What's the best headphone amp you have heard?

[Bruce B]

I just remembered something. I had an Alesis Masterlink modified by Chris Hoff at B-P-T. The biggest surprise when I got it back was listening to the transformation through headphones. This was the full mod done by him and remember it as one of my "eureka" moments!

 

[Lee]

I heard my Grado RS1is on the Peachtree Audio Nova headphone jack today. Very nice sound.

 

[SoundQcar]

The VTL IT-85 is the best headphone amp I've yet heard, followed by a balanced Beta22. I've had a Cary 300sei and a Manley Stingray here as well, but prefer the VTL.

 

[flez007]

I liked what I heard at the Bottlehead booth at RMAF!

 

[cjfrbw]

Thought I would follow up since this thread popped up again.

I have acquired a couple of Stax headphones, a traditional Lambda normal bias, a new Lambda SR 507, and an older SR 3n/5n, all great headphones.

I soldered the leads of a type 7 Stax transformer adapter to a standard banana jack headphone jack, and use the Manley as a Stax amp as well as a conventional headphone amp.

I also acquired a couple of single plate 5v 182b/482b amp tubes that work greaat in the Manley, and I can rotate them with the 300b for a different flavor. The 182b/482b aren't as spacious as the 300b, but probably have the cleanest headphone presentation through Stax headphones that I have heard, also with a lot of "single plate" DHT magic.

BEST is a matter of taste and definition, but they sure sound good.

In Santa Cruz, I have turned the AC heated 26/300b Hogan amp into a dedicated Stax amp with another 7 type Stax transformer adapter, also to wonderful effect.

I will be taking the Manley 300b preamp to the Head Fi meet on the peninsula Feb 11, 2012, and will be able to compare to some other types and let the attendees hear the Manley.

 

[Lee]

I liked what I heard at the Bottlehead booth at RMAF!

Me too. Also good was the Woo Audio WES amp with Stax 009 phones.

On the portable side I have an ALO Audio Rx II Tactical Edition. It has really improved my sound and resides between an iPod Classic and my new Grado RS-1is.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Some very interesting ideas regarding headphone amplification here

http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/11/objective-desktop-amp-oda-dac.html

Mo better here

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/nwavguys-heaphone-amp-measurement-recommendations

Tim

 

[airbearing]

I am using a Grace m902 with my Ultrasone Edition 10 - usually I am very fond of tubes but this combination is wonderful.

 

[alto63]

The best SS headphone amp I have heard is C.E.C HD 53N.


The best tube amp is Trafomatic Audio Experience Head One.



I also like the headphone output of the great Antelope Audio Zodiac Gold DAC.

 

[WLVCA]

I'm using a small speaker amp to drive headphones with good success - an Emotiva a-100 mini-X.

Speaker taps out of the amp to balanced headphone cables. Using three phones - HiFiMan HE-500, Sennheiser HD650 and AKG K-701.

Also have a Burson HA-160 headphone amp.

 

[cjfrbw]

Here's my second frankenstein Stax transformere adaptor. A pair of old iron Stancor PP output trannies wired in reverse and jimmy rigged with a bias supply from an equally ancient but rebuilt Stax SRD 5 box. Using with Manley 300b preamp. It sounds wonderful with Lambda Stax original headphones, much better than stock, but butt ugly at the moment, I need to prettify it more at some point.

 

[Englishaudiophile]

Senheiser Orpheus.

I remember hearing these when they were launched hear in the uk and was blown away by this package, for me it set the standard.

 

[andromedaaudio]

This one according to head fi, they did a shoot out
Although i havent heard it on headphones myself , but i might try

http://www.head-fi.org/t/613250/zanden-7000-300b-set-eu

 

[dan31]

I'm using a Ray Samuals Raptor with Senn HD600's and AKG 701's. With two inputs it covers the bases with becomining obnoxious expensive. I usually use the tape output from my Spectral pre to manage inputs.

 

[ianmedium]

I have been loving my rather unusual portable tube amp since I got it six months ago. It drives my Beyer T5P's and Final Audio Design Piano Forte IX's beautifully.

The amp comes from a one man company in Japan called Analog Squared Paper, this model is the TU-05. It is a single ended triode class A portable amp. Though portable it has more of a desk top, home amp sound to it I feel, a big full rich and detailed sound. Here is a shot of it and the internals..

 

[Shaffer]

^^^ Wow, that's a beautiful amp. Qualifies as industrial art.

Just got new cans yesterday - Beyer DT990pro. I downloaded some binaural recordings from B&W. What fun! At this point, seeing how I've owned four headphones in my life, they're the best I've heard.

 

[Alrainbow]

How about the HE6 anybody here have them ? As I have several electro static headphones they are close to the performance of them.

Al. D

 

[Ronm1]

I used to listen quite a bit but not recently.
The top Stax is very good. I have a set of the affordable ones. Very good for the money. I mod' an xcanv2(caps-pot) good improvement over stock. Last set to get lots of use GSP SOLO mod' with mod' ext supply. HD600 with Equinox cable. The GSP compares favorably to the hi-priced spread. At the time anyway, 10 yrs ago.
I should add that with mods to the xcan I rolled in matched Nos Mullards, really nice till they lost their magic after awhile, which is why I went to the GSP.

 

[Alrainbow]

Hello all
as I do enjoy headphones as well as speakers in setting things up they are very useful tool. In fact I use three different headphones to obtain better balance. I just the HE6 and hd800.
And last the stax 009. When I first bought the MSB. Stack the very first thing I did is listen to it with headphones. When used they are a reference better than speakers as there is no tuning or room effects just your ears.

Al D

 

[Bruce B]

The Abyss and Cavalli Liquid Gold Balanced amp. Best I've heard.....