AdamCalifornia
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- Jul 29, 2005
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This is a litlle thread but some of you, who don't read Stereophile,
might be interested. What caught my eye was the list of Headphone Amps
in the October, 2006 issue. There are a few amps listed.
Here is the list:
A
Benchmark Media System DAC1
Grace Design m902
HeadRoom Desktop
Musical Fidelity X-Can V.3
Sugden HeadMaster
B
Cayin HA-1A
Channel Islands Audio VHP-1
Ray Samuels Audio Emmeline SR-71
Ray Samuels Audio Emmeline - The Hornet
C
HeadRoom Total BitHead
The most recent additions are, as many of you know, the Cayin HA-1A and Hornet.
There are no A+ or D classes for headphones and headphone amps.
Description
(From Stereophile)
Components listed here have been formally reviewed in Stereophile and have been found to be
among the best available in each of four or five quality classes. Whether a component is listed
in Class A or Class E, we highly recommend its purchase.
....
Class A
Best attainable sound for a component of its kind, almost without practical considerations;
"the least musical compromise". A Class A system is one for which you don't have to make
a leap of faith to believe that you're hearing the real thing. ....
Class B
The next best thing to the very best sound reproduction; Class B components generally cost
less than those in Class A, but most class B components are still quite expensive.
Class C
Somewhat lower-fi sound, but far more musically natural than average home-component high fidelity;
products in this class are of high quality but still affordable.
Class D
Satisfying musical sound, but these components are either of significantly lower fidelity than
the best available, or exhibit major compromises in performance - limited dynamic range, for example. ...
Class E
Applying only to loudspeakers, this "Entry Level" classification ...
Class K
"Keep your eye on this product." Class K is for components that we have not reviewed
(or have not finished testing), but that we have reason to believe may be excellent performers...
What are your impressions about the list?
Adam
P.S.
I have split the Sterophile list into two separate lists,
i.e. Headphone Amps and Headphones for more focused discussions.
might be interested. What caught my eye was the list of Headphone Amps
in the October, 2006 issue. There are a few amps listed.
Here is the list:
A
Benchmark Media System DAC1
Grace Design m902
HeadRoom Desktop
Musical Fidelity X-Can V.3
Sugden HeadMaster
B
Cayin HA-1A
Channel Islands Audio VHP-1
Ray Samuels Audio Emmeline SR-71
Ray Samuels Audio Emmeline - The Hornet
C
HeadRoom Total BitHead
The most recent additions are, as many of you know, the Cayin HA-1A and Hornet.
There are no A+ or D classes for headphones and headphone amps.
Description
(From Stereophile)
Components listed here have been formally reviewed in Stereophile and have been found to be
among the best available in each of four or five quality classes. Whether a component is listed
in Class A or Class E, we highly recommend its purchase.
....
Class A
Best attainable sound for a component of its kind, almost without practical considerations;
"the least musical compromise". A Class A system is one for which you don't have to make
a leap of faith to believe that you're hearing the real thing. ....
Class B
The next best thing to the very best sound reproduction; Class B components generally cost
less than those in Class A, but most class B components are still quite expensive.
Class C
Somewhat lower-fi sound, but far more musically natural than average home-component high fidelity;
products in this class are of high quality but still affordable.
Class D
Satisfying musical sound, but these components are either of significantly lower fidelity than
the best available, or exhibit major compromises in performance - limited dynamic range, for example. ...
Class E
Applying only to loudspeakers, this "Entry Level" classification ...
Class K
"Keep your eye on this product." Class K is for components that we have not reviewed
(or have not finished testing), but that we have reason to believe may be excellent performers...
What are your impressions about the list?
Adam
P.S.
I have split the Sterophile list into two separate lists,
i.e. Headphone Amps and Headphones for more focused discussions.