View Full Version : Headphone amps
Anyone using a headphone amp or got any recommendations?
Simon_LDT
24-02-2019, 11:27
I'm using an Arcam rhead along with HD600's which is superb, they are fairly priced too, definitely great vfm.
a lot come with dacs attached now.
I confirm the Arcam rHead is great value. I happen to be selling mine as I’ve moved to a more expensive dac/ amp - fostex hp 4bl which is also excellent. Pm me if interested in my rHead.
I like headphones when the family watch rubbish tv or late night when they’ve gone to bed. Different to loudspeakers but enjoyable.
Mand
paulf-2007
24-02-2019, 22:12
Little dot mk 1+ ( I think ) good but changing the op amp and tubes made it great. Depends what headphones you are going to use. I have Grado 325 with walnut cans. Never sounded all that until I got the little dot and made the changes.
What is your price range ?This is a very important factor in making the right choice .
What headphones do you plan to use and do you want the ability for the amp to drive and sound good with any choice of head phones?
What are your priority's , price, quality or a balance of both?
I can help you make a really good choice but need more information.
Price is no object this would be the one.
https://www.manley.com/hifi/mabhpa
Best for the money with unlimited options. Tubes are best for headphones because if you have pair of cans with a bright top end or weak low end simply changing a pair of inexpensive tunes can make the whole system work togather. I use the M8100 mullard or Vishod tubes for the input and power tubes the 6H30 PI and I can make any headphone sound sweet, also there are tons of tube options for this amp as well as 3 different impermanence options so you can drive almost any headphones to a very strong volume.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Little-Dot-MK3-MKIII-AMP-RTC5654-6H6PI-Class-A-Tube-Headphone-Amplifier/173445839871?hash=item28622d7bff:g:dYIAAOSw1dJbYrh u:rk:6:pf:0
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/little-dot-tube-amps-vacuum-tube-rolling-guide.563884/
Price is all that matters.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/TSE-TubeSenseElectronic-TS-1J-Portable-HiFi-SolidState-Headphone-Amplifier-HD650/172711777034?hash=item28366c930a:g:mL0AAOSwaEhZMvJ T:rk:5:pf:0
I hope this helps you out.
southall-1998_mk2
24-02-2019, 22:57
The Graham Slee Novo is a good headphone amp, IME. Musical with plenty poke, never clinical. Quite enjoyed the Novo driving HD650's.
S.
Lawrence001
24-02-2019, 23:05
I'm selling a Little Dot MkIV SE Valve Headphone amp, I put it on eBay as I didn't think there would be much interest on here, but I could add some photos/list it properly if you're interested. It's a really good amp. I'll stick a few pics on anyway.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190224/40024c846c0092bd3c811e1e4339d30f.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190224/f85cc948ee877dec11618ff3958f1f16.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190224/4ca84914afd4d1f00f310cd9f3612530.jpg
Sent from my BLN-L21 using Tapatalk
That is a great amp but the 6N6PN tubes replaced with 6H30 PI would take that amp to the next level.
The vishods with the long fluted glass are exceptional and the best choice there is.
This would be the one I would go with.
What is your price range ?This is a very important factor in making the right choice .
What headphones do you plan to use and do you want the ability for the amp to drive and sound good with any choice of head phones?
What are your priority's , price, quality or a balance of both?
I can help you make a really good choice but need more information.
Price is no object this would be the one.
https://www.manley.com/hifi/mabhpa
Best for the money with unlimited options. Tubes are best for headphones because if you have pair of cans with a bright top end or weak low end simply changing a pair of inexpensive tunes can make the whole system work togather. I use the M8100 mullard or Vishod tubes for the input and power tubes the 6H30 PI and I can make any headphone sound sweet, also there are tons of tube options for this amp as well as 3 different impermanence options so you can drive almost any headphones to a very strong volume.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Little-Dot-MK3-MKIII-AMP-RTC5654-6H6PI-Class-A-Tube-Headphone-Amplifier/173445839871?hash=item28622d7bff:g:dYIAAOSw1dJbYrh u:rk:6:pf:0
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/little-dot-tube-amps-vacuum-tube-rolling-guide.563884/
Price is all that matters.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/TSE-TubeSenseElectronic-TS-1J-Portable-HiFi-SolidState-Headphone-Amplifier-HD650/172711777034?hash=item28366c930a:g:mL0AAOSwaEhZMvJ T:rk:5:pf:0
I hope this helps you out.
