Looking for valve based headphone amp advice

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mcandmar

mcandmar

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Joined 2012
#1
Hi all,

I have decided i really want to build a valve based headphone amp but i am totally lost as to what to go for. A lot of sites i have browsed seem to favor the ready made Woo Audio amps, or the DIY Bottlehead amps.

I would prefer to build it myself and have something i can modify/experiment with so the Bottlehead Crack or S.E.X. amps look ideal.

I was originally looking at the WA3 or Crack amps to drive a pair of HD650's, however since i have a few Grados i talked myself into the WA6/S.E.X. kits for their ability to drive low impedance loads. Am i right in saying the only valve amps in this category all use transformers in the output?

I guess my only fear is buying one of those amps, and then with more time/research on this site discover i should have just built X amp and downloaded the schematic/parts list from here. To me the whole process of physical layout and sourcing the components is part of the fun.

So my question to you good people is, should i just buy a Bottlehead kit, or can you recommend another well proven design/thread i should look into instead?

Thanks,

Mark
 
#4
Hi Mark,

I've also been thinking about building a headphone amplifier and if I'm going to do it, I'll go for a PCL86/ECL86 thingy mostly because I have a set of quite good single ended output transformers. There are many schematics on the net to start with. I was especially intrigued by this one:
PCL86’´ŽOŒ‹
- but I haven't analysed it or tried it. The webpage is in Japanese, but the schematic is in a - to me - known language.
Looking forward to hearing about tour progress.
Best
 
#7
so you want a floor wax and a dessert topping

some OTL tube can handle the current needed - but "no global feedback" designs will be pretty much current source drives into 32 Ohm - as opposed to the usual near V source drive assumption - current source drive can give bass peaking with typical headphone impedance curves

the Bottlehead Crack was mentioned in the headphones forum - not endorsing it or any tube amp - but it gives tube types, place to start search
 
#8
With a 300R load, you can look at OTL designs- the Morgan Jones headphone amp seems to be a popular design. At 30R load, you'll need an output transformer (unless you want to do a truly heroic OTL!); a good output transformer will roughly double your build cost.
 
#10
SY said:
a good output transformer will roughly double your build cost.
Click to expand...

That does seem to be the case, but the ability to drive low impedance cans makes it worth it as most of mine are. The HD650 is the only high impedance can i own, just seems silly to build an amp i can only really use with those.

00940 said:
Considering your requirements, you should have a look at the Mapletree Ear+. It used to be sold a kit, the website is a bit unclear, send them an email.

Otherwise, if you want to start from scratch, the schematics are available on their website: http://hollowstate.netfirms.com/epluskitmanual.pdf
Click to expand...

That is an interesting option, i had looked at Mapletree amps and found them to be a little out of my price range, but i will inquire about kit forms and see what he says. Also didnt realize they had transformer outputs, that has re awakened my interest.

jcx said:
the Bottlehead Crack was mentioned in the headphones forum - not endorsing it or any tube amp - but it gives tube types, place to start search
Click to expand...

The Bottlehead Crack is what i was going to buy, but there is an offer on MassDrop where i can get the S.E.X. kit for $430, the same cost as a Crack w/speedball, hence my dilemma.

I guess my requirements snowballed a little when i realized valve amps can be capable of driving low impedance loads. I want a cake with icing on top!

I have two days to decide on the S.E.X. kit, do i want to regret not buying it, or do i want buyers remorse 🙄
 
#14
cheap iron is cheap iron - M6 steel will have a distortion floor well above that of better core materials - audibility of that distortion is questionable - but there must be a reason people pay up for Nickel or Cobalt in their core for audio xfmr

no DC current spec so really has to be used with DC blocking Cap on primary– the Torpedo parafeed circuit is fine for this
 
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#17
I built a cMoy myself, and a Grado RA-1 clone, a JHL ebay kit, and an Objective2. Figured it was time to see what all the fuss was about in the bottle world. I will build a more serious SS amp in the future, but for now i just need to scratch this itch and see if i can find something to do the HD650's justice.

Probably going to go for one of the Bottlehead kits, has lots of versatility, and plenty of support for DIY modding. Something to keep me busy for the time being..

Though a decent DAC is tempting, too many group buys on this forum 🙄
 
#18
00940 said:
Considering your requirements, you should have a look at the Mapletree Ear+. It used to be sold a kit, the website is a bit unclear, send them an email.

Otherwise, if you want to start from scratch, the schematics are available on their website: http://hollowstate.netfirms.com/epluskitmanual.pdf
Click to expand...

Contacted Maple and they no longer supply them in kit form. Looks like a really nice amp, and certainly very highly spoken of from the research i did. Only problem is the price.

Building from scratch is tempting, but i dont know enough about valve amps for such an undertaking, i need a little hand holding 🙂
 
#20
Been there exactly. Went off and built a coupe of tube amps. Went back to SS.
I too have a Grado clone amp. I usually use my "Muse" DAC/head amp. Not as good as I can build, but probably better than any of my CD's. Some year I will build an all-fet amp. I have Grado's and old Yamahamer cans. I use the Grados when doing hyper-critical listening and the old cans more often for music.
 
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