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great starter amp
Posted by commtrd from Corpus Christi, TX on 2013-03-13Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: drives 600 ohm headphones
Cons: smallish sound stage?
Purchased this amp with the micro dac to drive a pair of Beyerdynamic DT990 600 ohm headphones. Using the USB input and it seems to work OK. Being my first dedicated headphone system I was not sure what to expect. At first it all sounded very marginal. The cans seemed to be radically underpowered and voloume even close to half way up had the system sounding like it would blow up. I was ready to box everything back up and return but decided to put some more hours on everything first. After about 30 hours everything started working MUCH BETTER. After 50 hours or thereabouts I have a rockin' little system! The amp provides good clean drive to phones and takes multi-hour listening sessions in stride. Also can turn volume high enough to be uncomfortable and amp maintains clean output. Soundstage has gotten much better with very good separation of instruments and vocals have moved somewhat more front/center -but- the soundstage is not real big at all. I am not sure how much the amplifier affects this with no prior experience using headphones, but it has improved dramatically as hours on the system accumulate. In summary, I would say the micro amp is a great way to get into a dedicated headphone system and so far seems to be holding up well. Sound quality and ability to handle 600 ohm loads plus a price that doesn't break the bank add up to a good value. Overall I could recommend the micro amp with the dac in good conscience.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you?
European experience
Posted by Bloody Gus from Kosd, Hungary on 2012-11-29Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Beautiful sweet accurate sound
Cons: The price ...
This review could be useful to anyone buying from Europe. I was using a FiiO E9/E17 Alpen combo for laptop listening: very nice for a while, but I began having doubts about the sour middle range and screechy upper strings - yes, a clear case of upgradeitis! It was a wino night when I trawled the web and came across the Headroom Micro Amp. Somewhat expensive if you have to buy the DAC too ... Lightbulb! Maybe I could get the Amp, use it with the E17, and add the Headroom DAC later to head off the expense. I checked with the switchboard at HeadRoom and got helpful advice, so I took the plunge and ordered online. Here the dread saga begins. I live in Hungary, so the carriage was expensive (80$). On arrival, I was charged another 100$ import duty. When I connected it, it blew all the fuses because the power supply was US voltage, not European. (The guys on the switchboard were very helpful and sympathetic here, many thanks, Josh and Ben.) HeadRoom kindly sent me a European voltage replacement free of charge, but it had an IEC socket on the end and I had no way of connecting it. I got a cable connection supplied by Amazon UK, and with this and a mini-to-mini jack lead I could at last, one month after ordering, connect up the amp with the E17. Well, you're all gasping, was it worth all the hassle and expense? And the answer is ... a definite YES ! ! ! That Class A sound was an amazing revelation of how much better listening can be with top equipment ('phones are Etymotic ER-4P/S incidentally.) I won't itemize all the sonar details, only to say the cross-feed facility is brilliant, I'm listening to a whole piano, not one sawn in half. Otherwise I can now listen to the music and not the equipment. The dictum is if you want something better than what you have, you've gotta pay a good three times more for it. Well born out here. You just have to hang the expense if you want something really good.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you?
No interest in any more amps, this one is perfect.
Posted by TravisD from Kalamazoo, MI on 2012-06-28Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
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
I bought this after finding out my old US built (cheaper) amp didn't play well with both the K702 and HD-650 (starts with an A). I was actually going to give this a trial and return it if I didn't love it. Well, I kept it and haven't looked back.
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?
WOW, what a combo
Posted by MXM from Newark, Delaware on 2012-03-13Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: extremely detailed, accurate sound
Cons: very revealing of the limitations of compressed music
I just upgraded from the Total Bithead to the Micro AMP/Micro DAC combination. I use them to drive Etymotic ER4PT headphones and some Acoustic Energy Aego M powered speakers from my computer's USB port. I listen mostly to music ripped to Apple lossless files.
I can say I never was that impressed with the difference the Total Bithead made to the sound. I think it is more important for those with harder to drive headphones. However, this combo absolutely blew me away. I could not believe the improvement in all aspects of the sound. These are phenomenal components. In particular, there is much more detail and texture at all frequencies. The bass is lower and tighter and the highs are much more detailed. The midrange is a little forward but it grabs you with all the detail and texture. Ambiance, imaging and dimensionality are all improved. It is possible to hear the music as spatial layers that were compressed before. Finally, the music has wonderful rhythm and pace. It is hard not to tap your toes. Very analog in this respect but with way more detail and neutrality.
I was very surprised that these also made my relatively inexpensive speakers sound dramatically better as well. WOW all the way around.
