Helm Audio DB12 AAAmp: This mighty mobile headphone amplifier sounds mighty fine

Lots of clean gain and no noise in a tiny package—what’s not to like?

- SCOTT WILKINSON

In addition to certifying the performance of commercial cinemas and consumer audio and video products, THX also develops new technologies and licenses them to various manufacturers.

Among these new technologies is the company’s ultra-quiet AAA (Achromatic Audio Amplifier) power-amplifier design, which first appeared commercially in the Benchmark AHB2 in 2015.

Two years later, THX introduced the second generation of AAA technology, this time intended for headphone amps. I first heard some prototypes at CanJam SoCal 2017, and I was quite impressed. So, when Helm Audio announced at CES 2020 that it was implementing AAA technology in a mobile headphone amp, I immediately requested a review sample. Once the DB12 AAAmp finally arrived, it was well worth the wait.

FEATURE SET

The DB12 AAAmp is a small unit measuring 2.8 x 0.9 x 0.5 inches (LxWxH) and weighing only 1.08 ounces. A 12-inch cable emerging from one end terminates in a 3.5mm TRRS (tip-ring-ring-sleeve) male plug, while a 2-inch cable at the other end terminates in a 3.5mm TRRS female jack. Both cables are custom-shielded silver with molded strain relief.

Essentially, the DB12 is a powered headphone cable. As such, it relies on a physical connection at both ends. That means the source device must have a headphone output, which many smartphones and other mobile devices no longer have. If a device doesn’t have such an output, you will need an adapter for it.