Amps & DACs
HeadRoom Micro Amp
Plug your good headphones into the HeadRoom Micro Headphone Amp and hear what you've been missing. Designed with high-end audio sensibilities, and built to conveniently save room on your desk, the Micro Amp packs great audio electronics and all the switching and control you'll need for great listening into a 3"x3" space-saving foot print. It includes: two analog inputs; HeadRooms famous crossfeed for better headphone imaging; three position gain control to better match headphone impedance; and rear panel volume controlled output for your desktop speakers.
Product Features:
- Delivers high fidelity headphone audio with discrete component Jung diamond buffer output amp.
- Improves headphone imaging with HeadRoom's famous crossfeed circuit.
- Gain switch optimizes amp for headphones of different efficiencies.
- Switches between two analog line inputs.
- Includes volume controlled pre-amp out for desktop speakers.
Applications:
Want to bring your music listening experience to a new level? Simply put a Micro Amp between your music source and favorite headphones and let the beautiful music come flooding in. Designed to bring fine audio electronics into in an affordable & space-saving amp, the Micro is ready to inhabit any tiny nook on your desktop, nightstand, or any other listening place where you have access to AC-power. (For battery-powered, mobile listening please check out our HeadRoom Portable Micro Amp.)
Features
Sure it sounds great, but the HeadRoom Micro Amp is also an all-singing, all-dancing, fully-featured headphone amp & pre-amp. The Micro Amp uses top-shelf 'Class A/B'-biased electronics and discrete component Jung Diamond buffer-based output amplifier electronics of our Desktop Amp, but uses smaller 1/8" (3.5mm) connectors and smaller controls to fit it all into this tiny package. This is a DC coupled amp (no capacitors in the signal path). It has a headphone jack on the front, but it also has a pre-amp jack on the rear panel that you can use as a volume-controlled audio source for a power amp or your self-powered speakers. It has two line inputs that are switch selectable from the front panel so you can easily switch between sources (an iPod and a computer, for example); a gain control switch allows you to adjust the volume range to easily control headphones of a variety of impedances and efficiencies; and, of course, our famous HeadRoom Crossfeed circuit that improves the audio image on headphones very subtly and carefully.
Build
The Micro is enclosed in an amazingly sturdy and lustrous black anodized aluminum enclosure with urethane bezels (the rubber piece around the front and back panel). The bezels handily act as bumpers protecting the amp, and they allow you to securely stack the Micro Amp and the Micro DAC units together. All HeadRoom Micro Amps are hand-built in Montana, USA.
Accessories
An external AC power-supply 'brick' comes included with the HeadRoom Micro Amp. An upgraded international-use Astrodyne Power Supply is optionally available for audiophiles wanting to fully maximize the audio performance of the Micro Amp. *The Micro Amp does NOT include any interconnect cabling. To hook up your Micro Amp to a portable audio player, you will need a mini 1/8 to 1/8 (3.5mm) cable. We recommend the Cardas 6 inch or 12 inch mini to mini cables. For longer runs, we suggest the Cardas 1 meter or 2 meter versions. If you are using an audio source with RCA outputs, the Straightwire .5 Mtr Musicable cable will work, or browse all of our cables.
Measurements
The Micro Amp is 1.5" (3.8cm) high, 3.5" (9 cm) wide, and 4.5"(11.5cm)long. It weighs only 8.8oz (250 grams). The HeadRoom Micro Amp is hand-built in Bozeman Montana USA.
Specifications:
- Amplifier Group: The Micro Line
- THD at 1V output: <.002
- Frequency Response: 10–50k, ±0.3
- Dimensions: 4.5"(11.5cm)x 3.5"(9 cm) x 1.5"(3.8cm)
- Weight: 8.8oz (250 grams)
- Input Impedance at 1kHz (ohms): 70k
Additional Resources:
- Product Manuals
- 2007 Micro Amp Manual
- Product Info
- Micro Amp & Ultra Micro Amp Set Up
Average Customer Rating: by crossfire from Egypt on 2010-02-02
Pros: very neutral natural sound,Tons of power to drive uneffiecient headphones
Cons: the power supple is big and heavy
Would you recommend this product: Yes
I use my micro amp with my AKG K701 and sennheiser hd650 and they are very hard to drive headphones and need alot of power behind them to hear their full potentials.the micro amp has tons of power,the bass on both phones is deep and punchy,the mids are full bodied and natural,the highs are clear and crystal and yet not sharp or fatiguening over time for long listening sessions.the crossfeed makes wonders with the k701 as the bass become more powerful and the soundstage has more depth and 3-D presentation but the top end and highs lose some sparkles and roll off which i find very useful with the k701 as it is a bright phone,but not so good with the sennheiser hd650.the two headphones have excellent synergy with the micro amp and i use them at high gain at 7 or 8 oclock depending on the recording and if i rise the volume higher,there is no hint of distortion or uncontrollability.The amp remains clean and neutral.overall it is a wonderful powerful amp that can drive any headphone out there and it represents incredible value for this type of superb sound
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by locced from Glendale,Az in the cutz on 2010-01-21
Pros: Gain switch!,punch and slam!
