Motivation
Are you tired of chasing the mid-fi amp dragon? Done with flings and one-night stands with gear that was just good enough, even when your friends tell you otherwise? Are you finished doing the Walk of Shame to the Classifieds forum? Would you like to put an end to your addiction and settle down with something special to just enjoy the music?
This thread contains an evolving list of "ne plus ultra" solid-state amplifier recommendations from members of the Head-Fi community. If you have a recommendation, please share your impressions and reasoning for a one-and-done solid-state amplifier that can drive current and future headphones for a lifetime and beyond.
Criteria
The current list as recommended by forum members. If you would like to refute or support any of these amps, please do so within the thread as I am sure members would love to hear your opinion.
This list contains upcoming amps that have yet to reach the hands (ears?) of forum members. Please add your impressions below.
To Be Debated
This list contains amps that may or may not hit all the criteria for the list. Please share your votes for or against these amps so that we can either add or remove them from the Master List.
Are you tired of chasing the mid-fi amp dragon? Done with flings and one-night stands with gear that was just good enough, even when your friends tell you otherwise? Are you finished doing the Walk of Shame to the Classifieds forum? Would you like to put an end to your addiction and settle down with something special to just enjoy the music?
This thread contains an evolving list of "ne plus ultra" solid-state amplifier recommendations from members of the Head-Fi community. If you have a recommendation, please share your impressions and reasoning for a one-and-done solid-state amplifier that can drive current and future headphones for a lifetime and beyond.
Criteria
- Must be an amplifier that is the "Top-of-the-Line" and "End-Game" worthy. (I know, this one is debatable but let's see how it plays out.).
- Must be an amp that enables the owner to resist FOMO for other amps (Again, a flaky criterion, at best. Still, let's entertain this and see what happens.)
- Must be versatile and be able to drive up to Susvara-levels of performance requirements, while also allowing for easy-to-drive headphones, too.
- Must have analog inputs, even if an on-board DAC is available.
- Must be available for purchase on the retail market (There is another list below for upcoming amps.).
- Does not include e-stats and/or pure (SET, OTL, etc.) tube amplifiers.
- Any "tube-ified" recommendations should be hybrid types.
The current list as recommended by forum members. If you would like to refute or support any of these amps, please do so within the thread as I am sure members would love to hear your opinion.
- Audio-GD Master-9 MK3
- Bakoon HDA-5210mk4
- BENCHMARK HPA4
- Burson Audio Conductor 3X GT
- Bryston BHA-1
- Cen.Grand 9i-906 Silver Fox
- dCS Lina
- Denafrips Artemis
- Eleven Audio XIAUDIO Formula S
- Enleum AMP-23R
- Enleum HPA-23RM
- Erzetich Deimos
- Ferrum OOR
- Flux Volot
- HeadAmp GS-X mk2
- Hifiman Serenade
- Holo Audio Bliss KTE
- iFi iCAN Signature
- ifi iCAN Phantom
- Harmony Design EAR 909
- Kinki Studio THR-1
- Luxman P-750u
- Mcintosh MA150
- Mass Kobo Model 465
- Meier-Audio Corda Soul
- MSB Dynamic headphone amplifier
- Nimbus US 5 Pro
- Paltauf HPA-100 SP
- Pass Labs HPA-1
- Questyle CMA Fifteen
- Questyle CMA Twelve Master
- Riviera AIC10-Bal
- RSA The Dark Star
- Rupert Neve Fidelice Precision DAC
- SAEQ ARMAGEDDON
- Sennheiser HDV 820
- Schiit Mjolnir 3
- Sparkos Labs Aries
- Spirit Torino Sigfrid
- SPL Phonitor XE
- T+A HA 200
- Topping A90 Discrete
- Violectric DHA V590² PRO
- Wells Audio HeadTrip II Level II
- Yamaha HA-L7A
- ZÄHL HM1
- ...
This list contains upcoming amps that have yet to reach the hands (ears?) of forum members. Please add your impressions below.
To Be Debated
This list contains amps that may or may not hit all the criteria for the list. Please share your votes for or against these amps so that we can either add or remove them from the Master List.
Last edited: