Headphone Amp

The IPB · 12 Apr 2006 at 10:52

Are headphone amps worth having for using with my PC setup. I have a HDA X mystique and mostly just use my headphones as my surround system is louuuddd. I have a pair of sennheiser 486 headphones. Ive heard about headphones amps but they all seem portable, are there mains powered ones for home use and how much are they? Also are they necessary ?

Also is a preamplifier the same thing as a headphone amp ?

The IPB · 12 Apr 2006 at 15:17

Anyone ?

TooNice · 12 Apr 2006 at 15:51

Many portable amps can be main powered.

But yes, there are home amps and portable amps. Cost start from a Cmoy/Pocket Amp 2 ($60-ish), all the way to several hundred or more home amps. IMO, amps provide a relatively incremental improvement. You would get more for your money with better headphones or source, at least up to a point.

The IPB · 12 Apr 2006 at 17:08

I see, I was just looking at them as what comes from my PC sounds good, but if possible I wouldn't mind spending up to £60 improving the quality by getting a headphone amp.

If there are any other names of headphone amps available in the UK that spring to mind, please fire away.