Headphone Amp Ideas - Minus DAC

[Jorj]

Hi all, I'm going to recombobulate my desktop HP setup, and want the maximum flexibility for trying out various bits. I want to spend about $300 on a pure amp, no DAC. My reasoning is I have lots of DACs already, and more on the way, and just want to have the cost of the DAC spent instead on better amplification. As far as I can tell, there are not too many tests on this site for amps, and honestly, the subjective reviews on the other sites are off-putting.

I would consider a hybrid unit if the amp section is so good that bypassing the DAC is worthwhile.

Here is an initial list of requirements:

• Amplifier only
• Up to $300 US
• Solid State
• Switchable inputs
• Balanced & SE outputs
• Measurements available
• Neutral sound (maybe a little warm)
• Not Schiit (I'm still mad at them)
• Not ugly AF (clear vinyl, Chord Mojo)
• Not O2, I have the Element already.

Looking for input on my options. Feel free to suggest criteria I missed, too.

 

[amirm]

When you say you need multiple inputs, I am assuming then that you want an integrated amp and not just a power amp?

 

[amirm]

Oh wait. I didn't realize you wanted a headphone amp. So never mind.

 

[Jorj]

Massdrop....making my life difficult. They are also running a soon-to-end drop for an amp that checks all the boxes, but runs over on price and has a DAC I don't need.

Massdrop Liquid Carbon X + SDAC DAC/Amp

A few issues with the Cavalli. Price is a bit much. Cavalli is known for having a 'house sound'. Has a DAC (granted, a pretty good one, and it is bypass-able). Uses a power brick.

Otherwise, I'd be all over this thing, and I may jump in anyway if I don't find something else that makes me tingle all over.

BTW, friends that don't share my Schiit antipathy are all turning blue in anticipation of some magical amp that is supposed to materialize end of Q1. It's almost like watching Christians who think that Jesus is gonna be here any minute now. I ain't waiting. If it's that damn mind-blowing, I'll stop hitting the restaurants so hard for a month and buy it, but I'm guessing it will be like the Gadget. Lots of woo woo, and not much data.

 

[amirm]

And it has no measurements.

Keep the candidates coming. I don't mind purchasing a "statement" headphone amp to test.

 

[Rthomas]

Did someone say statement headphone amp?

Headamp GSXMk2
Mjolnir Audio Pure Bipolar
Simaudio Moon 430HA
Pass Labs HPA1

I think that should blow the budget for a while.....

 

[Jorj]

And it has no measurements.

Keep the candidates coming. I don't mind purchasing a "statement" headphone amp to test.

Ya, the Cavalli is out. Right out. No measurements, dodgy design (says it's balanced, but it is just faking it with a splitter), fragile. Oh well, lots more to look at.

 

[DonH56]

Sennheiser makes a high-end one, as does Oppo, but I think most all include DACs. Also some comparisons out there, e.g. https://www.themasterswitch.com/best-headphone-amps or the list at Headphone.com: https://www.headphone.com/collections/headphone-amps

Didn't Sennheiser make a limited edition signature amp a year or three ago that was $10k's?

 

[svart-hvitt]

STATEMENT HEADPHONE AMP

http://www.qeslabs.com/e_listening.asp

Straight from Naples, Italy.

 

[Jorj]

ach, let's not pollute the thread. No more statement amps, please. $300 or less.

 

[SpeedyRodent]

Did someone say statement headphone amp?

Headamp GSXMk2
Mjolnir Audio Pure Bipolar
Simaudio Moon 430HA
Pass Labs HPA1

I think that should blow the budget for a while.....

Here is another one for the list of statement headphone amps. This msrp is $2k on this amp so the price is up there.
- Bryston BHA-1

In response to the OP. That is quite the list of requirements. Unfortunately I have not come across any headphone amplifiers that will meet all those requirements. If there is a headphone amplifier that meets all those requirements, I would buy one too. Even if you exclude the $300 requirement, most of the "statement" headphone amps listed so far do not even meet everything on the list. Finding a true balanced headphone amplifier is a task in itself.

 

[noobie1]

Hard to find new but these also look very interesting:

https://www.amazon.com/AUNE-X7S-CLASS-HEADPHONE-AMPLIFIER/dp/B01FLIX5DE

 

[SpeedyRodent]

Hard to find new but these also look very interesting:

https://www.amazon.com/AUNE-X7S-CLASS-HEADPHONE-AMPLIFIER/dp/B01FLIX5DE

The Aune x7s does not appear to be balanced. Only 4 pin XLR output plug.

This is the closest I came up with.

