Synergy check of grados and headsix

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik 

I had a HeadSix for awhile. I didn't think it made much difference with the RS-1 and my other Grados. I ended up trading the HeadSix for other equipment, since I kept listening to the Grados straight from an iPod and my desktop amps.

You might want to consider one of the less expensive desktop amps. I'd go with a solid state model since there are issues with output impedance on the inexpensive OTL amps.

Quick question, what is an OTL amp? Are you referring the corda headsix as an OTL type amp?
Funny, because I was going to buy the headsix, but went with the ibasso T3 instead, which I hope, will make a greater positive difference in controlling the high frequencies than the headsix (probably not).

Well, yes, the HeadSix is OTL, but that's not quite the point I was making.

OTL is shorthand for "Output TransformerLess," or that there's no output transformer on the amp.

Solid state doesn't use output transformers because chips have a very low output impedance.  McIntosh and a few others used output transformers on chips, but you rarely see that type of circuit used.

Tubes, on the other hand,tend to have a high output impedance.  So if you don't use output transformers on a tube amp (OTL), then you get high output impedance which makes things wonky when you plug in headphones that have an impedance that's less than the output impedance of the amp.

The best way to lower output impedance on a tube amp is to use output transformers.  However, those aren't cheap and add to the cost significantly.  This is why the cheap tube amps are all OTL, and they struggle with low impedance headphones.

Edit: sorry for derailing the thread, he wasn't referring to the headsix as an amp with a high impedance output, I thought he was, so I got confused.