[LucasKA]

Hello I want to ask for the collective wisdoms/experience of the group on a headphone amp recommendation.

I ordered a custom made tube DAC/Preamp from David Coe at AD Audio (https://adaudio.wordpress.com/about/), he had rebuilt my Radford STA100 amp before and one of the best tube technician/engineer in UK. The tube Preamp will have a fixed level line RCA output which will go to a headphone amp.

So I am in the market for a headphone amp that will takes single end input to single end output (or balanced output) to drive Focal Utopia, OBravo HAMT-1, HD800 (and potential Hifiman HE1k)

I am aware of the difference between balance and unbalanced, and benefit of a well designed balanced design.

As I read that some headphone amps like Audio-GD master 9/19 are designed to be give their best performance balanced. I also noticed from my Liquid Gold X, balanced in/out give much better sound quality than single end.

Amps I had looked at include:
PASS Lab HPA 1, which is Single end in/Out

Ear YOSHINO HP-4 with Single End In/Out

Luxman P750/700u, single/balance in/out
Luxman p1u, single in/out

Thank you!

 

[eskamobob1]

The benefits of bal vs unbalanced are far far outweighed by the benefits of an amp being well designed regardless of topology. For totl se amps I would look eleum, Riviera, viva, high end ec/DNA.

 

[helljudgement]

Most tube amps are inherently single ended and only accept balance input via a transformer so you actually have a vast range of amps to choose from. It just depends on your budget and sound preferences. You can take a look at ampsandsound and Feliks audio catalogue of amps as a start. DNA and Eddie Current amps do provide balanced outputs if that's what you're looking for.

 

[LucasKA]

Thanks for replying @helljudgement and @eskamobob1

Most tube amps are inherently single ended and only accept balance input via a transformer so you actually have a vast range of amps to choose from. It just depends on your budget and sound preferences. You can take a look at ampsandsound and Feliks audio catalogue of amps as a start. DNA and Eddie Current amps do provide balanced outputs if that's what you're looking for.

Not particularly looking at tube amp as my main speaker system is mostly vintage tube already, and the new preamp/Dac will also be going through tube too, so hoping to use solid state for the headphone.

Would say my budget is about £2k-3K for used or new. I mostly buy used though!

The benefits of bal vs unbalanced are far far outweighed by the benefits of an amp being well designed regardless of topology. For totl se amps I would look eleum, Riviera, viva, high end ec/DNA.

Yeah I had read and I do believe with good design it doesn't matter, will look into those brands! Thanks

 

[eskamobob1]

Thanks for replying @helljudgement and @eskamobob1

Not particularly looking at tube amp as my main speaker system is mostly vintage tube already, and the new preamp/Dac will also be going through tube too, so hoping to use solid state for the headphone.

Would say my budget is about £2k-3K for used or new. I mostly buy used though!


Yeah I had read and I do believe with good design it doesn't matter, will look into those brands! Thanks

all of those are either tubes or well over your budget. In your budget I would look into importing a masskobo 393 (single ended version of the 394ii). TBH, single ended solid state just arent all that common any more below the ultra uber high end stuff.

 

[LucasKA]

all of those are either tubes or well over your budget. In your budget I would look into importing a masskobo 393 (single ended version of the 394ii). TBH, single ended solid state just arent all that common any more below the ultra uber high end stuff.

I had heard great things about Mass Kobo and their portable headphone amp!

The closet I can get will be Mass Kobo Model 433, between the new 433 or a used Luxman P750u would you have a preference?

https://store.jaben.com/collections/headphone-amplifier

Thanks!
Lucas

 

[eskamobob1]

I had heard great things about Mass Kobo and their portable headphone amp!

The closet I can get will be Mass Kobo Model 433, between the new 433 or a used Luxman P750u would you have a preference?

https://store.jaben.com/collections/headphone-amplifier

Thanks!
Lucas

I personaly think the portable 428 is already better than the P750u on a fairly wholistic level, so the desktop 433 should be a very solid step up

 

[bfin3]

schiit folvangr or whatever it's called, the Pass that you already identified, or the cayin ha-300 would be some of the best unbalanced amps in or slightly above that price range