[AnakChan]

I thought I'd do a reboot of the Ortofon Hd-Q7 Desktop Headphone Amp as it hasn't got much love recently.
 
I've just put up my impressions of this tiny, yet performance amp and it can be found here :-
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/ortofon-hd-q7-desktop-headphone-amplifier
 
Overall though I must say that this little amp has caught me by surprise as I wasn't expecting anything big out of it but during my impressions, I was comparing it back 'n forth with my Benchmark DAC1 Pre and I actually prefer it to the Benchmark! Granted that Benchmark was probably designed to be more a DAC than a amp out but whilst they've built 2xheadphone jacks, I may as well try it.
 
The Ortofon Hd-Q7 sounded cleaner, more transparent and crisp. Having said that, the Hd-Q7 was fed by the Benchmark DAC1 too. They seem to have great synergy together.
 
My headphones are the Fostex TH900's.
 
Some repeated pix from the review page :-
 

 

 

 

 

[AnakChan]

Wow, this amp really isn't getting much love from this group! It's actually quite a decent desktop amp for $312!!

 

[Armaegis]

I reviewed this amp way back as well. I liked it overall, though wasn't blown away. Much of the price goes into the build quality though, which is top notch. 

 

[AnakChan]

Ah yes, thanks. I remember reading your review...as a contrast and complement when writing mine. The only thing which I found contrary to your was your comment that it was somewhat U-shaped (of which I mentioned in mine that it was somewhat "neutral"). As such my comment below pretty much in direct reference to your review.
 
 

I've further read in other reviews of the Hd-Q7 to be U-shaped. I personally find it's mids to be quite neutral so at least for me, it's not very U-shaped.

 

 
For it's price I thought it was quite a decent amp, better than the amp portion of my Benchmark DAC1 Pre. Which was why I was surprised there weren't more ppl interested in it. I'm guessing a few years ago when you had your review, local Japan products were harder to come by internationally but now it's easier as such the "reboot review" of this product.

 

[Armaegis]

Where can it be purchased now? I think ALO used to be the only distributor, but they don't carry it anymore. 

 

[AnakChan]

I think you'll have to go to somewhere like http://www.musicaacoustics.com/ to get them.