Headphone Amplification

I recently bumped into this site decware, where they make SET amplifiers without circuit boards. Being a complete electrical engineering idiot, Im wondering if there is any merits to it. If im not mistaken, audionote uk does not use circuit boards too. There's the internals to one of his speaker amps. Im quite tempted to put down an order for one just for novelty sake and the lifetime warranty. If im not mistaken he makes headphone amps and kind enough to include the schematics. Quite skeptical about the beeswax caps though. http://www.decware.com/newsite/TABOO.htm

Hi. I'm looking for a good value amp in the under 800$ price range. I have been adviced to get an HR-2, a Gillmore Lite and M^3. While I am not sure I want to spend 850$ for the HR-2 (plus I've read some constrasting opinions about it), I'm seriously considering the Lite with DPS and M^3. I like the fact that the former is only transistor based, but it has been described as hyperdetailed and somewhat piercing in the highs by more than a few people on Headfi. Considering that I can't stand sibilance/harshness, I am not sure if I should go on with it. I read here that the M^3 is on the "warm" side. I am not sure if I am going to use Sennheiser HDxx or Denon D5000 with it. …

Anyone get a chance to listen to the Peachtree Grand pieces at RMAF (or elsewhere)? I'm looking for a dac/amp that'll do 24/192 over USB and this appears to be a contender. The design intrigues me because it permits user selectable signal routing via tubes or SS. I'm open to other hardware suggestions for a solution to 24/192 over USB. Trying to hold the line at $5K USD Peachtree Grand Integrated High resolution DAC ESS Sabre32 9018 - supports 24/192 asynchronous USB input Hybrid tube preamplifier - uses two 12AU7s High efficiency amplifier - 400 wpc stereo Galvanic Isolation State of the art headphone amp - signal is run through the tube stage [no mW spe…

So I'm going to be getting some Sennheiser HD650s soon, and I'll be plugging those into a Pioneer VSX-80TXV receiver, which is going to be connected to my computer that has an HT Omega Claro+ sound card. But I don't have any amplification for the headphones. My budget for an amp maxes out at 200, which I realize isn't a lot, but is there still an option at or below that price that will still net me a sizeable improvement in sound quality?

Hi! I am renewing 25-years 717's and I observe strange things: I noticed a lot of wet places - as if sweaty - I suspect it has something to do with high voltage, have you noticed such symptoms in your old Stax? It's probably old flux - but these are places where it shouldn't be - output sockets, bottom of heat sinks (between PCBs). The second issue - how does the output protection system work - it draws voltages only from two outputs +L and +P? Because that's what I saw on PCB. What are the soldering points marked 81,82, 83 and Test: R,L,V for? I know that Kevi n had a diagram of this system somewhere, but it is no longer available .

This has got to be a misplaced decimal or something http://www.ebay.com/itm/331996665716?ul_noapp=true

So I bought the Mini3 that jinp6301 sold and the battery life's been pretty bad. I get about 3 hours per charge, so I figure it's time to replace the 9v that came with it. Any recommendations as to which 9v I should use?

http://robbreport.com/electronics/slideshow/six-best-dedicated-headphone-amplifiers/moon-by-simaudio-neo-430ha

Can anyone suggest the dirt cheapest amp that will adequately drive the O2's? Will the SRM-252 work?

Standard audio rack size, w/ ears and everything? I know you can mount the mini dac or the metric halo stuff, but I'm wondering about a fully dedicated headphone amp.

Okay, maybe not, but can anyone who's familiar with the Extreme topography suggest a reasonably affordable tube combination for a fast, neutral presentation? Stock or with ECC adapter? Any help would be greatly appreciated. The Extreme Plat may not end up working with the HD800s, but I want to give it a shot as it works well with my other phones.

I've got an old Headamp Gilmore Reference (single-ended) on the way. I believe this unit was later modified to a gain of 1, which should be a good preamp gain. But, it doesn't have pre outs, just a 2nd headphone out. In these older Headamps, is there any circuitry difference between the pre out and headphone out, or does it merely boil down to the physical differences in connectors? Any other reason why I shouldn't try this as a preamp with a Y cable/adaptor? The V2 I recently picked up is a real performance killer, as both preamp and headphone amp, for the $200 I paid. Super-nice match to the L3000 w/ Duet, and to the HD650 or L3000 with vinyl

Arrived on Thursday, I got it on Friday: I've had a couple of days to listen to it, and it really is a superb HD650 amp. Reminds me of the first time I fell for the HD650 with the PPX3 Slam. Impossible to say which is better since I haven't owned the PPX3 for over a year. The bass is in total control and reaches lower then I recall it ever reaching (I have actually turned around a couple times to make sure my 22Ls weren't on). The amp makes the HD650 do all those lovely audiophile things, like create a nice space around guitar plucks and the like. Also does a damn fine job of recreating electric guitar crunch. This amp has certainly made rediscovering my HD650s…

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

Just wondering, what are some good tubes for an MPX3 for metal? It sounds really good and realistic on most things so far, but the liquidic presentation doesn't lend itself to metal so well. Or should I just get a grado? Also, any recommendations for the W10LTD? I know not that many people have heard it, but it's one of the AT's that leans a bit more to the w100/2002 side, but not too much. My sonic preferences would probably be at least a realistic amount of bass, and "searing soaring highs"/

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.

I was thinking of upgrading or supplementing my old Headsave Classic amp (3 x Burr-Brown OPA627, hooked up to an Arcam FMJ CD36 or Sony UHP-H1) with something new, not too expensive. I may still get a Chord Mojo 2, but this looks interesting at $219... just announced, with impressions coming out in a few days. The Schiit Midgard has a different discrete design, with a mixed-mode feedback and more power than the Magni+ I was looking at:

I caught this off of Ryan's review -- when did this come out?

So I go to case up my M^3 today, and I snap the volume pot's shaft. Yes I snapped a shaft. Dammit, so for the fuck of it I tried to epoxy that shit back into place. Game over for my RK27. Fuck. So I fire up my VanTOTL tonight, to discover my only 6AS7 has decided that about 10 hours of use was enough, and one of the triodes is dead. At least I have a backup 6080. *sigh* Amp maintenance isn't my idea of fun spending.

Do tell the juciy info..yes yes

Please post a picture of your SR71a completely immersed in water. Does it refract light differently than the Predator?

I came across this on DIYaudio. 200,000, that's right, 200,000 tubes going for the low price of $5000. That's like 2.5 cents a tube! Transporting them all is going to be a bitch though, but seriously, 200,000 tubes.

Hey Guys: I have a chance to get a pretty good deal on a SFT built Dynamight from a person that I've known for a long time and trust. The only issue that he has disclosed to me about the amp is that on the lowest gain setting, there is some crackling when changing the volume on the stepped attenuator. But on all other gain settings, there is no crackling. Is this something of a major concern? Because I don't anticipate on using the lowest gain setting, having heard this amp before. Thanks.

Has anyone an ideal as to when this unit will come out and an estimate for it's price? Thanks

At the SF meet, I heard the WA5 with a pair of K1000s and really enjoyed it. So now I'm looking for an amp to drive the K1000s and HD800s to the top of their game. The WA5 is one choice. The Balancing Act is another, but that doesn't have speaker posts, which I would like to have for additional functionality. The ZDT is a third option, but may not be as good a choice for the HD800 and may come up just a bit short on the K1000 as well (if I understand the tubes used in that amp compared to the tubes used in the BA or the WA5). But beyond that (and I would definitely welcome any comments on choosing between those three), I am a solid-state guy. Is there a solid-sta…