With so many options available in the market choosing the best desktop headphone amp can be tricky for normal customers. Consumers can get overwhelmed by the huge marketplace and end in a place by choosing a wrong product that will not serve its purpose perfectly.
The purpose of this review is to avoid misunderstanding and help the customer with a shortlist of the most popular products of the marketplace by analyzing the features, functions, specifications, customers rating, and reviews.
This review section will help you with the selected list of the most favored and trended items of the marketplace where you can easily check the reviews from the actual customers.
Top 10 Best Desktop Headphone Amp
Here are the top desktop headphone amp we picked, check their features.
1. iFi Zen CAN Signature 6XX – Balanced Desktop Headphone Amp and Preamp with 4.4mm Outputs
- ✅ ULTIMATE POWER – Every purchase of the ZEN CAN Signature includes the iPower2 power supply. When it comes to low-noise, few power supplies compare.
- ✅ IMMERSIVE SOUND – Enhanced with our signature analog signal processing to deliver accurate and more natural bass frequencies through XSpace, and headphone corrections optimized for Sennheiser HD 6XX headphones.
- ✅ POWER REALIZED – Maximize the performance of your headphones, more than just getting loud, but realizing the full dynamic range of the drivers and experiencing soft vocals as well as heart pounding drums, never missing a beat. Delivers up to 1890mW of power at 64 ohms
- ✅ THE INS AND OUTS – Features both a balanced 4.4mm pentacon and a single ended 6.3mm (1/4”) headphone output on the front as well as three inputs on the back, including a 3.5mm line out, RCA left and right sockets, and a 4.4mm balanced pentacon connector. Additionally there is a 4.4 balanced output to connect to a power amplifier or active speakers for use as a preamplifier
- ✅ SUPERIOR ENGINEERING – Extremely low distortion and noise from a circuit design inspired by our flagship headphone amp which uses a dedicated input stage that level matches to your source, allowing the signal to flow freely through the Class A output stage, literally music to your ears
2. iFi NEO iDSD Desktop DAC, Hires Bluetooth Receiver, and Balanced Headphone Amplifier
- USB, S/PDIF optical, and digital coax wired inputs
- Bluetooth 5.0 receiver compatible with all codecs, up to 24 bit / 96Hz streaming
- Burr Brown DAC chip supports PCM 768kHz, DSD512 and full MQA decoding
- OLED display with remote control; horizontal or vertical orientation
- Fully balanced headphone amp with 4.4mm and 6.3mm connections, and XLR and RCA speaker outputs
3. FiiO K5Pro Amplifier Headphone Amps Stereo High Resolution Portable Desktop DAC 768K/32Bit and Native DSD512 for Home Audio/PC 6.35mm Headphone Out
- [High-performance DAC&USB decoding chip]: The K5Pro ESS headphone amps achieves new heights in sound quality and comes with a high level of resolution sound. ES9038PRO with 32-bit processing, along with the XUF208 USB decoding chip with 768kHz and DSD256 inputs, and it also upportes mobile phone connectivity.
- [Variety of outputs]: Supports 6.35mm (1/4 in.) headphone out/RCA line-out outputs, the RCA line-out line signal is adjustable up to a maximum of 2Vrms, so the K5Pro ESS portable DAC can be used with a variety of active speakers and external amplifiers.
- [Variety of inputs]: Supports coaxial/optical/RCA line-in inputs, with optical and coaxial inputs supporting up to 192kHz inputs, K5Pro ESS amplifier is convenient for connecting various music players and digital interfaces.
- [Various headphones with all kinds of sensitivities]: With ADC volume adjustment, K5Pro ESS portable headphone amplifier allows you to smoothly adjust volume at extremely fine increments without any undesirable noise nor with any channel imbalances. It means you could comfortably use various headphones with all kinds of sensitivities with it.
- [Easily handles low or high impedance headphone]: For a total power output of up to 1.5 W under a 32Ω load, and up to 20Vpp at 300Ω, K5Pro ESS desktop amplifier can easily handles any low or high impedance headphone.
4. FiiO K9Pro Amplifier Headphone Amps Bluetooth High Resolution Desktop Portable Support Lossless Sound 384 kHz/DSD256/MQA/LDAC/AptX Adaptive/AptX HD
- [Support lossless MQA renderer]: The K9Pro ESS amplifier supports the unfolding of MQA tracks, allowing you to listen to high-resolution audio files that are not only reasonably sized, but also retain master-level sound quality that brings you directly into the recording studio.
- [DAC/AMP combos]: K9Pro ESS desktop amplifier can drive 600Ω power-hungry headphones. Connect to your pc, players as desktop dac, you also could play with your speaker or external amplifier.
- [Bluetooth 5.1 and High Resolution Bluetooth]: The K9Pro ESS bluetooth headphone amps supports AAC/SBC/aptX/aptX LL/aptX HD/LDAC/aptX adaptive lossless bluetooth formats, it means you could get high resolution sound more convenient.
