Okay, so I’ve been on this quest to find the “best” tube headphone amp, right? It’s been a journey, let me tell you. It all started because my regular solid-state amp just wasn’t giving me that warm, fuzzy feeling I wanted with my planar magnetic headphones.
First, I did a ton of reading. Like, way too much. Forums, reviews, blogs – you name it, I was there. I quickly learned that “best” is super subjective. What one person loves, another might hate. It depends on your headphones, your music taste, and even your ears!
The Contenders
I narrowed it down to a few popular choices, based on my budget and what seemed to pair well with my headphones (Hifiman, for the curious!). I was mostly looking at OTL (output transformerless) designs, because I heard they were good for planars.
- Option A– Sounded amazing on paper, a lot of people loved the sound signature.
- Option B– A little bit more expensive, used by a famous Youtuber.
- Option C– Affordable, but needed a modification, a very difficult one.
The Deep Dive
I started gathering parts. Finding the right tubes was a whole other rabbit hole! I ended up ordering a few different sets to try out, because apparently, tube rolling is a thing (and an addiction, from what I can tell).
Option A, It was a lot of fun.I listened to a lot of different music – jazz, classical, rock, electronic – and really tried to pay attention to the details. The soundstage was impressive, wide and deep. The bass was tight and controlled, and the highs were smooth, I loved it.
Next up, Option B. Honestly, it wasn’t that much different that the last one, only with a different set of tubes.I spent a couple of weeks with each amp, just living with it and seeing how it felt.
The last one, Option C,It’s not really fair to say, but this one was a pain in the butt, I spent 3 days, and the modification was a failure.
The Verdict (For Now!)
So, which one is the “best”? After all this, I’ve realized there’s no single answer. But for me, right now, with my headphones and my music, I’m leaning towards Option A. It just gives me that goosebumps feeling, you know? It makes me want to listen to music all day long.
Option B? A very close second.
Option C? I’m not going back there.
But honestly, this whole experience has taught me that the journey is just as important as the destination. I’ve learned a ton, met some cool people online, and discovered a whole new appreciation for audio gear. And I know this isn’t the end – I’m already eyeing some other tubes to try out…