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ISO: Tube headphone amp for Planar headphones

Hello everyone. I recently purchased set of Audeze MM-100 headphones. 

https://www.audeze.com/products/mm-100

At 18 ohms and  98 dB/1mW sensitivity they shouldn't be difficult to drive. I'm currently driving them with a beyerdynamic A20 Headphone Amplifier that I was using with a pair of beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO 250 cans. 

While the new headphones sound okay with the A20, I can't help but feel that the current amp isn't driving the MM-100s to their potential. Granted, the MM-100 are analytical as they're meant to be studio monitors but I'm thinking that perhaps a decent tube amp would warm them up a bit.

So I'm looking for a tube headphone amplifier that will work well with the planars.

Budget is $800-1100. Thanks in advance!

Happy listening.

 
 
musicfan2349

Showing 2 responses by tooblue

tooblue
1,965 posts
 

Although not familiar with your specific Audeze headphones, I own the LCD2 and the Audeze LCD3s and my choice would be the Yamamoto HA-2 headphone amp. This little amp is amazing and looks amazing as well. I have owned mine for 10 years with no issues, just beautiful music using 2 WE408A tubes. Try it you will like, love it. Enjoy the music

tooblue
1,965 posts
 

With my suggestion given above, I would like to add that my main headphone amp is a Dennis Had Inspire headphone amp that I purchased new from Moon Audio and it is marvelous with Shuguang 6SN7 WE Plus replica tubes and a round bottom Brymer rectifier tube but over $2,500.00 and am very satisfied with it especially when the xtra power is needed for the more power hungry cans, WTS the little Yamamoto will never be sold. Enjoy the music

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