Have your say & ask the experts!

Recommend a good integrated or pre-amp for headphone use.

12 replies [Last post]
idc
idc's picture
Offline
Joined: 2 Jan 2008
Posts: 7782

I say dedicated headphone amps are worth it when


you do not have a headphone out on your amp, which is what got me on that road.


the alternative is relying on the amp in an ipod or other mp3 player.


you listen to headphones as your main listening experience and you end up with a collection of them and all their different sounds and sensitivities.


Maybe, when you are an occasional listener and you have a decent headphone out on your integrated or pre-amp. My only experience of that, is trying some Senn HD595 out of a Yamaha amp (a £500 integrated one) and it was a good sound.


Are there any recommendations for good integrated or pre-amps for headphone use?

__________________

Internet - laptop - DAC - amp - lots of headphones.

http://idc1966.blogspot.co.uk/

"A music lover will stop what he's doing and stay glued to a favorite piece of music even if it's coming over a 3" speaker or a public-address system..." - Ken Rockwell

 

John Duncan
John Duncan's picture
Offline
Joined: 8 Jan 2008
Posts: 20417
Re: Recommend a good integrated or pre-amp for headphone use.


Fubar IV Big Smile

__________________

CA StreamMagic 6  |  CA 751BD  |  CA 651A  |  PMC DB1i

Moderator. mail: john.duncan.whf at the mail of g dot com

idc
idc's picture
Offline
Joined: 2 Jan 2008
Posts: 7782
Re: Recommend a good integrated or pre-amp for headphone use.
JohnDuncan:
Fubar IV Big Smile


Which is a headphone am and DAC. But what about your Primare integrated amps? How are headphones from that?


It was the Yamaha A- S1000 that I heard with the Senn HD595s and it was very good from that one listen.

__________________

Internet - laptop - DAC - amp - lots of headphones.

http://idc1966.blogspot.co.uk/

"A music lover will stop what he's doing and stay glued to a favorite piece of music even if it's coming over a 3" speaker or a public-address system..." - Ken Rockwell

 

johnnyjazz
johnnyjazz's picture
Offline
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Posts: 684
Re: Recommend a good integrated or pre-amp for headphone use.

Are there any recommendations for good integrated or pre-amps for headphone use?


Sugden Headmaster, class a dedicated headphone amp and pre-amp, beautiful fluid sound especially at intimate volumes

__________________

John Duncan
John Duncan's picture
Offline
Joined: 8 Jan 2008
Posts: 20417
Re: Recommend a good integrated or pre-amp for headphone use.


The Primare didn't have a headphone out. I can't be at all helpful on ths I'm afraid (as you may have noticed) as all I have to judge is an Arcam Alpha 2, a Yamaha AV receiver and a Denon micro, none of which have been used with stellar cans...

__________________

CA StreamMagic 6  |  CA 751BD  |  CA 651A  |  PMC DB1i

Moderator. mail: john.duncan.whf at the mail of g dot com

Andrew Everard
Andrew Everard's picture
Offline
Joined: 30 May 2007
Posts: 29040
Re: Recommend a good integrated or pre-amp for headphone use.
JohnDuncan:
Fubar IV Big Smile

"For he's Fubar crazy, He's Fubar mad, The Fubar it has taken away, The little bit o' sense he had"

Actually I'm with John on this one, in that I haven't heard many integrated amps with that good a headphone output. If I were more serious about headphone listening, I'd definitely be investing in a separate headphone amp hung off a tape output on my amplifier.

__________________

Consulting Editor, What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision/whathifi.com  Audio Editor, Gramophone

John Duncan
John Duncan's picture
Offline
Joined: 8 Jan 2008
Posts: 20417
Re: Recommend a good integrated or pre-amp for headphone use.


Which is what he's got already isn't it?

Must admit I was quite curious as to the purpose of the post Ian? Are you wanting to add speakerness to your HP setup or what?

__________________

CA StreamMagic 6  |  CA 751BD  |  CA 651A  |  PMC DB1i

Moderator. mail: john.duncan.whf at the mail of g dot com

Andrew Everard
Andrew Everard's picture
Offline
Joined: 30 May 2007
Posts: 29040
Re: Recommend a good integrated or pre-amp for headphone use.

Indeed - I guess what I was trying to say was that choosing an amp on the basis of its headphone output is probably not a wise move, when it's better to use a dedicated headphone amp and select a main amp on its ability with speakers.

__________________

Consulting Editor, What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision/whathifi.com  Audio Editor, Gramophone

johnnyjazz
johnnyjazz's picture
Offline
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Posts: 684
Re: Recommend a good integrated or pre-amp for headphone use.
Andrew Everard:
Indeed - I guess what I was trying to say was that choosing an amp on the basis of its headphone output is probably not a wise move, when it's better to use a dedicated headphone amp and select a main amp on its ability with speakers.

Erm sugden headmaster is a DEDICATED HEADPHONE AND PRE-AMP
__________________

Andrew Everard
Andrew Everard's picture
Offline
Joined: 30 May 2007
Posts: 29040
Re: Recommend a good integrated or pre-amp for headphone use.

Erm YES IT IS, and I was talking about integrated amplifiers.

__________________

Consulting Editor, What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision/whathifi.com  Audio Editor, Gramophone

johnnyjazz
johnnyjazz's picture
Offline
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Posts: 684
Re: Recommend a good integrated or pre-amp for headphone use.

Sorry Andrew

__________________

idc
idc's picture
Offline
Joined: 2 Jan 2008
Posts: 7782
Re: Recommend a good integrated or pre-amp for headphone use.

The reason for the thread was that not everyone has the means to buy a dedicated headphone amp or the desire to add to their box count. So it was just to get a list of amps that also have a good headphone stage for the occasional listener. I have always had and know people who have headphones for late night listening in particular. So what integrated amps have decent headphone outputs?


__________________

Internet - laptop - DAC - amp - lots of headphones.

http://idc1966.blogspot.co.uk/

"A music lover will stop what he's doing and stay glued to a favorite piece of music even if it's coming over a 3" speaker or a public-address system..." - Ken Rockwell

 

unleash_me
unleash_me's picture
Offline
Joined: 3 Dec 2007
Posts: 240
Re: Recommend a good integrated or pre-amp for headphone use.

Sound Quest SQ84

Peachtree Nova

Laben CS 300/600

MA2275