Headphone Amplifier 🎧

We’ve never had such easy access to good sound quality music as we do nowadays! All we have to do is sign up for a streaming service and choose the desired files. All that’s really left for us all to do is choose the headphone we’ll use while enjoying our favorite tracks. Right? While there are many good options for headphones out there, a headphone amplifier will come to play as it can be the key factor if you want to truly enhance your listening experience.

So what is a headphone amp? In general lines, it’s a low-powered amplifier that raises the low-voltage audio signal from a source device - such as a turntable, smartphone, or PC - to a sufficient level in order to drive the miniature speakers inside headphones. The bottom line is that they can greatly improve the performance and sound of your headphones. 

Truth be told, most digital devices already have a DAC (digital to analog converter) and headphone amp built right in, hence our ability to just plug any headphone and immediately hear the sound, right? And now you might be asking yourself: why would I need a headphone amp, or do I actually need one? The simple and straightforward answer is YES, especially if you appreciate great sound. To put it bluntly, if you don’t own a high-quality pair of headphones, then headphone amps are not for you. But as you get more into higher-quality headphones, so does the need and benefit of using a headphone amp. 

A headphone amp might also be necessary when you have high-impedance headphones. These are headphones with the potential to sound much better than the average, and so they require more power to drive them. In this case, a headphone amp is almost required if you want the headphone to perform at desired volume and function properly. As a rule of thumb, if your headphones have an impedance of 50 ohms or higher, a headphone amplifier is probably something you should indeed consider. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that headphone amps can also be the solution when your HiFi audio components don’t include a headphone jack and if you want to enjoy your music using your headphones in a different room than where your audio system is set.

Now that you know a great deal about headphone amps, you need to decide, not only if you need/want one, but also what kind might be best for your needs and wants. Click HERE to get more in-depth information on the types of headphone amps available!

If it’s time to shop for one and have your listening experience enhanced in a manner you never thought possible, here is a quick link to the SKY by Gramophone page dedicated to Headphone Amplifiers!

If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to contact us through the chat right here at the bottom-right of the page!