[rlmoss]

I really want to have near-field speakers in my tiny bedroom, study & I'd like headphones too.

Hit on Southelectricaudios Loth Ion B for speaker because I could use low power tube amp. But when I started adding up prices: (headphones)+(headphone amp)+(Loth-600) + ASL Tulip/Orchid (2A3, intergrated or power=$1000), I couldn't afford the set-up.

So I'm wondering if there are any headphone amps that would put out 150/500 milliwatts---into 8 ohms. Joe Rodgers at Southwestern says I could drive the Loth in this near field context.

I thought maybe Bennings Microzolt would work, but on price point, not sure there's an advantage over ASL Waves+Corda.

BTW, is there another Corda in the works? I picked up one reference from someone about to choose--maybe Sugden--and deciding to wait.

 

[Hirsch]

The Berning MicroZOTL will work. It was designed as an integrated amp for speakers. The headphone jack was added almost as an afterthought. It outputs 1 watt into 4 ohms, and 0.5 watt into 14 ohms, so it exceeds your 500 mw into 8 ohms. The unit comes with headphone and speaker outputs. Berning can add preamp outputs and/or an input selector at extra cost. The ZOTL was really designed for the uses you just described.

I haven't heard the Waves, so I have no idea how they would compare to the Berning sonically.

 

[daycart1]

I haven't heard the Waves either, but the many reviews seem unanimous---excellent "for the money". It is hard to believe that the Zotl wouldn't do much better with speakers except in applications where a few more watts really matter.
Then there is the superb headphone jack....

A couple of McCormack's have appeared for sale recently here and on audiogon. Almost as much power as the waves and a reportedly fine headphone amp. This might be a little less expensive than a used Zotl....