List of balanced solid state headphone amps

[chris_ah1]

Right, since everyone is so interested in going balanced at the moment, I thought I would compile a simple list of balanced amps that I found of interest and links to them:
a) Ray Samuels Apache @ $3000. Gain switch. One balanced, two unbalanced. http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...=239493&page=2
b) Headroom Desktop Balanced @ base: $900, stepped volume: $200, Home module: $200, Home dac: $400 or Desktop DAC: $300. one balanced, or two unbalanced. Gain switch
http://www.headphone.com/products/he...lanced-amp.php
c) Headroom Home Balanced @ $2300 base, $500 max DAC, $200 stepped volume, $600 for MAX module. Two balanced or four unbalanced. Lots of sound switches. Gain switch.
http://www.headphone.com/products/he...lanced-amp.php
d) Headamp GS-X - upgradeable amp boards, same as in GS-1. One balanced, two unbalanced ports. Three stage gain switch. $1800. http://www.headamp.com/home_amps/gsx/index.htm
e) Meier audio Corda - $830. not real balanced apparently?
f) Rudistor NX-33: one balanced, one mono. 950EUR.
http://www.rudistor.com/NX33.htm
g) Rudistor - RPX-100: One balanced, two unbalanced high and low Z. 2250EUR. Lots of inputs on this one.
http://www.rudistor.com/RPX100.htm
h) Rudistor - Leones: RP010B-MkII. 3500EUR. One balanced, two unbalanced high and low Z.
http://www.rudistor.com/soundsystems/RP010.htm
i) Headroom MAX amp: $4000. Add $500 for the Max DAC. two/four balanced/unbalanced.
www.meier-audio.com
j) Benchmark DAC1 $800 without USB, $1300 with?
www.benchmark.com

If I were actually buying one I would probably go for the GS-X or the apache. Probably apache, but $1200 is a big difference! Headroom MAX seems like a crazy price, but at least you have flexibility of including a DAC if you don't already have one. The Headroom Home balanced with MAx module and dac would be an interesting choice over the apache - $3600. Or $3100 without DAC.
NX-33 or headroom desktop are the best budget options IMO specwise.

p.s. I'll update info on the inputs in a bit.

 

[daltonlanny]

Great job chris_ah1 !
Very interesting and informative!
I guess my first choice would be the fully discrete Headamp GS-X.

 

[Ray Samuels]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris_ah1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Right, since everyone is so interested in going balanced at the moment, I thought I would compile a simple list of balanced amps that I found of interest and links to them: a) Ray Samuels Apache @ $3000. Gain switch. One balanced, two unbalanced. http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...=239493&page=2 b) Headroom Desktop Balanced @ base: $900, stepped volume: $200, Home module: $200, Home dac: $400 or Desktop DAC: $300. one balanced, or two unbalanced. Gain switch http://www.headphone.com/products/he...lanced-amp.php c) Headroom Home Balanced @ $2300 base, $500 max DAC, $200 stepped volume, $600 for MAX module. Two balanced or four unbalanced. Lots of sound switches. Gain switch. http://www.headphone.com/products/he...lanced-amp.php d) Headamp GS-X - upgradeable amp boards, same as in GS-1. One balanced, two unbalanced ports. Three stage gain switch. $1800. http://www.headamp.com/home_amps/gsx/index.htm e) Meier audio Corda - $830. not real balanced apparently? f) Rudistor NX-33: one balanced, one mono. 950EUR. http://www.rudistor.com/NX33.htm g) Rudistor - RPX-100: One balanced, two unbalanced high and low Z. 2250EUR. Lots of inputs on this one. http://www.rudistor.com/RPX100.htm h) Rudistor - Leones: RP010B-MkII. 3500EUR. One balanced, two unbalanced high and low Z. http://www.rudistor.com/soundsystems/RP010.htm i) Headroom MAX amp: $4000. Add $500 for the Max DAC. two/four balanced/unbalanced. www.meier-audio.com j) Benchmark DAC1 $800 without USB, $1300 with? www.benchmark.com If I were actually buying one I would probably go for the GS-X or the apache. Probably apache, but $1200 is a big difference! Headroom MAX seems like a crazy price, but at least you have flexibility of including a DAC if you don't already have one. The Headroom Home balanced with MAx module and dac would be an interesting choice over the apache - $3600. Or $3100 without DAC. NX-33 or headroom desktop are the best budget options IMO specwise. p.s. I'll update info on the inputs in a bit.

The Apache has 2 balanced inputs, 2 single ended inputs, balanced & none balanced pre-amplifications, balanced & none balanced headphone jacks. DUAL MONO. Three position gain switch with discrete buffer.
Ray samuels

 

[Icarium]

Singlepower also does several balanced options though most of them are pretty custom. The Squarewave XLR is priced at 1700 I think.