- [Supports up to 384 kHz and native DSD256]: The K9Pro ESS desktop DAC is equipped with the high performance dual ES9038PRO, supporting up to 384 kHz and native DSD256 audio.
- [Plentiful playing ways]: ①Front: XLR 4-pin, 4.4mm balanced, 6.35mm single-ended headphone outputs ;②Rear: 4.4mm balanced Line in; coaxial, optical, RCA, XLR out; for more convenient connections to external amps or speakers; ③Side: USB Type-C port, for your player, mobile phone,PC.
5. Fosi Audio Q4 Headphone Amplifier Mini Stereo DAC 24-Bit 192 KHz USB Optical Coaxial to RCA AUX Digital-to-Analog Audio Converter Adapter for Home
- Come with 5V USB power supply cable, optical cable, USB type B cable and 18-month warranty; Full metallic shell to ensure high quality
- 160mW RMS(32 ohms, 20 Hz – 20 KHz, 0.01% THD), with bass and treble control can be used as preamp or volume controller for your PC/MAC/Computer
- Fosi Audio Q4 is designed with PC-USB/optical inputs and coaxial and RCA/3.5MM headphone outputs can fit with most home audio system.(Q4 do not support Microphone). RCA output can be connected to amplifier or powered speakers on your desktop; Built-in Hi-Fi headphone amp chip can drive most 16 Ohm to 200 Ohm headphones
- Mini Compact D/A converter, stream bit-perfect 24bit/192KHz HD with low jitter, with output protect circuit, safe for your expensive audio system
- Easy to set up, no special software, app, or driver to install, a true plug-and-play digital audio adapter
6. Topping EX5 MQA Dual ES9038Q2M DAC Bluetooth 5.0 LDAC DSD512 PCM 768kHz Hi-Res Audio HiFi Decoder Headphone Amplifier (Black)
- Support DSD512 Native and PCM 768kHz, MQA Full Decoding via USB
- THD+N as low as 0.00010%, 1300mW X2 Output Power
- DAC + Pre amp applicaion/ Bluetooth receiver/Tablet and phone DAC application
- Dual ESS ES9038Q2M SABRE HIFI DAC Chips, MQA Full Decoding via USB
- 2nd Generation 16 Core XMOS XU216, 4-PIN-XLR and 6.35mm Headphone Output
7. Rupert Neve Designs RNHP Headphone Amplifier (Headphone Amplifier)
8. Douk Audio U3 Mini Class A Headphone Amplifier HiFi Desktop Home Stereo Amp DC5V
- Adopting original TI-NE5532 classical op amp and transistor expanding current circuit, using 1300mA large current output transistor working in class A status, with ultra-low distortion, and the sound is warm and delicate, full and mellow.
- Pluggable op amp socket design, convenient to upgrade different op amps and bring much DIY fun and playability for audiophiles. Smooth and mellow sound, suitable for listening to vocals or string music, classic or pop music, and even with unique charm when playing rock.
- Adopting innovative circuit design, DC 5-20V wide input working voltage, the amplifier circuit can always work at a high voltage of 26V, and the background noise index is excellent. With wide frequency response extension, excellent transient response, excellent purity and transparency, and good dynamic range.
- With strong drive power, easily to drive most high-impedance headphones such as: HD580/HD600/HD650/K701/K702/Q701/DT880/T70/T90/SR225/SR325/RS1e
- Mini size with exquisite appearance and most cost-effective, brings big surprise for all audiophiles, easily to drive most headphones in the market, providing larger power, better sound field and details, very suitable for home/office desltop audio system use.
9. Drop + THX AAA 789 Linear Headphone Amplifier – Desktop Amp with Balanced XLR and Single-Ended RCA Inputs
- Fatigue-Free Listening Made In Collaboration With Thx Ltd , It Features The Company’S Groundbreaking Thx Aaa And Feed-Forward Topology, Which Reduce Distortion By 20 To 40 Db For Realistic, Fatigue-Free Listening.
- Thx Aaa Technology Capable Of Driving Any Headphones, Including High-Impedance, High-Current, And High-Sensitivity Types, The Thx Aaa 789 Amp Transmits The Original Audio In Its Purest Possible Form.
- Additional Features Each Channel Of The Thx Aaa 789 Amp Is Equipped With A Low-Bias Class-Ab Main Amplifier And An Auxiliary Error-Correction Amplifier, The Former Providing The Majority Of The Power And The Latter Providing A Realtime Low-Power Error-Correction Signal.
- The World’s Most Linear Amplifier Announced At Ces 2018, The Drop + Thx Achromatic Audio Amplifier (Thx Aaa) 789 Is A Linear Bipolar Amplifier With Feed-Forward Error Correction
10. Audioengine D1 Portable Desktop Headphone Amp and DAC, Preamp, USB/Optical Inputs, Hi-Res Audio Playback
- LEVEL-UP YOUR LISTENING: You deserve better sound. Play high-resolution music from Apple Music, Amazon Music and Tidal with stunning clarity you’ll notice immediately. An external DAC allows you to hear the detail in music the way the artist intended. The D1 is a premium digital-to-analog converter (DAC), headphone amplifier and preamp that’s perfect for your desktop or on the go.
