[ursdiego]

Hello there!
 
I should get my Fostex x Massdrop TH-X00 Purpleheart Headphones some day in August.
 
However, I don't have any adequate amp for this kind of gear... I am rather new to head-fi (only portable headphone listening until now, at home I used speakers).
 
I do have pretty nice digital and vinyl source equippment, however, none has a headphone output.
 
My preamp features RCA and XLR outputs, I guess, best would be a headphone amp with xlr input.
 
And it should be rather small to fit on my shelf and be mild to my budget...
 
Thanks and cheers! Urs

 

[silvrr]

What will your actual budget be?  There is a large range of costs that one can recommend.  
 
Are you set on the XLR input?  Your cans will come with a Single Ended (SE) input so having a balanced amp won't necessarily benefit you as you will need to convert to SE anyway.  

 

[ursdiego]

  What will your actual budget be?  There is a large range of costs that one can recommend.  
 
Are you set on the XLR input?  Your cans will come with a Single Ended (SE) input so having a balanced amp won't necessarily benefit you as you will need to convert to SE anyway.  

Hi Silvrr!
 
Thanks for asking the right questions:
 
- I thought around 200$ . However, if the absolute perfection is affordable at up to 400, I would consider it.
- The RCA output of my preamp is already occupied, the XLR outputs are free. However, I can convert the XLR to RCA (eg with this - link). IMO RCA usually sounds better in home environments anyway. So balanced only, if it there is a big benefit.
 
Looking forward to your recommendations

 

[ursdiego]

... and what I forgot to mention: I own an ADL Esprit that would do the job as an interim solution. And of course, whatever I buy, must outperform the ADL Esprit. That should not be too dificult, considering that the ADL Esprit is a multifunctional DAC/ADC/preamp/Headamp. And what I look out for is a dedicated headamp that does nothging else...

 

[silvrr]

 
Hi Silvrr!
 
Thanks for asking the right questions:
 
- I thought around 200$ . However, if the absolute perfection is affordable at up to 400, I would consider it.
- The RCA output of my preamp is already occupied, the XLR outputs are free. However, I can convert the XLR to RCA (eg with this - link). IMO RCA usually sounds better in home environments anyway. So balanced only, if it there is a big benefit.
 
Looking forward to your recommendations

 
What is available from your source equipment as far as outputs?  Most headphone gear has a volume control built in and therefore you could bypass your preamp (unless it includes your phono premap) if you have the outputs available.  
 
May help to list your source equipment too. 

 

[ursdiego]

Right. This is actually the design as I see it:
 
My Resolution Audio MC 2.0 is a DAC, that can also act as a preamp, however, volume control is relay-bridged when at 100% and when used with another preamp/headamp, to avoid double volume control.
 
I will connect this MC as a DAC to the headamp, so this will be direct.
 
For the turntable, I will unfortunately be forced to unplug cables to switch between poweramp/speakers and headamp. Except if there is a switch around that would not interfere with sound quality.

 

[ursdiego]

From my profile...
 
Headphone Inventory

- PerfectSound In-Ears 201
- Ortofon e-Q5
- Fostex x Massdrop TH-X00 Purpleheart (yet to arrive, expected by September '16)

Headphone Amp Inventory

Portable DAP: Hifiman HM801
ADL Esprit DAC/ADC/preamp/headamp
No full-size amp yet.

Source Inventory

Phono: Funk Firm Vector 3 Turntable. DNM yota tonearm. Reson Etile MC Cartridge. Musical Surroundings Nova II phonostage.
DAC: Squeezebox touch with EDO into Resolution Audio MC 2.0 (and then, offtopic into a Resolution Audio C50 power amp and Rehdeko RK175 speakers)

 

[ursdiego]

Hey Girls and Guys
 
I dont't really believe that nobody has any good idea for me...?
 
Cheers!

 

[ursdiego]

Well I start myself...
 
