Headphone Amps

Greenlizard0 · 3 Sep 2006 at 18:56

I have a Creative X-Fi Fata1ty sound card and use a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 770 pro to listen to my music. It has been suggested that I purchase a headphone amp. I have very little knowledge about these.

Does anybody have one?
What do you recommend?
Are they worth the money?
What should I be looking for if I was to buy one?

Thanks for any help.

Presh

squiffy · 3 Sep 2006 at 19:00

"Does anybody have one? "

Yes, Aphead 47, and a Class A headphone amplifier inside a pre-amp

"What do you recommend?"

errm dunno. Do you want a portable or racking headphone amp?

"Are they worth the money? "

Yes.

"What should I be looking for if I was to buy one?"

Usual, input, headphone output ideally 6.25mm, and volume.

Greenlizard0 · 3 Sep 2006 at 19:07

That was quick, thanks for the reply. What does racking mean? Do you have any other tips etc? I'm lookng through some though I don't really know what I'm doing.

Ideally I don't want it to run off batteries and I want it to plug into my creative board/front bay.

There's even stuff on wiki about it.

squiffy · 3 Sep 2006 at 19:16

What sort of price are you looking at? Rega produce a headphone amp..

http://www.rega.co.uk/html/ear_2001.htm

I think it's around £100

Greenlizard0 · 3 Sep 2006 at 19:22

That looks really nice, though I'm not certain that I can plug it into my computer. Are the only ones you can plug into a computer USB? :confused:

squiffy · 3 Sep 2006 at 19:24

eh? Just take line out from your soundcard into the headphone amp. Why do you want to use USB?

Greenlizard0 · 3 Sep 2006 at 19:26

squiffy said:
eh? Just take line out from your soundcard into the headphone amp. Why do you want to use USB?

I don't really. I was hoping to use the card. The trouble is, my line out socket isn't free, it's connected to a pair of speakers.

squiffy · 3 Sep 2006 at 19:32

greenlizard0 said:
I don't really. I was hoping to use the card. The trouble is, my line out socket isn't free, it's connected to a pair of speakers.

I would then buy a stereo pre-amplifier with a headphone amplifier. That way you can switch inputs and outputs, and have a headphone amplifier. Since your soundcard only has one line out, and you need two...ideally without plugging in/out cables all the time. A pre-amp will sort this. Something like Audiolab 8000Q, but something more affordable. Great headphone stage in this pre-amp. You need volume control for the phones, use tape out for the PC speakers but only if they have their own volume control.

HighlandeR · 3 Sep 2006 at 21:30

squiffy said:
I would then buy a stereo pre-amplifier with a headphone amplifier. That way you can switch inputs and outputs, and have a headphone amplifier. Since your soundcard only has one line out, and you need two...ideally without plugging in/out cables all the time. A pre-amp will sort this. Something like Audiolab 8000Q, but something more affordable. Great headphone stage in this pre-amp. You need volume control for the phones, use tape out for the PC speakers but only if they have their own volume control.

Its a shame one cant just buy a Stereo amp/reciever which has a integrated headphone amp inside...

Im still on the Verge of replacing my HD-595s with some Closed A900s, hopefully will make a good match with the X-fi output panel connection/ hear thats got some preamp circuit which is why its better from the that output