I need a new desk top headphone amp

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Read 3689 times.

Armaegis

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 858
  • slumming it between headphones and pro audio
Re: I need a new desk top headphone amp
« Reply #20 on: 26 Jan 2016, 07:44 am »
New on the market is the Furutech ADL Stratos, or the older (and cheaper!) GT40 model. It's a headphone amp and dac, plus analog inputs and also can serve as ADC to convert your vinyl to digital if you so desire. I don't have any personal experience with it, but the vinyl ADC capabilities are intriguing.

If you're only going to run planar headphones, you don't even need a dedicated headphone amp. A regular integrated amp will work just fine. Either run the headphones off the speaker taps directly (if the noise floor is low enough) or use the jack in front which is likely just a resistor in series; planars don't really care about that, whereas dynamics might behave a little oddly.

hibuckhobby

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 641
  • On a search for audio nirvana
Re: I need a new desk top headphone amp
« Reply #21 on: 26 Jan 2016, 03:05 pm »
 Probably need to check that out on the integrated amp.  Older ones as well as vintage receivers
work well because they have just a resistor in series with the headphone jack.  The "newer" integrateds,
especially the cheaper ones just run a small chip on a board and are seriously lacking in SQ.
Hibuck...

dB Cooper

Re: I need a new desk top headphone amp
« Reply #22 on: 27 Jan 2016, 12:58 am »
And if that's how they do it, most planars are going to present even more of a challenge owing to their general thirst for current.

Jazznball

Re: I need a new desk top headphone amp
« Reply #23 on: 28 Jan 2016, 10:42 pm »
I have the Oppo and I love it.  I use it as a DAC for a 2 channel system and as a headphone amp. First the sound is great.  I use it to stream Tidal from my iPhone by Bluetooth, play files by usb from my Mac, and also to play files from  a personal portable storage device. The sound is very detailed with great extended highs and a very wide and deep sound stage.  I am not aware of any product that offers all the options that the Oppo  provides at anywhere near this price.  I also use it as headphone amp with my HiFi Man 400i and I love the combo so much that I stayed up last night till 2 listening.  I have owned the Oppo for about 5 months now and I would purchase it again.  If you want to save a few hundred dollars then go to Oppo's website and purchase a refurbished unit for $950 with a full warranty.  Good luck and happy listening.

karmanfamily

  • Restricted
  • Posts: 73
Re: I need a new desk top headphone amp
« Reply #24 on: 28 Jan 2016, 10:49 pm »
Woo Audio WA7 all the way any day!
I have that one for 2 years now on my desk and will not be replaced!

With my HD700's there is nothing better around $1k.

And besides the sound, they look awesome too.