Good headphone amp with EQ?

[tcpip]

Hi all,

I want to buy a headphone amp which will

• take analog line level inputs
• be a "good" headphone amp by ASR standards
• have a volume control
• have parametric equalisation, at least 4-5 channels
• drive high-Z headphones well

It would be nice to have a DAC built-in and accept digital inputs too, but that's not a must-have -- I can buy a DAC. And I don't need battery-power and portability -- a small desktop form factor would be nice.

My whole point is that if I am serious about headphones, and want to get an expensive (for me, $1000 is expensive) headphone, I'd like to be able to EQ it to fix its defects to the extent feasible.

I thought the RME ADI 2 FS would be a great fit, but I believe it does not have analog inputs.

I understand that what I'm asking for will need an ADC, DAC and DSP all in one box, which probably is not there at all -- no one else wants such a box. I'm now thinking of getting a MiniDSP 2x4, feeding analog inputs to it, doing the DSP in it, then feeding its output (just two of the four channels) to a good headphone amp.

Don't know whether my wish list is crazy or whether anyone else feels that such a single-box thing will be nice to have.

 

[DonDish]

Your description fits to? ehmm.. ADI2PROfsrbe Check it out

 

[MaxwellsEq]

I thought the RME ADI 2 FS would be a great fit, but I believe it does not have analog inputs

I have an ADI 2 Pro FS R Be and it has an ADC with analogue inputs as well as PEQ.

 

[Jimbob54]

The mini dsp to headamp is the most cost effective . A jds atom amp would be my value recommendation.

The rme adi 2 pro as others have said is the one box solution.

 

[7jm]

Hi all,

I want to buy a headphone amp which will

• take analog line level inputs
• be a "good" headphone amp by ASR standards
• have a volume control
• have parametric equalisation, at least 4-5 channels
• drive high-Z headphones well

It would be nice to have a DAC built-in and accept digital inputs too, but that's not a must-have -- I can buy a DAC. And I don't need battery-power and portability -- a small desktop form factor would be nice.

My whole point is that if I am serious about headphones, and want to get an expensive (for me, $1000 is expensive) headphone, I'd like to be able to EQ it to fix its defects to the extent feasible.

I thought the RME ADI 2 FS would be a great fit, but I believe it does not have analog inputs.

I understand that what I'm asking for will need an ADC, DAC and DSP all in one box, which probably is not there at all -- no one else wants such a box. I'm now thinking of getting a MiniDSP 2x4, feeding analog inputs to it, doing the DSP in it, then feeding its output (just two of the four channels) to a good headphone amp.

Don't know whether my wish list is crazy or whether anyone else feels that such a single-box thing will be nice to have.

I have a raspberry pi with dac and dsp cards to a jds atom.
A simpler solution would be a wiim pro plus to amp of choice, it has peq and analogue in, I think the analogue in suffers a bit in noise but if you're using non digital sources like tape, fm or phono stage and they're not your primary source then it maybe okay.

 

[DonDish]

I had DAC, but switched up to PRO. I can recomend it. AD is top quality.

 

[JeremyFife]

Two boxes: WiiM Pro Plus + a nice headphone amp (Topping L30, JDS ...)

RME ADI would be cool though

 

[tcpip]

Thanks, all of you. I'd never have been able to zero in on these two products without your answers.

The RME ADI-2 Pro seems really awesome. The Wiim Ultra Pro Plus too seems great, with probably higher noise and distortion. The RME Pro is 8x as expensive as the Wiim Pro Plus, so I will start small.

I already have an ancient O2 headphone amp, I may just continue using that one if I go for the Wiim. If I upgrade, a good mid-range Topping or the JDS Element III may be fine. I suspect that I won't be able to hear differences between my existing O2 and these upgrades half as much as the differences among the headphones.

How many channels of parametric EQ does the Wiim Ultra Pro Plus support? And for that matter, the RME ADI-2 Pro?

 

[pogo]

The new Bluesound Node or the larger Icon may be able to output equalization via the headphone output if Dirac Live is enabled.
That's how I do it on my NAD M33. Here is the correction curve from a database for headphones, used as Dirac Live target curve, as example:

 

[johny_2000]

I'm now thinking of getting a MiniDSP 2x4, feeding analog inputs to it, doing the DSP in it, then feeding its output (just two of the four channels) to a good headphone amp.

If you can avoid the double conversion of the signal A/D -> DSP -> D/A, and instead use the USB input (Digital) -> DSP -> D/A with the same MiniDSP 2x4HD unit, you can get results 12-14 dB better. The reason for this is the poor quality of the A/D converter in the MiniDSP.
If you stay Digital until the conversion to the outputs, I can guarantee that you will not be able to tell the difference between the MiniDSP 2x4HD and the RME ADI-2/2 Pro SE.
Source: I have all these devices.

 

[johny_2000]

How many channels of parametric EQ does the Wiim Ultra Pro Plus support? And for that matter, the RME ADI-2 Pro?

In my experience, you will never need more than 6 PEQs to correct any headphones or speakers. Otherwise, you will have to change output devices.
You will never be limited by RME DAC or MiniDSP devices.

