Headphone amplifier

RomfordNavy

Any audiophiles on here: looking for suggestions for a good quality headphone amplifier that I can use portable, doesn't necessarily need a battery if I can power it from my own 6A USB power-pack.  Preferably class-A or H and balanced with XLR-4 output although will initially at least only be use with single-ended unbalanced input.

Voyager2002

I use a Sugdens A48. It also works with loudspeakers.

RomfordNavy

Voyager2002 said:

I use a Sugdens A48. It also works with loudspeakers.

Unfortunately a bit big for portable.

Voyager2002

RomfordNavy said:

Voyager2002 said:

I use a Sugdens A48. It also works with loudspeakers.

Unfortunately a bit big for portable.

A great substitute for weight training!

Seriously, I doubt if it is possible to make a portable Class A amplifier. And I get reasonable sound quality without a headphone amplifier from my Bose QC headphones.

sausage_time

Not sure it's what you need, but I have a Fiio E10K which I used with my B&W P5 headphones in the past.   It was very good and much better than my PC or laptop DAC.  Perhaps other Fiio amps will be close to your requirements.

I have moved to Bose and bluetooth now.  Yes, I know.

Vitor

Maybe this, USB powered and XLR-4/4.4 mm Pentaconn outputs, no DAC of course -  Douk Audio Balanced Headphone Amp Amplifier with XLR Input and 4.4mm Headset Jack for PC, TV, CD Player, Mini Desktop, 18-600 ohm (U5): Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

MyRealNameToo

RomfordNavy said:

Any audiophiles on here: looking for suggestions for a good quality headphone amplifier that I can use portable, doesn't necessarily need a battery if I can power it from my own 6A USB power-pack.  Preferably class-A or H and balanced with XLR-4 output although will initially at least only be use with single-ended unbalanced input.

Chords Mojo2 is well respected but you arent getting an XLR connection and its class AB, even its big brother Hugo doesnt have XLR but is Class A

A quick google doesnt show any portable amps with 4 pin XLR

MyRealNameToo

Vitor said:

Maybe this, USB powered and XLR-4/4.4 mm Pentaconn outputs, no DAC of course -  Douk Audio Balanced Headphone Amp Amplifier with XLR Input and 4.4mm Headset Jack for PC, TV, CD Player, Mini Desktop, 18-600 ohm (U5): Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

The OP hasn't mentioned what source they are using but the Douk only accepts stereo via 3 pin XLR, not sure what the OP would have that would have two XLR output ports. 

dojuls

You might want to consider the iFi Micro iDSD or a product from the Chord Mojo line. Both can run off USB power and deliver plenty of clean output. If you’re set on XLR-4, a portable balanced amplifier like the Topping NX7 could also be worth considering.

Vitor

- not sure what the OP would have that would have two XLR output ports - 

Audiophiles only use XLR  But seriously, 3.5mm to XLR are a thing - albeit not truly balanced.

Heedtheadvice

Confused here, Romford !

Can I ask why you want an amp for your headphones. Is it that your current output cannot drive the phones sufficiently, is too low level ( can hardly drive them at all ) or you are trying to get better quality?

Further why balanced output? It is very rare to get headphones that have a balanced input and if they did you would need a 5 pin xlr ( left +and -, right + and -, and screen). There is absolututely no advantage in driving a single ended input from an impedance balanced source. The exception is using a transformer on each channel to electrically isolate source and destination.