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headphone pre-amps

Can anybody comment on the improvements they have noticed with headphone pre-amps vs. the headphone circutry of linestage preamp? I'm thinking of buying a tube headphone pre-amp(possibly by Musical Fidelity), or just use my Senhieser 580's w/the DSP unit. Am I likey to hear a significant sonic improvemnt over the DSP Senhieser unit?
jim_gerace
jim_gerace OP
11 posts
 
to jayboard-no, I don't have any gripes. It sounds good using them either as a straight stereo headphone or as a surround processor.I actually like the sound better in DSP mode--but not substantially better/different.
no_money
565 posts
 
Headroom super sounds great, easy transportable system with the gig bag too.
dustych
53 posts
 
Can't compare to a good linestage preamp with a headphone output, but according to Headroom itself, they consider the best tube headphone amp the Cary, which really is such a preamp, just happens to have a headphone jack. I can comment on the MF, though -- sounds great! My favorite! I've only compared it to the Creeks, though. I have the Audio Valve on order...
jeffloistarca
1,004 posts
 
Ramstl, I should have been more specific, cuz I did get a good deal on it. I got mine from Kevin at Upscale Audio, a customer of his brought it in on trade, it's as new and the price was right. He advertised it on Audioshopper, I grabbed it while I was buying some tubes from him. Not sure he has any more, you may want to get in touch with him
set300b0f19
2 posts
 
I am a headphone fanatic. I've used/owned headphones like Grad 80, Sennheiser 580 & 600, and Etymotic 4S and headphone amps like MF X-Can w/ X-PSU, EarMax, Audio Alchemy HPA 1.0, Mccormack Micro Integrated Drive, and Headroom Supreme. If you have Sennheiser 580s and you like classical music and/or small jazz essemble, the best amp is the EarMax for $575. Sennheiser 580 is not really for rock or big band jazz, no matter which amp you use. The McCormack MID is also a good choice for small jazz essemble or vocals, but costs $800, retail. Please keep in mind that the MID is more than a headphone amp -- it is a 3Wpc integrated amp, and a two-source preamp. And if you beefup the powersupply, you can sequeez about 4-5Wpc out of it -- enough to drive super effecient speakers (91+db) in a small room. If you want portability, the Supreme is the way to go. Although that image processor works only on certain material.
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