By clicking “Accept”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyse site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. View our Cookie Policy for more information.

Tyre-kicker's guide

Hi-res players & Headphone amps

View all reviews
Hi-res players & Headphone amps

headphone amps are an essential accessory for those that like their music sounding superb

HEADPHONE AMP

A headphone amp is an amplifier specifically designed to power or drive your headphones. Your smartphone, for example so long as it has a headphone socket, has a headphone amplifier built-in. But here we're talking about a standalone headphone amp that'll derive max performance from your headphones, especially higher impedance designs. Higher impedance headphones – think 25 ohms and above – require more power, which is where the headphone amp comes in. If your headphones sound quiet, you likely need a headphone amp. A capable headphone amp can boost the audio performance of pretty much any headphones, but the more capable the cans, the more pronounced the results.