Review headphone amplifier

The low level resolution that this preamplifier brings forth unearths minute details normally only heard on the TONEAudio reference system costing almost a hundred times more; all three dimensions of the sound field painted now expanded to the point of being psychedelic. This thing sounds so damn good twenty minutes out of the box, the thought of plugging a pair of headphones in is frightening, fearing my head will either melt or serious flashbacks will be triggered. So for the next few days, it merely does duty as the anchor of a modest 2-channel system, logging some hours on the listening clock. Sheer genius. Wile E. Not like.

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Content:

• Naim Uniti Atom HE streamer/headphone amp review: Sublime sound at an eye-watering price
• Best Headphone Amp Under 100; Review & Buyer’s Guide
• Headphone & Headamp Review
• Headphone Reviews & News
• The 7 Best Headphone Amps for Home Recording
• Desktop Headphone Amps
• Music Hall ph25.2 Tube Hybrid Headphone Amplifier
• Headphone Amplifier Reviews & Discussion

WATCH RELATED VIDEO: HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER TIER LIST

Naim Uniti Atom HE streamer/headphone amp review: Sublime sound at an eye-watering price

If you're spending big on a pair of premium headphones , a dedicated headphone amplifier will make them sing much more than if you were to simply plug them into a computer, phone or even, depending on the quality of its built-in headphone amp, a hi-fi component.

So what should you look for in a headphone amplifier? Analogue inputs mean you can plug in a traditional source, such as a CD player, but more modern amps boast digital inputs and a built-in DAC for broader compatibility — ideal if you're listening to music stored on a computer, say. Size and portability are also key considerations.

Some of the below will happily slip into a jeans pocket and, with the right cables and connectors, can even be paired with a mobile phone. Other models command that you clear your desk. So, decide whether you'll be listening to your headphones on the move or solely at home. We've rounded up the best headphone amplifiers money can buy, including the top budget, mid-range and high-end options.

Not only is the Award-winning soundKey a fantastic piece of kit, it's highly affordable too. A killer combination.

So it's ideal for everyone, from casual listeners to those who of us who are more particular about sound quality. Speaking of sound quality, it's spot on — a spacious presentation is the order of the day, giving each instrument the space it needs to breathe. This is especially pronounced when listening to quieter, sparser material, as opposed to frenetic, busy tracks.

Recordings like this are opened up nice and wide, allowing the tiny details space to reveal themselves and giving tunes a widescreen aspect some lesser portable DACs are simply not capable of. The result? A gloriously detailed soundstage that will do mobile listeners of all stripes proud. Don't leave home without it. Read the full Cyrus soundKey review.

It's certainly not cheap, but Audioquest's newest Dragonfly is an excellent performer. The Award-winning Cobalt improves on the already talented Red by offering even better clarity and sonic precision.

Its excellent transparency means that the Cobalt reveals shortcomings in the source and recordings than others in the family don't, so you might have to watch those lower-quality recordings. But give it a good signal and it's capable enough to give Chord's mighty Mojo a hard time — and that's something not many headphone amps can claim.

It shares many of the same features as the multiple Award-winning DragonFly Red, including the 2. But there are also numerous upgrades, like the more advanced DAC chip, delivering a clearer, more natural sound, and new microprocessor which increases processing speed by 33 per cent. Plus improved power supply filtering increasing immunity to wi-fi, Bluetooth and cellular noise , a 10 per cent smaller enclosure, and included DragonTail USB-A female to USB-C male adaptor for use with the growing number of electronics with connectivity for the latter.

Read the full Audioquest DragonFly Cobalt review. They pay off. This budget DAC, which can be USB or mains powered, is excellent in both the features and performance department for the money.

The Mojo boasts much of the same sound prowess as the Chord Hugo , but without the price tag of its more expensive sibling. Its footprint is barely bigger than a credit card, but there's space for plenty of connections, including micro USB, optical and 3.

Build quality is terrific. It feels like a solid chunk of metal, with its aircraft-grade aluminium casing beautifully machined and finished to an extremely high standard. And it'll last you a while too — eight hours once fully charged, though this will vary depending on your volume levels and type of headphones used.

The sound doesn't disappoint either. It's packed with detail, and bursting with insight. The presentation is solid, full-bodied but avoids any hint of excess richness at mid- and low-frequencies. Read the full Chord Mojo review. The Hugo 2 is a strange one. It's just about small enough to take with you though this is clearly the intention, as it has its own built-in battery , but a little too large to sit in a pocket.

