Best Headphone Amps Reviewed

How Headphone Amps Work

Headphone amps take electrical energy from a wall outlet, battery, or device battery charge. They add voltage and wattage to an incoming electrical signal to create a higher-magnitude reproduction, which you hear in your headphones as a louder version of the same sound.

However, in reality, there usually is some unwanted sound signal (aka noise), but very little with a good amplifier. Also, some amps are intentionally designed to alter the sound in ways that are considered ideal for specific purposes. 

Headphone Amplifier Comparison Table 

Types of Headphone Amps

Benefits of Headphone Amps

So, why use a headphone amplifier? In truth, with inexpensive earbuds, you probably do not need to. Head/earphones are the first things to change if you want a sound quality update. Second, consider changing your digital-to-analog converter (DAC)—this will allow you to listen to higher-fidelity music files. Then finally, get a headphone amp.

Choosing a High-Quality Headphone Amp

Amp Type:

Amps are generally categorized as either portable or desktop (aka stationary). Portable amps are small enough to fit in your pocket. Some users remark they do not provide as good sound quality as desktop amps. However, many are just as capable of amplifying robust headphones, and many have equally good user controls and software elements.

Headphone Type:

Before choosing an amp, pick out your ideal headphones. Aside from earphones (high-quality earbuds), headphones come in 3 categories—closed, open, and semi-open. Closed headphones isolate sound, both inside and out; while open headphones allow more sound exchange with the environment.

Discriminating listeners sometimes prefer the sound quality of one or the other. Semi-open headphones are a hybrid with some of the benefits and drawbacks of both.

Headphone Compatibility:

The biggest amp-headphone compatibility factor is headphone impedance. Impedance is the total resistance of electrical circuitry to electric flow. Quite often, better headphones have higher impedances. If the amp is not strong enough in output wattage to overcome the high impedance, the amp will not increase the signal strength sufficient to deliver consistently adequate volume.

Sound Quality:

Sound quality comprises many factors that come together to make a pleasing sound: timbre (sound waves accompanying the leading tone that makes different instruments and voices sound special), loudness, purity (lack of unwanted noise); distortion to the original sound signal—can be good or bad; and more. Some might consider the spatial effects part of sound quality as well.

Ease of Use:

You want your amp to be a blessing, not a headache. Most good headphone amps have well-labeled and intuitively positioned controls, inputs, and outputs. Even if there is a build-in DAC component, the software should be plug-and-play, regardless of the operating system. Be sure to get the required adapters or cables for your amp—while this is an added complication, addressing it upfront saves trouble down the road.

Size & Portability:

Most headphone amps are relatively small devices—many desktop amps are nearly portable in size. However, some portable headphone amps are hardly bigger than a USB drive or an output cable. You can get portable amps that are still large enough to have basic controls on the amp itself—many users prefer this, even when there are also controls in the DAC software.

Connectivity Options:

Almost all desktop amps come with a matching charging cable/adapter. Portable amps usually are either battery-powered or plug directly into your computer or mobile device by USB.

Some headphone amps also come with the most commonly used input/output cables for connection to your music source and to your headphones/earphones. In some instances, you might need to get a cable to match your specific device—if it is, say, a Mac or PC.

Build Quality & Design:

A high-quality headphone amp will have a durable exterior, often called a chassis/body—usually made of aluminum. Many users also appreciate a prominent volume dial, potentially with knurling (little ridges) for grip. Many desktop amps look like miniature scientific laboratory instruments—an aesthetic that many audiophiles and tech nerds enjoy.

Music Source Connections:

There are a variety of different connections that transmit electric signals; many headphone amps give the user the option of more than one. Most connections are standardized—all USB-A’s, B’s, C’s and mini match up; as do all 3.5mm (1/8-inch) or 6.3mm (1/4-inch) connections.

With RCA connection cables, get balanced/imbalanced and stereo/mono, as needed. Also, consider the male/female aspect of connectivity—this tells you which part plugs in and which part receives. Some amps even allow optical or coaxial connections.

Price & Warranty:

Often, a higher price means better amplification, sound quality, and more extended warranty. However, it is possible to find inexpensive or moderately priced headphone amps that deliver almost equally good sound as much pricier ones. That is what this review article aims to help you do. Most of the amps reviewed here have 1-year warranties.

