[aminorthreat99]

I'm looking for a headphone amp. Right now all I have are some sennheiser hd380 pros. 
 
I have tried to the rega EAR out and it is a piece of garbage. The volume knob slips around on the metal shaft inside, super bright, REGA loga is half lit up....
 
Sound path:
wireworld starlight usb (from gaming rig)
musical fidelity vdac II
wireworld oasis 6 interconnects
rega brio-r (with venom 3 power cable)
wireworld luna 6 (from record out on brio r)
headphone amp???
 
 
I want a headphone amp that will:
 
-have enough power to push most headphones on the market (upper end Senneheisers 518s-650s, lower end grados, hifiman400)
-sound on the warm side, I'm not looking for treble that makes small infants cry
-solid build quality (not like the rega EAR)
-small enough to fit on top of my rega brio-r (if that is acceptable)
-preferably using a normal power cord instead of a walwart 
-under $400US (around $200 is preferred)
-don't care if it is tubed or solid state (just want a warm sound again)
 
I have looked at the little dot mk III. I like it I just don't know how it sounds. I really want to be able to try the amps before I buy them.
I've looked at the schiit audio asgard (heard it hums and is noisy)
 
If you guys would be so kind to recommend a headphone amp I would greatly appreciate it. I will most likely purchase the hifiman400 cans. 
 
 
Thanks

 

[Errymoose]

I've used the Little Dot 1+ with grado's, HE400's and my old senn 558s, and they seem quite good with all of them.
 
Can be picked up for a little over $100 and you can spend a bit on some nice tubes (i use sylvania gold 408A) and can even replace the opamps (i swapped mine to opa627) for a really nice warm tube sound.

 

[aminorthreat99]

good info..keep it coming!!

 

[Kez1a]

I have recommended it a few times today but I have found the Bottle head Crack to be my favourite sub $500 amp ($279 from the bottle head website), although it is a DIY amp, its really fun to build! Also it definitely does not have any treble harshness.

 

[aminorthreat99]

I have heard good things about the crack but I am not looking for a DIY kit. Thanks for the info.