Headphone amp options/old gear sellers remorse 😢

HiFi
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My previous pre-amp, a Marantz SC-6, had a tip-top headphone stage, and I am missing it big time. To the point that I am watching the very same unit on eBay :relieved:

I’ve heard a few of the newer amps, and yes they offer the power etc. to drive my HP, but are pretty boring compared to the Marantz.

Is there a more convenient Class A or valve HP that could fit the bill? I’m convinced it’s the smooth class A sound that I fell for, but would prefer a smaller dedicated unit.

Headphones are B&W P7, Sennheiser HD 650.

The thing that really did it for me with the SC-6 is that I actually enjoyed listening sessions with headphones, rather than viewing them as rehearsal for ‘proper listening’.

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HD650 immediately says Bottlehead Crack with speedball to me.

3

P7 doesn’t, they are very low impedance.

4

Come again? In English?

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That’s maybe why I like the SC-6, they are pretty average a lot of the time, but they sounded great driven by the Marantz.

Likely to get some better closed backs.

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Great kit, one for sale at the mo.

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There’s a sentence you don’t hear every day!

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This looks to be the favourite, form factor and price. I could get my old pre back for similar money, but this would be more convenient;

Rupert Neve HP amplifier


Anyone used one?
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Don’t know the Rupert Neve. I’ve used a Grace m902 with HD650s for a few years and love it. Quick google and one for sale here https://www.ebay.co.uk/c/2192715378. Others no doubt available.

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He used to make dead good mixing consoles back in the day. Think they eventually bought out the company I used to work for in Salford.

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Very tempted, a bit bonkers to use purely as a HP amp given the footprint though. Going to try and hear the Neve, another decent unit I heard yonks ago was a Teac HA-501.

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I have very little experience and knowledge of headphone amps (which, seemingly, makes me perfectly qualified to give advice on a hi-fi forum). For what it’s worth though, I’ve used one of these with my Senn HD650 for a few years and it’s a lovely little thing.