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HeadRoom Total BitHead
MSRP $149.00
Get superb headphone sound on your iPad, laptop, PC or home computer with our smallest portable headphone amp + USB DAC. Simply plug the BitHead directly into the USB port and a digital audio signal routs of the lowly computer internals to be re-processed by the superior Digital-to-Analog Converter [DAC] in the BitHead (iPad requires Apple Camera Kit). The BitHead is USB-powered via computers or via 'AAA' batteries from other sources. Includes HeadRoom crossfeed for supreme headphone imaging plus 'High/Low Gain' to match any headphone impedance.
Lots more information in our HeadRoom Total BitHead FAQ.
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Product Features:
- Significantly improves listening experience with good headphones & your computer
- Delivers tight bass control/impact and smoother, more articulate high frequencies
- Improves headphone imaging with our famous HeadRoom crossfeed circuit
- Low/High gain switch optimizes amp for headphones of different efficiencies up to 250~300 Ohms
- Runs 30+ hours on four AAA batteries (not included)
What's In The Box:
- 12" mini-mini interconnect cable (1/8" connectors)
- 12" USB digital audio cable
- Rubber securing 'feet' for BitHead
- Assorted Vel-coins for attaching BitHead to player(s)
- HeadRoom owner's manual
Applications:
We've been making this little beast for the better part of decade and our HeadRoom Total BitHead portable amp/USB DAC unit just keeps right on grooving. As designers/manufacturers of the first commercially available portable USB-DAC headphone amp, we're probably a bit biased but we have yet to hear anything that sonically out-classes our unassuming Total BitHead wunderkind at this price. The various upgrades we've made to the BitHead's internal circuit board and volume control design over the years have resulted in superb mobile sound for any headphones and all audio sources. The BitHead is an ideal 'entry' multi-purpose portable headphone amp ready to improve the sound of any computer, iPad, laptop, PC, iPod or mp3 player as well as other portable devices or home audio components. Expect to hear the bass solidly tighten up with more discernable texture, the highs become clean and articulate while all the music in between will sound audibly more coherent, transparently detailed and dynamically smooth.
The HeadRoom Total BitHead can be employed two ways: directly from the digital USB output of any computer OR as a battery-powered headphone amp to improve your iPod, iPhone, MP3 player, portable DVD/CD player, or other portable audio device. The BitHead becomes a killer-sounding soundcard for your computer due to the significantly clearer and better detailed Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) inside the BitHead. It also helps to have the digital conversion and analog amplification driving the headphones done externally outside the noisy electrical environment inside computers. So simply plug the USB output of your desktop, laptop, or notebook running Apple, Windows, or Linux into the Bithead -- most computers will automatically recognize the BitHead as its audio output -- then plug in one (or two!) headphones into the BitHead, play some music and enjoy. Your computer could become one of your favorite ways to listen!
When not connected via USB to a computer, the BitHead can run on four [4] AAA batteries (batteries not included) to amplify the signal via the headphone output [or 'line-out' dock] of your iPod, iPhone, MP3, or other portable player. The BitHead drives your headphones with much greater musical body and authority as it isolates the player's wimpy output amplifier power supplies from the load of the headphones. Hence, the BitHead will allow both your headphones and your player to sound better. (If you're not interested in using this amp with computers, then check our "analog input only" HeadRoom Total AirHead amp.) Remember, all 'DACs' can only accept a signal from a DIGITAL audio source (like a computer laptop/PC or optical s/pdif connection, for example). Standard ANALOG line input can not trigger or activate a DAC processor and merely amplifies the original source file.
FEATURES:
Our HeadRoom BitHead has two parallel headphone jacks so both you & a friend can listen simultaneously. The lightweight black polymer plastic housing of the TBH is deceptively tough and can withstand some pretty rough use that could cause other portable amps to crack. Our world-famous HeadRoom Crossfeed switch improves stereo imaging to make your headphones sound more "open" -- like room speakers. You'll also find a small 'High/Low' gain switch inside the battery compartment allowing a perfect match between the BitHead unit and headphones / earphones of any impedance rating: use 'low gain' for sensitive in-ears; 'high gain' for all other headphones. The TBH also has a rotary volume control on the front panel and internal room for 4 'AAA' batteries that can power the BitHead for over 30 hours, depending on the headphones and listening volume.
Batteries are NOT included.
Please consult the HeadRoom BitHead manual or BitHead FAQ ['Frequently Asked Questions'] for more in-depth information on our made-in-the-USA (Bozeman, Montana) headphone amp / USB DAC!
Included with Total BitHead Amp/DAC:
Specifications:
- Weight: 1 lb (.5 kg)
- Dimensions: 3" x 4.5" x .75"
- DAC: yes
- Frequency Response: 20–20k, ±1
- Input Impedance at 1kHz (ohms): 18k
- Amplifier Group: The Mobile Line
- THD at 1V output: <.01%
- Portable: yes
- Warranty: 2 Years
- Output Voltage: 2Vrms
- Output Impedance: 2 ohms
Additional Resources:
- Product Manuals
- Total BitHead Manual
- Product Info
- BitHead FAQ's
- 2006 Mobile Line Pres Sheet
- Product Reviews
- Positive Feedback Online John Brazier 2004
- Crunchgear.com Mike Kobrin Apr 07
- onheadphones.com Total BitHead review
- Audio Ideas. Aaron Marshall Feb 07
- SoundStage! John Crossett Oct 06
- Anything But Ipod Grahm Skee December 2006
- PCWorld, Tom Mainelli November 2006
- 6moons.com Srajan Ebaen July 2004
- dansdata.com August 2004
- Rhino Gadget review Patrick Goddard
- Stereophile Magazine Michael Fremer December 2004
- Goodsound! Eric Hetherington August 2004
- techpowerup.com Fredrik Skovgaard Feb 08
- Customer Comments
- Customer Comments
Average Rating
Posted by Steve from Providence, RI on 2013-05-06
Recommend Product: No
Pros: Sound, Crossfeed, AAA batteries
Cons: No shielding, build quality, clunky, not powerful enough, no line out, weird jack and switch layout
The most obvious flaw with this unit is the total lack of shielding from interference. The casing is made of cheap plastic, and underneath that is nothing but the PCB. I have to place it at least a few feet from any sort of electronic device in order to get rid of interference signals. Mounting this unit on the back side of a laptop as the manual recommends results in a lot of noise. Plan on getting a longer USB cable, because the 1' cable that is included is not long enough to allow you to find a "clean" spot.
My second gripe is the build quality. It looks cheap, it feels cheap. When I hold it in my hand I feel that my money wasn't well spent. I wouldn't want to drop this thing if I used it as part of a portable setup. The headphone jacks feel like junk. They don't snap in nicely like they should. It's also a little big. Not too big to prohibit portable use, but big enough to make it awkward. The lack of a line-output prohibits flexibility. You can't use it's DAC function by itself and hook it up to other amplifiers without inducing a little bit of static. The layout is also very weird. All jacks are placed at a 45 degree angle for some reason. I can't begin to understand why.
The only real advantage this thing has over any other amp on the market is the built in crossfeed. I really like it. However, I really don't think that feature alone is worth dealing with all of the unit's flaws. There are a few other options at this price point that perform better. The only think they lack is crossfeed.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Posted by nabbun from Bergen County, NJ on 2013-01-17
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: A steal at $99
Cons: Wishing it used AA intead or CR123
7 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Posted by Chris M. from Chicago on 2012-11-01
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Excellent DAC and Amp
Cons: none
10 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Did you?
