Where to get headphone amps from in UK & reccomendations

[lippi]

Ive just upgraded my headphones to go with my Sony NWZA 818 to some Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 Pro EB for Portability and Sennheiser HD595 for at home (havent listened to either yet, only ordered this week).

Now Im looking at amps, but cant seem to find any for sale in the uk apart from the Graham Slee voyager. Is there anywhere online which has a decent selection and does anyone have any reccomendations for a particular amp. I might as well ask - is it actually worth me spending the money on an amp considering the gear I have???

Appreciate any help

[NicolasB]

I own a Graham Slee "Solo" amp, and it's very good. Buy directly from Mr Slee at www.gspaudio.co.uk .

Stone Audio ( http://www.stoneaudio.co.uk/ ) will sell you a Sugden Headmaster, if you want to go a bit more upmarket. (That device also doubles up as a quite nice stereo pre-amp). Stone Audio also sells the Earmax, which is a very fine headphone amp that runs on valves rather than solid-state circuitry.

Those three (Slee Solo, Headmaster and Earmax) are the "usual suspects" for people looking for a high-end amp.

Superfi ( http://www.superfi.co.uk/ ) sell Creek amps, which are cheaper and reasonable value.

Some people like the X-Cans amp, although I'm not a fan myself.

There are various other possibilities - do some Googling and Froogling.

[alexs2]

All of Nicks suggestions above are good choices,and Stone Audio seems to currently have one of the best selections of headphone amps.

I've used the Earmax for some time,and it does work very well with the 595,although it won't get to heavy metal levels of output...you would need the Earmax Pro which has a higher output and is better able to drive higher impedance phones.

Like Nick,I'm not a great fan of the X-Cans,although modified ones may be much better,and they certainly do have scope for that.

[Pretty Polly]

Hifi Gear do a good range of headphone amps, the Lehmann Black Cube is my personal favourite see http://www.hifigear.co.uk/site/scrip...ategory_id=381

[Waldi]

Originally Posted by Pretty Polly

Hifi Gear do a good range of headphone amps, the Lehmann Black Cube is my personal favourite see http://www.hifigear.co.uk/site/scrip...ategory_id=381

hmm they might have a good selection but they are massively overpriced afaik. they sell hd 650 for a whopping £329.99, while on amazon u can get them for mere £160. thats more than double price..

[coliam]

I had this same problem, there are very few quality amps available in the U.K.
If you don't mind euro-shopping Meier-Audio are quite popular with the 'headies',as is the Graham Slee Solo.
I gave up and built one instead, but that's not for everyone.

[alnwrd]

I had a very good response from analogue seduction in Peterborough. They responded immediately to my email enquiry and had the graham slee solo with power supply in stock and I am very happy with them. The web address is

http://www.analogueseduction.net/acatalog/index.html