[Wmcmanus]

Start: Creek OBH 11-SE, JMT-built META42, JMT-built CHA47, then a whole bunch more of them.

Now: Singlepower SDS-XLR and ES-1, Sennheiser HEV90, Angstrom Research Two Box (a one of a kind amp), and then a whole bunch more, most of which I've had from the beginning (such as the above listed ones).

 

[rhw]

Short story:
Shek H1 (Sigtone)
Yamamoto HA-02

 

[BigTony]

DV 332.

1 week before it developed a fault.

BT

 

[NoPants]

little dot II -> little dot II+ > ps gcha > short lived stint with earmax > darkvoice 337...when it comes back from the shop, ^ I really feel you haha, it's been around 6 months since I've used a decent dynamic headphone amp

 

[Bencrest]

Started with the Little Dot Micro, put a couple of hours on it but IMHO it was a waste of £25 or whatever I paid.

Got a Little Dot 2 after, far more impressed

Currently got an iBasso D2 Boa, considering getting a desktop amp and selling the Boa. Either LD Mk3 or DV 336i...

 

[Frihed89]

A MAD HD Ear+ something or other and K-701s. I still have it. I also have an MPX3 SE Slam and Blue Circle SBH and some older HD-595 higher impedance headphones.

 

[n_maher]

First Amp - basic CMOY

Latest Build - The Menace

 

[sbulack]

Original rig:
Panasonic Portable CD Player -> SR60 phones

Five years later: Today's main stationary rig:
Brickwall Audio Power Surge Protector/Filter ->
Terratec EWX 24/96 Sound Card -> Glass Toslink -> HeadRoom 2007 Ultra Micro DAC (powered by Desktop PSU, VD Nite 2.0 PC) -> VD Master 2.0 IC -> Mapletree Ear+ Purist HD Amp (powered through VD Nite 3.0 Platinum PC) -> ALO-Modded SR225's (Becote cups, 18AWG Jena Cryo Wire recable)

The transformation was incremental, over a good amount of time, and each piece of the audio path was found to contribute enough to my listening enjoyment to offer good value, and be well worth its cost to me.

The enjoyment I get from the music I listen to every day?
(Priceless!!!!!)

Did I have aMAZing listening sessions with the original rig? You bet I did!
Music is such a fundamental medium for the expression of aspects of the human experience that its ability to do so in amazing ways can transcend the sound quality with which it is listened to.

Today, I am literally left dazed-with-amazement on a daily basis with what I get to listen to each day on my current rig. Honestly, at the end of at least one piece of music that I listen to each day (often multiple), I let out a huge sigh and literally say to myself with incredulity, "Did you just HEAR that???" It's as though I spend quality personal time every day with the composers, musicians and producers of my favorite music. I don't have a good enough imagination to even dream up what folks with really high end rigs must hear. Neither do I have a large enough source of funds to find out. That's really OK though. The enjoyment that I get from my music through my current listening rig is SO FAR BEYOND what I EVER thought I'd be able to achieve when I started, I still find it hard to believe that I've made it to where I am - which is a place filled with wonder and delight.

 

[Aura]

My first amp:

My second amp:

$60 portable to $1,200 desktop, with nothing in between.

 

[Kang]

Kenwood integrated amp and Koss HP in 1976. Now, after some amps in between, ES1 and OIIs.

 

[M0T0XGUY]

Start: MAD EAR+ HD

Finish: MAD EAR+ HD

 

[Capunk]

Was : ibasso d1
then:
- Xin Supermacro III v6
- Heed Canamp
- OMZ v4.1 amp
- Lisa III xp

 

[Spareribs]

Interesting thread.

My first headphone amp was the PA2V2 in 2006. It's a great amp for the price and I was blown away how it made my weak MP3 player sound better.

Since then, I've had a couple other headphone jacks to play with but I now have ended the road with the Woo Audio 5.

I don't think I will buy anymore headphone amps for at least the next 25 years. I may get a few portables or some small desk top model for a secondary rig but I'm finished as far as headphone amps basically.

There's other hobbies out there and I don't want to dwell on headphones forever.

 

[bozebuttons]

First headphone amp Melos Sha1 paired with HP2s in the early 1990s.

A bunch of amps sold since then,sudgen headmaster,grahme slee solo,Headamp Gilmore Dynalo, blackgated Kgss,a couple of other melos,Sha 1s,gold referance,Nohr se9(k1000 amp)Stax OO7t,HEV70.Audibile illusions L2 preamp with a decent headphone jack,SR71.
Corda Aria,headroom bithead.

Still Have

Hev90
ES-1 maxed
Modded Cary 300 sei (headphone amp only no speaker outputs)
KRELL ksa-5 blackgatted (43nx's)
Melos Carlo maestrobator
Zana Duex
Grado HPA-2
Dared VP-300 (K1000 or used with ASL UHC for reg phones)
Van Alstien Omega
PRII
Portaphile V2^2 maxed.

I may venture into a balanced amp at some point, The 307a or Balancing Act
but I need to dwindle my amp inventory down before I do that,eaiser said then done though

 

[velingara]

Started off with a Total BitHead, now have the Micro Dac and Amp.