WHAT IS A HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER AND WHY SHOULD YOU BUY ONE?

Headphones don't always get the partnering equipment they deserve. Here's how to change that

In the language of hi-fi, the name ‘headphone amplifier’ is more likely to raise a puzzled frown than a nod of recognition. And yet, a headphone amplifier simply does what it says on the can – it is an amplifier circuit that is specifically designed to drive headphones rather than speakers. That might sound like a simple enough task, but few manufacturers make it more than a low priority.

While dedicated headphone outputs have faded from many phones (thanks for that, Apple) they still exist on a huge array of audio and video components. And at a basic level they work; you connect your headphones and you get a sound. That might be enough for some people; but you are reading What Hi-Fi? – you care about sound quality.

Look out for the signal

How is a headphone amplifier different from a conventional amplifier? Speakers require more power than a pair of headphones, which makes sense if you think about the difference in size between a listening room and your ear cavity. That vastly lower power requirement means that a headphone amplifier circuit has to be engineered to excel at low-signal levels, and many simply are not designed to do that.