1. Schiit Magni 3

2. Rupert Neve Designs RNHP

3. Vox AP2BS amPlug2

4. AudioQuest – DragonFly Red

5. EarStudio ES-100

6. CHORD Electronics Mojo

The CHORD Electronics Mojo is the altogether best headphone DAC amp—it is portable, powerful, and versatile. Made in Great Britain, the Mojo has a rather unusual design consisting of ball-shaped indicator lights around its body. These fun-looking lights change in brightness and color to show what sampling rate, volume, or charge level you are working with. Amazingly, it is only a little over 3 inches long—while not the tiniest you can get, still easy to carry around.

The Mojo has a volume control on the amp itself, as well as intuitively located and labeled inputs and outputs. There are 2 stereo 3.5mm outputs, so 2 headphone users can listen to the same input at once. Another nice feature is that there are multiple input options: coaxial, USB, and optical. Furthermore, the Mojo works with all basic device types—PC, Mac, Android, and iPhone. Its 4-hour charge time gives 8 to 10 hours of use.

The Mojo delivers loud, beautiful sound to almost any headphones, including such high-impedance ones as the Beyerdynamic T1 Gen 2. The DAC software can work with high sample frequency files—up to 768 kHz/32 bit and Quad DSD/DSD 256. Most users find the amplification power and sound quality of the CHORD Mojo is on par with the more expensive CHORD Hugo, but this could depend on your system.

7. Mayflower Electronics Objective2

The Mayflower Electronics Objective2 is the best desktop headphone amp you can get, for more than its price. Users report that its amplification is so powerful that there is no risk of dampening with high-impedance and a greater chance of dangerous loudness. Thankfully, you can dial down the volume and the gain easily with volume and gain controls on the front of the device.

It has a 1/8-inch input on the front and USB input on the back. It plugs into a standard wall outlet for electric power—appropriate charging and USB cables are included. Connectivity options and powerful amplification make it versatile; it even has power monitor speakers. However, users note that it does not work well with microphones. The Mayflower Electronics ARC model is ideal for this purpose, as it has RCA output jacks.

The Objective2 is outfitted with a Rev B ODAC (objective digital-to-analog converter), which means it can connect to any operating system without help from a special driver. Most users—both professional and recreational—will appreciate that it is reference-grade.  It has a scientific instrument aesthetic, but with bottom feet on each corner: altogether its look is compact and clean with intuitive button and input/output labels.

8. NextDrive Spectra

9. Behringer MicroAmp HA400

The Behringer MicroAmp HA400 is the best budget headphone amp, as it offers very powerful amplification with no unneeded trimmings. However, it does allow 4 stereo listeners to plug their headphones/earphones in to listen to the same track at once, and individually control the volume. This makes it great for the young audiophile who wants to share with 3 friends or the church music minister who needs a cheap line-level breakout box or a monitor distribution system to distribute the same track to multiple lines.

The HA400 is not really a remastering or music production device, but this is understandable, considering it is just a powerful German-made amp with no DAC software. Many users find it to be especially helpful for amplifying a TV—such as for those who are hard of hearing. However, many use it with such high-quality headphones as the Audio-Technica ATH-M30x and find that it is every bit as good as amps in the $100 price category.

Despite the 4 ¼-inch TRS output jacks along the front, this device is only about 4 inches long; it is nearly portable. For many uses, you will need 6.35mm to 3.5mm adapters. One thing to note is that many complaints about the sound from this amp are probably attributable to DAC issues—this only can make sound louder, so make changes to your source for better quality sound.

10. Bravo Audio V2

The Bravo Audio V2 is the best tube headphone amp for most people. At under $100, this amp combines the reliability of a solid state/transistor-driven amp with the uniquely warm and pleasant sound quality of a tube amp. The audiophile/nerd will greatly enjoy the aesthetic—this device has a transparent body so you can look at all of the internal components. An unfortunate side effect of this is that when the device heats up with use, the hot parts are somewhat exposed. Therefore, this device is not entirely safe for pets or children who might tamper with it.

The V2 has both right and left RCA and stereo 3.5mm input and a 6.3 mm headphone output. The volume dial sticks out prominently from the structure: Despite its complicated appearance, it is quite straightforward to use and works for such basic uses as Spotify, video, YouTube, and iTunes listening. Furthermore, it works with most headphones, and some users even report that it even works great with phonographs.

Users advise buying a better tube to replace the one that comes in the device; generally, companies use inferior tubes to lower the as-is price of tube amps. One user enthusiastically recommends the Electro-Harmonix 12AU7 EH Vacuum Tube for $20. There is no compatibility concern since this is the same essential kind of tube as the Shu Guang 12AU7 tube that comes in the V2.

