Cheapest powerful desktop amp ever?

2nd hand first version Tianyun Zero DAC. A new one costs like 60€ in China.

Buy a ck2III it is a great amp regardless of price and really there is no need to upgrade past it.

Buy a receiver from a garage sale or second hand store. Simple and cheap, and more than enough power.

x2. mite seem too obvious an answer but yaaah a home hifi amp, vintage or not, will def be the most 'powerful' headamp available short of perhaps RSAs newest & greatest. with vintage amps, some of their headphone jacks mite give u a few pleasant surprises too.

 

i drive my HD650 with a vintage Pioneer SA7500 with great effect so much so i dont feel the need for anything dedicated, for now ofcos. i also happen to have a K702 incoming begining of next mth. i bliv (+a whole buncha hope) i have another vintage Sansui (AU517) that'll drive it well too.

 

FWIW both of the above mentioned amps cost me $100 total so it can be as inexpensive as one needs. YMMV

 

There's lots of good options. You can get a good vintage 70s receiver for budget prices and they are very good. IMO, they can be more ear fatiguing after a while because of the solid state property. As a result, I stopped listening. For short durations, it's fine. They are very good amps though. If you can find one for less than $100, they are great but they hurt my ears. Ouch.

 

My personal favorite cheap small amp is the Head Direct EF1. It was around $300 and the size of a bible and the tone is very good. I think it's pretty powerful, versatile with many different types of headphones and well priced. I'm sure other hybrid tube amps are good too or at least fun to listen to. I sampled a Dark Voice amp at a meet and I did like it too. But it's not as transportable as the other amps because of it's bulky size tubes.

 

 

Build your own Dynalo. AMB has the boards and chips, I think. There's a nice build guide, too.

If you use the wallwart power supply, you can put one together for $100-$150. Maybe less if you can scrounge some parts and repurpose a case from something else.

A Dynalo will give you 1 Watt of exceptionally clean power. You'll rupture your eardrums before it bottoms out. The build will take 10-20 hours, depending on your skills.

Uncle Erik you sure do like the dynalo, I feel I really need to build one and compare it to my ck2III.

I would consider one of these as a matter of fact when my budget next quarter allows I am.  http://schiit.com/products/asgard/

 

It should be fine... but if you want to be careful about it:

1) turn volume down

2) plug headphones in

3) slowly turn volume up until your ears can't take it or you hear clipping (it's pretty obvious when clipping occurs, but play something bassy or test tones to make it easier)

 

As long as you don't leave it clipping at high volumes for a long time, you'll be fine.

dude let me give u the lowdown on the possibilities of things that could happen when u flip the power on the JVC.

 

1.no sound cos the arizona desert's worked its wonders & fried the amp thereby alleviating all your fears

2.static sound esp when u turn the controls

3.unbalanced sound ie.1channel is louder than the other

4.channel crosstalk ie. u can hear faint radio broadcasts (prolly ET calling home) in AUX mode or wateva

5.snap crackle pop & sizzle follow by the smoke & the smell of burnt silicon & perhaps plastic

6.an extension of 5 with the amp bursting into flames via spontaneous combustion - gotta say not very likely here but possible if ETs flying overhead

 

1 or a combo or perhaps all of the above mite happen when u turn on the amp but the one thing that wont happen is the destruction of your headphones via the amp clipping. let me further explain.

 

1stly most amps 'clip' when vol dials at the range of 2o'clk & up.

 

now i drive my 650 via vintage amps & no matter which amp, i struggle to reach 10o'clk on the vol dial which btw is ear poppin headcrunchin LOUD. only way i can reach higher vols is if im deaf. so to reach amp clipping vols, your headphones will already been blown & u would already be deaf - all via extreme dBs.

 

bottomline any of the above could happen but the one thing that wont happen is the destruction of your headphones via amp clipping - ya gettin ma drift here??

 

so power the JVC up. vol at zero or min & plug the 650 in. judiciously dial up the vol til happy & enjoy. worst is the JVC>650 combo mite sound like shiaaaat (not likely but possible) which will then give u the perfect excuse to buy another amp (& have financial worries instead).

 

ps:its possible your Jvc mite have a dedicated headamp whos output mite not be enuff to power your 650 - again not likely but possible. even then, no 'clippin' damage fears need apply.

Edited by scottiebabie - 5/24/11 at 4:37pm

Integrated amplifiers work well (aka "Home Stereo Receivers"). If you're looking for a desktop amp, the Fiio E9 is very powerful.

Another good choice for your AKGs is the Fiio E9, I got mine today eariler today and it does a good job doing it too.It uses machine op-amp sockets so in the future you can change out the op-amps as long you have the special Screw driver for the screws that it uses.