Graham Slee Headphone Amps - My First Headphones

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My First Headphones

Printed From: Graham Slee Hifi System Components
Category: Headphone Audio
Forum Name: Graham Slee Headphone Amps
Forum Description: Questions, answers and product information zone for Graham Slee Headphone Amplifiers
URL: https://www.hifisystemcomponents.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5057
Printed Date: 27 Mar 2026 at 4:00am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: My First Headphones

Posted By: sclayman
Subject: My First Headphones
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2020 at 11:17pm

Recently my wife persuaded me to buy some headphones, as apparently I was playing music too loud at night.

I could barely hear it myself :-)

I’ve never had any before, so it’s all new to me, this headphone experience.

I think the quality of them is quite good, they are Focal Elears. They certainly sounded the best when I chose them.

The only device I have with a headphone output is the DAC, but they seem to sound a bit flat compared to listening to the speakers.

Anyway after buying a Lautus USB cable, which is great, I noticed GS also sell Headphone Amplifiers.

So I wonder if such a device will improve the dynamics and liveliness of the music in the headphones,

or is it a feature of headphones to be a bit flat sounding and have a narrow sound stage.

What are people's experiences ?

Thanks

Stuart

Replies:

Posted By: Ash
Date Posted: 14 Oct 2020 at 8:02am

Speaker listening tends to be a more three-dimensional experience than headphones, as each ear hears both left and right speakers so you get real binaural depth perception. Imitating this type of imaging with headphones requires signal processing and is still in the research and development phase; the gap hasn't quite been bridged just yet. However, headphones eliminate the room acoustics. Although most have a listening enclosure which has its own acoustic behaviour. If lack of voltage swing is a major reason why they sound flat, a headphone amplifier should help.

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We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.

Posted By: Aussie Mick
Date Posted: 14 Oct 2020 at 9:46am

Hi Stuart,

I ran the Elear with a Solo ULDE before I moved to my current headphones. Via the amp the sound had greater clarity and weight, dynamic punch and detail than via a portable player, phone or free standing DAC. Jump in the loan scheme and find out for yourself.

All the best,

Mick

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Rega RP8 - Apheta 2 - Accession MC Enigma PS -Solo ULDE (Focal Utopia) - PS Audio M700 - Fical Kanta No2

Posted By: sclayman
Date Posted: 14 Oct 2020 at 11:04am

Ash

Thanks for that. I was reading more of the forum last night and see more info about the acoustics.

I don't think it is a lack of voltage, but I've not directly tested it.

I can tell you that when I first got them, I plugged them into the DAC and put the first track on.

It was SO loud, my eardrums hurt, I jumped up in shock, and I took the headphones off my head and could hear the units clipping. I thought I had buggered them up and killed the units before I even started.

So although I had the volume on my amp set just right, I completely forgot about it for the headphones. :-) Who knows if they survived undamaged.

I recently tested the sound on my son's iPad and the DAC. It is clear the DAC is better, so I know better equipment does make a difference. This is why I am looking at potentially a separate headphone amp.

Stuart

Posted By: sclayman
Date Posted: 14 Oct 2020 at 11:05am

Mick

This is the input I was looking for. Very helpful.

Thanks

Stuart

Posted By: Ash
Date Posted: 14 Oct 2020 at 5:59pm

As a rule of thumb, before you start listening for the first time, always set your main gain switch to its lowest position, start the playback then raise the main dial carefully. Better safe than sorry and prevents equipment/hearing damage.

Have a look at Graham's Bitzie DAC. It is such a fantastic starter product and a great tool for analysing sound quality.

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We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.