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 'Class-A' audio electronics and all the switching and control features you'll need for great listening into a 3"x3" space-saving footprint. Micro Amp includes two analog inputs; HeadRoom's 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.
Reviewed by LA Audio File, May 2010
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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 true 'Class A'-biased electronics and the discrete-component Walt Jung Diamond buffer-based output amplifier electronics of our pricier Desktop Amp, but employs smaller 1/8" (3.5mm) connectors and smaller controls to fit it all into this tiny package. The Micro Amp is a Class-A, DC-coupled amp (no capacitors in the signal path) so you know the sound will drive even the most power-hungry headphones effortlessly. The HeadRoom Micro Amp 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 powered speakers. It also has two line inputs that are switch selectable from the front panel for easy switching between sources (an iPod and a computer, for example). A front panel gain control switch allows you to adjust the volume ranges 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 Astrodyne works anywhere on the planet you can find an outlet [from 100V ~ 240V] so it makes a great accessory for frequent travelers. Plus, the Astrodyne also improves upon the sound quality when compared to the 'stock' power supply.
*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) interconenct 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 0.5 meter MusiCable cable will work great, or simply 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
- DAC option: no
- Home Use: yes
Additional Resources:
- Product Manuals
- 2007 Micro Amp Manual
- Product Info
- Micro Amp & Ultra Micro Amp Set Up
- Product Reviews
- LA Audio Review, Kevin Nakano
Average Rating
Posted by Nataku from Calgary, Alberta, Canada on 2010-08-13
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Sound
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Posted by aimlink from Kingston, JM on 2010-02-14
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Excellent sound
Cons: Wish it came packed with a 1/4" Headphone plug
This amp amounts to a great deal since you're getting that HeadRoom house sound in a great, small form factor, package. I found this amp to be very well built and it's small form factor makes for a nicely unobtrusive addition to your desktop setup. The sound is nicely balanced and energetic. They should bring to life, quite nicely, your more demanding cans.
The crossfeed feature is very useful to have.
I highly recommend the Micro DAC to go along with this unit as a pair. I also recommend upgrading the power supply to the Astrodyne PSU.
Accessories, especially interconnects to be used with this unit are nicely supported by HeadRoom.
My only con with this unit is that if you wish to get it with an upgraded PSU, you will still be sent the stock PSU with your upgraded PSU (no package deal).
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Posted by crossfire from Egypt on 2010-02-02
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: very neutral natural sound,Tons of power to drive uneffiecient headphones
Cons: the power supple is big and heavy
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