Headphones and amplifiers

Gray

Well-known member
Topping A90D is as flat and loud as anyone could need.
...and would leave you plenty (more than enough) to fund your choice of headphones.
(And, regardless of recommendations you need to ensure the headphones suit you - because none will have a frequency response as flat as that (or any other decent) amp.
In other words, they'll have more of an influence on the sound than the amp.
 

Gray

Well-known member
Do you think the Topping fits the Beyerdynamic T1?
As Doug said above, the A90D will be good for any headphones.
It will take the standard 6.3mm jack plug that comes supplied with the T1.
Its 4-pole XLR socket would also cater for the balanced cable that Beyer supply as an optional extra.
(The amp also caters for the 4.4mm Pentacon plugs used by other brands at the amp end of balanced cables).

But personally, I wouldn't spend a large amount of money on a balanced cable.

Headphones sometimes use proprietary connectors at the earcup end of the cable - but it looks like the T1 uses just slim-bodied, readily available 3.5mm jack plugs.
The appropriate 4-pole XLR plug is also readily available from the likes of Neutrik.
This makes (high quality) DIY balanced cable construction a relatively simple job for somebody with a soldering iron and a bit of time.....for maybe £20 or less.
 
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A-Line

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Feb 3, 2022
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Stax

Bundle Set SR-L700MKII + SRM-700S / SRM-700T​


Choice of solid state or tube energizer (amplifier) with unbalanced & balanced connections.
 

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Jasonovich

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I'm looking for headphones and a balanced amplifier up to €5,000.

Any suggestions?
I'm going to be a little partisan with the headphones as I'm familiar with the brands Hifiman (Planar Magnet) and Focal (Dynamic).
If it's only head amp you're considering, I rate highly the class A SingXer SA1 which is £599 on Amazon. It has three balanced inputs
4.2, 6.3 and XLR and work well with my Hifiman Edition XS and Focal Elegia.

I'm thinking if I had £5K, what would I likely splash out on?

OK, I would seriously consider Advance Paris A10 Classic Integrated Amplifier or Luxman SQ-N150 Integrated Vacuum Tube Amplifier . If tube amps are not your thing, I would also consider, the solid state alternatives, such as Hegel H95 or Hegel 120 Integrated Amplifier or HiFi Rose RS201E Integrated Amplifier. Both Hegel and Rose come with built in DAC. I can't make out the jacks on this but if it's 4.2 or 6.3, it'll be balanced.

Headphones you can knock yourself silly with the following, any of the above mentioned should meet your £5K budget.
  • HiFiMAN Arya Organic
  • HiFiMAN HE1000
  • Focal Clear MG Open-Back High-Fidelity
  • HiFiMAN HE1000se
  • Audeze LCD-X Over Ear Open Back
:)
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https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audeze-Hea...50-a3f8-342042876ead&pd_rd_i=B08ZR34S9T&psc=1
 

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I'm going to be a little partisan with the headphones as I'm familiar with the brands Hifiman (Planar Magnet) and Focal (Dynamic).
If it's only head amp you're considering, I rate highly the class A SingXer SA1 which is £599 on Amazon. It has three balanced inputs
4.2, 6.3 and XLR and work well with my Hifiman Edition XS and Focal Elegia.

I'm thinking if I had £5K, what would I likely splash out on?

OK, I would seriously consider Advance Paris A10 Classic Integrated Amplifier or Luxman SQ-N150 Integrated Vacuum Tube Amplifier . If tube amps are not your thing, I would also consider, the solid state alternatives, such as Hegel H95 or Hegel 120 Integrated Amplifier or HiFi Rose RS201E Integrated Amplifier. Both Hegel and Rose come with built in DAC. I can't make out the jacks on this but if it's 4.2 or 6.3, it'll be balanced.

Headphones you can knock yourself silly with the following, any of the above mentioned should meet your £5K budget.
  • HiFiMAN Arya Organic
  • HiFiMAN HE1000
  • Focal Clear MG Open-Back High-Fidelity
  • HiFiMAN HE1000se
  • Audeze LCD-X Over Ear Open Back
:)
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https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audeze-Hea...50-a3f8-342042876ead&pd_rd_i=B08ZR34S9T&psc=1
Unfortunately he's looking at 5k euros.....
 
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DougK1

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Jan 4, 2024
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I've come across some deals on the Hifiman store, this might interest you if you're looking out for a bargain.

I do like the idea of planar headphones, Hifiman in particular. However, it is said ugliness is a virtue but I do find Hifiman take the p*ss :)
 
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Jasonovich

Well-known member
I do like the idea of electrostatic headphones, Hifiman in particular. However, it is said ugliness is a virtue but I do find Hifiman take the p*ss :)
Ah how can you not like those fish gills Doug? :ROFLMAO:

The headphone amp with R2R DAC caught my eye but hey-ho I already coughed up for the tube head amp. Someone on a budget looking for headphone amp with DAC might be tempted.

So if you convert US dollar to GBP = £230.54, not bad.


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On my US-International layout, right-Alt 5 is what produces the €. Alas, can't find a pound sign and this is a pre-Brexit keyboard.
We had pound signs long before the Common Market was even a thing! Like, when I was a lad, six decades ago. However, I find GBP an unambiguous way to convey British pounds Sterling!

£££££££

Here are a few you can maybe copy and paste! 🙃😉😂
 

Rodolfo

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Jul 31, 2023
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We had pound signs long before the Common Market was even a thing! Like, when I was a lad, six decades ago. However, I find GBP an unambiguous way to convey British pounds Sterling!

£££££££

Here are a few you can maybe copy and paste! 🙃😉😂
I'm way-pre-ECM myself, but I couldn't find any key combo for it on my keyboard. Thank you: I've pasted one onto my Notepad just in case.
 

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