Understanding Impedance and Wattage

Wattage (or rate of electric energy production) is ultimately what gives amps the power to bring up the signal amplitude (and thus the sound volume) through high-impedance (resistant) headphones. It can be challenging to compare wattages, as different standards often report them to their own terms. Excellent headphone amps generally have enough wattage to work with most headphones, however. 

While excellent headphones typically have relatively high impedances, you can get wonderful headphones without top impedance. 600 ohms seems to be the maximum, but there are capable headphones under 100 ohms. (The ohm—sometimes represented by the Ω symbol—is a unit of resistance and impedance.)

Portable vs. Desktop Headphone Amps

Users repeatedly report satisfaction with portable amps, but at the same time, many say the sound quality is not quite what you would get from a desktop amp. However, for some, this might be a negligible difference, and if you are on-the-go a lot, you might like just having the same portable amp for all listening purposes. However, realize that a portable amp will draw some power from your device, so plan your battery charging/rationing accordingly.

Stereo Amps vs. Headphone Amps

Many headphone amps are powerful enough to double as a stereo speaker/monitor amps. While stereo is often used to refer to speakers, the term stereo means that the sound is delivered in 2 different signals. With headphones, this means that your 2 ears get contrasting sounds from the same track.

If the stereo signals are blended, the signal becomes mono. Most people prefer stereo sound—the spatial effect makes for better sound quality.

Connecting the Headphone Amps to Audio Interfaces

The key is to have your cable ends match the input and output inlets/outlets of your devices. Most desktop amps have the headphone outlet—usually a 6.3mm, but sometimes a 3.5mm, outlet—in front and labeled with a headphone icon.

Other connections, if available, are generally on the back or sides of the amp body. Sometimes, you see the term "line-level," which generally just means that the amp has the right mechanism to power high-impedance devices, usually headphones.

Issues of digital output are more a question of DAC quality. Many headphone amps have a built-in DAC—potentially an improvement over the DAC built into your computer or mobile device.

Headphone Amp Care Tips

In general, a simple wipe-down with a soft cloth is enough to keep a headphone amp clean. Many portable amps come with soft pouches, but you can carry an amp however you want to, as long as it is relatively cushioned from severe blows and sheltered from fluid spills.

If you have a tube amp, it is reasonable to have to change the tubes every so often—much like lightbulbs in a lamp. While some people get inventive about it, the conservative choice is to find tubes from a reliable source that are the same model number as the original.

Common Headphone Amp Issues & Fixes

For solid-state amplifiers, malfunctions are more absolute—you probably need to contact customer support, and if in warranty, get a repair or replacement. With tube amps, it might be as simple as a blown-out tube that needs replacing.

Solid-state amps sometimes have clipping (breaks in sound), when the amp is overwhelmed by the strength of a signal and attempts to deliver an amplitude beyond its capacity. In contrast, tube amps might distort in what some might call a cool way when overwhelmed.

People Also Ask (FAQs)

Do headphone amps really improve sound quality?

Amplifiers alone enhance sound quality when increased signal strength is the need. Amp-DAC combos and DACs fix sound quality issues that originate with the digital audio file process.

Do tube amps sound better?

To some people, they do. If you have vintage/retro music tastes, you probably will think so, and the sound created with tube amps is equally played.

Do low impedance headphones need an amp?

It depends on how low, but generally the sound quality from a low-impedance device is less likely to be improved by an amp.

What is a DAC headphone amp?

A DAC headphone amp is an amp with a built-in DAC (you can get DACs separately, too). The DAC-amp combination is ideal for those who want a total systemic update of sound quality, as it gives the power to control equalization (EQ function—adjustment of the relative strength of different frequencies), sampling rate, and more—along with increasing signal strength to power excellent headphones.

Where is the best place to buy headphone amps?

For the lowest prices, definitely consider Amazon. However, company sites often offer appropriate connection cables for their devices, so at least look at these sites as a resource.

What is the difference between a preamp and an amp?

Many amps can act as preamps. A preamp is really just an amp that adds some strength before the signal is sent to another amplifying mechanism. Most recreational listeners will not need this; it is more for those involved in sound technology projects like setting up a turntable. 

Which is better, a 3.5mm jack or a 6.33mm jack for connection?

It is not so much about one being better as it is being sure you are connecting the right cable to the right jack.

Conclusion

A headphone amp might solve your lack-of-volume problem—or possibly inspire the compilation of a whole new personal audio system. Considering the first headphone amp on this review list—the Schiit Magni 3—is a great way to set the pace, even if you ultimately conclude that a different headphone amp is right for you.