[Spareribs]

A lot of these amps are made in the U.S. so it will cost more. The typical amp you see in Best Buys and Circuit City is probably made in China and mass produced.

Also, look at the market: Many of these headphone amps are not mass produced and they made by hand. If we live in a society where these kinds of headphone amps are very popular and mass produced, they will be cheaper but it's not the case.

I realise headphone amps are expensive, especially the tube ones but they are amazing and I will pay the extra amount for them because I take this hobby seriously and they sound more refined. THe Chinese made amps are good too and cheaper in price. I would go for that if I were on a budget.

Yes, it's an expensive hobby so you really have to love it but also, you can use this board to find money saving tips on great gear that's more affordable to stretch your dollar in this hi fi world.


Good luck brotha!

 

[Zanth]

Maybe because the man has more than one employee? The amps are rock solid, the company is also improving its designs and products, and the company commits to the hobby like NO OTHER. Also, they aren't that expensive when one compares amp for amp, American wages vs. third world wages etc.

 

[elrod-tom]

One thing that folks ought to consider as well is the extent that HeadRoom has really been driving the innovation in our hobby. Think about the HeadRoom Total BitHead, the Micro Amp and DAC, and something like the Balanced Desktop with DAC...all of these products have more or less blazed the trail for those that are only now coming to market. Where do these products come from without HeadRoom? Would someone else have picked up the slack? Maybe...and maybe not.

 

[Spareribs]

I find that Headroom makes very nice products and design. It's worth the price IMO for build quality, service and reliability. I love the craftmanship of their amps too.

Another great thing about Headroom is that they are a company that makes it easy for a newbies to pick up an audiophile amp and headphone. If I were clueless about headphone gear, I could just brouse their website and pick up a great amp and headphone that will knock my socks off. Quality products made in the U.S. will usually cost more but it's worth it.

 

[aaron313]

Having actually owned a HR product (Desktop Balanced), I am in a position to respond. As HighLife said, their amps are like sharp knives, a sound that I would term "rigid,' but still enjoyable. You are paying for not only a quality product, but for the prestige of the HR name. Tyll has earned the right to charge what he charges. If you don't like it, purchase from someone else.

 

[Leny]

elrod-tom: you seem to judge me negatively by the number of posts that I have made. We come across the words racist, ageist and sexist in daily use, but now you appear to introduce the notion of 'postist' to the list of worldy prejudices. So I can not have an opinion just because I have only posted to this forum a few times? You make me smile.

braillediver: you appear to have a reactionary disposition and make assumptions based on reading just a single post of mine. Your assumptions are way off course, however I feel no compulsion to explain further.

The fact is that as a design engineer I have contributed to (non-audio) projects ranging from very high value / low volume items (25 a year) to relatively low value / high volume products (100,000 a year). From this wide experience I draw many conclusions, a few of which were briefly stated in my previous post. Those words are based on experience and I stand by them. I understand that some might not be able to see the realities, but that does not change anything.

If you want to buy from a company that is 'volume-based' rather than a targeted specialist then that is of course your prerogative. I simply offer my experience-based opinion to encourage you to think before acting. However as with all opinion it is up to you whether you choose to dismiss it, react to it, or actually think about it.

Good luck in your endeavours.

 

[larry.said]

I guess the reason I brought this up is that the build of most of these amps is the same. Yet the price range is from 399$ to 1k$ for what seems (to me) to be exactly the same product-save the balanced amps.

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leny /img/forum/go_quote.gif [size=xx-small]elrod-tom: you seem to judge me negatively by the number of posts that I have made. We come across the words racist, ageist and sexist in daily use, but now you appear to introduce the notion of 'postist' to the list of worldy prejudices. So I can not have an opinion just because I have only posted to this forum a few times? You make me smile. braillediver: you appear to have a reactionary disposition and make assumptions based on reading just a single post of mine. Your assumptions are way off course, however I feel no compulsion to explain further. The fact is that as a design engineer I have contributed to (non-audio) projects ranging from very high value / low volume items (25 a year) to relatively low value / high volume products (100,000 a year). From this wide experience I draw many conclusions, a few of which were briefly stated in my previous post. Those words are based on experience and I stand by them. I understand that some might not be able to see the realities, but that does not change anything. If you want to buy from a company that is 'volume-based' rather than a targeted specialist then that is of course your prerogative. I simply offer my experience-based opinion to encourage you to think before acting. However as with all opinion it is up to you whether you choose to dismiss it, react to it, or actually think about it. Good luck in your endeavours.[/size]

Leny,

I hope you can take my comments in the constructive manner in which they're offered.

