Headphone amp recommendations < $1500

I've been thinking of adding a headphone amp to my main system, which already is pretty resolving. That would give me a way of checking when I hear something that sounds off. I'm not a huge user of headphones, but sometimes they are nice late at night. I have a pair of Sennheiser HD650 that I like.

I like the idea of something small with a DAC, so I could also bring when I travel; let's say solid state for durability and portability. I want basically neutral sound. If it's a little on the warm side, that's ok. If harsh or grainy, no! I'd prefer a well-known manufacturer who will provide service, maybe even return possibility.

Ones that I have identified:

Schiit Jotunheim $399 (+USB DAC $200)
Lake People HPA RS08 $850 (no DAC available)
Violectric HPA V-200A $1050 (+USB DAC $300)

I am sure there are many others. I look forward to recommendations.

 

Monolith by Monoprice Liquid Gold Balanced Headphone Amplifier and DAC by Alex Cavalli ($999.99)
It includes an integrated balanced "convenience" DAC

It's due to be released in about a month. I'll be getting one. I kinda like the Cavalli style of sound and I'm curious about this one. It's solid state and based on the original Liquid Gold amp circuit. The original Liquid Gold was released it was a $4,000 amp. This scaled down version is only $1K.

Here's a review of the original Liquid Gold: CAVALLI AUDIO LIQUID GOLD: CAVALLI’S MASTERPIECE

I'm not sure if it will be the best $1K amp for the HD650. The Liquid Gold tends to get paired more often with planar dynamics than high impedance dynamics. I'll certainly try the Monoprice version of the Liquid Gold with the HD650 and find out.

 

Thanks, @Ham Sandwich . This looks like an interesting option, and I see that Monoprice offers a 30 day return.

 

Also check out the Tuba! Hagerman Audio Labs

 

It blows my mind that Monoprice is now selling and supporting $800 and $1000 headphone amps that I consider to be high-end sound quality. What a world.

I am a big fan of the Cavalli style of sound. Alex Cavalli has a good ear and I like what he likes. So all of this is coming from someone who really likes that style of sound and owns several of his amps. The Cavalli style of sound is smooth with no harsh and no grain. But with transparency that lets you hear deep into the music and recording. Transients are dynamic but aren't hyped or sharper than they should be. It's a style that invites smooth deep listening. The amps won't harsh your mellow but will still get you dancing. A fair complaint of the Cavalli sound is that some may consider it too smooth and would prefer an amp with more snap and attack. The Cavalli sound is laid-back rather than up-front. If you're after smooth with heft it is difficult to do better IMHO than the Cavalli amps other than some of the good full tube amps.

The original Liquid Gold is one of the Cavalli amps I haven't been able to hear yet. So I won't be able to compare how the new Monoprice Liquid Gold compares to the original.

I do have a Monoprice Liquid Platinum ($799). And also a Liquid Fire (around $3K MSRP) and I've heard the Liquid Crimson (around $3K MSRP). The Liquid Platinum is an evolution of the Liquid Fire and Liquid Crimson blended tube hybrid design. But designed to a lower cost. One part of the cost cutting is using a switched mode power supply. The Liquid Platinum uses a switched mode power supply. Due to the design of the power supply and protection circuitry you cannot substitute an aftermarket linear power supply. So you're stuck with the switched mode power supply. The Liquid Platinum doesn't have the level of transparency and low level detail as the bigger $3K Liquid Fire and Liquid Crimson amps. But it does come close. Reasonably close. It would be wrong to say you're getting a $3K Liquid Crimson amp for the $800 Liquid Platinum. You aren't. But it is closer than the price difference would indicate. When I want to do deep listening into a recording I still use my Liquid Fire or Liquid Glass amps instead of the Liquid Platinum. The Liquid Platinum is easily playing in the $1K+ amp territory.

I suspect we'll have the same situation with the Monoprice version of the Liquid Gold compared to the original Liquid Gold. You aren't going to get the equal of a $4K amp in a $1K version of that amp using a switching mode power supply. But it may get close.

There is a thread on Head-Fi where Alex Cavalli explains some of the design motivations and considerations for the Monoprice Liquid Gold: Monoprice Monolith Liquid Gold (X)

Some Portland area folks are also working on setting up a Portland area headphone meet.
See this thread on Head-Fi: Interest check: Portland, OR?
If I'm able to attend I'll have the Liquid Platinum and at least one other of the big Cavalli amps there.
The meets are a good place to hear some of the amps that aren't carried at dealer shops.

 

Thanks again. It looks lovely, and I put my email on the list with Monoprice. In theory, switching power supplies should be at least as good as linear ones, but I know very few audiophiles who think so. I've not had the opportunity to directly compare them myself.

I'll get on the list for the headphone meetup. Did you make it to the headphone meeting that the Portland Audio Club had about a year ago? It was my first chance to hear a pair of Stax phones, and now I understand why so many audiophiles like them. Even in a noisy room, I could tell they were something special.

 

This is an absolutely beautiful amplifier for use with absolutely any headphones, especially Sennheiser. I have the 800, but the 600 is the exact amplifier less the DAC, and many people already have a DAC and don't need one. This would be an exceptional choice for you. The original cost on this amplifier was $2,200.00!

