| Columns Retired Columns & Blogs |
January 19, 2007 - 9:07pm
#1
Headphone Tube Amps?
| Loudspeakers Amplification Digital Sources | |
Analog Sources Accessories Featured | |
Music Columns Retired Columns | |
Show Reports | |
Features Latest News Community | |
Resources Subscriptions |
© 2024 StereophileAVTech Media Americas Inc., USA
All rights reserved
Your other post indicates you already are familiar with the guys at Headroom. Their website (www.headphone.com) and forum is the best direction I know to go for the answers you want.
AudioAdvisor has one from Vincent I believe. AA and Vincent
Thank you both.So far I like the Desktop Headroom Desktop Millet hybrid Tube amp ,it looks like a good starter Tube amp ,I like that it comes with several tubes you can change to.The Vincent is gorgeous but it looks like the power supply is in side it.
I think I might purchase a tubed amp first,then a solid state with a dac,and a balanced solid state w/ dac.
This will be my first longterm experience with tubes.
In the headphone world what is the "Halcro" of headphone amps[solid state and/or Tubed](this is just for personal reference)
THanks again
Oh and I didn't see a forum on headroom's site found some good links though.
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=3
Thanks ,I just applied for membership to headfi.I am now waiting for the headmasters approval.
You could try ELUSIVE DISC.COM they have a variety of headphone tube-amps, There's the EAR MAX, beautifully crafted and with good cosmetics on the outside to look at although I didnt buy one coz dont have the juice yet to get one (@$600) so I just settle for the LITTLE DOT 2 headphone amp from China w/c my friend sold it to me for $80 (you could check it out at e-bay for this budget amp. I think there are 2 more units there @ $159 each), quite content w/ its warm tube sound from my Sennheiser HD-600 but if you have a fat wallet there then do go for the best HEADROOM, CAYIN or the ORPHEUS ($15 grand). Hope this modest info will help
Thank you all for the leads. this is going to take more research.
Oh,and that orpheus system has been discontinued. and I decided against headtrooms tubed amp . I just found out that a hybrid uses both solid state and tubes.
The Ear Max is a great buy and is cute! Ray Samual's amps are nice. Also consider Single Power tube amps (more expensive).
There are many more wonderful choices. The guys at Head-Fi will be of great help.
Good Hunting!
Check out Eddie Current offerings and you may also want to look into regular tube integrated amps with a headphone out jack. Those tend to be very good as well.
Hi all!! I just wanted to add that I also have the LittleDotII++ and for what I paid for it I could not be happier, great little amp for the money.
What a cute little guy!
The best tube headphone amp I ever heard is the Cary 300SEI integrated amplifier. In fact, I would venture to say that it's the best headphone amp I've heard regardless of topology.
You can get it on Audiogon for less than 2k. If that's a bit expensive, you can get very close to the 300SEI performance with the Cary SLP-88 preamp.
Spectacular, isn't it!
It is tempting to buy this unit just for the headphone out.
This is an amp that is astoundingly good at extracting musical expression.
Absolutely. I've noticed people spending stupid money on headphone amps that don't hold a candle to the Cary. That thing is just so palpable and so right that everything else pales in comparison.
Guy?!?
Can't you see it has four udders? 