Thanks for your comprehensive reply Goraman, you are exactly on the same lines I am thinking. I don't want to spend mega bucks on a headphone amp and as it would be for a very cheap *Best Bang for Bucks* system the TSE Tubesenseelectronics amp is definitely in the right ball park.
However I do appreciated the though behind a good valve implemented headphone amp and have been looking at the Woo Audio amps especially the WA3 but it blows a hole in my budget especially as I am not sure if I am going to be a big headphone user anyway.
I will take a closer look at the TSE headphone amp as this looks interesting especially for the price.
The Little dot could be an interesting proposition as I really like the idea of a valve headphone amp and I know how much respect there is for this headphone amp.
Could you PM a price just for interest?
Lawrence001
25-02-2019, 07:41
Sure I'll pm in a bit. On the train. Also I've got some different valves for rolling, including the fluted Voshkods mentioned above.
Sent from my BLN-L21 using Tapatalk
krugdoktor
25-02-2019, 11:47
I‘ve bought this one
https://micromega.com/en/products/my-range/myzic/
and been very satisfied. One of the main reasons for buying the MyZic was the input impendance of 1MegOhm so my passive preamp does not get into trouble.
If you want mobility, the Chord Mojo is excellent. I've used mine when working away from home for longer than normal. It makes absence from the main system a lot easier to handle.
If you want mobility, the Chord Mojo is excellent. I've used mine when working away from home for longer than normal. It makes absence from the main system a lot easier to handle.
Yes, they are a great solution to DAC and headphone amp set up. Expensive but excellent. Its the expensive bit i have a problem with at the moment.:)
A lot of lower price or very low budget solid state amps do have a harsh upper end. If you can manage to pull off the little dot you will not ever regret it.
With upgraded tubes they really can't be criticized even when compared to the very high end.
They just sound way to good for a budget tube amp.
Sure I'll pm in a bit. On the train. Also I've got some different valves for rolling, including the fluted Voshkods mentioned above.
Sent from my BLN-L21 using Tapatalk
I have a love hate with the M8100, they roll off at the top way to soon, no shimmer ,no sparkle ,midrange is very forward and smooth ,there is a lot of bass that extends low enough but it lacks definition and detail ,its just muddy in a lot of recordings .
The Voshkods have a really sweet top end, an open midrange that seems more balanced with the rest of the recordings, and bass is far better controlled and does not sound bloated and blurred. They are clearly the sweetest sounding tubes and with the 6h30pi music is just so open and effortless.
The right tubes really bring out the best these little amps can be .
My headphones are very revealing AKG Q701 with upgraded cables, they really hear deep into both recordings and equipment .
The better your source and amp the more options you have in headphones as some cans will reflect poor equipment down stream.
Lots of cheap Chinese stuff around, in fact pages and pages on eBay for as little as £2.99 for a tube job but reading comments many go up in smoke!:)
The little dot looks interesting and has lots of good comments around the headphone forums so I will investigate further.
That is a great amp but the 6N6PN tubes replaced with 6H30 PI would take that amp to the next level.
The vishods with the long fluted glass are exceptional and the best choice there is.
This would be the one I would go with.
Are these tubes NOS or modern manufactured?
The better 6H30pi is a current Electroharmonics offering.
Made in the same factory as the famous (NOS) 6H30 DR supertubes as a direct copy. But they are reasonably priced unlike the NOS versions. The signal tubes are all NOS.
Another good tube is the JAN GE 5 star not to be confused with the standard GE tubes.RCA is another good choice .