 

[DonDish]

already have an ancient O2 headphone amp, I may just continue using that one if I go for the Wiim. If I upgrade, a good mid-range Topping or the JDS Element III may be fine. I suspect that I won't be able to hear differences between my existing O2 and these upgrades half as much as the differences among the headphones.

Go to RME website and download manual for ADI2PRO. Check out loudness, eq. Balanced phone tech, and such. This product has been refined for years with added functions and HW updates. Youll look hard to find phones that will hit some limit with this system. There is also a newly added, supersleek software remote which mirrors ALL functions and graphics from the device at your laptop or Ipad. If you are afraid not to score at first try, look no further.

Volume is hybrid digital with a stepped amp to always maximise S/N ratio. Lots of nice protection circuit with extended and setable DC protection. RME really did an effort to think things through and put it all in a brick sized box. No matter how you set DSP, ADI2PRO/DAC has a calculated headroom not blow your cans or speakers.

PEQ is 5 + 2 or 7 if you like. 2 bands where added at a point from bass/treble function. So this is optional setting.

These are all just factual matters. I would want to point out: It just holds my HD650 in an iron grip of authority. Digital process is transparent, not the "black box" of old days. Everything is mathematically correct from a sound engineering perspective, reproducable and well documented in the manual and elsewhere.

Im not doing RME commercials, this is just my honest belief. If this was a half-way product id written it all over Be sure of that I can get lyrical, but the effort put into this product is just mind blowing to me. Whats not to like?

 

[johny_2000]

I would want to point out: It just holds my HD650 in an iron grip of authority. Digital process is transparent, not the "black box" of old days. Everything is mathematically correct from a sound engineering perspective, reproducable and well documented in the manual and elsewhere.

Absolutely right!
From now on, the user will have to independently distinguish between the best and...

 

[tcpip]

If you can avoid the double conversion of the signal A/D -> DSP -> D/A, and instead use the USB input (Digital) -> DSP -> D/A with the same MiniDSP 2x4HD unit, you can get results 12-14 dB better. The reason for this is the poor quality of the A/D converter in the MiniDSP.
If you stay Digital until the conversion to the outputs, I can guarantee that you will not be able to tell the difference between the MiniDSP 2x4HD and the RME ADI-2/2 Pro SE.
Source: I have all these devices.

Yes, I saw Amir's evaluation of the 2x4HD. But I wanted to feed analog signals to my headphone rig. Maybe set up my phono preamp one day to feed to this headphone rig directly.

And it's not easy to get a good A-D converter for audio -- only some of the pro brands make them, it seems.

 

[johny_2000]

And it's not easy to get a good A-D converter for audio -- only some of the pro brands make them, it seems.

What is you analog source?

 

[JeremyFife]

Thanks, all of you. I'd never have been able to zero in on these two products without your answers.

The RME ADI-2 Pro seems really awesome. The Wiim Ultra Pro Plus too seems great, with probably higher noise and distortion. The RME Pro is 8x as expensive as the Wiim Pro Plus, so I will start small.

I already have an ancient O2 headphone amp, I may just continue using that one if I go for the Wiim. If I upgrade, a good mid-range Topping or the JDS Element III may be fine. I suspect that I won't be able to hear differences between my existing O2 and these upgrades half as much as the differences among the headphones.

How many channels of parametric EQ does the Wiim Ultra Pro Plus support? And for that matter, the RME ADI-2 Pro?

Well done for creating a new WiiM product when there are already far too many for me to remember
WiiM Ultra is a do-it all streaming pre-amp with DAC, HDMI inputs and subwoofer integration (~£350)
WiiM Pro Plus is a more simple streamer / DAC (~£220)
In both products the DAC is extremely good - any noise or distortion artefacts compared to the RME are below audible thresholds, so effectively the same.

You want the Wiim Pro Plus or the Ultra for the better DAC and good analogue input, compared to the basic Pro. This gives you 10 bands PEQ and automated room correction.

One small consideration, the WiiM Ultra has a physical volume control vs the Pro Plus which is digital. That's a usability / practicality / aesthetic choice really.

 

[DonDish]

Absolutely right!
From now on, the user will have to independently distinguish between the best and...

I hope this isnt irony if you use RME u know there is noone above or beside. That said it certainely isnt the only way to Rome. One can have other needs or just like to fiddle with and understand the process in other ways. I sure have been keeping a long eye at miniDSP stuff. They seem like really strong DIY boxes. I would like to try Dirac too so. My deepest respect for all of this. To be smart is to know what you want I guess.

 

[tcpip]

What is you analog source?

Currently, I'm thinking of cassette decks and the output of phono preamps. If I was thinking of digital sources, then I'd be able to feed the digital output of any DAP to the MiniDSP 2x4HD or Wiim, and not look at their analog inputs or ADC quality.

 

[tcpip]

You want the Wiim Pro Plus or the Ultra for the better DAC and good analogue input, compared to the basic Pro. This gives you 10 bands PEQ and automated room correction.

Yes, I just discovered that the Ultra is not the same as the Pro Plus, so I ordered the Ultra. I'll feed its output to a good headphone amp. Someday, maybe once I'm sure this thing is not good enough, I'll look at the RME.

 

[pogo]

If the DSP functions of the Bluesound Node Icon were also available via the headphone output, this would be my first choice and not the RME.

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