Headphone Amplification

I use a HeadRoom Micro Stack to power my full-sized cans at my desktop. I use a RSA Hornet to power full-sized cans when I am not by my Micro Stack. I also use the Hornet with my Shure E4c, but not often, since they are easy to drive by my iPhone 3G or 2nd Gen Nano (there is some improvement, but nothing to jump up and down for). What I'd like to get is something smaller than the Hornet. I would like for it to be from a vendor that is not known for long delays, poor communication, not keeping promises, etc. It can be from anywhere, as long as shipping to the U.S. is OK, but I'd prefer something shipped FROM the USA (does not need to be MADE in USA). Vendor should…

I suspect everyone it tired of Singlepower issues, but quick question if you don't mind. Any suggestions for eliminating hum from an Extreme Platinums preamp out? Have moved outlets, swapped variety of tubes, tested other preamps, used with headphone and speakers, to no avail. For a decent chuck of music I like the Singlepowers punch with the Emotiva RPA-2 and K1000s over other pres around the house (GS1 or Parasound P/SP 1500), but of course the slight hum is killing it. Headphone out has always been good, though the three inputs have never been able to be used simultaneously (all work, just not cables plugged into to any two at one time - goes very quiet even if only on…

Recently I sent an e-mail to David Berning asking whether he has any intention to build a headphone amp and he offered to build me a 6V6-based amp for around $2K based on one of his low power (7 watts per channel) stereo amps. He would customize the amp to add a volume control, RCA ins, and a headphone jack. He says the final amp would sound better with low impedance headphones than high impedance headphones because it was originally designed to drive speakers. I know Berning is highly regarded for his power amps but don't know if that reputation extends to headphone amps. I know he used to make the his "micro ZOTL" headphone amp but it was discontinued a few yea…

Specs Pure class-A, with 20W power draw at idle 16-600 Ohms load (optimised for low impedance) 1700mW into 40Ohm load W 184mm，L 300mm，H 56mm 2.2 KG Sorry for blurry pictures, it is taken from my phone. Better internal shot from the builder: (the transformer is shielded in a metal case as seen in my photo) Exterior The amp is cased in a thick chassis and finished with thick brushed silver front panel. The volume control is metal with texture on it to prevent slipping. Rear of the amp have standard IEC power socket and a pair of RCA inputs. The RCA sockets are gold plated and bolted to the chassis, not direct stressing the PCB. The overall finish is v…

Finally after months with all the problems getting the dac(Pico dac lost by shipping company and y2 builder taking ages to order the parts)I just got my refund and decided to go with the DacMagic with a discount from a dude from my home town, and the rig is "complete". Now that I plugged all down, I don't like the sound its to distorted which I describe as a kinda messy metallic sound.. I tested on the dude house to find the problem, and it seems its the minimax tube effect, I tried the rs1+dacmagic with his Lehmann Audio Black Cub and the sound was so much better, still to much bright sometimes but thats just the rs1 and I hope HF2 will be the right tone, then…

So there are some nice looking Japanese amps that catch my eye. It looks as though the U.S. markup is outrageous ($3.5k higher than the imported amp example below), with the only difference (afaik) being a USA-compensated voltage. In the Luxman example below, Audiocubes2 offers a voltage transformer with the original japan version of the amp, at a much cheaper price than buying it from the U.S. dealers. I wont mention names, but it seems to fetch about $9,500 from U.S.A. based merchants that I've seen. I'm wondering how much (if any) of a hit I'd take in the sound quality department if I went with the Audiocubes version, that comes with the voltage transformer. I've…

I need an amp that doesn't have an IEC connector at the back, only a DC input. Does this exist? If not, this should be easy to drill a hole and hardwire?

hi everyone, i m torn between building an ehha and an aikido and the lack of info about them(especially aikido) has led me to ask for a comparison between the two. i d be using the ehha with a sigma22 and the aikido would be broskie latest octal lsa/hpa all-in-one(because i have a couple of sylvania and rca 6sn7 doing nothing in my wardrobe). comments on any aikido amp would be welcome as well. i m opened to other tube amps but those two seemed the best to me as far as i looked. if it can help i have a beta22 and a dual darkvoice 336i that you can compare with. any input would be appreciated

I'm working on a person's Minibox E. What do these things take for a battery charger (he didn't send it). I think I got it fixed (self-inflicted from said person "rolling" the opamps), but since the battery seems to be drained, I can't test it without a bit more knowledge. Any schematics for these floating around? Seems to be rather similar to a Mint (and therefore SR71, etc.), but no rail splitter... must be using a pair of Li Ion with the ground taken at the junction (3 wires coming off the battery pack).

Raffy is looking for a pair of TS 5998's for his SP and I have a pair that are supposed to be NOS. I would be happy to help him out but I don't know how to test these on my tube tester. I have a B&K 747B. I tried testing them with the 6as7 settings but they both test low this way. Since they are not equivalent to the 6as7's, I am not so surprised (I think this has happened with every pair of 5998's I have tested this way). So can anyone help me/us out? Pretty please.

