Amps & DACs
HeadRoom Micro Amp
Plug your best headphones into the HeadRoom Micro Amp and hear all the music you've been missing. Designed with high-end audio sensibilities and built to conveniently save space on your desk, the Micro packs deep 'Class-A'-biased electronics plus all the switching center control features needed for audiophile listening into a tiny 3" X 5" footprint. HeadRoom Micro Amp features two analog inputs; our famous HeadRoom crossfeed for superb headphone imaging; 3-position gain control to precisely match headphone impedance; and rear panel volume-controlled output for powered desktop or computer speakers. Made in Montana USA.
Reviewed by LA Audio File, May 2010
Product Features:
- Delivers high fidelity headphone audio with discrete component Jung 'Diamond' buffer output amplifier design
- Improves headphone imaging with our famous HeadRoom crossfeed circuit
- 3-position gain switch optimizes amp for headphones of different efficiencies
- Switch between two independent analog line inputs!
- Includes volume controlled pre-amp out for desktop computer speakers
What's In The Box:
- (1) Standard 'Brick' Power Supply (please indicate 120v North American OR 220v for overseas voltage)
Applications:
Want to bring your personal music listening experience to an entirely new level of sound quality? Simply put a Micro Amp between your music source and your favorite headphones and let the beautiful music flood in. Designed to bring fine audiophile electronics into in an affordable space-saving little amp, the HeadRoom Micro Amp 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 our HeadRoom Portable Micro Amp.)
Features
Sure, it sounds great driving headphones to glorious heights of musical detail and accuracy, but the HeadRoom Micro Amp is also an 'all-singing, all-dancing' fully-featured headphone amp plus pre-amp. The Micro employs deeply 'Class A'-biased electronics and a discrete-component Walter Jung 'Diamond Buffer'-based amplifier output just as found in our pricier Desktop Amp, but uses 'mini' 1/8" (3.5mm) connectors and smaller controls to fit into these tiny dimensions. The HeadRoom Micro Amp is a true Class-A, DC-coupled amp (no capacitors in the signal path) so you know the sound will drive even the most power-hungry audiophile headphones effortlessly and with total precision. The HeadRoom Micro Amp provides an awesome 3.5mm headphone jack on the front, but it also has a similar 'pre-amp' jack on the rear panel that can double as a volume-controlled input into a power amp, computer speakers on your desktop or to your powered bookshelf speakers. The HeadRoom Micro Amp also features two separate 3.5mm line inputs that are selectable from the front panel for easy switching between your sources (an iPod and a computer, for example). Front panel Gain control switch allows you to adjust the volume ranges to easily control headphones of any impedance and efficiency rating. And, of course, our famous HeadRoom Crossfeed circuit centers the audio image on headphones very subtly and quite 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
A standard 120-volt AC power-supply 'brick' comes included with the HeadRoom Micro Amp. International customers can select a 220vac power supply for international or overseas voltages for a $50 upcharge. Also, a nicely 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 standard 'brick' 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 1.75" (3.8cm) high, 3.5" (9 cm) wide, and 4.75"(11.5cm) long. It weighs only 8.8oz (250 grams). The HeadRoom Micro Amp is hand-built in Bozeman Montana USA.
Specifications:
- Weight: 8.8 oz (250 grams)
- Dimensions: 3.5" x 4.5" x 1.5"
- Frequency Response: 10–50k, ±0.3
- THD at 1V output: <.002%
- Input Impedance at 1kHz (ohms): 70k
- Amplifier Group: The Micro Line
- Home Use: yes
- Warranty: 2 Years
- Output Impedance: 0.5 ohm
- Output Voltage: 10Vrms
Additional Resources:
- Product Manuals
- Micro Amp Manual
- Product Info
- Micro Amp & Ultra Micro Amp Set Up
- Product Reviews
- LA Audio Review, Kevin Nakano
- Macworld, Matthew Ward
Average Rating
Posted by commtrd from Corpus Christi, TX on 2013-03-13
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: drives 600 ohm headphones
Cons: smallish sound stage?
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Posted by Bloody Gus from Kosd, Hungary on 2012-11-29
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Beautiful sweet accurate sound
Cons: The price ...
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Posted by TravisD from Kalamazoo, MI on 2012-06-28
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Drives everything well, neutral sounding, very revealing, built like a tank
Cons: Not cheap (that's OK), soundstage isn't super huge (or is it just accurate?), almost too small
It plays well with ALL my headphones, from my cheap Koss DJ100 all the way up to the AKG Q701 and HD-600. I like how the amp is neutral enough and none of them magically turn into something they're not due to the amp giving a headphone a very slightly screwy signature (which I've found is quite possible).
The difference between my imported $120 desktop and this is quite large and not subtle. You can spot the difference immediately. With my Q701 on cheaper amps there is something missing. With the Q701 and the Micro Amp the mids are much fuller sounding and not thin or lacking. Then there is a greater amount of detail. I don't find that this amp rolls off the highs or tames them. Not even remotely. I guess that's a good thing. It didn't magically make me like the treble of the K702.
The DAC or source that's paired up with this is very important too. If you just use a cheap CD player, the sound just isn't the same. I use an HRT DAC, but plan to try out the Micro DAC in the future. It will still sound good with even portable devices if you plan to travel with it. For my own amusement even the Clip+ sounded great with it. That's a very flat source.
One minor nit-pick is that the soundstage isn't as huge as on some other amps. Not a big deal for me at all and often depends on the DAC. It could be that someone my other amps give my headphones an artificially huge soundstage (not sure if this is even possible!!).
I think this is a fairly neutral amp, but leans to being slightly "musical". I think it may have very, very slightly forward sounding mids. Like i'm talking about .(point) 5% forward than other amps. I only experienced this with the HD-650. Hard to know if it's the DAC, amp or just some kind of good synergy. I wouldn't call it dead neutral and I wouldn't want that with an amp.
This has also drive everything well enough for me. Everything from the K400, K500, K240 Sextette (600 ohm) to the HD-650 and 600 ohm Beyerdynamic headphones. It was especially good with the bass light DT-770 600 ohm.
My favorite headphones for it are the D2000, Q701, KRK KNS-8400. K501 and K601 are amazing with it. Same with Q701. I prefer the HD-580 on it compared to the HD-600 and 650.
The thing is built like a tank and i've stupidly dropped it more than once from a height of 4 or so feet. It's so small that it's easy to do this.
There's some cheap amps out there that are imported, but to me this has been worth every penny. Due to this amp I really haven't had any interest in trying more amps. Maybe when I get rich i'll upgrade to an even better model.
14 out of 17 people found this review helpful. Did you?









