I've got the Headroom Home and have been very pleased with how well the image processor really works (driving some Sennheiser HD 600's). Or, if you find a piece on which it doesn't float your boat, you can turn it off -- although I haven't been tempted yet. Tried it many times, but I always switch it back on. Makes one wonder why more folks aren't doing this sort of stuff. At the risk of sounding like some glaze-eyed testimonial, I never really enjoyed listening to headphones (headaches and such) until I came by this amp. Would it (or another good headphone amp, although I'd swear by headroom) sound better than the little DSP jobbie they're giving away with the 580's? Yes. Expect real improvements. There are also a few preamps that devote adequate time and resources to putting in the right gear to drive headphones. However, most either skimp or, more frequently on the good ones, just don't bother. Ugh, I ramble. Yes, you can expect real improvements. I recomend looking into the headroom line. They can be a wee bit pricy, but I think they're really very good. Would I listen to the headphones over the speakers and the full system? Never, given the choice.
headphone pre-amps
Can anybody comment on the improvements they have noticed with headphone pre-amps vs. the headphone circutry of linestage preamp? I'm thinking of buying a tube headphone pre-amp(possibly by Musical Fidelity), or just use my Senhieser 580's w/the DSP unit. Am I likey to hear a significant sonic improvemnt over the DSP Senhieser unit?