Where to find Amps for Headphones?

[edwinywh 0]

Hi, I'm quite a newbie with headphones so I have a lot of questions to ask about it.

 

I own a Grado SR80 now,which.... sounds quite brilliant/clear to me now.But I am unsatisfied with the soundstage.It doesn't gives me the "front row seats" at all.

 

I really wish to set up my headphone system to make it sound as if i'm standing in front of the stage. But I do not know how and where to start from.

 

1. I do not know where in singapore got sell headphone amps.I only know about Grado's headphone amp.

 

I saw a couple of threads about tube amps and I really wonder where did these people get this amp from.Pls enlighten me in this pls.

 

 

2. I like tube amps.They really sounds PERFECT from wat I hear when i was in Adelphi from the speakers.

 

 

[Mackie 0]

This is a prevalent problem. We usually get our amps overseas. What's available locally are Cayin HA-1A, Creek OBHxxx, Musical Fidelity Xcans V3, to name a few but considering the value for money factor, the Cayin is my favourite. However, we can buy China made headamps such as Original Master and XiangSheng 708A for S$250, great price and sound quality too. However, you will have to contact our forumer Ma6Jia for his contacts.

 

By the way, don't neglect the choice of your source. The amp aint gonna amplify garbage and turn it to gold, you digging me?

[loop_ 0]

Soundstage

 

I can tell you this: if you are looking for soundstage sr80s are not going to give you much, no matter what you pair them with.

 

If soundstage is really what you like in a can, you should sell it and find another amp/headphone combo. If recall correctly, dt880 or hd600/650 headphones should give you the soundstage you want with the Cayin HA-1A.

 

Tube amps

 

Do be careful with pegging your expectations to the setup at Adelphi. Those setups there are in all likelihood very costly, and headphones cannot give you the sort of staging that speakers will. Also, there are crap tube amps, as there are great ones, i think you should be careful about basing your impression on tube amps in general with these high end things. just my opinion.

 

Best way to decide if you like an amp: decide first which headphone you want to use it with and compare it one by one with the amps. Can ask the shop to let you try the tube amp with your sr80s, for example.

 

Where to buy an amp?

 

As mentioned by our resident guru Mackie, there are few places to buy amps here. The only i can really think of is Adelphi. Stereo Electronics also sell a few.

 

I bought 2 amps so far online. Many ppl here do that. Go check out www.head-fi.org, which probably have all the info you need somewhere in it's archives on amps available online.

 

Also, most ppl get their amps here via the do-it-yourself route. Check the forum's diy section.

 

 

Lastly, welcome to sgheadphones. Good luck! So far this hobby has set me back by close to $2k. And I don't even have high end stuff!

[av98m 0]

I own a Grado SR80 now,which.... sounds quite brilliant/clear to me now.But I am unsatisfied with the soundstage.It doesn't gives me the "front row seats" at all.

 

I really wish to set up my headphone system to make it sound as if i'm standing in front of the stage. But I do not know how and where to start from.

 

 

2. I like tube amps.They really sounds PERFECT from wat I hear when i was in Adelphi from the speakers.

Like Hansel mentioned, it will be physically impossible for any headphone to give you the "standing in front of the stage" feeling, as you call it. If you want your imaging to be front and center, I'm afraid speakers will be required.

 

What you hear through speakers at the adelphi will be impossible to replicate with any headphone rig. That being said, if you have environment/space constraints, then a headphone setup will be much more practical.

[av98m 0]

Oh, and the headroom guys have great amps and great customer service.

 

 

HeadRoom

[Rameish 0]

Hi, I'm quite a newbie with headphones so I have a lot of questions to ask about it.

 

I own a Grado SR80 now,which.... sounds quite brilliant/clear to me now.But I am unsatisfied with the soundstage.It doesn't gives me the "front row seats" at all.

 

I really wish to set up my headphone system to make it sound as if i'm standing in front of the stage. But I do not know how and where to start from.

 

1. I do not know where in singapore got sell headphone amps.I only know about Grado's headphone amp.

 

I saw a couple of threads about tube amps and I really wonder where did these people get this amp from.Pls enlighten me in this pls.

 

 

2. I like tube amps.They really sounds PERFECT from wat I hear when i was in Adelphi from the speakers.

Edwin,

 

First off the SR-80 should give you in the front row feeling/headstage. Soundstage is somthing else aand is very difficult to acheive with a pair of headphones (crossfeed would work on some but even then things are missing in headphones that are there with a decent to good speaker set-up.) If you're looking for front row headstage stick with Grados and stay away from Senn or Beyers (less so) as they both bring you further away from the front row. I'm guessing here but I suspect your source (if you have upsampling on turn it off). You can get a different headphone but if you like the Grado sound then stick to the brand. It only gets better as you move up the models. They all have a similar headstage/"soundstage" except for the RS-1 which bring you back a little more (but not as much as a Beyer or Senn). Do remember there nothing like a Grado for rock! As for amplifiers there are many choices but not many in singapore. Besides the ones Mackie mentioned there's the Grado RA-1, Grace 902 (a bit expensive), and DIY options. If you cant solder get someone to build one for you with the opa-627 op-amp (one of the sweetest op-amps- esp for grados). Headroom uses this op-amp in some of there "premium" models. If looking overseas do also note the Meier Amplifiers (one of the best crossfeed IMO). BTW the Jan Meier crossfeed is used in the very upmarket Grace 902. Where as headroom's crossfeed was used in other amps like Sonic Frontiers/Anthem pre-amps (cant remember the model of the pre but all that is ancient history).