It must have been around 1988 when I bought my first pair of Koss Porta Pro, on the recommendation of an audiophile friend. In fact, for many people of my generation, the Koss Porta Pro was a widely used upgrade to the bog-standard headphones that came with the first Discman (or worse, the Walkman headphones that could be found on every teenager's bedroom floor).
The flagship model among the SPL's headphone amplifiers is the Phonitor xe. In contrast to the similarly priced Phonitor x, which with its balanced output can also be used as a preamplifier for a power amplifier and loudspeakers, the Phonitor xe is a pure headphone amplifier for the most demanding applications. You can choose between a version with or without an integrated D/A converter, which has been further improved compared to the other models in the Phonitor series.
With the HD 820, Sennheiser has followed the outstanding HD 800 S with a top-of-the-range closed model for a particularly demanding clientele.
Beyerdynamic present their high-end T1 (open) and T5 (closed) headphones as a MK3 four years after the release of their second generation.
With the HD 800 S and HD 820 models, Sennheiser offers first-class headphones aimed at demanding music lovers. Naturally, the corresponding headphone amplifier is not missing from the range of products offered by the Lower Saxony-based manufacturer: The HDV 820 is housed in a stylish, flat, black anodised casing with an internal power supply unit and so visually it is a matching partner to the HD 800 S.
With the exception of the Orpheus HE-1, the HD 800 S is the top model among Sennheiser's open headphones. The successor to the HD 800 from 2009 is available both in the regular version tested here in black and in a technically identical Anniversary Edition in stylish matt gold which is limited to 750 units - and available for the same price.
For smartphones and inexpensive stationary audio devices, but also in the studio, one should refrain from making overly high demands on integrated headphone amplifiers. They are part of an overall cost calculation for the product and often, in a sense, more of an accessory than a selling point. Accordingly, a dedicated headphone amplifier can certainly improve your listening experience, since it is a piece of technology that devotes its full attention to precisely this task. This is the case with the Phonitor One from SPL.
The HD 559 is the most affordable headphone in Sennheiser's HD-5 series. The manufacturer, from near Hanover, recommends a retail price of 99 Euros and classifies these headphones for home use, but also places them as an entry-level model in the audiophile class.
Connecting Bluetooth headphones to your TV or home stereo system can sound easier than it actually is. Especially when it comes to synchronicity between picture and sound, it becomes apparent that classic wired headphones still can't be topped. Sennheiser wants to change that for good and with the BT T100 adds a Bluetooth transmitter in its range that seeks to minimise the picture-sound offset thanks to Qualcomm aptX Low Latency Codec. Will this “strike a blow for freedom" and succeed on the sofa at home?