Why a headphone amplifier?

For the highest possible sound quality, it is important that the headphones and the headphone amplifier match well. This is why the phone's amplifier chip and the earphones supplied from the factory are optimally matched. Premium headphones sometimes have different impedance and sensitivity. For this reason, your premium headphones may not sound optimal with your smartphone. If this is the case then a headphone amplifier offers the solution.

Which amplifier fits my headphones?

Headphone amplifiers can be as simple as an adapter plug housing a stereo amplifier and DAC to an exclusive desktop model with a highly functional built-in DAC and preamp function. It allows you to drive a set of active speakers and, in some models, even connect multiple headphones simultaneously. If you use the headphones primarily indoors, we recommend a desktop model. If you like to use the amplifier on the go along with your smartphone, then a model with an Apple Lightning or USB connector is a great choice.

Single-ended, balanced, digital or Bluetooth?

Most headphones have a single-ended headphone cable with a 3.5mm or 6.3mm jack connection. The better headphones sometimes have a balanced cable with a 2.5mm jack or 4.4mm Pentaconn jack. If your headphones have the option of a balanced driver, choose the headphone amplifier that allows your balanced headphones to perform optimally. If you want to drive your headphones digitally, choose an amplifier with built-in DAC. If you like to connect your headphones via Bluetooth, it is important that the amplifier is equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 and it supports multiple codecs such as AAC, SBC, aptX, aptX LL, aptX HD and LDAC.

Choose your headphone amplifier

Are you looking for a good amplifier for your headphones or are you looking for a combination of an amplifier and headphones? At all our headphones we clearly indicate impedance and sensitivity. At all our headphone amplifiers we clearly indicate whether the impedance of the headphones is suitable for use with this amplifier. Popular are the headphone amplifiers from AudioQuest, FiiO, Sennheiser and Chord Electronics.

Personal advice

If you have any questions when choosing a suitable headphone amplifier, the head-fi specialists at Wifimedia are happy to help. Would you like to try out different headphone amplifiers with your own headphones? Then feel free to visit our Wifimedia Experience Center in Arnhem and take the time to listen to all amplifiers at your leisure.