I will warn you that the combination of the Etymotic ER4PT's and this AMP/DAC is very revealing of every musical nuance but also every flaw. I can tell the instant one of my 128 kbps MP3 files comes on and it is not pleasant. This combo really reveals the limitations of compressed music. To really see what these components can do, you need to listen to high resolution files or perhaps use less revealing headphones that are more forgiving. For example, the difference is not as obvious on my speakers as it is on the Etymotics. However, on high resolution files of well recorded music, the Etymotic/Headrom combination is glorious.
9 out of 10 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Small Container, Big Sound, Huge Value!
Posted by Smilin' Kev from Lake of Egypt, Illinois on 2012-02-13Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Musicality; fit-and-finish; flexibility; minimal footprint.
Cons: Teeny-tiny labels on switches and ports.
Despite having carefully considered a wide variety of reviews of the Micro Amp (published here at HeadRoom and elsewhere), I was unprepared for the impact of this palm-sized package of audio dynamite. It makes all of my headphones, from generic earbuds through Etymotic MC3s and Sony MDR-V6s to Shure SRH840s, perform better. It makes my good CD recordings a jaw-dropping listening experience - and it makes marred recordings much more listenable. It offers a generous array of choices and configurations via two inputs, two outputs and three gain levels. And, best of all (in my opinion), it includes a switchable crossfeed circuit that significantly enhances the realism of recorded performances, eliminates any aural/cognitive fatigue that could limit my listening sessions, and makes the soundstage deeper, wider and more realistic.
The Micro Amp does all of its magic without even the slightest bit of calling attention to itself. It simply lets ALL the music come through, much more clearly and powerfully, and it otherwise stays out of the way. What a wonderfully designed and executed product it is! I plan on buying another one to replace a Total Airhead - which is also a truly commendable little amp - that has taken up residence next to the CD player on my nightstand. Like the Airhead, the Micro is small enough (in physical size and in price) that I can install it without automatically tripping the "Audio System Faux Enhancement Purchasing Alarm" that my long-suffering spouse has installed on our premises. I can no longer sneak in any cables that have been tempered in the dark of the moon by a grizzled soothsayer who laces the insulation layers with a secret combination of organic and supernatural substances . . . but the Micro Amp's honest engineering, design and pricing superiority will let it pass through undetected.
The one "improvement" I would make to the Micro Amp is the addition of a complimentary, inexpensive magnifying glass to any package that's being shipped to customers over 60. Even my reading glasses and a bright light wouldn't help me decipher the Lilliputian script on the switches and ports! ;^)
12 out of 12 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Excellent
Posted by Chang He from San Antonio on 2011-09-30Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros:
Cons:
I bought this to drive soem AKG 702s bought at the same time. Stunning overall, my headphone listening is now higher quality than my speaker system.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Size doesn't matter
Posted by Goomphy from Michigan on 2011-07-28Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Clean, wonderful, powerful, distortion free.
Cons: None
I went from an old surround sound Pioneer amp intended to power speakers, with a marginally good headphone amp to this. What a treat. So much more definition and clarity. Who can say what made more difference? Was it the fact that I replaced a terribly outdated amp, or the fact I stepped up from HD555s to HD650s? Personally, I don't really care. What I have sounds excellent and my listening experience is outstanding now. Amazingly better than what I had before, which was already quite good.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you?
(:>)
Posted by Jack's naim from Canada on 2011-06-17Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: SOUND FOR THE $$$
Cons: ZERO
Not the last word in information retrieval but super FUN never the less. At this price, complaining about short coming to ultimate nirvana is a waist of time. Get's the fundamentals of music right with KILLER VALUE and RELIABILITY. Worthy of a great source
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Did you?
You need to pay 450!
Posted by Homeros8000 from San Jose, CA on 2011-06-03Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Very accurate and clean sounding amp
Cons: Mini connection might not be very popular
This is a great amp! very well built, very accurate sounding and works great with many high end headphones. The issue is that the price of 349 is a bit tricky, this amp doesn't function properly without the Astrodyne, at least to my ears. The sound is anemic, grainy and fatiguing. With the Astrodyne it is transferred to another level and matches up with high end amplifiers at the same price in the market. The same issue applies to Headroom Micro DAC. The good thing is you can pay for extra $100 of upgrade later and experience the difference yourself!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you?
4 years in, still love this little amp.
Posted by SennyDuck from Portland, OR on 2011-05-28Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Loads of good, clean power for even difficult cans.
Cons: None.
