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/Carot_One_Ernest_4ece0fa971078.jpg

http://www.itemaudio.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&product_id=317&flypage=flypage-ask.tpl&pop=0&vmcchk=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

And maybe even cooler, a triode one from Woo Audio:

http://www.wooaudio.com/images/fullsize/wa6_prod.jpg

http://www.wooaudio.com/products/wa6.html

Little Country III:

http://www.audiophileproducts.com/tube-headphone-amp

Bottlehead Crack OTL:

http://www.bottlehead.com/store.php?crn=224&rn=442&action=show_detail

RKV Mark II:

http://www.audiovalve.de/rkv/engrkv.html

Lyr Hybrid:

http://schiit.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=3

Vincent:

http://www.stereophile.com/tubepreamps/1108vincent/index.html

Eddie Current:

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/eddiecurrent2/zana2.html

Decware Zen Triode:

http://www.decware.com/newsite/CSP2.html

A lotta choices! :)

[Werner Berghofer]

Highly recommended from personal experience: Schiit Valhalla (http://schiit.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=2) (top), full valve headphone amp.

http://www.berghofer.com/photos/gear/headfun.jpg

Great design and build quality, even greater sound.

Werner.

[Ali Tait]

Werner, how do you find the Bifrost dac? I'm looking for a small dac to use in my travelling system (I work away from home)

[Werner Berghofer]

Werner, how do you find the Bifrost dac?

It’s an excellent DAC. Of course I don’t personally know each and every DAC available in the Bifrost’s price segment (US$ 349.– | £ 225.23 | € 261.50 without USB, + US$ 100.– | £ 64.50 | € 74.90 for the USB option, prices without VAT), but I doubt that there are many DACs matching the Bifrost’s playback performance, design (interior and exterior) and build quality.

However, if you’re looking for a small, light, portable DAC the Bifrost certainly is the wrong choice: Like all the Schiit gear it is built like a tank and has the dimensions of a brick :-)

Werner.

[Tim]

Werner, how do you find the Bifrost dac? I'm looking for a small dac to use in my travelling system (I work away from home)
I can recommend the iBasso DAC's for a travelling system. I have the D2+ Boa and really like it.

http://www.ibasso.com/en/products/show.asp?ID=42

[MCRU]

Highly recommended from personal experience: Schiit Valhalla (http://schiit.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=2) (top), full valve headphone amp.

http://www.berghofer.com/photos/gear/headfun.jpg

Great design and build quality, even greater sound.

Werner.

wow, looking at the picture I expected it to cost 1000's! It is very well priced.

[dennis]

World Audio Designs WAD HD83.

Fully rebuilt with finest components.

[Marvt74]

Jostbur

Thanks for all those. Im an inpatient sod so looking for a uk based sale. Although some of them look fab. Perhaps one day in the future.

If anyone knows of any uk based sales I'd live to hear about them.

Thanks for the offer Dennis but I had a HD83 a few years ago and just fancy something a little different :)

[Ali Tait]

It’s an excellent DAC. Of course I don’t personally know each and every DAC available in the Bifrost’s price segment (US$ 349.– | £ 225.23 | € 261.50 without USB, + US$ 100.– | £ 64.50 | € 74.90 for the USB option, prices without VAT), but I doubt that there are many DACs matching the Bifrost’s playback performance, design (interior and exterior) and build quality.

However, if you’re looking for a small, light, portable DAC the Bifrost certainly is the wrong choice: Like all the Schiit gear it is built like a tank and has the dimensions of a brick :-)

Werner.
Thanks Werner. The portability is not critical, I will be at the job I'm on for at least another year, so the kit will stay in residence at the flat I'm renting. I already have the speakers and amp sorted, just need a good usb dac the play flac from my laptop. I'm currently using the headphone out on the laptop directly into the amp, and this is obviously a bottleneck to the performance, so I need a decent usb dac to complete the system.

[Ali Tait]

I can recommend the iBasso DAC's for a travelling system. I have the D2+ Boa and really like it.

http://www.ibasso.com/en/products/show.asp?ID=42

Thanks Tim, I'll have a look.

[Ali Tait]

World Audio Designs WAD HD83.

Fully rebuilt with finest components.

Yes, I used to have one too. They are very good, and have selectable impedance to match your choice of phones.

[Welder]

Hmm, I’ve still got my World Audio HD83.
I’m not going to recommend it, not because it isn’t capable of decent performance, but you’ll need to work on it quite a lot to get the best out of it.

Even the re-cased version where they did at last realize that running an unshielded mains lead down the length of the enclosure wasn’t the brightest of designs and made some attempt to sort out the earthing problems by adopting a star earth config I believe, that still left the unshielded indifferent quality transformers too close to the signal output, a silly fuse arrangement now in the IEC socket, a poorly thought out loop out arrangement that is best dispensed with and a rather fragile main board.

Forgot to mention the really silly price hike for the new box.

[tannoydmt]

I have a like-new black Woo Audio WA6 headphone amp, these amps are built like rolls royce cars, superb construction and excellent sound, bought new the early part of this year, sounds great on my Ultrasone Pro900's and Sens HD800, now going balanced so for sale at £395 plus postage within UK a considerable saving on new imported price.

[Werner Berghofer]

The portability is not critical

Well, in this case I wholeheartedly recommend to try the Schiit Bifrost (http://schiit.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=7). The company offers a 15-day money-back guarantee.

Werner.

[Ali Tait]

Now I just have to justify it to myself - I already have three dacs!

None with usb though...

[Werner Berghofer]

I already have three dacs!

Me too … but one of them already has been replaced by a Bifrost (without USB option), and the second Bifrost (with USB connectivity) shall be shipped to me next week.

Who cares? You only live once :-)

Werner.

[Ali Tait]

Very true. :)

[WOStantonCS100]

Highly recommended from personal experience: Schiit Valhalla (http://schiit.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=2) (top), full valve headphone amp.

http://www.berghofer.com/photos/gear/headfun.jpg

Great design and build quality, even greater sound.

Werner.

Hey Werner,

:stalks: I just read up about it. Are you kidding me!?! An amp builder like me could balk at the non-chassis mounted valve sockets, trannies and RCA jacks; but, up goes the price then. I am impressed. I am quite impressed. It doesn't look like a toy... on the inside... where it counts. I'll look at the rest of them; but, I'm thinking this will probably be the one. Thanks for the heads up.