Headphone Amplification

Hi, community! I'm pretty new to this scene, and an even newer member of this site. I've bought my Denon AHD2000 and I love it. But someone told me to get an amp/DAC, so that it would sound even more amazing. So I have a few questions: 1) Will it make a remarkable difference? Enough for a even newbie like me can recognize? AKA Is it worth it? 2) Is the Audinst MX1 a good amp/DAC for my headphones? 3) If not, what substitute is out there within that price range? Edit:: Seems like I came to the wrong place. I kinda feel like a freshman accidentally entering a senior class. I'll head over to that OTHER headphone site. Hopefully I can be as professional as you guys on…

...not only that, it does iPod. Digitally. link

Hi there, I've got a strange and somehow annoying problem with my STAX SRM-1 / MK-2 (B Series). Sometimes, in about 3 to 4 cases out of 10 after switching it on in an cold state, I hear a strange clicking / buzzing noise on my Lambda on the left channel only. It's definitely faster or more often to be directly related to 50hz AC noise problems and it sounds more like a "ticktickticktick" kind of noise. This noise doesn't change if I make the amp louder and if it occurs, it's stays for about half an hour and slowly fades out, until the amp is heated up regardless of switching the amp on and off. Sometimes I also get a very distorted left channel which can happen anyt…

I picked up one of these on HF for $100. I figured I'd use it in the living room or something. I wonder if I should have just bought $100 worth of beer instead. How bad can it be for $100?

First of all. Hello everyone. I'm new to this forum and this is my first post. I've read many thread about the differences between the Woo Audio 3 and the Little Dot MKIV SE . I'm pretty new to the world of high fidelity audio equipment. About 3 years ago I bought a pair of Sennheiser 202's and later that year I upgraded to HD555's. I greatly enjoyed the 555's and started researching the next step up the chain. About a year ago I finally saved up enough money to purchase the HD650's and a Little Dot MKIV SE . I love my amp, but recently I've been itching to upgrade to something better and that's why I come to you. I'm currently using a Little Dot MKIV SE with the …

I recently purchased a Blue Hawaii (DIY) and it looks great. I am ensuring that all is well, and I am performing some measurements on the amplifier prior to plugging in my headphones (SR-Omega.) The amplifier was built in a single chassis and uses Headamp's boards from 2004. One thing I noticed while examining Kevin's project page for the Blue Hawaii is that it calls for +-450v and +-15v outputs on the PSU. However, the Headamp KGSS/Blue Hawaii (as labeled) supply boards seems to output +/-360v and +/-15v. This seems to be closer to the KGSS specification. Does this throw off the amplifier sections in any way? Finally, when I measures from Bias output to Ground on …

Hello to all, I'm fairly new to this forum and untill now I have read a lot of posts to get a bit acquainted. For normal bias phones, I use a SRM-1/Mk2 which I would like to upgrade (actualy a P.P., but I fitted 1 normal bias socket). I have read about swapping out the power transistors for 2SC5466 units, currently used in Stax amps. However, in a SRM-323 thread I read that 2SC3675 transistors are to be preferred over the 2sc5466 units. Why is that and which transistors are best for the SRM-1/Mk2 (p.p.)? For pro bias phones, I use a SRM-727II on which I want to perform the "spitzer mod". What resistors are to be used? metal film, carbon film, others? Are 1/2 Watt…

I met Donald North over at an audio dealer's house a few months ago. Nice guy. That's the extent of my involvement with DNA. I guess this is his first headphone amp. I'll copy what he wrote me: When we met I talked about developing my own tube headphone amp. The design is now done and operational. I'm calling it the DNA Sonett. It uses the 6H30 dual triode with transformer loading for the audio amplification. Power supply is tube rectified using the 5AR4 and choke filtered. I played the prototype for Elliot and thought it sounded very good. I have also played it for some friends who liked it and placed orders. The audio circuitry uses no coupling capacitors or …

from Yanko Design, slashgear & engadget: info here, here & here... stylish...

I'm hoping Justin, Mr. Gilmore or Spritzer will see this thread and hopefully tell me what's wrong with this KGSS. This unit is over 7 years old and features Alps volume controls as opposed to the newer DACT controls. The serial no. written in red pen on the circuit is #1000. The issue with the amp is a noisy humming emitting from both channels past 0 position. The humming sound is distinctive to the transformer and is very audible at modest volume. I've isolated the issue without plugging in a source. I've made sure my SR-007 is working properly on the SRM-007t and SRM-717. The problem persists on both RCA and XLR. I've taken several pictures. I have not touched th…

Hi, new here, looks interesting. I use HD600s with my orignal, stock Musical Fidelity X-Cans I am not a big user of headphones at home, mainly LP (LP12) and CD (Ikemi), I never use my PC for music. What should I try and how much (ish) should I expect to pay to noticeably get a better sound than the X-Cans. Has anyone here ever had their X-cans upgraded? thanks KT666 London

Does anyone have a schematic for the SRM323? I can't seem to find one through Google. @Spritzer: I assume it's possible to do a balanced input on it? At least that's what I inferred and seen from other designs - the STAX amps are inherently balanced.

