All around headphone amp recommendations
I am at the final stages of completing a system that will be my place to relax and enjoy the music.
The main components in the system are Classe Amp and Pre, Project phono preamp, Cambridge Audio DAC/Streamer, Onkyo CD, a TTable and some nostalgia. This room will be more for sitting and listening together, but I always have enjoyed my cans!!! I do have a headphone output on a very nice Onkyo cassette deck I restored which is there more for looks but does serve that function for the entire system.
My current collection includes Monolith Planar Magnetics, Grado RS 1s and some old R350's. There are others laying around but . . . I would like to explore other options once I get the system complete.
My preference would be to stay close to a standard component size that is black. This is simply for esthetics as my components are "segregated." LOL I listen to coffeehouse cover bands, jazz, alternative and some rock. Standard stuff at all volume levels. That is what I need.
Thanks in advance!!!
There is a great headphone amp shootout going on in Colorado this weekend. They will post info on the various amps on the head-fi site. Likely more $$ than the OP wants to spend but a good way to learn about what is out there.. RAAL 1995 headphones, Magna and Immanis | Page 163 | Headphone Reviews and Discussion - Head-Fi.org |
Take $200 and get a Topping DX3 Pro+ DAC/HPA if you only want to listen to streaming source material or spend a whopping $60 for a Douk Audio U10 tube HPA with the GE5654 tube upgrade. You will have to supply your own high power USB (>2 Amp / 10W) power supply. The purpose here is to baseline an HPA. I'm not pretending these are endgame components. They exist to provide you with HPA functionality and allow you, at your leisure, to pick the HPA of your dreams with no pressure. That makes them a bargain. |
I am not adverse to spending up to $1k+ if I find something I like, but there are plenty of fine units well under that figure. The Classe doesn't have headphone outs, therefore the need for a solution. I have a FX Audio DAC X6Mk11 headphone amp that I can use while I find a better solution (so a full 17-19" unit is NOT mandatory. It can digitally be connected to the Cambridge Audio Streamer's DAC which will be the best final connection option I want to use. |
