Sansui 9090DB and headphones

Quote:

Originally Posted by zombie1210 

I'm wondering if getting a headphone amp would be any big upgrade over using my 70's vintage monster Sansui 9090DB would be any large improvement. For my ears, the 9090DB sounds really sweet with my Ultrasone 780's.  I'm just wondering what all the hoopla over headphone amps is about. 

 

Thanks

 

 

IMO the headphone amps I heard in the SS area all fell short to my vintage Pioneer receivers and the Sansui G4500 I had owned. The exception has been my tube amps which are way above what the receivers cost me but the tube design IMO are hard to beat. What would be interesting is to do comparisons with the vintage tube greats also of yesterday something I have not explored. I have not heard the SS amps 1K and up but the Meir Concerto was a 700.00 amp and it could not compete with my two Pioneers. Plus they all drove the HE6 which none of the SS amps I dad could.

Some vintage (and modern) receivers, don't pay much attention to the headphone out - you can get pretty bad impedance mismatches, and other issues, depending on model and the headphones you want to use. So there *can* be a quality and power benefit. 

For me, the benefit of a headphone amp is the size. I don't have room at my desk for a full size receiver. Also, many include fairly respectable DAC processors, which allows me some flexibility in source without requiring another box to process signals from my computer.

Also, they are fun - with choices of SS and different tube circuits, you can tailor the amp pretty well to your specific desires. And there is something to be said for using a product engineered for a specific end, rather than a subsidiary of its primary purpose. 

But ultimately - if you have room for a full size receiver, and are happy with the sound you are getting - then that need vanishes. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by liamstrain 

Some vintage (and modern) receivers, don't pay much attention to the headphone out - you can get pretty bad impedance mismatches, and other issues, depending on model and the headphones you want to use. So there *can* be a quality and power benefit. 

 

For me, the benefit of a headphone amp is the size. I don't have room at my desk for a full size receiver. Also, many include fairly respectable DAC processors, which allows me some flexibility in source without requiring another box to process signals from my computer.

 

Also, they are fun - with choices of SS and different tube circuits, you can tailor the amp pretty well to your specific desires. And there is something to be said for using a product engineered for a specific end, rather than a subsidiary of its primary purpose. 

 

But ultimately - if you have room for a full size receiver, and are happy with the sound you are getting - then that need vanishes. :)

Every vintage amp I owned Marantz,Sansui,Pioneer all payed lots of attention to their headphone design. They were all discrete with no opamps. Big yes indeed they are and if you have the room IMO cant be beat by these SS headphone amps.YOMV When I talk about these receivers they are all 1970's .I agree with stuff after 1980  All the vintage wars were done.

I have a Sansui 9090DB.  It sounds fantastic with headphones.  The headphone out is run off the main power amp, so you get the full quality of the receiver's amplifier design, and the 9090DB was a TOTL unit.  I use it almost daily with my AT W3000ANV and the result are terrific. 

I was just wondering a little about the headphone jack on the receiver I currently have--it was my parents, and they bought it back in the early 80s. Sansui A-700 integrated amp. I know it was on the higher end of the mid-range amps. I've used it ever since I returned home a couple weeks ago, but before that I had a Bellari ha540 headphone amp, and I just can't help but prefer the Sansui. I figured since you guys owned vintage Sansui's that maybe you knew something about the design and specs. Did they put money into the design of their headphone line? Can I run a high impedence phone off of this (600 ohms or so?)? I'm guessing yes, b/c my HD600s are loud with the volume at 3. Any info is greatly appreciated. Thanks.