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-H...argid=aud-829758849484:pla-382629802442&psc=1

Here is a quick pic of mine, built to last a lifetime, beautiful design!

 

I'm not a member of the Portland Audio Club. So I haven't been to any of their meets. I should join and get involved. I have heard Stax headphones. A good Stax setup can be amazing. So much transparency and the ability to hear into and through everything in the music and recording. So amazing. But I crave and need more bass heft than any Stax headphone could ever provide. So while I find Stax headphones to be so very very good, they are not the right headphone for me. I'm not a basshead that wants boosted bass. I just crave flat and extended bass down to 20Hz with heft and definition. Stax bass is too angelic. I need devilish bass.

I have a Geek Pulse XFi DAC and integrated headphone amp along with the optional LPS power supply for it. I can listen to the DAC with the stock switching mode wall wart. And I can listen to it with the LPS power supply. The LPS makes a difference. There is more low level detail and better soundstage coherence and transparency with the LPS than with the wall wart. And that's similar to the type of difference I hear between the Liquid Platinum amp with the switching mode power supply and the Liquid Fire or Liquid Glass amps with their big boy power supply. There is a reason why high-end gear spends so much of their cost on the power supply compared to lower end gear. The power supply is what separates the men from the boys in amps and DACs.

 

Been lusting after one of these for my HD650s, don't need the DAC, but other priorities in the system are getting in the way.
It looks like you have upgraded the cable to your headphones (HD800s?), how much improvement did that give you? There seems to be a version for the HD650s as well ... very tempting and good to have an upgrade path mapped out!

 

My own HD650's really showed what they were capable of when I drove them with a Graham Slee Solo Reference.

 

Quite like the Graham Slee kit, but I am looking for a major step-up from my current MF X-CAN V3 with the separate . The X-CAN GV3 PSU. The GS is undoubtedly a step up but not such a major one.

 

I can recommend the currently available Decware headphone amplifiers, the CSP3 doubles as a wonderful preamp, and the Taboo Mk IV (a bit above the price point) is a fantastic amp for efficient speakers as well as for headphones. I have both, and use them every day. I can also recommend the previous models that can be found used at times (I have one of each I keep saying I'll put up for sale): the CSP2+ and the Taboo Mk III.

Each of these are wonderful for any headphone I've thrown at them, planar magnetic or dynamic. And there are "25th Anniversary Mods" available for any of these that truly elevate the sound.

 

Some affordable ones that measure well: The Well-Tempered Computer - Headphones

Extensive list of amps and DACs: Master Index of Audio Hardware Reviews

 

Since you mentioned the Violectric V200, there was a Chinese clone that became very popular called the Gustard H10. It was originally about $400, and I’ve seen some used ones sell for $300 or even less. The reviews state it’s not an exact 1:1 clone, and there are even a few small improvements in the Gustrand version, such as dual transformers in the Gustard, while the original Violectric has only one. For relatively very little money, I’d take a look at a used Gustard H10.

 

Love my 2nd generation Woo WA-7.

Works well with my HD650 and HD800

 

Check out the Linear Tube Audio MZ2. The base model is in your price range and you can upgrade the power supply later for an additional cost. Just an incredible piece of equipment. It will drive anything that you can throw at it and even double as a 1 watt stereo amplifier if you have some efficient speakers, or as a preamplifier for a power amplifier. I love how mine sounds!

microZOTL MZ2 Headphone Amp / Preamp / 1-watt Speaker Amp — Linear Tube Audio

 

Well if you're pushing the boat out...

 

Maybe not quite that far!

 

I quite like the Headamp Gilmore Lite Mk2 I have and prefer it to the Jotunheim (which I also own). Highly recommended: very good with detail but never fatiguing. No DAC option but that’s easy enough to add. I recently got the new bifrost and also like it a lot. This combo would give you a killer stack for under $1300.

Headamp also has a new GSX mini coming out that intrigues me but you’d be looking at $1700 with no DAC. None of these options are especially portable, but that’s what dragonflys are for.

 

The Violectric amps are outstanding. They usually have a black Friday sale late November - big savings (15-25%).

I'd email them and ask if they're going to do that sale again this year.

 

Thanks, all for the many recommendations.

I will remind everyone, I do prefer solid-state, as it's more portable when we are traveling. Also, I prefer a unit that at least has the option of a DAC installed.

Interestingly, no one has said, "Yes, get the Schiit Jotunheim!" I suppose that's because for my max price tag, I can do better? Or do people not like it even at the price.

 

The Schiit Jotunheim does not look to be particularly portable to me!

 

By "portable," I didn't mean for use on an airplane, but easily packable for use at the other end. Still , now that I've checked the dimensions, you're right -- the Jotunheim is bigger than I thought.

 

Perhaps if you could explain further what you wish to achieve? Use at two locations? Travel between by car? Plane?
All of that points to me that the solution might be best as something of lower cost at each end?

 

I would consider the Jotunheim to be transportable. It will fit in airline carry-on and the case is strong and durable. But my idea of what fits in airline carry-on may be a bit optimistic or unrealistic. This is the transportable system I brought to Georgia last year over Christmas. I'll be bringing a similar setup this year. But likely with the Liquid Gold instead of the Liquid Platinum. If you pack it carefully it will fit in a carry-on suitcase.