inexpensive portable headphone amp / Total AirHead - ?

[mixerguy]

I’m interested in buying an inexpensive, portable headphone amp. Has anyone used the Total AirHead? It is $149. It would be for use with Ipod and laptop and so forth to use HD 600 or HD 650 headphones.

http://www.headphone.com/guide/by-bu...al-airhead.php

Or - does anyone know any good sub $250 portable headphone amps? (I only need to drive one set of cans)

[Rob King]

I own this one. Probably a bit bigger in size but tons of gain and some cool features. I use it all the time..I like it a lot.

Whirlwind / PA-1

[mixerguy]

p.s.....

ok so this little headphone amp could be used with USB - !! - with my laptop, any of my computers, and even analog with my ipod when mobile.... or the living room stereo.

http://www.headphone.com/products/he...al-bithead.php

30 day return policy

i might try it out with a pals HD 600 -compare to basic ordinary headphone outputs - and see the difference...

[mixerguy]

Originally Posted by Rob King

I own this one. Probably a bit bigger in size but tons of gain and some cool features. I use it all the time..I like it a lot.

Whirlwind / PA-1

when you use the supplied AC adaptor, does it shut off usage of the 2 x 9v batteries? Or do you have to take them out?

thanks

[dingo]

You might also try head-fi.org for info and recommendations.

[lumpo]

Originally Posted by mixerguy

I’m interested in buying an inexpensive, portable headphone amp. Has anyone used the Total AirHead? It is $149. It would be for use with Ipod and laptop and so forth to use HD 600 or HD 650 headphones.

http://www.headphone.com/guide/by-bu...al-airhead.php

Or - does anyone know any good sub $250 portable headphone amps? (I only need to drive one set of cans)

I was asking the same question as you - in the end bought the next model up - the Micro amp, using with SEn580s, Grados, and etymotic. IMO worth the extra $. It does actually sound good (I'm always wary of hype). The power supply is much larger than the amp though!

[JFN - Sonalksis]

Originally Posted by Rob King

I own this one. Probably a bit bigger in size but tons of gain and some cool features. I use it all the time..I like it a lot.

Whirlwind / PA-1

I've been trolling the web for some time here now tonight for a neat and well sounding headphone amp with balanced inputs, tons of gain and a nice sound, I ended up at this unit and then I found this post. How is this unit in a long session with cans?

Cheers,
JFN

[Francis Vaughan]

I own the total bithead and a pair of 650s.

It is a mixed set of results.

The 650s really seem to like an amp with more grunt. This is hard to justify in quantitative terms, but I mostly listen to the 650's with a PPA amp. This is a really fantastic combination. The bithead just isn't there in the same way. On the other hand, I use the bithead at work with a pair of Etymotic ER-4S and it is really very very good. The Etys are a much easier drive, and the combined portability of the two makes for a wonderful answer.

On the downside, the total bithead's DAC is simply a PCM2702, which is never going to be stellar. There is no doubt that the headphone amp in the bithead is its sonic strong suite. Running an iPod (from the dock connector's line level output) into the bithead and into the Etys is a vast improvement over the iPod's internal amp.

Recently I started to use my new Duet at work. My goodness that is nice. But even the Duet's headphone amp really does not like the 650s. This is most likely because it has 33 Ohm build out resistors on the outputs. Some headphones really just don't like being driven like that. The Etys are pretty happy, the 650s far from.

The Duet into the PPA driving the 650s on the other hand is as close to utter sonic bliss as you might like.

There are a lot of people doing portable amps now. Headroom really were the pioneers in the field, but they are a little pricey. A very solid product however.

[trakk]

Hey Francis, I'd never heard of the PPA, but am very interested in it. Did you build your own? What do you think of this: High End Headphone Amplifier PPA mains powered - eBay (item 130179651144 end time Feb-28-08 13:09:47 PST)

[Francis Vaughan]

Yes, I built mine. Bought the PCB from Tangent (plus a few other bits) and ordered most of the rest from Digikey and some local guys (I'm in Oz). I've done a lot of DIY electronics, so this was a pretty easy build for me. I also built the STEPS power supply at the same time. The STEPS is a nice power supply in a matching box, and is an improvement over a simple wall wart. The whole thing took quite a while to build, and if I was honest about the value of my time I should have bought one built up.

There is quite a little ecosystem of guys who make some money on the side building up various headphone amplifiers, and the PPA is perhaps one of the the favourites. Mostly EEs looking to make a bit of money whilst they study. I have never heard of any problems. Typically the guys building them up are a little obsessive about making something really well. That one looks well built and pretty much what I would hope for.

It is worth checking what op-amps he uses, or what options may be offered.

[Pete J]

Hey mixerguy--

How about one of these:

Headphonia.com - Headstage Lyrix Pro USB total

I got one for Christmas and am lovin' it. It's clear and detailed sounding and the USB interface is a nice bonus. $189 for the hot-rodded USB version.

Cheers,
-Pete

[JFN - Sonalksis]

I just ordered one of these:

Viewing a thread - Little Dot MK I

Read some reviews on hifi-forums, seems to be good stuff they do and at that price this will be a good test unit to see if these guys make good sounding gear, if they do, this one is the next on the wish list:

Viewing a thread - Little Dot MK V Dual-Mono Headphone Amplifier!


Cheers,
JFN