I've had my Micro for over 4 years now and it is still a star performer every time I switch it on. It has returned value far beyond my initial investment. Only problem: The first unit shipped had one channel DOA. No problem though: They OVERNIGHTED the replacement (with a return shipping label for the defective unit) without making me send the defective unit first (which is fine for them, I suppose: They had my CC number on file). Extremely friendly and eager service. The replacement is still performing flawlessly 4+ years later.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Excellent sound and amazing value but loose connections
Posted by hifichip76 from Bayside, NY on 2011-05-25Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: No
Pros: great sound, fair price, crossfeed feature
Cons: connections always coming loose
After years of wanting to try a Headroom amp, I got the DAC/AMP combo for Christmas from my wife.
It sounds fantastic-far and away the best I've used. I've had similar products from some other companies.
The one really annoying problem is that the wires constantly come lose, despite the fact that I never move the unit. I've tried stacking them and putting them side-by-side. Every time I listen, I have to get up because one of the cables is loose and I have to push it in...and then the glorious sound returns to both ears. I've tried a few different cables as well, with no change (except you can find a cable that snaps in better than the Cardas mini cable, but the Cardas sounds better than all of them regardless of price).
So close to being an excellent product. Maybe the other models are without this problem.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Excellent Little Amp!
Posted by Chris M. from Chicago on 2011-04-02Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Wonderful sound, small footprint
Cons: No way to disconnect output on rear of unit.
I've owned this amp for over a year and combined with the Micro DAC, this is one fine headphone system. The sound has lots of punch and transient response is excellent. No matter what kind of music you prefer, you can't go wrong. It powers my AKG 702's effortlessly set on the medium gain setting. In fact, I can't go higher than half way on the volume control so I can't imagine any headphone this little amp couldn't drive effortlessly. The crossfeed circuit really makes a huge difference when listening to heavily panned rock music. Now I can't imagine having an amp without this feature. I added the Astrodyne power supply and there was a noticeable improvement. For $99, I say go for it. Bottom line is you can't go wrong. Highly recommended!
After reading some of the other reviews I thought I'd add a little something. Even a small amp like the Micro needs unrestrictive AC power and AC power filtering to remove high frequency noise generated by computers, DACs, DVD players, light dimmers, digital clocks, microwave ovens, just about anything with an integrated circuit, as well as spike and surge protection. The PS Audio Duet that I use has been discontinued. The Quintet for $500 is also no longer available. There are many products that filter out line noise and provide spike and surge protection. Bottom line is if you have noisy polluted AC power, your system will have noisy polluted sound.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Did you?
simply great
Posted by agawamrick from Western MA on 2011-04-01Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: quality build and sound
Cons: print for toggle switches a little small but not a big deal
I have had the Micro Amp for about 6 months and I love it. I am driving a pair of AKG 702s. The cans keep sounding better and better and I know HeadRoom's Amp needs some of the credit. After reading one of the earlier reviews on giving it a good power source - I decided to plug it into the back of an APC battery backup unit. I would have plugged it straight into the wall but I'm out of outlets. It sounds incredible. It feels in the sound got wider and deeper. I''m thinking about the DAC but I'm feeding it with Bowers & Wilkins MM-1 speakers and they have a built in DAC. It's probably good enough for my ears. I highly recommend the Micro Amp; money well spent in my opinion.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you?
It rocks. Just give it electricity!
Posted by MangoMoneky from Redmond, WA on 2011-01-23Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros:
Cons:
I bought the headroom dac and amp last year, and wasn’t really satisfied with it’s availability to drive my Sennheiser 650. I wasn’t really sure why. I figured the Amp was just a wuss. It was OK. I wasn't thrilled, but figured that's all you get for $350, and let it go at that.
Getting into higher end electronics (naim gear) and the whole religion related to power supplies, i tried something new today. I stuck both the amp and the dac directly into the wall socket (and later, into a $60 powerstrip that does not have any filtering, spike control etc.).
It's like I have a totally different product.
Unconditional 5 stars. Just don't starve the poor thing of electricity.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Did you?
I Love It, but.... but....
Posted by pneeko from Jersey on 2010-12-04Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros:
Cons:
It's been a very bumpy ride. In the course of using this product (micro stack [amp and dac]), I've always had that question hissing in the background, more bothersome than the audible life stream you hear laying down in a room that should be utterly quiet but isn't, asking me the question, "It has all the markings of quality, but why is it not registering or performing like the way I think it should be?"
I knew this wasn't a reference amp, but still a formidable, well-made piece of equipment.
I would go to sleep one night very pleased thinking I had finally figured out what was missing. That I had finally learned how to tweak it, until I woke up the next morning just as disappointed. I was off to the next scapegoat.