Cons: Wish he was full class A like his big brother.
Would you recommend this product: Yes
I have a few head amps at the house, and this is the only one that lets me listen for long sessions with no fatigue.With low gain i can even listen with my 300 Ohms Sennheiser hd650`s with all the punch and slam.
I thought i could do better with all those amps that let you roll opamps,boy was i wrong.If you want to hear every single drum that the drummer hits,and how hard he hits them,get this amp.
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by locced from Glendale,Az in the cutz on 2010-01-21
Pros: Gain switch!,punch and slam!
Cons: Wish he was full class A like his big brother.
Would you recommend this product: Yes
I have a few head amps at the house, and this is the only one that lets me listen for long sessions with no fatigue.With low gain i can even listen with my 300 Ohms Sennheiser hd650`s with all the punch and slam.
I thought i could do better with all those amps that let you roll opamps,boy was i wrong.If you want to hear every single drum that the drummer hits,and how hard he hits them,get this amp.
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by Zochoten from Anaheim,CA on 2010-01-16
Pros: Small, excellent quality
Cons: Not cheap, but worth the investment
Would you recommend this product: Yes
I think that the best word to describe the headroom sound is "power".the tiny micro amp is very powerfull and dynamic and can drive pretty much any dynamic headphone with ease and authoroty.I never need to go past 9 o'clock on the volume nob.
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by cbick from golden, CO on 2010-01-15
Pros: Small, excellent quality
Cons: Huge power adapter (bigger than the amp itself)
Would you recommend this product: Yes
If you have plenty of desk space to spare, find another amp.
If you have tons of cash for batteries and want a portable amplifier, find another amp.
Otherwise, don't bother looking for any other amps, this is the right one for you.
Also, please note that this amp has only 1/8" jacks.
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by Cobia from Frisco, TX on 2010-01-15
Pros: Compact, Sublime Construction, Sonically Superb
Cons: Grab your glasses
Would you recommend this product: Yes
I've been a customer since I purchased my original Supreme about 15 years ago, and this is my most satisfying amp yet. I love the three different gain levels. I have numerous pairs of headphones I enjoy and the amp handles them all superbly. The volume control is equally satisfying with great attenuation and control. The overall build quality is what I expected, which means its fantastic.
I later paired this with the Micro DAC to use with my laptop and the combo is just killer - if you are considering it, don't hesitate!
One word of caution - the print on the controls is tiny. The good news is that you will rarely change them once you set them so its not a big deal.
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by mathius from on 2010-01-22
Pros: Solid build, Compact, Excellent drive, Easy controls
Cons: Slightly pricey, Power supply, Print quality
Would you recommend this product: Yes
This is my first headphone amp that I purchased along with the HR Micro DAC for use in my office. I'm currently using to drive AKG 701 MKII's and they really move with this amp. I love how I can stack the units together and that even when stacked, how little space they take up on my desk. The controls are solid and don't feel flimsy or cheap. The volume pot has a smooth movement and seems consistent after about the quarter mark. My only real complaint is that for the price, it should come with a better PSU instead of the clunky wallwart. I actually received a defective wallwart initially with the AMP (plugged in and saw smoke) but HR's excellent customer service got me back on my feet in no time. I think if they offered it at its current price with the astrodyne it would be a win/win. Overall a great beginner to mid-level amp that I'm sure I'll be using for quite some time.
