Headphone Amplifiers

A dedicated headphone amp gives headphones the drive and control that an ordinary headphone socket on a phone, computer or loudspeaker amplifier may not provide. Audio Lounge presents headphone amplifiers from Naim, Yamaha, Manley and Lehmannaudio, from a valve design and a Class A output stage to a streaming player and a headphone DAC with balanced outputs. Bring your own headphones to the Wigmore Street showroom and enquire about a demonstration.

Why a Dedicated Headphone Amplifier Matters

Headphones present very different loads from one model to the next, and Lehmannaudio warns that simply plugging a pair into any socket labelled for headphones can be a disappointment. A dedicated headphone amplifier is designed around that variety, with gain, output and controls chosen for headphones rather than added to a design built for loudspeakers.

Every model in the collection also reaches beyond the headphone socket, with line or pre outputs for a separate amplifier or a pair of active speakers, and the headphones collection gathers the open-back, closed-back and wireless models to partner each one.

Valve, Class A and Streaming Designs

The Manley Absolute Headphone Amplifier is a valve headphone amp from Manley of Chino, California, with an all-valve output stage that switches between single-ended and push-pull operation, hand-wound Manley IRON output transformers and a continuously variable feedback control for damping and transient response.

The Lehmannaudio Linear II takes a different path, with a discrete Class A output stage that runs without global feedback, two gold-plated Neutrik headphone sockets and gain set by switches to suit the headphones in use. Lehmannaudio develops and manufactures every product in Germany.

As a source and an amplifier in one, the Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition streams from the owner’s own Qobuz and TIDAL accounts, with Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Roon Ready and Bluetooth built in, and feeds a Class A/B discrete headphone amplifier that Naim says was inspired by the flagship Statement. Naim makes the Uniti Atom Headphone Edition in the UK.

Built-In Conversion and Balanced Connections

The Yamaha HA-L7A is a DAC headphone amp: an ESS ES9038PRO converter takes USB, coaxial and optical sources, and discrete, floating and balanced amplification drives standard, balanced and four-pin XLR headphone outputs. Yamaha adds sound field modes for films and concerts, with a Pure Direct mode for analogue sources.

Balanced outputs feature on the Naim, the Yamaha and the Manley alike, so headphones fitted with balanced cables connect directly, while the Linear II provides two headphone sockets. For a converter without a headphone section, the DACs collection holds standalone designs.

Choosing the Best Headphone Amplifier

Start with the headphones, because impedance and sensitivity decide how much gain and drive the amplifier must supply, and the open-back headphones in the collection vary widely in impedance. Then decide what else the unit should do: stream from a network, convert digital sources, feed a wider system, or simply drive headphones as well as possible.

A familiar recording and your own headphones make the fairest comparison, so enquire about a listening session on Wigmore Street, with advice on cables and partnering sources.

Questions About Headphone Amplifiers

What is the best headphone amp for my headphones?

The best headphone amp depends on your headphones and sources more than on any single model. The Yamaha HA-L7A adds a converter for digital sources, the Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition adds streaming, the Manley Absolute brings valve amplification and the Lehmannaudio Linear II a Class A output stage. Audio Lounge can match one to the headphones you own.

Do I need a dedicated headphone amp?

A dedicated amplifier earns a place when headphones are hard to drive or when the socket on a source sounds strained. Lehmannaudio notes that common headphones range from 16 to 600 ohms. Output here runs from 400 mW into 60 ohms on the Linear II and 1,000 mW into 32 ohms on the HA-L7A to 1.5 W per channel into 16 ohms on the Uniti Atom Headphone Edition.

Should I choose a headphone amp DAC or separate units?

A headphone amp DAC such as the Yamaha HA-L7A keeps conversion and amplification in one chassis, with USB, coaxial and optical inputs and pre outputs for a wider system, while the Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition also streams over a network. Separate units suit a system that already has a converter: neither the Manley Absolute nor the Lehmannaudio Linear II lists a digital input.

What sets a valve headphone amp apart?

Valves amplify the signal in place of transistors, and the Manley Absolute builds the output stage entirely from valves, with two 12AX7 and four 6AQ5A (EL90) valves feeding Manley IRON output transformers wound by hand. A switch selects single-ended or push-pull operation, a variable feedback control adjusts damping, and an impedance selector covers headphones from 12 to 600 ohms. Ask to hear the Absolute beside the other designs.

Can a headphone amplifier sit at the centre of a speaker system?

Each model here can feed a separate amplifier or powered loudspeakers from line or pre outputs. The Uniti Atom Headphone Edition has XLR and RCA pre outputs, the Yamaha HA-L7A XLR and RCA outputs, the Manley Absolute includes full line-level control and the Lehmannaudio Linear II has a pre-out designed for long cable runs.