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Headphone Heights

RE: McIntosh MHA200 headphone amp

191.96.150.62

In Reply to: RE: McIntosh MHA200 headphone amp posted by Freo-1 on April 02, 2025 at 18:31:33

Maybe it's amazing, but I'm happy with my server and DAC so I will probably look for an amp without having to pay extra for the DAC in order to keep it simple. What do you think about the Topping headphone amp (no DAC)?

My digital section is
- Aurender N100 server
- via USB to a Gustard U18 DDC
- via coax to a Gustard R26 DAC

Everything has premium power cords and fuses. Cabling (PC, USB and Coax) is custom by Igor Kuznetsoff who does some of the best cabling I've heard. Very high resolution and musical. Distributed parallel capacitance is my power conditioning, over 300 uF spread throughout the house with ERS paper in the capacitance boxes to further dissipate RFI.

I doubt any $1000 amp/DAC can compete with this, but I can't say never, of course.

Follow Ups:

RE: McIntosh MHA200 headphone amp - mlsstl 10:17:33 04/16/25 (2)
Late to the conversation, but Schiit has some marvelous headphone-only amps that come without a DAC. Its amazing what you can get for your money.
- RE: McIntosh MHA200 headphone amp - mike1127 20:36:41 04/16/25 (1)
  I believe their top headphone amp is solid state. Is that correct? I'm normally a tube guy. Do you think I would like it?
  
  Later this week I'm trying out a Woo WA6-SE which is not only tube, but SET. A friend has gifted it to me. I heard some amps my friend designed, 2A3 based SET headphone amps. I think I've drunk the SET Koolaid.
  - RE: McIntosh MHA200 headphone amp - mlsstl 20:03:20 04/17/25 (0)
    They do have the Lyr headphone amp which can run with or without a 6SN7 tube. I had a Lyr 3 (the immediate prior model to the current version) and thought it a fantastic class A tube amp (which I also used as a preamp until I switched some gear around.) They also have some discontinued headphone amps with tubes you may be able to find used: Mjolnir & Valhalla.
You would be surprised. - Freo-1 09:02:30 04/03/25 (0)
Your system looks fine to me. Headphones are a very personal choice, much more so than speaker setups. My high end headphone amp is a Aurouasound HEADA, which is a wonderful SS amp that many audiophiles think it sounds like a high end tube amp, only with solid bass.

Having said that, check out this video. I have to admit that I think he's bang on here.

Technology has advanced. I also have a PS Audio DSD MK 1 DAC, along with an Aurouasound HEADA headphone amp. When level matched, one would be hard pressed to discern the differece beteen the high end setup and the DX9, Believe me, I would not have belived this before hearing this for myseelf.
The headphones used for comparison are high end cans.
" Don't look back. Something may be gaining on you"

Satchel Paige
- https://youtu.be/7Sg1nYLmLCw (Open in New Window)

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