- TRULY USEFUL FEATURES: USB and optical audio inputs for all your sources, computer/phone/tablet support, RCA line-output, precise front panel volume control, and audiophile-quality components inside and out. The D1 can be powered by a phone or tablet yet still drives high-performance headphones.
- HI-RES AUDIO: ESS ES9018 DAC, ES9601C headphone driver, and CT7601 USB audio bridge.
- WHAT’S INCLUDED: D1 DAC, USB cable, setup guide, microfiber product bag.
- WARRANTY: Stellar US based customer support and 3 year product warranty is included. Based in Austin, TX, Audioengine has been changing the way people listen to music since 2005. We believe in the power of music and our passion is to inspire you to listen every day.
How to Choose the Best desktop headphone amp: Buying Guide
When it comes to choosing the right desktop headphone amp, you should be assured that you are making the right choice. Understanding about the product before buying it is the most important part. Sometimes with so many options, evaluating the right choice at the right moment can be problematic.
So, check out the buying guide to overcome all the hassle of finding your best solution.
Features of the desktop headphone amp
The first thing to check out on any product is the feature. You have to locate the useful features that will come in handy in your needs. Sometimes a product can be filled with tons of features to look good on normal eyes but their features can be worthless in practical use.
So, before choosing the right item you need to evaluate the features from the feature section and the description section to see if you are going to use them or not. If the products come with some of the efficient features, you can undoubtedly choose them.
Check the Specifications
Sometimes, we don’t have enough time to check on the specification section and are quickly drawn to buy a product. While the products we are suggesting here are the best ones according to the users, we still suggest taking a look at the specifications.
The specifications of the desktop headphone amp will let you informed about the uses and advantages of using the products. You can then determine if that can fulfill the purpose of your needs.
Yes, there can be a few problems understanding the whole specification section if it is too long. What we suggest is to look for the key features, performance, how much the products going to cost and their after-sale services.
Design of Product
The market is full of wonderful products, and it can be tough to decide which one to choose. However, the first impression you can make of the item is the overall design.
You can check out the material, finish, color, and other visual aspects of the product to get a taste of the manufacturer. If you like the overall design, you can check out other factors before choosing the item.
Seller Rank in the Marketplace
If you buying the products from our shortlisted table, then one thing you can consider is to check the seller rank. A trendy and growing product means it is delivering good performances to most of the customers.
And better trends and growth of selling means better seller rank. And desktop headphone amp from a good seller rank will ensure not only good quality of the item but also a better after-sale service and good warranty service if available.
Durability and Stability of the Product
You need to check out the description and reviews section to see how durable and stable the product is. A good product will be durable, will last longer, and will provide stable uses throughout its lifetime.
The desktop headphone amp we have suggested have mostly been made in a way to last longer with providing stable performance in uses, but the best thing is to click the item and check out the stability and durability according to your personal need.
User Friendliness and Comfort
No one wants discomfort and critical toughness when using a product. Comfort is one of the most important considerations when choosing the desktop headphone amp. Most of the products that are selected in this article are popular which means have better served the most users.
So, we are certain that these products are comfortable and user-friendly enough to satisfy most customers. But you can watch each of the products on our list to see which fulfills your satisfaction the most.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Price Range for desktop headphone amp?
The item can come with several cost ranges. The price can go up depending on the quality of the items and the ability to last longer periods, functions, specifications, features, and reliability.
The modern marketing trends have left us with little clues on the actual price. Sometimes a product manufactured cheaply can cost a lot more than a quality one. Some manufacturers spend more on marketing than manufacturing creating better reach and less quality.
So, you should compare the price of the products from our review segment to select the best features, quality, and performance of the product in a certain price range.
Why Should You Buy the desktop headphone amp?
If you need an item, then understanding the scenario is simple. But if you are not, then think sensibly if the benefits of this product will certainly fulfill your need. Ask yourself, why do you want to have the product.
What we have suggested in our top pick is the best items according to many users. If you have made up your mind, then you can read the reviews of the customers before choosing the right item.
When Should I Buy a New desktop headphone amp?
There can always be a question if:
Is it the right time to buy the desktop headphone amp, or you should wait for few times to see if the right products have been launched to serve your need?
It is pretty difficult to determine if the products that are actually on the marketplace are the best, or the best items are yet to come. But the suggested products are popular and have very good reviews from a lot of customers.
So, if you need the product right now, wasting any time is not sensible.
Which Type of desktop headphone amp is the Best?
There are different types of desktop headphone amp in the marketplace. Understand your need first. Which type of this product will be most beneficial to you. You can also go through the product list and see their reviews, pros, cons, and then select the best type of items for now.
Final Thought
I hope our product table, review section, and buying guide will help you determine the right items for your need. If you are looking for the best desktop headphone amp then there are multiple options from our product list.
You can go check out the short features of these items from our review to pick one or two to check for further reviews. Click these products and see the reviews of the customers, description of the products, and rating of it to make a final decision for buying it.
Leave a Reply