Headphone amp
 

Looking for opinions. Currently I am using my Benchmark DAC3 HGC purely as a headphone amplifier. I am having my W4S DAC handle the heavy lifting and sending the analog signal to the Benchmark. So the Benchmark is not using much of it's capabilities.

Granted it is one heck of a headphone amp, even receiving Stereophile's A rating, but wasting much of it's functions.

So I am looking for suggestions on headphone amps, without DACs, in the under $1k range.

I have had the Schiit recommended to me. Thoughts? Suggestions? I am not interested in hearing about off shoot products that may be hard to find. I want to know about alternatives that I can be easily obtained.

Or would I be better to just keep the Benchmark even though I am not using many of it's functions. After all, it is a great back up DAC (latest ESS chip), and backup pre-amplifier...

Keep the Benchmark. Smaller package, solid block of aluminum and steel, great potential with multiple doors open to diversify in the future if ever needed. It can also serve as a backup to your W4S if you ever need to service that or wish to upgrade etc and don't want to be left without music while you do it...

Thank you Hector... I keep going back and forth on this one, although I am strongly leaning that way. Not sure I would find a much better headphone amplifier even without the other functions in the same pricing level!

It seems like such a shame to have all of the other capabilities sitting there not being used, however it is a nice thing having a backup unit if ever needed. At some point I might even want to setup a second system <shrug>... would be a great heart of a second system :)...

I have a Ray Samuels Raptor.

Hey Bob, I have never heard of that one so I had to look it up. It looks interesting :)...

The Woo Audio WA6 is also a good one. http://wooaudio.com/products/wa6.html

I heard that Woo Audio is pretty good equipment.

I have sold the Benchmark and decided on the Woo Audio WA6.

It seems to do exactly what I am looking for. Another amplifier in my system that is designed for and dedicated to powering my headphones.

The Wyred 4 Sound preamplifier is so versatile that it has four outputs (and now I am using them all :) )... To the ARC amp, the First Watt amp, both subwoofers, and to the headphone amplifier!

With quite a bit of research I have read a lot of good things about the Woo. I also appreciate that it is an American made product. I like that it has the ability to roll tubes if I ever get to the point that I want to play around a little.

Excellent Randy. A couple of things:
The rectifier tube pictured on the WA6 looks like the 5U4G listed as a direct substitute, not the 5AR4 listed as the standard. I'm not sure if that means it could show up with either/or depending on availability, but thought I'd mention it just in case so you're not surprised if it shows up with a straight tube instead of the curved tube in the pictures. Either one will sound fine.

Having said that, if you can swing it, go for the Sophia Princess rectifier tube upgrade. It's another $160 but well worth it, perhaps the best bang-for-the-buck upgrade for this amp. It will give you smoother sound and a better soundstage as advertised. It looks cool too.

Happy listening.

Thank you Tony. With my research and Audio Advisor doing research and calling me back it appears as if the only change in the 2nd gen is a tube change. The original tubes were getting difficult to get. AA believes the 2 they had in stock were the 1st gen. So I think I am getting the pictured tube.

Probably will play with a tube change down the road. Want to get used to it a little first.

I love that my W4S pre has so many outputs... so that I can control all sources to whatever amp I want!