Hi! Got a WA2. Use it with HD650 and T1. Any other WA2 owners out there?

I knew Alex was getting ready to roll out his new amp and I saw a reference to the new site earlier this evening on HF. I am not going to wax lyrical about the amp as I am not trying to schill the gear for him. To say I like the amp would be an understatement but I do and have been and have been using the initial prototype for several months. Thought some of you who still listen to dynamic headphones would want to know Liquid Fire is finally getting ready to become a reality. ..dB

Jonokuchi, from Pete's home page. His latest single ended desktop amp, complete with boards(on his ebay store), Edcor transformer package, and Front Panel Express info and files for the enclosure. A very neat looking build. Hat's off to Pete.

I have recently bought an Onkyo C-S5VL SACD player and WOO WA6 with EML 274B rectifier (about 2 weeks). My Headphone is HD-800. Today I decided to for no good reason try the headphone jack on the Onkyo which has internal amplification (with actual volume knob for headphone out). To my surprise going aback and forth I could not discern major difference between Onkyo and Woo. I tested these on several 24 bit recordings that I have. I also tried my Denon receiver headphone out but this time the sound was simply horrid. Is something wrong with my setup? Or Onkyo internal amplification that good. This post is by no mean to criticize WA6. I am just trying to ge…

I have a set of Behringer ms16s, and I was listening to my headphones through them (Sony MDR-V6) and the headphones sounded better than ever before. Is it possible my Behringer monitors were acting like a headphone amp, boosting and enhancing the sound of my music? Cause it just sounded so good. Thanks, Eddie

Well I just got confirmation from SPL USA today that they are going to send me a SPL Phonitor for me to do a review on Head-Case and the other site. Good stuff, all I need to do is give them a CC# as collateral. The only issue I see with this is the fact that the amp has a 9 ohm output impedance which it seems to me would cause some weird responses with low impedance phones (unless their impedance doesn't vary much). I probably won't get it for a couple weeks but hopefully I'll get it before Christmas.

Pictures of the A-10 have been released. Looks interesting to say the least... http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f38/10-thunderbolt-ll-fully-balanced-electrostatic-amp-pre-amp-417185/

I have the Senn 800 on route, the Audeze LCD-2 on pre-order, the HE-5LE in house and my only amp is the Meier Concerto to use when I compare contrast them to my KGSS/O2. Thinking it might be a slaughter. So what single, hopefully quickly sourced amp can both amp the trio above well and provide at least some chance of pulling me away from the O2 for around $1K. Go For anyone curious as to why I'm even entertaining the tourny... My O2 cable got torn inside the jacket so I sent it off to the UK for repair which in turn made me realise I had been out of the hobby aspect of audiophilia for 4 years So I'm running around grabbing cans to try that I missed along the …

i have recently bought a DT 990/600 and now im looking for amp. but will amp be enough to get a great sound for 40% music 40% gaming 20% movies i heard some people suggest getting both DAC and AMP. i'm going to use them on my gaming laptop but i do not have a good sound card(realtek HD). For the amp im leaning to MK III with M8100/CV4010 im new to setting these up

First things first - I have no direct affiliation with this product or the vendor but I'm friendly with the designer. If that makes me biased, so be it, I guess I'm biased. Now, onto the amp. Basically it's a single ended amp with transformer coupled inputs and outputs to provide balanced operation and was designed to drive anything from IEMs to the K1000 (via selectable outputs). The tube compliment consists of a 7N7 input tube and two 307A output tubes. More details are available on Todd's site. I'm certainly looking forward to giving it a listen at CanJam even though it far exceeds the ability of my wallet.

Does anyone here know/remember the specs on the Moth EC2a3? Trying to determine the headphone and speaker output impedance.

Several of us own them, and there seem to be many differing opinions on amplification. So I thought it might be fun to see what people are using. Post about current or previously owned K1K systems you like. ATM I'm driving mine with an Opera Audio a120 integrated. That's really the only amp I've used thus far, but the plan has always been to use the Beta22 once it's finished with repair and recase. Even though I've little to compare it to, the Opera is a quality unit. I've heard that a good 300B amp is a fantastic mate for the K1K, but I doubt I'd ever spend that kind of cash. So what are your favorites?

My ass is getting very sore sitting on this fence. Need some help sorting out the technical advantages, design features of these two. I currently have a 2ch B22, once upon a time I had a HeadAmp Reference single ended. That said, it was a long long time ago and while the B22 decimated the Concerto I wonder how it compares on paper to the dynamid, GS-X specifically? I listen at low levels, 70dB is loud for me. So on paper, how does the dynamid compare to the b22? Slew rate, noise, all that jazz. Maybe Ti and Kevin can chime in? Side question, given I listen at unity gain at best, are the advantages of going balanced pretty much moot?