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Are there any regular amplifiers with good headphone out? I assume they all have some sort of amplification in them for the headphones but have any of you found any that were as good as a headphone amp.
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Headphones: Sennheiser HD580, HD540 Reference II, PCX 250, Koss KSC75, Grado SR 60, ER4P
Amp: Eddie Current LunchBox, Go Vibe 5
Source: IPod Classic or Soundblaster Live! Platinum 5.1
I am using the headphone out from my NAD C162 preamp, which sounds
quite good. I assume it is very similar, if not identical, to the headphone circuit
in the NAD integrated amps. I have to say that I am comparing this to my Zhalou 2.5C, a homemade vacuum tube headphone amp and to an XM4
I don't know about quality headphone amps that may be found in preamps and amplifers, but I just picked up a Marantz CD5001 CD player, which has a dedicated, high quality headphone amp built-in, and the sound is glorious! It's a high-res 24 bit player, so if you're only into CD's as a source, this player is worth checking out. And there are no interconnects... the signal path is very direct right to the headphone jack!
I am using the headphone out from my NAD C162 preamp, which sounds
quite good. I assume it is very similar, if not identical, to the headphone circuit
in the NAD integrated amps. I have to say that I am comparing this to my Zhalou 2.5C, a homemade vacuum tube headphone amp and to an XM4
I *think* the NAD integrated amps share the output of the main power amplifier. I know that some of the pre-amps have their own dedicated headphone amp.
I own an NAD C350 and it is definitely serviceable. I also have a McIntosh MA6900 on order. When I wrote to McIntosh, the head tech over there said that the heaphone circuit DOES NOT share the output of the main power amp. He said that there was a small "OP Amp" that was "compatible with most headphones" but "not as good as most of the better outboard headphone amps".
McIntosh also had no specs of any kind for the headphone amp/jack...that ought to tell you something about how much thought they put into it.
__________________ Headphones: Stax SRS-3050II Classic System FOR SALE -- Grado SR80, SR325i -- Sennheiser HD650 -- Denon AH-D2000 -- Ultrasone PROline 750 -- Audio Technica ATH-ANC7 Noise Canceling -- Koss Portapro (2 Pairs) -- Noisebuster NB-FX Noise Canceling -- Sony MDR-EX51LP Ear Buds
Headphone Amps/DACs: Headroom Total Bithead -- Benchmark DAC1 USB (2 Total - One Black, One Silver)
Other/Etc: NAD C350 Integrated -- McIntosh MA6900 Integrated -- Rega P1 Turntable -- Panamax Max 5100-EX -- Oppo DV971H DVD Player -- Totem Dreamcatcher Speakers -- Revel Performa F52 Speakers -- Apple TV -- Toshiba HD-A3 HD DVD Player (R.I.P. HD DVD)
Familiar With: Audio Technica ATH-W5000 -- Sennheiser HD580 -- Ultrasone Ed. 9 -- Grado GS1000
Gone: Musical Fidelity X-Can V3 + Little Pinkie V3 PSU -- PS Audio GCHA -- Grado RS1 -- Mapletree Ear+ Purist HD2 -- Little Dot Micro+ -- AKG K 701 -- Beyerdynamic DT 880 -- Mapletree Viper Magic Eye Monitor -- Denon AH-D5000
I drive my Sennheiser HD-650s with a Rotel RC-1070 preamp, which retailed for about $500 when I bought it a few years back. I prefer the Rotel to the $1,000 HeadRoom and Meier Audio headphone amps I tried. The HeadRoom was too laid back and the Meier Audio was too grainy.
Years ago, I drove HD-580s with an NAD C320BEE integrated. I vividly remember how live my opera recordings sounded on that setup.
Regular Amps with good Headphone out
Linear Mode