So it's not ideal for on-the-go listening. It's also not the easiest device to use at times, mostly thanks to its system of coloured lights, which can get confusing. So what's it doing on this list, you might ask. Two words for you: sound quality. It's very difficult indeed to fault the way Hugo 2 converts and delivers your digital audio files.

And not just sparklingly high res ones, but lower quality files, too — whatever you feed it, Hugo 2 serves up a detailed, dynamic and punchy performance.

There are plenty of inputs to take advantage of, plus aptX Bluetooth as well. See past its quirky looks, and you'll be rewarded with a handsomely detailed, dynamic and punchy performance. No wonder it won a What Hi-Fi? Award for its efforts. Read the full Chord Hugo 2 review. If you're looking for a DAC that combines all manner of useful features into an attractive and sonically astute package, the DacMagic M is a bot of a no-brainer, especially at this price.

It's well-equipped enough to slot effortlessly into any hi-fi or desktop system. A wide selection of digital inputs caters to a range of sources and there's aptX Bluetooth on board too. Add balanced and unbalanced outputs into the mix, plus a headphone output and hi-res audio support and that's pretty much any and all bases covered.

Sonically, it's got that recognisable 'Cambridge' sound which means a full, smooth tone partnered with an open, expressive, and authoritative delivery. Ignore this talented all-rounder at your peril. Another Award winner, this amp is a little pricier than the soundKey, but you can hear where your extra money's going: the sound is more dynamic, with more weight and body. There's also an extra level of detail that, combined with excellent low-level dynamics, means everything sounds more natural, subtle and expressive.

Like the DragonFly Cobalt, the logo even lights up different colours to tell you what file format the Red is processing. It's a nice touch to an already excellent device. And the glossy red finish does chip a bit easily.

But the Red is a supremely compact and convenient device that can be taken anywhere for an immediate musical boost. If you can live with that slightly flaky finish and we certainly can , you can consider the DragonFly Red a pretty perfect computer music upgrade.

As you can see from this list, Chord knows how to make a decent headphone amplifier-cum-DAC. The Hugo TT2 is a high-end delight. It's hugely impressive and not just in the looks department. It's eminently usable thanks to its multiple digital inputs of the optical and coaxial variety, plus USB and aptX Bluetooth.

There are no fewer than three headphone outputs too — handy for listening with friends. In fact, the TT2 is many things to many people. At the press of a button, you can even get it to have a fixed output so that it can be plugged straight into your existing amplifier and work like a conventional hi-fi DAC.

File support is as extensive as you'd expect, but it's the sound quality which is truly spectacular. Taking everything in its stride, the Hugo TT2 is one of the most finessed and transparent-sounding devices you're likely to hear. Read the full Chord Hugo TT2 review.

Chord Electronics has proven to have quite some talent in finding new market niches. And the diminutive Anni desktop integrated amplifier is a perfect example of that. Use it as a desktop amplifier as intended and it shines. Read the full Chord Anni review. After all, it has been in the portable digital audio game with portable music players for years and enjoyed much success.

That know-how has been put to good use in offering USB-C device owners an affordable, practical way to soup up their smartphone or desktop sound through wired headphones. The most compact option in iFi's range, it's essentially the guts of the British brand's excellent desktop-based Zen DAC squeezed into a smaller, battery-powered form.

The aluminium case feels rock solid and is accented by a nicely-damped metal volume control. As for audio quality, the hip-dac serves up the typical easy-going, refined iFi sound and we particularly praised its "undemanding nature, partnered with expressive dynamics and pleasing rhythmic precision.

In short, the iFi hip-dac is a superb buy — but it's up against a strong field. Read the full iFi hip-dac review. Be warned: this amp is a little basic, with no built-in DAC, but the sound quality is superb. There's no harshness or edginess at the top of the frequency range, bass notes are bedded in nicely without being overbearing, and vocals are placed precisely where they should be. The Magni 3 is about the size of a chunky wallet, so will fit almost anywhere. And its premium-feeling brushed aluminium casing looks very smart next to a MacBook Pro.

That analogue output tells you this headphone amp can also act as a preamp, allowing you to connect straight to a pair of powered speakers.