The little dot is a very affordable way to get into tube rolling as there are a ton of inexpensive NOS signal tubes out there.
At reasonable prices not like NOS 12AX7 and others.
Another point to be made is the designer of all the little dot products is Sword Yang a very acompished engineer and well known in China as an Audio guy. He is creating original circuits using really good but affordable parts.
He knows what he is doing and everything he makes is well thought out and their assemblers do a great job in production.
I see that Little Dot have quite a range of headphone amps. Are any of the lower priced ones worth looking at?
mightymonoped
25-02-2019, 21:21
The Little Dot MK II is another gem. Can also be rolled. Mine was impressive enough to make me want to change my main amp.
Here it is with Mullard M8100.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190225/f0d5ab5f8e3deb7d6e91829309929ec0.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190225/09cd2d58bb3bd90e1a3d2339526f5af9.jpg
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Lawrence001
25-02-2019, 21:57
I have a love hate with the M8100, they roll off at the top way to soon, no shimmer ,no sparkle ,midrange is very forward and smooth ,there is a lot of bass that extends low enough but it lacks definition and detail ,its just muddy in a lot of recordings .
The Voshkods have a really sweet top end, an open midrange that seems more balanced with the rest of the recordings, and bass is far better controlled and does not sound bloated and blurred. They are clearly the sweetest sounding tubes and with the 6h30pi music is just so open and effortless.
The right tubes really bring out the best these little amps can be .
My headphones are very revealing AKG Q701 with upgraded cables, they really hear deep into both recordings and equipment .
The better your source and amp the more options you have in headphones as some cans will reflect poor equipment down stream.
The better 6H30pi is a current Electroharmonics offering.
Made in the same factory as the famous (NOS) 6H30 DR supertubes as a direct copy. But they are reasonably priced unlike the NOS versions. The signal tubes are all NOS.
Another good tube is the JAN GE 5 star not to be confused with the standard GE tubes.RCA is another good choice .The MkIV SE comes with the Electro Harmonix 6H30Pi gold pin as stock, along with the CV4010 as shown.
Sent from my BLN-L21 using Tapatalk
The MkIV SE comes with the Electro Harmonix 6H30Pi gold pin as stock, along with the CV4010 as shown.
Sent from my BLN-L21 using Tapatalk
The CV 4010/M8100 is exactly the same tube with different markings for the military.
It is good the 4 comes with better output tubes.
Yes, they make a lot of lesser amps .
But for me the 3 version 2.0 is the sweet spot because when the surplus of cheap outputs dries up that don't sound nearly as good as the 6h30 you will still be rocking.
And it leaves more room for future upgraded tubes.
If you can get the used 4 for the price of the 3 do it.
Or find a nice used 3 version 2.0 so you can upgrade the power tubes later. It's about not having to buy another headphone amp later and just rolling tubes as you please. The 6n6p tubes are what limits the 2 and 3 V1.0
I recently bought a pair of Sennheiser HD650 headphones and an NJC Audio headphone amplifier. At the same time I had a valve buffer added to the line out of my Croft 25RS. I'm very pleased with how it all sounds.
I recently bought a pair of Sennheiser HD650 headphones and an NJC Audio headphone amplifier. At the same time I had a valve buffer added to the line out of my Croft 25RS. I'm very pleased with how it all sounds.
I have the Sennheiser HD650 on my wish list at the moment. Not heard of NJC Audio so will check them out.
I have the Sennheiser HD650 on my wish list at the moment. Not heard of NJC Audio so will check them out.You can borrow my Senn 650's if you like, not being used at the moment so no bother to post them down to you.
southall-1998_mk2
14-03-2019, 17:30
The 650 is a lovely sounding headphone. Slightly less blunt sounding than the 600.
S.
wee tee cee
17-03-2019, 15:02
What about Stans Capella...ive ran one with 650s and 700s.
you can power it with a battery to up the performance.
it lets you tune the output to your tastes and the cans you are using.
Stan is a proper headphone guy, his latest seg dac is excellent with my 700s-just adjust the gain to suit your cans.
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