[dB Cooper]

Anybody know anything about this product? A DAC/ tube headphone amp for $169????!?!?!? 




Here's the link to the page the image is from:

http://head-direct.com/product_detail.php?p=74#

[dB Cooper]

Another link with more info

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Head-Direct/EF2

[angelo]

Yes, it is for real I ordered one from that site and it arrived after 1 week. I'm using it w/ the Denon D5000. I'm very satisfied w/ the performance and you can't beat the price. The build quality is very solid and the sound is much better than my old zhaolu dac w/ discrete headphone amp. I haven't changed the stock tube but you can buy better tubes in ebay for $30.

[funkmonkey]

Same guys that make the excellent Yuin earbuds... I think.  Head direct is trustworthy and easy to do business with as well.

[dB Cooper]

Thanks for the feedback (pun intended). Looked like a pretty sweet deal. Bordering on too-good-to-be-true.

[atothex]

It's a hybrid, not a real tube.

If you're really into dirt cheap, you can just use a soundcard with one of these stupid looking things:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Valve-Class-A-Tube-Headphone-Amplifier-pre-Bravo-V2_W0QQitemZ260541961646QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3ca982d5ae

[doctorcilantro]

The Maverick D1 is $200....you can swap opamps and it has a tube pre output w/ volume bypass.

[mbakes]

Fang (Head-Direct) is a great guy and has some interesting products.  Anyone in the NY area, there is a meet in Bayside and he will be there with a lot of the stuff he sells.

[ltr317]

Fang (Head-Direct) is a great guy and has some interesting products.  Anyone in the NY area, there is a meet in Bayside and he will be there with a lot of the stuff he sells.

When and where?  Thanks.

[saisunil]

Adria Hotel and Conference Center
 
Details on Head-fi
More details

[lonewolfny42]

I see a few Raver's on that list...

[Gopher]

I'm listening to this DAC/amp with a pair of Audio Technica AD900s as I type this, and its a pretty competent cheapie combination.

The DAC does leave something to be desired, but I'm listening with the single ended RCAs from a Nighthawk phonostage and its doing well.

[nunhgrader]

Pretty cool!

[silver_strings]

I dont think this actuly qualifies as a tube amp it looks like its a solid state amp and a tube buffer was added to color the sound. Check out the tadac if you want a real tube dac/amp it uses the tube for headphones amplification and has one of the best dac's out there, it's not cheap though