# Best one of this headphone amps



## Reigner (Jul 19, 2020)

For a beyerdynamic dt 880 premium 250 ohm, i know this ones are not top notch but is what i can get in my country without having to order to amazon and pay x10 of the price in taxes

Samson qh4
Presonus hp4
Behringer ha400
Mackie hm4

if these are not enough maybe adding a mixer like a xenyx 802 can improve something?


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## muk (Jul 20, 2020)

Can't help you with your selection. What I would do is head over to audiosciencereview.com and check the reviews there. They do standardized testing and leave aside esoteric and subjective descriptions. Just factual measurements to compare how well a unit does.

This is a highly recommended lower cost headphone amp, for example:









Review and Measurements of New JDS Labs Atom Headphone Amp


This is a review and detailed measurements of JDS Labs Atom Headphone Amplifier. It was kindly sent on loan by JDS Labs in advance of its formal announcement and availability this week. It retails for USD $99. As such, I will be comparing its performance to other $99 amplifiers such as Schiit...




www.audiosciencereview.com





Don't know whether it is still in your pricerange, and wheter it is available in your country though.


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## Diablo IV (Jul 20, 2020)

I learned the hard way: The output of my Babyface Pro FS is better than my THX 789 AAA *Balanced *output. Using my HD650.

Better than my Schiit Heresy. I am selling both (mentioning this not because I am trying to sell them to you, but because I am sooo getting rid of them).

In other words, both make the sound ... sound worse, worse dynamics, worse definition. Whatever.

The THX isn't that bad though, but if it doesn't improve something, then to me is trash.

I won't trust any more reviews (not even this one I am making).

Go to a store and check what interests you with your own gear. Otherwise you are gambling a lot (unless you buy on Amazon and you can return it within 30 days... also... be sure 100% you can return it if you don't like it!).


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## Reigner (Jul 20, 2020)

muk said:


> Can't help you with your selection. What I would do is head over to audiosciencereview.com and check the reviews there. They do standardized testing and leave aside esoteric and subjective descriptions. Just factual measurements to compare how well a unit does.
> 
> This is a highly recommended lower cost headphone amp, for example:
> 
> ...



this one is not available here 




Diablo IV said:


> I learned the hard way: The output of my Babyface Pro FS is better than my THX 789 AAA *Balanced *output. Using my HD650.
> 
> Better than my Schiit Heresy. I am selling both (mentioning this not because I am trying to sell them to you, but because I am sooo getting rid of them).
> 
> ...




but that baby face is super expensive, i just have the focusrite 2i4 2gen i'm sure it will not be the same


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## Diablo IV (Jul 21, 2020)

Reigner said:


> this one is not available here
> 
> 
> but that baby face is super expensive, i just have the focusrite 2i4 2gen i'm sure it will not be the same



Um, I have a 2i2.

Unless you have an issue with your headphones not getting enough power, I feel no headphone ampiflier is gonna give you better quality. What you put in, it's what you are gonna get out of them. Even though my THX is 10X better than my Schiit Heresy, both my interfaces sound better from the interface. Go figure.


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## Illico (Jul 21, 2020)

I use my beyerdynamic DT-880 Pro Black Edition (250 Ohm) with Steinberg UR22 mkII.


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## Reigner (Jul 24, 2020)

i've changed my mind now and i want to buy the sennheiser hd650 wich is 300 ohm so maybe now i fell short with only the focusrite or will be ok also?


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## sostenuto (Jul 24, 2020)

Beyer DT880 Pro 600-ohm here with Schiit Audio driving. Prefer digital source, so Toslink out of PC, to Modi dac - to - Asgard 3 Preamp/Amp. Asgard 3 preamp drives pair of Eris8 monitors. No Audio I/F in this setup. Very pleased, but ymmv


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## Reigner (Jul 25, 2020)

sostenuto said:


> Beyer DT880 Pro 600-ohm here with Schiit Audio driving. Prefer digital source, so Toslink out of PC, to Modi dac - to - Asgard 3 Preamp/Amp. Asgard 3 preamp drives pair of Eris8 monitors. No Audio I/F in this setup. Very pleased, but ymmv



i can't get all that in my country and buying it in amazon is extremely expensive


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## wst3 (Jul 25, 2020)

Designing a headphone amplifier is one of the most challenging tasks I've ever undertaken. When you stop to think that you need to be able to drive loads ranging from as low as 4 ohms to as high as 600 ohms - none of which really qualify as high Z - well, it's a bear. Add in the need to provide at least some level of output protection, and well, it's a challege<G>!

Anyway, of the ones you listed I've tried the Samson, the Mackie, and the Presonus. I've also tried the Rolls (part of my R&D<G>). The Presonus won hands down. It was happy driving a wide range of loads, and it sounded pretty good, and it got a lot louder than I needed.

As a reference, in my studio I use a Rane HC-6 as my main headphone amplifier (overkill, but it sounds awesome, and is bulletproof). I also have a Stewart Electronics HDA4, but it is no longer available new. Both the Rane and the Stewart can be purchased used, and even used they might be a good choice.

If you want new I'd go with the Presonus.


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