With the PerfectWave on the way, I now have a balanced source. My KGSS is balanced as is my McCormack DNA 1 (will be shipped for repairs Monday). I'm looking for a pre that will allow me to go balanced out to the McCormack and use a balanced loop out to the KGSS. The only one I can find in the under $2000 price range is the BAT VK-5i. Wyred 4 Sound has a preamp with 2 balanced outs. I emailed them to see if they could make one of them a loop or tape out. I know that BAT gear is supposed to be excellent so it is a possibility. I am curious if someone else knows of any other in the under $2000 range. Thanks

Audio Technica AT-HA35i melds headphone amp and iPod dock -- Engadget [url=http://www.audio-technica.co.jp/products/dj-plus/at-ha35i.html]Š”Ž

Hey all, I was thinking of upgrading my 45 tubes for my custom made SET Headphone amp. Currently I have a simple ST shape pair (Rytheon or Sylvania, I don't recall). There are quite a few options, most of them are expensive and some are scary expensive (Like the EML stuff). The Old NOS ones: Blue arcturus 145 (probably around 300$ for a NOS pair), If you can find some. Baloon type 45s (245/345/etc...) NOS, around 250$ a pair for those rare units from 1930-1940, don't know any preferred manufacture. The New ones: EML 45- 400/500$ for a pair of Solid Plate/Mesh. EML 45 Ballon style speical Edition - 600$ a pair. Sophia Electric 45 - 250$-275$ for a new pair …

Eddie Current Equilibrato - two unbalanced inputs - will drive headphones true floating balanced, or unbalanced - external power supply, same as the ZD and ZDT - solid state rectifier Tubes - (1) Tung Sol 12SN7, (2) Sophia Electric PX4 I'll get more details when I pick it up on Saturday

I'm about to get a tube headphone amp that uses a pair of 300B tubes and am looking for any recommendations on reasonably priced tubes (under $300 / pair). I'm thinking about getting the JJ Tesla, but would like to hear any other recommendations on 300B tubes. Thanks, Steve

CANOR-AUDIO.COM : Headphone tube amplifier SH1 : Tube amplifier & high end audio found this while following random integrated amp links. any thoughts? construction looks clean. worth the $550 they charge for it?

Found this lurking around the other place. I know nothing, just thought I'd share. Lost link to a Dynalo amp? - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio Acoustic-Fun Kevin Gilmore backed it up in the Head-Fi thread.

Finally I was able to acquire an SRA-14S and it has arrived now! No phono equalizer modules however. A previous owner had been cutting copper tracks on the input/switching pcb and added a lot of wires (in different places than the cut traces). Neatly done, but still.... Maybe he had some problem with the switches? So restauration will be a major undertaking without documentation. Can anyone help me with the service manual and/or schematic diagrams? That would be highly appreciated. Paper copy or electronic, everything is welcome. The headphone amp looks at first glance like the circuitry of the SRM-1 (of which I also have no service manual), but the power…

Hey i have read some about the b22 and who'd want to know if some one have heard whit a pare of GS1000i. And want to share the conclusion.

I just got an SRM-T1 (my first Stax amp) to go with 404LE (my first Stax headphones). I see there is an earthing terminal. Under what circumstances should I use this, and how should I use it? (Balanced cable specially made up?) TIA Nic

I opened this thread yesterday: http://www.head-case.org/forums/headphone-amplification/7635-can-someone-provide-information-about.html I see that it has been closed. I am wondering what was wrong with it. I checked wikipedia before opening it, read basic differences about the two designs, I also mentioned one in the thread myself. Was it wrong to ask about the suitability of one over the other when used with high impedance headphones requiring a nice synergy with amps (HD800s)? I really found it strange that the thread has been closed. And for the reference to google, well that was a nice touch, I did not know search engines existed. Thanks. Don't you think I woul…

SET and push-pull designs in tube amps? I know this is a very broad question, but what I am interested in is, if one design is suitable more for some type of headphones over the other. As far as I know, with the same tubes, push-pull designs can put more power, however with the usage of headphones, that should not be that important, I guess. The reason of this question is the following: I am wondering, if HD800s will be driven better with a PP or SE design in the same price range? What do you think? Also, very briefly, why? I would appreciate any information you might provide. Thanks.

I own Grado SR 225 and i'm thinking about buying a great for the price headphone amp. I'm looking at the qinpu A3 amp but would like to know if theres anything better if i would pay a little bit more? What about something vintage thats not expensive would i get better quality and warmer sound? I'm listening to Beatles, Guitr related stuff (Satriani,Andy Timmons) Blues,Rock... Thanks!!!

The following is what I can understand of the theory behind the diffuse field equalisers Stax produced and an assessment of the sound of one of them. Diffuse Field Equalisation vs Free Field Equalisation. Headphone frequency response measurements, conducted with a microphone in front of the headphone driver, much as speaker measurements were conducted, observed that headphones with a measured flat frequency response did not sound as flat as they measured. Comparing the sound of a flat measured speaker with a flat measured headphone revealed extreme tonal differences that started off a whole lot of investigation into why they sounded different and how a headphone’s fre…

I just discovered my latest Mikhail "gotcha". At his last public appearance, the June 2008 NorCal meet, I bought a NOS 6385 tube from Mikhail for what turned out to be about 50% more than the going price at the time. Later I wrote that off as more bad dealings with Mikhail. Today, I stuck it on the Jackson 648A tube tester I recently bought. Both sections test at ~30%. So he got me twice, once for the exorbitant price and once for a bad tube at that price. I'm posting this to warn you to test all tubes that you might have bought from Mikhail. There is a good chance that some/many of them are bad. The good news is that now that my Extreme has been made reliab…