True Headphone AMP?


It never really occurred to me but all the Headphone Amps I've seen are really headphone integrated amps, meaning with volume and sometimes source selection.

Has or does anyone make a true headphone amp that you simply attach to your preamps outputs?

Any reason this couldn't be done?

Given that I am heavily invested in my Pre and love it, seems kind of silly to use a headphone amp off the tape output that wouldn't use my pre amp for all the things it does right.
nikturner920

Showing 1 response by flyfish2002

Go browse around Head-Fi. Lots there.

I run a Sonic Frontiers Line 3 that Bill Thalmman did his magic (and it is magic) and retubed it with NOS Siemens CCAs and E88CCs. I love this preamp - this mod/retube took a very good preamp and made it great.

The Line 3 has a SE headphone jack which I used for a while. After reading tons and exchanging e-mails with Head-Fi members, I auditioned a Rudistor RPX-33 (now the RPX-35 due to a few minor updates), a dedicated, SS, SE head phone amp. I run it from the tape outs on my preamp.

The unit never went back. The improvement over the Line 3 head phone jack is immense.

There are several very prominent, quality head phone amp manufacturers (SS and tube) out there. It tends to be kinda boutique - even more so than big rig hi-fi.

Good luck.