[SDMAN]

You had a budget of $2000-$2500 for a dedicated headphone pre-amp/amp. Hard budget. You can spend less, but not more. Lets open it up to either a tube or SS unit. And lets require a min of 1.5W-2W output. An amp youre going to live with for quite a while. That will drive 50 ohm Audere's as well as 600 ohm Beyer T1's. Woo WA22 for tube and Headamp GSX for SS can start the list. Would like to look at a few others of each type (tube and SS) before I flip the coin. Just kidding. Would prefer hearing from actual users of the amp they are recommending, but as a non user feel free to make youe case.
 
Oh, and Im not afraid of purchasing well maintained used gear. Bought from the right user, Ive never had a problem with hi quality pre-owned electronics. My home theatre is mostly pre-owned stuff.
 
Im a newbie, setting up my first headphone system.

 

[metalh3ad]

Quote:

An amp youre going to live with for quite a while. That will drive 50 ohm Audere's as well as 600 ohm Beyer T1's.

HA-160D comes to my mind. 
It does have Headphone amp/Dac/preamp. Built like a tank with lots of power.  
 
Priced around 1k. 
 

 

[Amnesia87]

http://www.redwineaudio.com/products/isabellina_hpa lol, very top of that budget, but it's so sexy and I love that they did went all out for 16bit instead of trying to make it handle everything.