should i invest in a headphone amp??
Hi dudes, my amp has a headphone jack but would getting a headphone amp improve on this or are headphone amps just a way of getting headphones into an amp that dont have an input?
typically the components used to create an integrated headphone output on a typical amp cost about £0.50. and the design layout is an afterthought at best.
a dedicated headphone amp is designed to do one thing and do it well.
Once I get my other bits and pieces sorted out (see Metal-Head upgrade thread) I was considering purchasing a seperate dedicated headphone amp. I have a pair of Sennheiser HD650s and as good as they sound through my Roksan Kandy, I do think more could be 'opened up' via a dedicated amp. I do like the look of the new Musical Fidelity M3 HDA (it gets a rave review in the latest issue of Hi-Fi Choice) but I also hear that the Graham Slee Novo is a class act. Anyone?
Incidentily what's the better practice for a seperate headphone amp; run seperately or plumb it into my existing amp? Probably a daft question but it will be my first leap into the world of headphone amps should I do it. Go easy on me!
Rush Man:Once I get my other bits and pieces sorted out (see Metal-Head upgrade thread) I was considering purchasing a seperate dedicated headphone amp. I have a pair of Sennheiser HD650s and as good as they sound through my Roksan Kandy, I do think more could be 'opened up' via a dedicated amp. I do like the look of the new Musical Fidelity M3 HDA (it gets a rave review in the latest issue of Hi-Fi Choice) but I also hear that the Graham Slee Novo is a class act. Anyone?
Incidentily what's the better practice for a seperate headphone amp; run seperately or plumb it into my existing amp? Probably a daft question but it will be my first leap into the world of headphone amps should I do it. Go easy on me!
Seeing as your CD72 doesn't have two sets of analogue outputs, you've got two options. You could buy a combined headphone amp/DAC, and run a digital connection from the CD to the DAC part of the headphone amp (Firestone Audio's 'Fubar IV' is a popular example of the combined headphone amp/DAC).
If you decide to go for a 'plain jane' headphone amp which only has connections for analogue sources, the most common way of getting a signal to it is to connect it to the 'Tape Out' connections on your amp.
Little Dot III or IV highly recommended. You can always then fine tune by tube rolling!
Big Chris:
Rush Man:
Once I get my other bits and pieces sorted out (see Metal-Head upgrade thread) I was considering purchasing a seperate dedicated headphone amp. I have a pair of Sennheiser HD650s and as good as they sound through my Roksan Kandy, I do think more could be 'opened up' via a dedicated amp. I do like the look of the new Musical Fidelity M3 HDA (it gets a rave review in the latest issue of Hi-Fi Choice) but I also hear that the Graham Slee Novo is a class act. Anyone?
Incidentily what's the better practice for a seperate headphone amp; run seperately or plumb it into my existing amp? Probably a daft question but it will be my first leap into the world of headphone amps should I do it. Go easy on me!
Seeing as your CD72 doesn't have two sets of analogue outputs, you've got two options. You could buy a combined headphone amp/DAC, and run a digital connection from the CD to the DAC part of the headphone amp (Firestone Audio's 'Fubar IV' is a popular example of the combined headphone amp/DAC).
If you decide to go for a 'plain jane' headphone amp which only has connections for analogue sources, the most common way of getting a signal to it is to connect it to the 'Tape Out' connections on your amp.
Thanks Chris, much appreciated.
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I bought my first headphone amp as my integrated did not have a headphone out. Subsequent ones have been because I listen exclusively with headphones. If you are an occasional listener, I would just use the output in your amp. If you really want to get into headphone listening, then get a dedicated amp.
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