 

[grawk]

balanced beta 22
balanced m3
dynamight
dynamid

 

[granodemostasa]

good luck trying to get someone to build you a dynamight

(of course you could always just build one yourself)

there are a few little things:

1. Headamp and rudistor are unique in that they use discrete circuits, while the others use Opamps.
2. the Smallest is the Headroom desktop while the largest is the Dynamight


more balanced amps:
1. Eddie Current HD2
2. Singlepower SS-1

 

[nikongod]

Quote:

Originally Posted by granodemostasa /img/forum/go_quote.gif 1. Headamp and rudistor are unique in that they use discrete circuits, while the others use Opamps.

dynamight uses a discrete design. the opamp is nothing more than a DC servo. it can be built without the opamps.
beta22 and dynamid are too.

now 2 q's
why not include tube amps in this listing?
am i the only person who gets the feeling that many people are ASKING about balanced amps, but few are actually making the switch? perhaps im wrong here.

 

[PFKMan23]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikongod /img/forum/go_quote.gif am i the only person who gets the feeling that many people are ASKING about balanced amps, but few are actually making the switch? perhaps im wrong here.

I've noticed that. To me what's also interesting is that from what I can recall, over a year ago, people were already making the claim that many if not most would be jumping for a balanced amp. Yet it seems that while there is a lot of discussion in the balanced realm, especially to the cheap balanced amp approach, I also feel that the actual number making the switch is fairly small.

 

[vcoheda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikongod /img/forum/go_quote.gif am i the only person who gets the feeling that many people are ASKING about balanced amps, but few are actually making the switch? perhaps im wrong here.

it's a big financial commitment. i don't think anyone who is serious about going balanced will do so hastily or without being fully informed. i plan to go balanced. but i am still weighing my options and probably will do so for some time. there is the apache, which really isn't even out yet. there is a woo balanced amp due out this year. plus more and more opinions and comparisons are being posted. i think people are gathering info, some because they are taking their time, others just to learn with no real intention of going balanced.

 

[granodemostasa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PFKMan23 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've noticed that. To me what's also interesting is that from what I can recall, over a year ago, people were already making the claim that many if not most would be jumping for a balanced amp. Yet it seems that while there is a lot of discussion in the balanced realm, especially to the cheap balanced amp approach, I also feel that the actual number making the switch is fairly small.

Hi
Yea.. I was referring to the commercial amps... I have a tendency to make a big distinction between them. Just about all the good DIY designs out there use discrete circuits.

As for you being the only one asking... i think it's because many of those "in between" no longer look to head-fi itself to answer our questions.

balanced amps are a large investment and talking to engineers, designers, and getting as much first hand experience as possible are the only real answers when spending that kind of money.

 

[chris_ah1]

Thanks for the additions, I'll start filling in the blurbs once I get a minute.

Yeah, lots of activity but I guess only amp builders can tell if people are switching - and build times are slowing down the process.
Not to mention we're probably a small number overall.

Quite simply, I want balanced to see what the fuss is about - bad reason, but I'm hoping I'll be pleasantly surprised. If it goes wrong, then I can always sell off gear.

P.s. jargon is confusing - is solid state = opamp and discrete = ?

So tube/discrete circuit fanboys will avoid the apache and other opamp based ones? Is discrete really that much better?

 

[Asr]

Some minor technicalities: it's "RSA The Apache," "HeadRoom Desktop Balanced / Home Balanced / Max Balanced," "HeadAmp GS-X" (with a capital 'A'), and "Meier Audio Corda Opera".

Also the Benchmark DAC1 cannot drive balanced headphones, it only outputs balanced analog to pass on to an amplifier.

Single Power Audio's new unannounced Square Wave XL ($1699) is also balanced. Single Power also makes a Maestro Aurum XLR. Price unknown.

In regards to discrete and op-amp based circuits, both are solid-state, they're just two different types. Also don't try to get the idea that one is necessarily better than the other, it's all in the implementation and seems to be a matter of preference. The main advantage of discrete is that it keeps the signal path more pure and less prone to coloration.

 

[Elephas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vcoheda /img/forum/go_quote.gif it's a big financial commitment. i don't think anyone who is serious about going balanced will do so hastily or without being fully informed. i plan to go balanced. but i am still weighing my options and probably will do so for some time. there is the apache, which really isn't even out yet. there is a woo balanced amp due out this year. plus more and more opinions and comparisons are being posted. i think people are gathering info, some because they are taking their time, others just to learn with no real intention of going balanced.

And there are some of us sitting around with XLR recabled headphones and single-ended amps while waiting for Ray to hurry up!

 

[fkclo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asr /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also the Benchmark DAC1 cannot drive balanced headphones, it only outputs balanced analog to pass on to an amplifier.

In the Source forum there were a lot of discussions on using the Benchmark DAC1 to drive a balanced HD650 direct. Although not really supported by the manufacturer, a few did claim satisfactory result and stated this is better than the single-end drive. The balanced line output of the DAC1 can be switched to variable output using the volume control in front - more or less like what a headphone amp does.

I haven't tried it yet, still waiting for my Equinox LE balanced for HD650. Will report back as soon as I get it in late June 07.

F. Lo

 

[Fafner]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris_ah1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif e) Meier audio Corda - $830. not real balanced apparently?

No...the Opera has a so called "balanced headphone ground", which should give it some "balanced-related" advantages. But it's not a balanced amp, and I doubt there will ever be an option to have it balanced, because of its design. It doesn't have balanced inputs/outputs.