ReasonTalk.com

Hello!
It's unlikely it'll be practical for me to have monitor speakers in the foreseeable future. So I'm thinking I might make an upgrade from the UR22 interface for driving my headphones (DT-150s and AKG 712 pros)

This would be for playing with Reason and other general listening. I've been eyeing up the Rupert Neve headphone amp, the Phonitor Mini, the Monotaur (I'd buy used - I just keep an eye on eBay) or an Objective2 (much cheaper, but I'm open to the idea it might be all I need.) Flat/uncoloured is the aim. Other ideas welcome.

What do you all use? What are your thoughts?

Its wasted money most of the time. The whole equation of the headphone, its resistance etc. vs. the headphone preamp output isn't magic.

Yes, there is some audio interfaces etc. with hopelessly underpowered headphone amps and yes, they might yield low volume with your headphones and in the worst case even cause distortion - but thats no reason to spend 100+$ on an OpAmp with a few passive elements around it. Let alone pulling out those old tubes to make it even more flashy

TL;DR: Just check if your headphone suddenly sounds better on some other headphone output of another device. If it does then yes, your headphone preamp might be underpowered for your headphone and you should probably rather look into getting another audio interface then.

DAC is already built into the motherboard of some MSI laptops. http://www.nahimic.com/
Last time I saw ESS logo on some audio card was more than 20 years ago on some ESS audio cards made for ISA slot.

Argon HA1 is a headphone-amplifier I've used on audiophile system with Sennheiser HD-800

Feels like the whole Cloudlifter discussion to me

This one I use rocks

All hail Normen, whom I've come to trust.
Be afraid.
Currently running my cans through a wet Dunkin Donuts™ Bavarian Creme Filled and it's a little heavy on the 500K

EDIT: qualified my trust

What's happened is, I clicked through "Add to cart" and Paypal on the Massdrop Objective 2 amp to see how much shipping would be, one accidental tap too far and it was ordered. It turns out I had no strong desire to cancel the order, so that's what's happening.

If Normen would like a laugh, he can read about the Objective2 project here: http://nwavguy.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/o2-summary.html

EdGrip wrote: ↑

12 Feb 2018

If Normen would like a laugh, he can read about the Objective2 project here: http://nwavguy.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/o2-summary.html

Hehe, I remember one guy who created audio amps that had no reconstruction filter and he connected the speakers right to that signal, pretty much ignoring that the speaker effectively is a reconstruction filter. Because every speaker would create different aliasing and distortion patterns people would certainly hear differences to their old amp. With enough reading of the guys web page and spending a big bunch of money on his amp the subconscious will then transform "different" to "better" and there you go, another guys income safe

Edit: It wasn‘t a scam though, the guy was really convinced he‘d get the „real digital quality“ without the reconstruction filter.

Edit2: And from what I read on that page you linked it looks like that guy just built a good headphone preamp. But it might be a bit like using a tank instead of a car to get to work

There's lots of dark rumblings around Audio Internet in the years since this amp design was published. In one I just passed through, someone (we may imagine them staring bitterly into a fireplace) wrote "Whatever. NwAvGuy is in my history pile."

The designer was banned from Head-Fi. I know. Awful.

EdGrip wrote: ↑

12 Feb 2018

There's lots of dark rumblings around Audio Internet in the years since this amp design was published. In one I just passed through, someone (we may imagine them staring bitterly into a fireplace) wrote "Whatever. NwAvGuy is in my history pile."

The designer was banned from Head-Fi. I know. Awful.

Sorry, that whole paragraph went right over my head linguistically.

Sorry!

From what I have read in the last couple of days looking into headphone amps - which has meant an excursion into audiophile internet - there is a sense of ill-feeling from some surrounding this amp design and "NwAvGuy" who published it. ("Whatever. NwAvGuy is in my history pile" is one comment I just saw).

This could mean the design is fatally flawed for reasons I haven't come across yet, and those that buy or DIY it are fools. It could mean people who own (or are selling) £1,000+ headphone amps are bothered by it. Or a bit of both. I'm in no position to do any proper testing.

EdGrip wrote: ↑

12 Feb 2018

Sorry!

From what I have read in the last couple of days looking into headphone amps - which has meant an excursion into audiophile internet - there is a sense of ill-feeling from some surrounding this amp design and "NwAvGuy" who published it. ("Whatever. NwAvGuy is in my history pile" is one comment I just saw).

This could mean the design is fatally flawed for reasons I haven't come across yet, and those that buy or DIY it are fools. It could mean people who own (or are selling) £1,000+ headphone amps are bothered by it. Or a bit of both. I'm in no position to do any proper testing.

Alright, thanks for clarifying!

Switched to running my Grados through the cat's litter box.
Doo K's a little harsh

stop me now

I bought a SPL Phonitor Mini because my Interface headphone output (NI Komplete Audio 6) just have not enough power for my headphones (mostly BD DT 770 @250 Ω which are to quiet with just interface , sometimes AKG 702). I decided for it mainly because the great Phonitors got good reviews and i liked the idea of an analog crossfeed. Well even if that is not sooooo an overwhelming feature it is still better than any simulation i tested and since im used to it i miss it when i turn it off. Together with Sonarworks Reference 4 and a Subpac S2 iam very pleased and at least i use my Interface HP amp now to connnect the Subpac.

P.S.: Fostex HP a3 is good to. My buddy use it together with some Shure 1840 and is very happy.

The O2 amp arrived.
At very loud ("How will this sound in a club? Let me see for a few seconds") listening levels, the UR22 headphone amp will audibly distort. The O2 doesn't, at all.
Other than that, using my highly scientific A/B testing method of getting the volumes about the same and unplugging from one and plugging into the other as quickly as I can, I can't (yet) hear a difference.
That's with the 63ohm K712s - I haven't dug out the 250ohm DT150s yet because they are in a drawer and I have been enjoying the K712s too much. I'll post any findings when I do.

If you're using AKG headphones, the UR22 is probably fine.

All this makes me think the interface companies should make more of the built-in headphone amps - both in terms of building them good and flat and clean with lots of headroom, and in terms of highlighting that in the marketing. At all price levels, but especially at the beginner price point where the user is likely to be relying on headphones for practical as well as financial reasons.

Using a hd600 sennheiser. My focusrite scarlett is powerful enough. Can’t imagine headphone outputs to be low powered. It’s 2018...