Headphone Heights

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RE: Looking for a good headphone amp

Posted by RGA on June 8, 2017 at 04:02:15:
I have submitted for review (not on the website yet) a tube headphone amp/Integrated amp / Power amp.
It uses EL84 output tubes for 12 watts as an integrated. It is valve rectified
The tube output is a dedicated winding (not a cheap IC chip like most others) and it has three impedance settings depending on the headphone you use.
It has three inputs and a prein so it can be used as a power amp.
It is autobias so not voltmeters required.
I have had my HD600s for 17 years and I have had a few headphone amps over the years and tried several others and this is the first time I feel I've heard my HD600s sound like I always hoped they would sound when I bought them.
As an integrated amplifier it is superb as well.
$800US ($6,500 Hong Kong Dollars including shipping so it depends on the exchange rate though the USD is usually tied to the HKD) - the downside is that it is only available as an online order shipped from Hong Kong. So on the one hand you might have issue buying online - but on the other hand you are not paying triple for Importer and Dealer mark-ups.
It's a pretty small amplifier but weighs in at 24lbs.
Unlike most of these tube headphone amps like the Line Magnetic 218Mini or Antique Sound Labs this amplifier sounds far ballsier and extended and open (perhaps being valve rectified and using a beefier output transformer). Further because it actually offers some real power you can use it not just as a headphone amplifier.
I can't give everything away from my review - but it is coming.
King has a long history in computers and repairing and selling audio gear from the likes of ATC, Rogue Audio, Line Magnetic, Melody Valve Audio, Zu Audio. He was the repair/upgrade center in Asia for these tube amps.