How about:
- SMSL sApII TPA6120A2 (small and rather cheap... however, is this too "mid-fi" for the Fostex TH-X00?)
- Schiit Asgard 2 Headphone Amplifier?
- Matrix M Stage?
- Gilmore Lite
- Yulong A800
- Schiit Magni 2
 
I got most of those name from another post, however, I do not have any idea how they match to my Fostex...

 

[VRacer-111]

Well I start myself...

How about:
- SMSL sApII TPA6120A2 (small and rather cheap... however, is this too "mid-fi" for the Fostex TH-X00?)
- Schiit Asgard 2 Headphone Amplifier?
- Matrix M Stage?
- Gilmore Lite
- Yulong A800
- Schiit Magni 2

I got most of those name from another post, however, I do not have any idea how they match to my Fostex...

From what I've researched, the X00's seem to work at their best with an amp that has an output impedance of 1ohm or less...so look for one with a low headphone out impedance. The Grace Design x MassDrop M9xx and Meier-Corda JAZZ-ff seem to be the two nice fits for the Fostex dynamic driver headphones. I also am in on the Purplehearts and just picked up the JAZZ-ff amp. Currently have Denon AH-D2000 phones and with a Yamaha DVD-S1800 SACD player as source to the JAZZ-ff and am very satisfied with the result through the AH-D2000's. They provide what has been missing all these years going through my receiver (NAD T747) headphone out - enhanced clarity and detail, and BASSSSSS with authority.

 

[ursdiego]

From what I've researched, the X00's seem to work at their best with an amp that has an output impedance of 1ohm or less...so look for one with a low headphone out impedance. The Grace Design x MassDrop M9xx and Meier-Corda JAZZ-ff seem to be the two nice fits for the Fostex dynamic driver headphones. I also am in on the Purplehearts and just picked up the JAZZ-ff amp. Currently have Denon AH-D2000 phones and with a Yamaha DVD-S1800 SACD player as source to the JAZZ-ff and am very satisfied with the result through the AH-D2000's. They provide what has been missing all these years going through my receiver (NAD T747) headphone out - enhanced clarity and detail, and BASSSSSS with authority.

Hi VRacer-111, thanks for this advice, sounds very promising indeed. It is a bit on the upper end of my budget though. However, I will consider it very closely, might well be worth the budget. Did you order it directly at meier-audio.homepage.t-online.de or do you know a better/cheaper source? Best!

 

[VRacer-111]

Hi VRacer-111, thanks for this advice, sounds very promising indeed. It is a bit on the upper end of my budget though. However, I will consider it very closely, might well be worth the budget. Did you order it directly at meier-audio.homepage.t-online.de or do you know a better/cheaper source? Best!

I don't know of any other place to get the Meier products than from their website, the price is the total price though - includes all shipping, etc...

 

[ursdiego]

Hi again! If you had to choose between the Corda Jazz FF and a Burson HA-160, which one would you get...?

 

[VRacer-111]

Hi again! If you had to choose between the Corda Jazz FF and a Burson HA-160, which one would you get...?

Is that model made anymore, it's not on their website... everyone seems to like it, but it does have 5 ohms impedance from the headphone out, and from what I've seen discussed, it appears the Fostex's respond best to lower impedance out (less than 1 ohm recommended). Also seems to have less fine tuning of volume with really efficient headphones (and Fostex TH series are REALLY efficient headphones), meaning there will be large dB jumps when turning the knob. I've not heard the Burson so I really can't say yea or neigh to it compared to the Corda JAZZ-ff, but apparently it will not have a smooth volume control ability, so the volume will be jumping up in loudness levels with a wide dB difference verses the absolute smooth increase in volume on the Corda JAZZ-ff.

 

[ursdiego]

What I like about this particular Burson is its discrete design. Might be more a question of believe than of facts, anyway. However, it looks like the JAZZ-ff fits this cans better, but I believe that it has an op-amp somewhere. Maybe somebody know where to find some list of low-impedance headamps to have a larger overview over amps that would work well...?