Many of us have extensive personal experience with Headroom products and the people who work there. This experience is over the course of many years. This Headphone enthusiast community while large, is not too large to obviate personal relationships.

From your comments, the bias that you express against Headroom does not seem to be founded on ANY personal experience. Your bias against Headroom seems to have no real foundation at all. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Many of us know Tyle, the guy who owns Headroom. Many of us know others who work there. People whose livelihoods are provided by Headroom.

Why would we not want to support fellow headphone enthusiasts who design, build, and support exceptionally good products? Yes, Headroom is a business, but more importantly, it is a bunch of fellow enthusiasts that happen to have helped create this industry and currently support it as well as, or better, from a professional standpoint, than most any other company out there.

You being an engineer, must be familiar with Six Sigma Design concepts.
Chief among them, is "listen to the customer." Headroom listens to their customers. Headroom supports their customers. 'Nuff said.

I hope you can stick around here a while and are able to grow in your enjoyment and appreciation of headphone hi-fi!

I wish you well in your endeavors. Happy listening!

 

[tfarney]

I'd say a Headroom in the hand is worth two Singlepowers in the que.

Tim

PS: To all SP devotees. No need to tell me how superior an SP is to...whatever. It was a joke.

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by larry.said /img/forum/go_quote.gif I guess the reason I brought this up is that the build of most of these amps is the same. Yet the price range is from 399$ to 1k$ for what seems (to me) to be exactly the same product-save the balanced amps.

Larry,
While Headroom originally took a modular approach to their desktop and max amp designs, there are significant differences between the models with regard to parts quality, power supply design, etc. I think the HR explanations of the differences are still pretty accurate.

Micro Line
Desktop line
Home line
the Max line

The escalating prices pretty realistically represent increasing component quality, design complexity, and performance. Ya get what ya pay for!

I've got a Max, and it's built like a brick and sings like a canary.

Happy listening!

 

[decur]

i think headroom amps are very good value for the money!
ive heard amps that cost much more,and do not sound nearly as nice!
also,as far as amp/dac combos headroom is tough to beat!
most import LET YOUR OWN EARS BE THE JUDGE !

 

[panda]

they have good power supplies and expensive casing but i've heard their flagship product the blockhead and while it had authority, i didn't think it sounded all that great. they are free to charge what ever they want and more power to them because people buy their stuff all the time... asking why is a brand charging so much is a wasted effort because the same applies to any other company out there that charges more than the competition...

 

[jpelg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tfarney /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'd say a Headroom in the hand is worth two Singlepowers in the que.

x2

no joke.

 

[Uncle Erik]

I think HeadRoom's prices are fair. Keep in mind that this is one of the few companies in our hobby that is organized as a corporation and has staff. A lot of builders are one man shops that don't have the overhead. Or they're in China, where everything costs less.

I think the corporate marginal rate is 22%, so about a quarter of profit goes to tax. Then there's payroll, rent, utilities, benefits, and everything else. You cannot have a business without costs. Costs other than component cost get added into the price. HeadRoom isn't a side project in a garage or from a country where you can get by with narrow margins.

 

[Ragonix]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leny /img/forum/go_quote.gif a1joe507 " A good company will have something pleasing in any budget. A not-so-good company will be a bit more of a one-hit-wonder. " Nope, not at all. Products in all categories strongly suggest... 1) desperate to get their hands on your money 2) jack-of-all-trades and master of none 3) happy to sell you a cheap product just to 'hook you in' I know some people can't see these realities. The worst companies are those that deliberately structure their range to encourage the hard-of-thinking to spend and then spend more. Examples are Naim (with thier hi-fi power supply hierarchy), Woo (with their 62% premium for a few capacitors 'upgrade' on the WA6), and SinglePower (... any experienced person can clearly see that their whole marketing startegy is to hook in the 'tweaky' upgrader and then milk them dry). It stuns me that people keep falling for it. Oh well.

What, are the cap upgrades from Woo Audio really 62% more money then if you buy it yourself?