Happy Easter @mahgister 
Dedicated headphone amp vs Headphone socket on amp
As I am fairly new to the whole headphones world. What is the general consensus in regards to superior sq for headphones, running from an external dac (aavik d-180) to a dedicated headphone amp (no dac) or the headphone socket on a fairly decent int amp (Rega Aethos). I have tried the headphones (sony mdr-f1) from the dac to a small ifi zen can in comparison to directly into the headphone socket of the Aethos and it is a total mismatch. With the latter beating the pulp out of the former. Now, what would happen in a similar matchup with a more expensive headphone amp with a price capped at $400-$500?...In general, is it even worth considering a headphone amp at this price level with the already proficient quality of the headphone socket in the Rega Aethos keenly in mind? .
Showing 4 responses by ghdprentice
@mahgister "...The most difficult factor to get from an headphone is a natural timbre..." I agree. For me the thing that completely changed the game actually moved all the headphones way closer to natural timbre and power was the headphone amp. Suddenly the Focal Utopia, Sennheiser 800 and others sounded much more alike than different. And so much like my main system in overall presentation, tonal balance, power, and satisfaction. Obviously there remained specific sonic location differences, but they just don’t seem important anymore. |
Good choice. Some to think about... Sennheiser, Focal, and Grado. There are lots more available that are great. I have a large selection... and only use the Sennheiser... my partner has used Sennheiser for decades at night when I am sleeping.. She keeps them on all night and is extremely picky about comfort and she is female so is also sensitive to bad sound. |
The headphone output of integrated amps and preamps vary a lot. Some very high end brands have terrible output. Your Rega is not one of them. It is known to have pretty good sounding output. I have used headphone amps from a $100, and at least a dozen up to $8K. In general, you get what you pay for. $500 is unlikely to get you something better than you have. If you want a great headphone system, it is exactly like putting together a great main system. Every component and aspect must be considered in great detail and with appropriate levels of investment. I seriously and intently upgraded my headphone system over a ten year period and ended up with the system I have today. You can see it under my user ID in my virtual systems. It is so much better than anything I thought possible until I dropped in the Woo W5LE headphone amp with Takatsuki 300B tubes. I had six sets of the very best headphones available at the time (Sennheiser 800, Focal Utopia... etc.) and tried half a dozen outstanding headphone amps... then finally the Woo. It completely changed what I realized was possible. It is very nearly as compelling as my main system. So, there is virtually no limit to how good a headphone system can be. |