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Headphones
Vintage Integrated as Audiophile Headphone Amp?
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<blockquote data-quote="user 997" data-source="post: 1055319" data-attributes="member: 997"><p>Most older integrated amplifiers tap the speaker output with resistors to power headphones, so they can be a decent option and therefore reflect the sonic characteristics you would hear through speakers, but since the primary usage is speakers, your mileage may vary with headphones as they can be mismatched or noisy. Newer amplifiers usually have a dedicated headphone amp circuit today since they can be added quite on the cheap today using packaged integrated circuits.</p><p></p><p>I have used an old Technics SU-500 to drive my headphones and the headphone output is quite powerful listening to my HE-500s. Doing some back to back testing I still prefer the HE-500 being driven off the speaker taps of the Allo Volt +D and my closed MSR7 running off the Dragonfly Red. I also tried the Technics with sensitive IEMs and could not detect any obvious hiss so it is clearly decent with a low noise floor. One benefit of older amplifiers is that you can use the balance and tone controls. Many headphone amplifiers lack those adjustments today which is a bit of shame.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="user 997, post: 1055319, member: 997"] Most older integrated amplifiers tap the speaker output with resistors to power headphones, so they can be a decent option and therefore reflect the sonic characteristics you would hear through speakers, but since the primary usage is speakers, your mileage may vary with headphones as they can be mismatched or noisy. Newer amplifiers usually have a dedicated headphone amp circuit today since they can be added quite on the cheap today using packaged integrated circuits. I have used an old Technics SU-500 to drive my headphones and the headphone output is quite powerful listening to my HE-500s. Doing some back to back testing I still prefer the HE-500 being driven off the speaker taps of the Allo Volt +D and my closed MSR7 running off the Dragonfly Red. I also tried the Technics with sensitive IEMs and could not detect any obvious hiss so it is clearly decent with a low noise floor. One benefit of older amplifiers is that you can use the balance and tone controls. Many headphone amplifiers lack those adjustments today which is a bit of shame. [/QUOTE]
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Audio and Video Talk
Headphones
Vintage Integrated as Audiophile Headphone Amp?
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