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by warpdrive from Ontario, Canada on 2010-01-17
Pros: Size, features, neutrality, musicality
Cons: Slight thump when turning on
Would you recommend this product: Yes
One thing that I demand from my audio components is that they offer lots of value. I don't really like paying a lot extra for fancy looking chassis. After all, lots of components these days are just a fancy case with mostly air inside. Who needs the extra clutter and wasted space? This Micro amp was just the ticket as I need a good quality headphone amp that would drive my Denon D7000 with authority and refinement, but I didn't want to have my amp take up too much room on my crowded desk. Stacked with the companion Micro DAC plugged into my computer, I have a premium computer sound system that is capable of refined sound that won't let me down. So even if you have a high end headphone that demands the best source and amplification, I think this amp will let them shine....I've tried other hard to drive headphones such as the AKG K701 and this amp handles them all.
I really appreciate the volume controlled output in the back of the unit, as I have my powered studio monitors connected to it. It allows me to use the Micro Amp as a preamp when I want to go with speakers instead of headphones. Having two inputs is also a big bonus because I have my HD DVR cable box attached to it, and can I use it to pipe the sound for TV watching and keep the computer off.
The crossfeed feature, is of course, one of the reasons you choose the Headroom amps over many of its competition. When you turn it on, it warms up the sound, just giving enough crossfeed to make the headphone listening more speaker like in its soundstage. As well, I do notice the bass quantity does go up, and that's not a bad thing actually because my normal speaker system goes down to 25Hz flat, and the crossfeed makes my headphones sound more like my speaker rig in that respect as well.
As far as sound quality, I can't complain. I've heard other much more expensive headphone amps, and I can say that even switching back to this Micro Amp, I'm not missing a whole lot. I'd say this amp holds its own in terms of good detail retrieval, utterly neutral sound, and the authority to power pretty demanding loads to much more expensive amps, even those that are twice as much. I think this is the sweet spot in terms of getting into entry level audiophile gear. This little amp is sort of like the NAD, Cambridge Audio, Rotel of the world of headphone amps, it's all you really need as a basis for a great audiophile desktop rig.
The only negative is that it causes a slight thump sound when you turn on the amp. They designed it this way to avoid adding filtering on the output that would degrade the sound. If this bothers you, just plug in the headphone after you turn it on (keeping the volume control all the way down).
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by retlaw from Italy on 2010-01-17
Pros: Comfortable ,Very good performance
Cons: not in his price class
Would you recommend this product: Yes
in my opinion this little machine sound very good with my Sennheiser HD 650 ,after you have warmed up the amp a little while you are able to hear a lot of music that you did not feel with even high end speakers . at the beginning I wanted to hear every nuance ,which was possible , but ,soon , I just relaxed and was captured by music that i dont usually listen to . is a good piece and a good pair .
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by Phreejax from Lake Tahoe, CA on 2010-01-15
Pros: Built like a tank, flexible inputs, great sound
Cons: Not cheap, but worth the investment
Would you recommend this product: Yes
I use the Micro Amp with the Micro DAC and a Logitech THX desktop speaker system. This is a great combination, easily filling even a medium-size room with full, detailed sound. The bass is powerful enough to be felt across the room, but without muddying-up the lower mid-range. When using just headphones (AKG's K-272HD) or earbuds (Ultimate Ear's) the amp delivers the best sound I've ever heard, even on lossy formats like MP3 files. The Micro Amp allows the listener to choose from three gain settings (a real plus if you use both speakers and headphones, as I do), and the crossfeed circuit provides just the right amount of spatial correction for headphones or earbuds. (It can be turned off when using speakers). I am 110% satisfied with this purchase from HeadRoom!
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by jcbryan349 from Stillwater, Ok on 2010-01-15
Pros: Build quality
Cons: A bit expensive
Would you recommend this product: Yes
Excellent little amp that delivers very clear sound and is very well built.
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by Glen from Aspen CO on 2010-01-11
Pros: Small package
Would you recommend this product: Yes
Well I bit the bulit and purchased a Micro Amp and Micro DAC. So I will talk about both. I keep them both on my end table at my bed side. I run a single CD player or my i pod threw them. It lets me listen to music and not bother my wife as she reads. We are both happy campers. A small package that takes up very little room. Simple to set up and use. The sound with the DAC is Top Notch. Clean perfect sound. They runs a pair of Senn. HD650 or Dennon AH D2000 or both with ease. The stuff and staff at HeadRoom has changed my life. I love all the products I have purchased ther. The staff has helped me pick and chose the right equipment for my needs and wallet. Before I purchase anywhere else I call HeadRoom for there advice. I am in the market for a AMP to rum my house speakers and I will talk to HeadRoom before I do anything.
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