Balanced Headphone Amplifiers

[W9TR]

The HGC3 will run about 1/2 watt into 200 ohms so, based on how loud I listen it should be fine. But I am thinking a nice tube output stage would be the bomb.

[mulveling]

Benchmark seems to be taking a very narrow viewpoint on this. At the lower and middle segments of the market, sure there's a good debate on whether your money is better allocated in towards a single-ended or balanced design (probably leaning towards single ended in most cases). On the higher side of headphone-dom, there's no question in my mind that the best headphone amplifiers are balanced. And furthermore, the best headphones are electrostats, which require specialized balanced amplifiers to drive them.

Of course using high quality parts, good circuit design, and extremely tight matching is of paramount importance for a balanced amp build to be worthwhile.

I remember when their DAC 1 w/ headphone module was new thing being hyped and wow...I can't possibly describe how underwhelming that sound was. I'll take the preachings of Kevin Gilmore any day over Benchmark.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by W9TR

The HGC3 will run about 1/2 watt into 200 ohms so, based on how loud I listen it should be fine. But I am thinking a nice tube output stage would be the bomb.

"As an obvious caveat, the Audeze LCD-4 is among the most power-hungry planar headphones we’ve tested to date so a top headphone amp is required to make these headphones truly shine and shimmer. The 200 Ohm impedance and 97dB sensitivity in tandem with the heavyweight LCD-4 magnet array will certainly benefit from the crucial control and lucidity a great headphone amp provides. These same extra-powerful magnet and driver arrays are the principal causes of the headphone’s fighting weight coming in at a beefy 550 grams w/o cord. That’s nearly 1.25 lbs of beastly headphone righteousness."

[W9TR]

This is going to be fun! High power OTL tube amps anyone?

[W9TR]

Plus I've e got a C1100 which should drive these babies pretty well.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by mulveling

Benchmark seems to be taking a very narrow viewpoint on this. At the lower and middle segments of the market, sure there's a good debate on whether your money is better allocated in towards a single-ended or balanced design (probably leaning towards single ended in most cases). On the higher side of headphone-dom, there's no question in my mind that the best headphone amplifiers are balanced. And furthermore, the best headphones are electrostats, which require specialized balanced amplifiers to drive them.

Of course using high quality parts, good circuit design, and extremely tight matching is of paramount importance for a balanced amp build to be worthwhile.

I remember when their DAC 1 w/ headphone module was new thing being hyped and wow...I can't possibly describe how underwhelming that sound was. I'll take the preachings of Kevin Gilmore any day over Benchmark.

When it comes to audio, I've gotten tired of listening to all the yapping and their know it all attitude and self righteousness. We all know that the object of the game is to sell you their newest and greatest overpriced high end toy with the all the audiophile magazines all too happy to beat to the tune of the drums of whatever the latest model they are offering as long as they pay advertising fees and often get to keep the reviewed product at "professional courtesy price". It's always been a joke and it is getting even worse with the high end hobby dying a slow death.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by W9TR

Plus I've e got a C1100 which should drive these babies pretty well.

You can hook them up directly to the MC275 output if you are careful.

[mulveling]

Originally Posted by PHC1

When it comes to audio, I've gotten tired of listening to all the yapping and their know it all attitude and self righteousness. We all know that the object of the game is to sell you their newest and greatest overpriced high end toy with the all the audiophile magazines all too happy to beat to the tune of the drums of whatever the latest model they are offering as long as they pay advertising fees and often get to keep the reviewed product at "professional courtesy price". It's always been a joke and it is getting even worse with the high end hobby dying a slow death.

I agree with this. Also it's shocking how rapidly these patterns have transferred from 2ch industry to headphones. I remember the early days of head-fi when it was very much hobbyist/DIY based. Only the electrostatic headphones (Stax) scene is still like to a large degree.

At least the headphone scene is MUCH younger, and seems to have a voracious appetite for even more of this.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by mulveling

I agree with this. Also it's shocking how rapidly these patterns have transferred from 2ch industry to headphones. I remember the early days of head-fi when it was very much hobbyist/DIY based. Only the electrostatic headphones (Stax) scene is still like to a large degree.

At least the headphone scene is MUCH younger, and seems to have a voracious appetite for even more of this.

Millennials are a different breed. Instant gratification generation. No patience or often money to buy a CD or other physical media when you can have access to streaming for a subscription fee and listen to all the RAP, HOUSE, DANCE, TRANCE or whatever else they listen to these days which often sounds like crap on a high end system anyways. The streaming fees are equivalent to buying 2 CDs a month. Who is going to build a music collection with physical media when they are up to their eyeballs in debt? Why spend money on a high end system when you can buy a pair of Beats headphones and rattle your fillings out with the bombastic bass?

[PHC1]

Grado used to make a speaker amp to headphone adapter. I don't see it anymore. Here is a similar design for those brave enough. I personally don't like taking a chance. http://www.zynsonix.com/Speaker-Amp-...-Box_p_36.html