Very handy indeed. Read the full Schiit Audio Magni 3 review. Look at this tank. Unsurprisingly, it's very much a desktop amp — and you'll need a sizeable desktop, at that. If you're looking for something portable, best look elsewhere.

But if it's home headphone listening you're after, it could well be the one for you. Sonically, it's a valuable additional to your home audio setup. Even the densest, busiest recordings are laid out openly — in terms of staging, focus and sheer three-dimensionality, the Audiolab dishes out the details like a bar room gossip.

Add in fantastic powers of organisation and a rhythmic assurance that few can match, and you've got a solid headphone amplifier that truly justifies the outlay.

Again, home listening is the name of the game here, but again, that's no bad thing, as long as you know that going in.

Best Headphone Amp Under 100; Review & Buyer’s Guide

In that case, you may need a dedicated headphone amp to get the job done. Here are the best consumer headphone amps you can get. The all-black aluminum chassis is attractive and complements nearly any desktop arrangement. The back panel has a microUSB input and a power connection. Ok, so the outside is nice but what about the internals?

Headphone & Headamp Review

Begin typing your search above and press return to search. Press Esc to cancel. It is a spectacular piece of equipment, drawing on the quality feel of the HV and R Series products. The upsampling in the DAC can be turned off if required. There is a huge range of inputs, with the HA featuring 8 inputs, including 2 x analogue including XLR and 6 x digital, if the optional HDMI board is utilised, this is an optional extra see the Specs at the end. The amplification is a pure Class A power stage with three separately switchable outputs that are the new balanced Pentaconn connector, XLR and the usual 6. You can have multiple headphones connected at the same time if you choose. I just love looking at it!

Headphone Reviews & News

If your high-end headphones sound too quiet or dull when paired with your computer or mobile device, you may need a headphone amplifier. Powerful enough to drive most headphones, the diminutive DragonFly Red works best with computers because it needs to draw power from the connected source. About the size of a small thumb drive, the DragonFly Red is very portable and, unlike larger battery-powered amps, is easy to leave connected to a computer. The battery life is rated for around eight to 12 hours of use.

The 7 Best Headphone Amps for Home Recording

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Desktop Headphone Amps

These are devices that fit both the beginner and advanced-user systems. The Luxman Pu is still different. It turns out that such a large box is not at all exaggerated — I knew it once I picked it up. The Luxman integrated weighed less than 24 kg, and the P weighs more than 13kg! And although the headphone amplifier is lower, the width is the same and it is deeper. It is a mechanically and electrically refined device that is not an "addition" to company's lineup, but an equivalent product, possibly even an apple of Luxman engineers eye.

Music Hall ph25.2 Tube Hybrid Headphone Amplifier

This is an ever-evolving list. Actually when I received the xDSD last year, I thought that device would make it as a standalone portable amplifier because of its form factor and lightness. A couple of months later iFi announced the xCAN as their new portable amp.

Headphone Amplifier Reviews & Discussion

RELATED VIDEO: Behringer MicroAmp HA400 Headphone Amplifier Review and Test

Headphone aficionado Robert H. A true headphone enthusiast, Levi already had seven headphone amps on hand, and noted "the McIntosh exceeded the best of the best" in all ways. To go along with all those headphone amplifiers, Levi also had 16 pairs of headphones with which to test the MHA, and "not one failed to be maximized by the elegantly compact McIntosh. The Grado GSe headphones "were precisely driven with utter precision and accuracy," while their PSe cans were "stunningly detailed and alive. What an exceptional combination.

If you're spending big on a pair of premium headphones , a dedicated headphone amplifier will make them sing much more than if you were to simply plug them into a computer, phone or even, depending on the quality of its built-in headphone amp, a hi-fi component. So what should you look for in a headphone amplifier? Analogue inputs mean you can plug in a traditional source, such as a CD player, but more modern amps boast digital inputs and a built-in DAC for broader compatibility — ideal if you're listening to music stored on a computer, say. Size and portability are also key considerations. Some of the below will happily slip into a jeans pocket and, with the right cables and connectors, can even be paired with a mobile phone. Other models command that you clear your desk.

If you already have a good set of audiophile headphones and want to make sure you get every bit of performance out of them, you will want to invest in a good headphone amplifier. Making sure your headphones are sufficiently powered is a key element in having the best sound quality possible. Choosing the best amplifier isn't easy, as in the last few years, the portable audiophile market has been inundated with new models, all offering unique selling points, feature sets, and prices.