Under $1000 headphone amplifer w/pre-amp...

mix4fix · « **on:** 11 Dec 2012, 05:25 pm »

I use a Keces HA-171. I want another/second headphone amp (but a different one).

Any suggestions???

saisunil · « **Reply #1 on:** 11 Dec 2012, 06:15 pm »

Which headphone?

Burson and Woo Audio are a couple that come to my mind for that budget ...

But there are others

eclein · « **Reply #2 on:** 11 Dec 2012, 06:35 pm »

I'll 2nd that....either one gets great reviews for pretty much their whole line of stuff....

roscoeiii · « **Reply #3 on:** 11 Dec 2012, 06:56 pm »

To that list I would add Schiit and Little Dot.

The Schiit Mjolnir is balanced only, but supposedly excellent if you have a balanced headphone set-up.

I use the Little Dot MkVI (also balanced only, although the VI+ has balanced and single-ended inputs and outputs). A superb tube amp, which drives my HE-5Les very well. For high impedance headphones, I think Little Dot recommends using the VIII over the VI. I also use my VI as a preamp for my bedroom system. Works great as a preamp too.

But as with speakers and amps, it is important to match the headphones to the amp.

R_burke · « **Reply #4 on:** 11 Dec 2012, 07:34 pm »

I like my Woo Audio WA2, but I no longer use the standard tubes, and you can spend a lot of money on NOS tubes

Rclark · « **Reply #5 on:** 11 Dec 2012, 07:38 pm »

Emotiva XDA-2.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #6 on:** 11 Dec 2012, 07:56 pm »

Quote from: Rclark on 11 Dec 2012, 07:38 pm

Emotiva XDA-2.

While Emotiva does have a 30 day trial, so you could try it yourself (always the best plan), there are a few reasons I would not recommend it:

1) it is an all-in-one unit, which appears to be primarily aimed at usage as a DAC. Adding in DAC and preamp circuitry means less to spend on the headphone output stage. And for starters the unit is considerably less than the stated budget limit of the OP.

2) it doesn't accommodate analog inputs. Digital inputs only. We don't know if OP has digital only sources.

3) The headphone out is a 1/8” plug, rather than the 1/4" usually used for home headphone use.

Yes, it may work, and may punch above what one usually expects from this price point (thanks to the lack of the middle man). But based on the above, not what I would recommend to someone looking for a headphone amp primarily.

machine · « **Reply #7 on:** 11 Dec 2012, 10:09 pm »

Looking at upgrading for my newly acquired BeyerdynamicT1
600 Ohm Tesla Headphones.

Want to use it a a pre also.

Two that look promising are:
Woo Audio WA2 ($1090)
DecWare CSP2+ ($895)

Have not hear either, but they get good reviews on Head Fi.

Currently using a Little Dot MK IV SE ($409), but this has no pre-amp capabilities.

Atlplasma · « **Reply #8 on:** 11 Dec 2012, 10:12 pm »

For a little more than your budget you could get a Mytek 192 that also includes a DAC capable of playing DSD.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #9 on:** 11 Dec 2012, 10:24 pm »

Quote from: Atlplasma on 11 Dec 2012, 10:12 pm

For a little more than your budget you could get a Mytek 192 that also includes a DAC capable of playing DSD.

But does the Mytek have an analog input option?

Not clear that the OP is using digital sources only or not...

Atlplasma · « **Reply #10 on:** 11 Dec 2012, 10:58 pm »

I think so (RCA inputs). The Mytek site says:

RCA unbalanced Preamp. Analog thru

saisunil · « **Reply #11 on:** 11 Dec 2012, 11:30 pm »

Mytekdigital is a fantastic unit - I miss it ...
Amazing DAC and headphone amp - did not try its preamp section ... I believe it is a passive volume control ... So take that into consideration.

For an all-in-one unit within your budget - I cannot imagine a great active preamp thrown in with dac and headphone amp ...

I am on the fence ... For a right match for T1 (I picked them up at a great price during holidays) ... WA2 and Decware were the two OTL amps recommended for T1s as far as tube amps are concerned ...

There are a couple of good solid state recos as well for T1s

Rclark · « **Reply #12 on:** 12 Dec 2012, 12:26 am »

Quote from: roscoeiii on 11 Dec 2012, 07:56 pm

While Emotiva does have a 30 day trial, so you could try it yourself (always the best plan), there are a few reasons I would not recommend it:

1) it is an all-in-one unit, which appears to be primarily aimed at usage as a DAC. Adding in DAC and preamp circuitry means less to spend on the headphone output stage. And for starters the unit is considerably less than the stated budget limit of the OP.

2) it doesn't accommodate analog inputs. Digital inputs only. We don't know if OP has digital only sources.

3) The headphone out is a 1/8” plug, rather than the 1/4" usually used for home headphone use.

Yes, it may work, and may punch above what one usually expects from this price point (thanks to the lack of the middle man). But based on the above, not what I would recommend to someone looking for a headphone amp primarily.

Wait, it takes rca's as well. Not sure what you mean by digital only, it takes them all. You can also get an adapter, and it is reputed to be a "killer" headphone amp. With pre.

I had an xda-1, and I didn't have any digital sources attached. This is the same but now with higher bitrates and a headphone amp.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #13 on:** 12 Dec 2012, 12:35 am »

Quote from: Rclark on 12 Dec 2012, 12:26 am

Wait, it takes rca's as well. Not sure what you mean by digital only, it takes them all. You can also get an adapter, and it is reputed to be a "killer" headphone amp. With pre.

I had an xda-1, and I didn't have any digital sources attached. This is the same but now with higher bitrates and a headphone amp.

Looking at the back of the XDA-2, I see no RCA inputs. There are 2 coax digital inputs, but I see no way to input an analog signal.

Again, I have not heard it. But from what I can tell, I'd characterize the XDA-2 mostly as a DAC with extras, as opposed to it primarily being intended as a preamp or headphone amp.

Rclark · « **Reply #14 on:** 12 Dec 2012, 02:35 am »

Oh I see what you're saying. So by analogue source, that's a fancy way of saying record player, right? Or some older device? Otherwise I'm failing to see the problem.

I guess for other than the OP, it's a $349 headphone amp with pre, it's useful as that function.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #15 on:** 12 Dec 2012, 03:57 am »

Quote from: Rclark on 12 Dec 2012, 02:35 am

Oh I see what you're saying. So by analogue source, that's a fancy way of saying record player, right? Or some older device? Otherwise I'm failing to see the problem.

I guess for other than the OP, it's a $349 headphone amp with pre, it's useful as that function.

Analog source= any non-digital signal

Rclark · « **Reply #16 on:** 12 Dec 2012, 04:00 am »

coax isn't necessarily digital is it?

roscoeiii · « **Reply #17 on:** 12 Dec 2012, 04:03 am »

Coax refers to a digital signal via an RCA connection.

mix4fix · « **Reply #18 on:** 12 Dec 2012, 05:25 am »

No tubes. Solid state only. I currently have Sennheiser and Denon cans.

The Burson Soloist looks nice.

Davey · « **Reply #19 on:** 12 Dec 2012, 05:38 am »

How about one of these?

http://www.jdslabs.com/item.php?fetchitem=O2Full

Dave.