Please recommend me a high quality, small footprint dedicated headphone amp

[drewdawg999]

I'm teetering on returning the SH-6 and grabbing either the SMSL HO200 or the Topping A7Pro. I don't need a DAC just a headphone amp for analogue listening that won't alter the sound when sending to the DAC in preamp mode.

Pricey hobby this thing!

The HO200 seems like a solid choice to me. It exhibits weird behavior as the XLR input is worse, but you probably won't mind since you're just using phono, presumably RCA. You probably won't need the extra power of the A70 Pro unless your next pair is going to be impossible to drive, such as the Hifiman He6se v2 and Susvara, or the Modhouse Tungsten.

 

[Dogamondo]

The HO200 seems like a solid choice to me. It exhibits weird behavior as the XLR input is worse, but you probably won't mind since you're just using phono, presumably RCA. You probably won't need the extra power of the A70 Pro unless your next pair is going to be impossible to drive, such as the Hifiman He6se v2 and Susvara, or the Modhouse Tungsten.

So aside from sheer power there's no benefit in spending the extra to go to the A70 in terms of sound quality?

 

[drewdawg999]

So aside from sheer power there's no benefit in spending the extra to go to the A70 in terms of sound quality?

Don't think so, they're both going to be fully transparent to your source, which is going to be the limiting factor. SNR of the turntable is just 60dB, limited due to surface noise.

 

[TurtlePaul]

Pricey hobby this thing!

You are choosing to make it pricy.

None of the amps audibly improve upon the $99 JDS Atom+.

Edit: Frankly, those AKG cans aren't very good and part of the problem. JDS Atom+ Amp, Atom+ DAC and HD 650 are going to be better than anything you are looking at, particularly if you figure out how to give it ~6 dB of bass boost.

 

[Dogamondo]

You are choosing to make it pricy.

None of the amps audibly improve upon the $99 JDS Atom+.

Edit: Frankly, those AKG cans aren't very good and part of the problem. JDS Atom+ Amp, Atom+ DAC and HD 650 are going to be better than anything you are looking at, particularly if you figure out how to give it ~6 dB of bass boost.

That's a shame as I did have the HD650's in my comparison list when I purchased the AKG's. They were the same price but the AKG's reviewed better on a different website. I've never had the chance to compare the two. If I were to look at new cans I'd be considering the HD650's or the HD800s.

As an aside I did grab an HO200 amp from Amazon to compare against the SH-6. Sadly I can't get the Atom+ from Amazon so returns become bothersome.

 

[Dogamondo]

Edit: Frankly, those AKG cans aren't very good and part of the problem. JDS Atom+ Amp, Atom+ DAC and HD 650 are going to be better than anything you are looking at, particularly if you figure out how to give it ~6 dB of bass boost.

I bit the bullet and ordered a pair of HD650's. I was going to pay a bit more and get the HD800S but as I'll be listening to vinyl without an EQ the 650's seemed like the better option. Can always boost the lows using some DSP for digital tracks.

Hopefully those paired with the HO200 will keep me happy for a while

 

[Dogamondo]

The HO200 seems like a solid choice to me. It exhibits weird behavior as the XLR input is worse, but you probably won't mind since you're just using phono, presumably RCA. You probably won't need the extra power of the A70 Pro unless your next pair is going to be impossible to drive, such as the Hifiman He6se v2 and Susvara, or the Modhouse Tungsten.

Out of interest is the issue with the HO200 isolated to just the balanced ins? I am going RCA in but would like to connect XLR's out to my Apogee DAC instead of using the god awful RCA to XLR adapters that I've currently got plugged in, which stick out half way into the room.

 

[solderdude]

There is no 'issue' with balanced versus RCA.
-130dB distortion distance is impossible to hear.
Even -100dB would be impossible to detect with music nor with test tones.

 

[drewdawg999]

Out of interest is the issue with the HO200 isolated to just the balanced ins? I am going RCA in but would like to connect XLR's out to my Apogee DAC instead of using the god awful RCA to XLR adapters that I've currently got plugged in, which stick out half way into the room.

Yeah it's not really an issue, just some quirk that Amir didn't like in his review. The SINAD is about 121dB for both XLR and RCA input, both audibly transparent. Usually the SINAD is a couple dB higher for the XLR input, but in this case they're the same. The performance drop is for XLR in and XLR headphone out, 116dB SINAD (which is still transparent anyway). I believe you'll be using the 1/4" SE headphone output with both XLR and RCA input, which measure at 121dB SINAD. So you'll be fine.

 

[Svend P]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a DAC/AMP that uses USB-C and is on the smaller side? The dac part might not be necessary, but in my experience Dell desktops onboard dac/layout tends to click and stutter especially if you are multi tasking. I want something I can plug into my laptop and then use my headphones with them.

Thanks!

TANCHJIM Space Portable Headphone Adapter Review

This is a review, listening test and detailed measurements of the TANCHJIM Space portable DAC and balanced headphone adapter. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $90. I like the transparent window so that you can see the insides. There is an LED that lights up there when you reach...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Benesyed]

TANCHJIM Space Portable Headphone Adapter Review

This is a review, listening test and detailed measurements of the TANCHJIM Space portable DAC and balanced headphone adapter. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $90. I like the transparent window so that you can see the insides. There is an LED that lights up there when you reach...

www.audiosciencereview.com

wow! this is great!