Obtainable Headphone Amplifiers: $999.99 - $1999.99

I was looking at that Elekit 8600 also. This links includes prices and offers a pre-built option. http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/elekit/309740-pre-sale-tu-8600-a.html

Also, can vouch that Dragon Inspire IHA-1 is in the not shit category.

 

Actually Victor, the importer/NA distributor of Elekit will build a kit for $200. Victor is very helpful regarding build questions, and usually answers emails within minutes.

English is his second language, so maybe communication with him in Cantonese or Mandarin would be easier. I've met him in person when I picked up my TU-8200DX kit at his house, while visiting family in Vancouver, BC. He welcomes people to his home to audition gear. @Griffon has also visited him. As Victor loves to say, "Music is my passion". He's definitely an enthusiast, and selling gear is his hobby, he's a CPA by trade.

He's one of the good guys in the industry.

Edit: @porkfriedpork sniped the build option

 

Wolf Ear Audio - Natayo just sneeks in.

Glad to see Sugarmaple amps on the list!

 

Then would you hate it if I say the Mjolnir 2 should be on the list, because if almost anyone else made it, then it would be priced well above the $999 starting point?

 

Why is the SPL Phonitor E on the chopping block? You can buy it without the DAC and @gbeast said in his review this was one of the best ss amps he heard with the HD650. @Marvey mentioned elsewhere he thought the price of the Phonitor amps are ok for the soundquality.

This thread is about amps, not DACs. So better leave out optional DACs for combo units. Even SPL said the optional DAC is basic.

 

Didn't realize the DAC module was optional.

 

As amps get put on the chopping block for limited availability, DIY, or assumption of poor value, it is evident that this price range is oddly unappealing to manufacturers.

The amplifiers that remain attractive to me are few: ampsandsound, iFi, Felks Audio, very few others.

This is why experienced folks like @Hands and @Marvey have encouraged people in this thread to shy away. Once I started looking in this realm seriously, I basically decided to instead look for the amps I really wanted at used prices (Cavalli audio Liquid Crimson, Eddie Current Zana Deux S/Super 7, DNA Stratus).

You can sit comfortably under $1000 with plenty of viable options. A few amps I have personal experience with that I would recommend:

• Schiit Vali 2: Very capable, especially for the price. Hard to go wrong with this one.
• Garage1217 Project Sunrise III / Horizon III: Very good amps (essentially the same amp for different impedance ranges). Better than the Vali 2. Tangible performance gains can be extracted with a good linear power supply (additional price: $100-$200).
• Schiit Jotunheim: Neutral, resolving, hard-hitting, powerful. Can exacerbate treble fatigue issues with the wrong source or headphones. Add a Saga for considerable soundstage improvements and smoothing of treble.

To get markedly superior performance compared to the above, the price jump is significant and/or you need to enter the realm of DIY (Torpedo III) or the used market.

 

With a bit of luck, the Massdrop Cavalli Tube Hybrid can be added to the list, once it is released.

 

A small correction: the MZ2 is not a hybrid amp, its amplification is all tube. There's a bunch of SS stuff in the amp but its function is outside of the signal path.

 

Updated a bit with a few links to impressions. @ampsandsound is looking like one of the few great tube options in this price range so far. I personally love the Mogwai and I haven't even heard it with the upgrades.

 

I want one badly. I'll keep saving my pennies.

Have you run speakers from it?

 

I don't even like playing with fiddly knobs on my amps, but man there's just something about the Phonitor aesthetic that makes me want one...

 

I have some things I want to point out as far as the list goes...

Feliks Audio Euforia had that huge price increase.

The Burson Soloist is, bar none, the worst amplifier on that list (in my opinion.) It's entirely overpriced, doesn't have that much power, and is horribly distorted to emulate tubes for some godawful reason. It was SO bad, that it scared me off from buying high-end amplifiers until JUST recently. "If the Asgard 2 was better than a $1000 amp, why should I ever buy one?" was my thinking. But after going to audioshows for a couple of years now, I've turned that opinion around.

 

This is an interesting concept to me - I previously thought of adding a Freya to my home system at some point but with its price point being pretty high in Europe (almost $1k) and me being unable to audition it prior to purchase, I never did get around to doing it.

I have a Jotunheim at work and the Saga is reasonably priced here (sub $500), you've got me intrigued by saying the soundstage improvements are significant - I assume I'm still better off taking my pennies elsewhere and investing them into something different altogether like an Elise or a second Mjolnir 2.

PS: For what it's worth, the only amplifier I've personally found to be worth paying over $1000 (and under like 2500) for is the Pathos Aurium; however, though my unit has not had a problem, I have heard of others having some issues with circuit noise. Then again what do I really know, I live in the middle of buttcheeks nowhere and barely have the chance test gear besides my own, still I have a hard time imagining anyone truly disliking the sound signature of the Aurium. It's incredibly pleasant.

 

I mean, weeping is what I did after I spent that money on it. I was 23 at the time, I didn't know any better. Haha

 

I see the M2Tech Marley mentioned here, but I can't find anything about it on this forum.

Whoever recommended it, how does it sound?

 

What would make the list better would be some "tags", showing where they can be bought/serviced. E.g. something like:

Audiofoo Maximus 12 U E
Kartofel Gremlin u E
Misty Nipples U e

Where

• U = Sold in USA, serviced in USA
• u = Manuf will sell to USA, serviced elsewhere
• E = Sold in Europe, serviced in Europe
• e = manuf will sell to Europe, serviced elsewhere

(expand as necessary for other places where)

If you do something like this, don't use colours like @Torq did on his otherwise excellent DAC stuff, as colours chosen for one site colourscheme can be utterly unreadable on the other- like this on the pale grey..

A lot of the exotic boutique stuff that is on sale in Murica needs shipping back and forth across the pond, where massive customs and shipping fees can make it painful when you need a fault fixed. (Probably why I never ordered a ZDS, as much as I'd love one.) Who knows, there may even be some European stuff where the same applies the other way around. It'd help when people are trying to narrow down their choices.

 

Doug hasn’t updated his ECP audio site in awhile but I seem to recall that one of his DSHA amps is near the $2k mark.

 

I believe Marv is referring to the bass quality, although crying would be justified.