[pbirkett]

Just wondering if there are any amps out there that people are still using that could be considered out of fashion, even if they were ever in fashion to start with.

It seems to me that amps seem to come and go pretty regularly especially compared with headphones which remain by and large pretty consistent.

I myself use the little known ANT Amber, and have done for 3.5 years and am delighted with the way it drives my HD600s for what was a pretty inexpensive amp. Personally I think possibly a victim of being somewhat ugly and lacking "bling bling" factor, yet compared to many amps I tried at the time, it compared very favourably.

Other amps I can think of that I rarely hear mentioned are the likes of the Headsave Classic (also a good little amp for the cash), the Perreaux SXH1 (I was indifferent to this one), and some of the older Headroom amps.

Just wondering how many other people use "out of fashion" or discontinued headphone amps and are quite happy with them.

Do we really feel like there have been major advances in headphone amp design and sound quality? I think in most areas of hifi, there have not really been particularly big strides made in sound quality in the last say 10 years or so... except perhaps source components, which although in absolute terms are no better than they were back then, the price at which they can be acquired for is considerably less than it was back then...

 

[cobra_verde]

Yes, I am going to be building my system around the Aural Audition, an all-FET solid state headphone amplifier designed by Erno Borbely. I picked this up used earlier this year. Aural is now defunct. I'm going to try a variety of power cords and headphones to see if I can make this tank sing.

 

[jellojoe]

I still use my Perreaux SXH-1.

 

[u-hear-that]

I bought used a discontinued headroom cosmic with a 4 D cell battery brick. Portable? Only when I added an astrodyne power supply did it make me happy. A much better home amp.

 

[MarkyMark]

Sugden Headmaster...love mine though

.

 

[FallenAngel]

PPAv2 - completely underrated and fantastic

Dynalo - for some reason VERY few few of these around, but that's likely because people often opt for the HeadAmp Gilmore Lite, the commercial equivalent - but there you obviously get great support, a proven design and know where it came from.

Pimeta - I don't know why so few use this amp, it's easily the best bang/buck I've ever seen.

 

[Duggeh]

You don't hear so much about the Sugden Headmaster or the Audiovalve RKV these days.

 

[rsaavedra]

Or the Berning MicroZOTL, a really great amp.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FallenAngel /img/forum/go_quote.gif PPAv2 - completely underrated and fantastic Dynalo - for some reason VERY few few of these around, but that's likely because people often opt for the HeadAmp Gilmore Lite, the commercial equivalent - but there you obviously get great support, a proven design and know where it came from. Pimeta - I don't know why so few use this amp, it's easily the best bang/buck I've ever seen.

I still love my Dynalo. I spend a lot more time listening to tubes these days, but it is an excellent amp.

I think part of the unpopularity is because the chips are hard to find. I looked into building a Dynamid about a year ago and was not able to find everything.

 

[IceClass]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cobra_verde /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, I am going to be building my system around the Aural Audition, an all-FET solid state headphone amplifier designed by Erno Borbely. I picked this up used earlier this year.

That's an awesome looking amp inside and out and I'd love to hear some impressions some time.

These aren't seen for sale much at all which makes me wonder how many units Aural actually shipped before biting the dust and what they go for used these days.

 

[justhavingfun]

LaRocco PPA w/STEPS
Rockhopper M3 w/STEPS
Ascent Signature (maxxed out pimeta, I believe)

Unless I plan to spend considerably more money from sources to headphones, my entire audio chain, above amps will give me enough satisfaction that I desire at this time.

 

[BigEat]

Perhaps not out of fashion, but definitely over looked is the RSA XP-7. I think it's perhaps pound for pound the best pure amp Ray has produced. Particularly with the isolated power system and the platform for the 9V. I still use it all the time. You never see any mention of it though.

 

[AudioDwebe]

Yes. The AudioValve RKV.

 

[BlueSundays]

Wheatfield HA-2.

Bring it back man.

You can have your WA-2s and your SP extremes (if you ever get em actually made). Ill get the HA-2.

 

[panda]

for those times when you want a ton of bass and just rock out but you can't cause it's late, RKV would be perfect.

what is a dynamid? that a dynalo with higher output transistors and a beefier power supply?

meier corda ha-1 is pretty good also for budget amps.