Headphone amp advice - know any hidden gems?

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fattypants

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I want to get a headphone amplifier, and I have a two-part question.

1. Do you know any ebay sellers that build their own and sell good ones?
2. If not, what headphone amp do you recommend for general usage?
 
Which headphones is also a good question. ..

The ones I have now are just random things, just an assortment of under-$50 headphones-with-mics and earbuds I've picked up over the years.

My budget for the amp is $100 and headphones for $150. I have a creative X-Fi Platinum already (only because I needed the DTS encoding). I have no idea if the onboard DACs or anything else on it is worth anything.
 
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I have had many XFIs and their amp circuit is decent though I replaced the opamp. It drove my HD 580s just fine. I would look into a set of used HD 600s or similar, maybe Goldring DR150. Try those with your card first before getting an amp.
 
I use an AudioTrak InAmp...picked it up on Head-Fi for $50...portable battery powered unit that can drive absolutely anything out there. Also makes a GREAT desktop amp with 3.5mm and RCA inputs (using it from my sound card to RCA). Great sound quality and easily bests anything FiiO makes.

For headphones the only thing I recommend at this point (especially for the price ~$200, check eBay) are the Sony PFR-V1's...the sound and comfort can be summed up in one word. Incredible. Has excellent lows, mids, and high, talking top-end kit here...and the sound stage is wide as shit! Easily has better surround than ANY actual surround sound headphone I've ever used (Dolby Head-what?!).
 
Here is the link to an assembled O2:
http://www.jdslabs.com/item.php?fetchitem=O2Full

It is definitely a gem. Probably the best amp under $500 currently. Rivals $1000 amps with most headphones short of $1000+ headphones.

Get it with the AC adapter if you want to use it as a desktop amp.

You don't need a DAC now but you will want one soon and the guy behind this O2 is currently working on a DAC which should sell for around $100 and I believe JDS will also be building them.

You could hold out though as he is also designing a proper desktop amp based on the same design as the O2, called the ODA. He will also be integrating the DAC with it in some way and I'm sure they will be sold together eventually.
 
O2 is the best amp you can buy in your price range period. Done. Finished. Period. Etc.
 
Wow, thanks, guys! I think the O2 and the AudioTrak are exactly the kind of things I'm looking for. Gonna get to googling to see some opinions.
 
+1 for the Objective2. Its headphone output is indistinguishable from that of the Benchmark DAC1 PRE ($1,500 studio quality interface). It is probably the last headphone amp you will ever buy.

If you can't afford $150 then get a CMoy from JDSLabs for ~$80 (including the power adapter). It also has fantastic sound quality.

Sorry I was mistaken the ODAC is a standalone piece, it's not integrated with the HPA. BTW NwAvGuy is going to release the ODAC (Objective DAC) sometime in April, and I think it'll go on sale shortly after that because he's collaborating with a company. If you want a be-all end-all solution for headphone listening forever I say wait and get one of those. AFAIK all the cables are going to plug into the back so won't have to putz around with the volume knob and the buttons (which is my main complaint for the O2)

putz doesn't get marked wrong by spell-check LMAO. :D
 
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fattypants said:
Wow, thanks, guys! I think the O2 and the AudioTrak are exactly the kind of things I'm looking for. Gonna get to googling to see some opinions.
Click to expand...

Is a very good choice. Remember that with amps what you really want is something that will just get the fuck out of the way, something that has no sound. As such it isn't a case where you have to spend moar monies to have something good. Most headphone amps are very BSified.

The Fiio E7 is another real good choice. All in one deal, DAC, amp, all that, fairly feature rich and cheap. Not much to complain about electronics or sound wise. Could have a bit lower noise for real sensitive headphones, and it is a little weak for real high impedance phones but all in all does a good job. It is my go to for my laptop since it is small and just plugs in and handles all the sound for me.
 
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