Good headphone amp around or under $500?

[Nkam]

I’m looking for a good headphone amp around or under $500
I want it to be clean with low distortion and good S/N ratio.


is the zen can good or is the poor crosstalk measurement an issue ?

Other suggestions please?

Cheers

 

[dunring]

The standouts for me are
Drop SMSL Ho150x
Topping A90 (original, the A90d isn't an improvement, I have several of both).
Topping A70Pro if you have a 5 volt DAC the performance is simply spectacular, nothing beats it.
SMSL SP400 with a 5 volt DAC, it's the most fun to listen to, drum hits sound distinctive and fast transients.
Topping L30 II My favorite single ended amplifier bar none. A silent noise floor that makes every detail jump out.

 

[Nkam]

The standouts for me are
Drop SMSL Ho150x
Topping A90 (original, the A90d isn't an improvement, I have several of both).
Topping A70Pro if you have a 5 volt DAC the performance is simply spectacular, nothing beats it.
SMSL SP400 with a 5 volt DAC, it's the most fun to listen to, drum hits sound distinctive and fast transients.
Topping L30 II My favorite single ended amplifier bar none. A silent noise floor that makes every detail jump out.

Thanks so much man.

I was Looking for something not in the Topping camp since they come up with issues.
Is SMSL more reliable?

How come not many people respond to question on this forum?

Cheers

 

[cinnamonmilk]

My suggestion would be a EL Amp II+ from JDS Labs. Or if you're interested in tubes, the Valhalla 2 is also a good option.

 

[pataburd]

The SMSL SP400 is a great little amp that gives the Violectric V222 a serious run for the money.
(Truth be told: I more often prefer the SP400.)
It pairs very well with the [1x AKM4499] M400--even better with the [2x AKM4499EX] D400EX.