Best Headphone Preamp Cost No Object


Can I please have your first hand impressions and recommendations for a "cost no object" dedicated Headphone Amplifier that you've listened to? I own upgraded Sennheiser HD650s and a Wadia 860x to feed the amp. I don't want/need balanced capability. I'd like to know what is currently possible by purchasing New. Tubes OR solid state are fine, I'd just like to know what the "Audio Intelligentia" thinks is cool these days.

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Showing 1 response by rgs92

I own & I am extremely happy with my latest-version Headroom Max (with HD650s with a Zu Mobius cable); Headroom's new version has a new "reference module" that
is stunning, a significant improvement over the original Max. It is built as solid as a rock, generates no heat so you can leave it on all the time, and has a small footprint, & takes no care & feeding like tube amps. Even if you have a tube amp, I would have a Max as a backup. It's one of the great bargains in high-end. The midrange & vocals are smooth but not forward, bass is authoritative but not boomy, highs are sweet & not tizzy. Soundstaging is appropriately deep with minimal inside-the-head affect. It is very addictive. Wes Phillip's 1999 (I think) Stereophile rave-review of the original was very accurate.
By the way, the Senn 650s are way more natural & better in every respect than the old 600s. (My cdp is an Accuphase DP75V. ICs are Kubala-Sosna Emotions. Power cables are TG 688s. I also use a BPT BP Junior power conditioner on the CD player. A great little headphone system, I believe.)