Matrix HPA-3b
- Over $300 (Retails $420)
- Lacks multiple inputs
- No independent measurements. Even manufacturer measurements are limited.

http://www.matrix-digi.com/en/products/77/index.html

 

[Jorj]

In response to the OP. That is quite the list of requirements. Unfortunately I have not come across any headphone amplifiers that will meet all those requirements. If there is a headphone amplifier that meets all those requirements, I would buy one too. Even if you exclude the $300 requirement, most of the "statement" headphone amps listed so far do not even meet everything on the list. Finding a true balanced headphone amplifier is a task in itself.

Oh, I did not say it would be easy!

The world of DACs is filled with choices in the mid-fi range, but it seems that until you get to the $600 range (Burson, Lake People, etc.), you're giving up a lot in solid design topology. I looked long and hard at Audio-gd NFB-1AMP , but most of the reviews are quite negative. They even post test results and photos of the internals. And, alas, the price is $200 too much.

 

[tim_j_thomas]

No idea if this is any good, but what about the N22 from Audio Engine (https://audioengineusa.com/shop/amplifiers/n22-desktop-audio-amplifier/)?

 

[Sylafari]

I feel like under $300, there is no point having so many features fulfilled, better to just get a decent amplifier with just stereo outputs, that way you can have a very solid amplifier instead of some jack of all trades that doesn't do anything particularly well. To have all those features in an amplifier under $300, I wonder if it could possibly be good at what it is supposed to do.

 

[Jorj]

http://www.matrix-digi.com/en/products/77/index.html

I looked at M-Stage for a bit but somehow missed that one...

I feel like under $300, there is no point having so many features fulfilled, better to just get a decent amplifier with just stereo outputs, that way you can have a very solid amplifier instead of some jack of all trades that doesn't do anything particularly well. To have all those features in an amplifier under $300, I wonder if it could possibly be good at what it is supposed to do.

My dad is fond of saying that the first thing to remember in any negotiation is that if you don't ask for it, you won't get it. This is not really a negotiation, more of a search, but respectfully, I don't concur. There are great deals to be had out there. Look what NwAvGuy did with the O2. $99 for a really solid little amp. Another $200 should really be able to take it to the next level, with fully balanced, well-designed amplification. Remember, this field has a LOT more history than digital reproduction. There are designs out there that will always be great. Look at how Nuforce used the GOLMUND design to crank out the STA120, and despite being a new amp with an old topology, it is excellent, and a true value.

I say we can do it!

 

[SpeedyRodent]

I looked at M-Stage for a bit but somehow missed that one...



My dad is fond of saying that the first thing to remember in any negotiation is that if you don't ask for it, you won't get it. This is not really a negotiation, more of a search, but respectfully, I don't concur. There are great deals to be had out there. Look what NwAvGuy did with the O2. $99 for a really solid little amp. Another $200 should really be able to take it to the next level, with fully balanced, well-designed amplification. Remember, this field has a LOT more history than digital reproduction. There are designs out there that will always be great. Look at how Nuforce used the GOLMUND design to crank out the STA120, and despite being a new amp with an old topology, it is excellent, and a true value.

I say we can do it!

I like your persistence!

If you do not mind DIY, I can think of one headphone amplifier that might meet all those requirements. Of course it depends on how you build it. It is called "The Wire" by OPC on diyaudio. It will be up to you to come up with a chassis, input/output switches, etc. This headphone amplifier definitely has the measurements to backup the design.

Unfortunately OPC has not been too active in recent years so the PCB's are hard to source. A few years ago, OPC did sent me a few PCB's in both Se-Se and Bal-Bal configuration.

The specific PCB's you need are as follow:
- The Wire PCB in "Bal-Bal" configuration
- The Wire PSU v2 PCB

Diy audio thread:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/head...tra-performance-headphone-amplifier-pcbs.html

Wiki:
http://www.diyaudio.com/wiki/The_Wire_-_All_Boards_and_Kits_Explained_Here

 

[Jorj]

I like your persistence!

If you do not mind DIY, I can think of one headphone amplifier that might meet all those requirements. Of course it depends on how you build it. It is called "The Wire" by OPC on diyaudio. It will be up to you to come up with a chassis, input/output switches, etc. This headphone amplifier definitely has the measurements to backup the design.

Unfortunately OPC has not been too active in recent years so the PCB's are hard to source. A few years ago, OPC did sent me a few PCB's in both Se-Se and Bal-Bal configuration.

That's the spirit! Unfortunately, I have not owned a solder station for many years, and the idea of figuring out a new oscilloscope to test my dodgy assembly skills makes me break out in a cold sweat. Just out pure masochism, do you have any idea how much time and materials folks were investing in the bal-bal design?

 

[Jorj]

Has anyone played with the SMSL SAP-9, SAP-10 or maybe the SAP-8? They are cheap enough, it might be worth trying them out. The SAP-10 looks interesting, and visually, seems to be a fully balanced topology.