At one point I thought that the contacts of all the connectors had to be made of the same alloy, for example, a brass/gold plate-ended adapter could not touch a mostly tin/aluminum one. Or that the sample rate being fed into the unit had to be 44100/24 instead of 44100/16 or 96000/16 instead of 96000/24.
I thought the cable length mattered, that short was better, but then sometimes that long was better than short. Or that having the stack to the left of the monitor mattered, or having it on top of the computer chassis facing downward might affect the "sound quality."
It got so bad I started to consider the possibility that the evangelical radio hosts that sporadically got picked up by my unplugged pair of speakers in the back of the room had something to do with the performance inconsistency, or my personal uncertainty that was ruining my listening experience.
Until finally.... By accident, I moved the stack, as a matter of convenience, on top of a huge 500mm fan grill on the top of my new computer case because I could not reach the front panels because they were stuffed behind my monitor.
I turned down the volume (to avoid short circuiting), while it was hooked up to my computer playing music, and moved it on top of the fan, unsuspecting. When I turned up the knob, I didn't know what to say.
I thought, "Oh, just another fad phase, it will pass." It sunk on me, and stuck with me, and the sound quality difference did not change. The inconsistency was gone. Hours became days, and still that perfect, "I'm getting my money's worth sensation."
This thing is fantastic. I feel that if I stay here, with this product, I will be satisfied. I also feel that in the case that I do upgrade, I will be able to appreciate the upgrade more, rather than be plagued by more shortcomings.
The notion of cooling never occurred to me for amps and DACs, just CPU heat sinks, GPU coolers, and other PC equipment, or for radiators in car engines.
There's no need to modify the unit to accommodate an elaborate cooling system, this micro stack will respond keenly to a cool breeze on the outside because the innards are tightly bound to a solid chassis made of aluminum.
7 out of 10 people found this review unhelpful. Did you?
Great little amplifier
Posted by Nataku from Calgary, Alberta, Canada on 2010-08-13Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Sound
Cons:
Bought these with the AKG K701 headphones and the sound quality is amazing. I was surprised about how small this unit was, it might be micros but the sound isn't. I have this combined with a old Sony D25 portable cd player and it makes for one of the best listening experiences I have ever had in my life!
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Great sound in a small package
Posted by aimlink from Kingston, JM on 2010-02-14Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Excellent sound
Cons: Wish it came packed with a 1/4" Headphone plug
This was my first HeadRoom amp before I graduated to the Ultra Desktop Amp.
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).
11 out of 12 people found this review helpful. Did you?
The little Beast
Posted by crossfire from Egypt on 2010-02-02Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: very neutral natural sound,Tons of power to drive uneffiecient headphones
Cons: the power supple is big and heavy
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
10 out of 10 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Makes the space between my ears come to life!
Posted by mathius on 2010-01-22Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Solid build, Compact, Excellent drive, Easy controls
Cons: Slightly pricey, Power supply, Print quality
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.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Ahhh,Much better!
Posted by locced from Glendale,Az in the cutz on 2010-01-21Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Gain switch!,punch and slam!
Cons: Wish he was full class A like his big brother.
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.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Can't ask for anything more for the price
Posted by warpdrive from Ontario, Canada on 2010-01-17Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Size, features, neutrality, musicality
Cons: Slight thump when turning on
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).
18 out of 19 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Very Good Amp
Posted by retlaw from Italy on 2010-01-17Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Comfortable ,Very good performance
Cons: not in his price class
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 .
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Great little amp
Posted by Zochoten from Anaheim,CA on 2010-01-16Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Small, excellent quality
Cons: Not cheap, but worth the investment
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.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Astonishing Improvement for Your Desktop Music
Posted by Phreejax from Lake Tahoe, CA on 2010-01-15Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Built like a tank, flexible inputs, great sound
Cons: Not cheap, but worth the investment
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!
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Great amp/value for size
Posted by cbick from golden, CO on 2010-01-15Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Small, excellent quality
Cons: Huge power adapter (bigger than the amp itself)
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.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Did you?
No Regrets
Posted by Cobia from Frisco, TX on 2010-01-15Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Compact, Sublime Construction, Sonically Superb
Cons: Grab your glasses
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.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Solid Amp
Posted by jcbryan349 from Stillwater, Ok on 2010-01-15Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Build quality
Cons: A bit expensive
Excellent little amp that delivers very clear sound and is very well built.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you?
It is at my bed side.
Posted by Glen from Aspen CO on 2010-01-11Posted on HeadRoom Micro Amp
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Small package
Cons:
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.
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Did you?
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