Portable headphone amplifiers are quite narrow-profile personal electronics that not all fans of high-quality sound know about. The device can work with a smartphone, MP3 player and even a personal computer. All you have to do is connect the amplifier via a standard jack, and you can enjoy the pure concert sound of your favorite music. Some models are so compact that they fit easily into a jeans pocket. In many cases, only the use of a portable amplifier will allow you to fully unleash the potential of high-quality high-impedance wired headphones.
We've compiled a list of the best headphone amplifiers based on expert reviews and customer reviews. Our recommendations will help you make the best choice for your requirements and desires. There are many competitors on the world market for equipment, but we have selected the best manufacturers and recommend that you pay special attention to them:
- Fiio
- Fostex
- McIntosh
| 1 | Fostex HP-A4 | 26 490 p. |
| 2 | Fostex HP-A3 | 17 988 p. |
| 3 | McIntosh MHA150 | 543,750 RUB |
| 4 | Sim Audio MOON Neo 430HA | 317,756 p. |
| 5 | Fiio Q1 Mark II | 8 790 p. |
| 6 | Fiio Q5S | 31,990 p. |
Built-in battery
Low-power
The main advantages
- Three inputs allow you to connect studio headphones (jack 6.3), external speakers (RCA) and various external digital devices such as the Apple TV set-top box (S / PDIF)
- Firmware upgradeable to the latest original version thanks to built-in microSD card slot
- Direct connection to a personal computer or laptop via USB allows the device to be used as an external sound card
- Two LO / HI amplification modes for low impedance and high impedance headphones
- Working with personal computers and laptops running Windows and MacOS
- High-quality electronic filling allows you to transmit sounds in a wide frequency range with minimal distortion
The main advantages
- By switching between input (optical and USB) and output ports (RCA or headphones), you can input and output a signal using a variety of devices
- DAC from Asachi Kasei allows you to enjoy high quality sound in analog format without noise and distortion
- Direct power supply of the amplifier via USB port avoids connecting additional voltage converters
- On the front panel there is a volume level, buttons for switching inputs / outputs and a headphone jack, which makes it easy to control all the main functions of the amplifier without additional settings, immediately after switching on
High power
The main advantages
- Proprietary Autoformer technology allows you to connect and mate headphones with impedances in the ranges of 8-40, 40-150 and 50-600 ohms
- Hardware-based asynchronous USB interface converts digital bursts to streaming analog
- MCT input allows synchronization with proprietary MCT450 transport for safe playback and transfer of SACD discs
- Crossfeed Director technology increases sound volume and adaptively cuts background noise
- Power Guard protects headphones connected to equipment from peaks and associated secondary clipping
- Output power of 50 watts allows you to connect table or ceiling speakers
Built-in DAC
The main advantages
- Implemented support for all types of connection of incoming signal sources: optical, coaxial, USB, tulip. This allows you to use any digital and analog devices
- Balanced circuit is provided to fine tune the output signal to the needs of the user
- RS232 connector allows remote control of device parameters
- High power amplifier capable of delivering up to 8 watts of power per channel, and also supports professional headphones up to 600 ohms
- Built-in DAC provides 32-bit 384 kHz sound quality and supports virtually all formats
- Power is provided by a built-in toroidal transformer unit to prevent any signal distortion and surges
