What is a headphone amplifier?

See Headphone amplifiers in Muzyczny.pl

What is the headphone amplifier for

As the name suggests, the headphone amplifier is a device that will be used to amplify the audio signal at the output, i.e. the one that we output, for example, from the hi-fi system or telephone, and then put it into our headphones. Of course, as standard, every device that has a headphone output has such an amplifier built-in, but it may happen that the signal is too weak to fully satisfy us. This is most often the case with small players such as laptops, mobile phones or mp3 players, where the output signal power is limited. By connecting such an amplifier, our headphones will receive an additional portion of energy and will be able to use the full potential of their transducers.

How to check if headphones need an amplifier

Unfortunately, not all headphones will be able to be able to fully use an additional headphone amplifier without loss of sound quality. Whether our headphones could use an additional amount of energy can be checked by analyzing the parameters expressed in Ohms and the SPL parameter. For example, if headphones are characterized by high resistance expressed in ohms and at the same time low SPL, then such headphones are the most qualified for the signal to be amplified thanks to an additional amplifier. If, on the other hand, both these parameters are at a low level, the signal will be rather difficult to amplify.

Types of headphone amplifiers

Headphone amplifiers can be divided due to their construction and the technology used for this. The most popular are transistor amplifiers, which are based on transistors. Such an amplifier is affordable and gives a generally neutral, very technical, good-quality sound. We can also purchase an amplifier that uses technology that flourished in the 60s. Tube amplifiers have their fans to this day because they create a unique atmosphere. This technology is much more expensive to produce, therefore the prices of such amplifiers can be several times more expensive than the transistor ones. And we can buy an amplifier that combines the latest technology with that of years ago. Such amplifiers are called hybrids and are intended for experienced music lovers looking for a unique high-quality sound. Another division that can be used is stationary amplifiers and mobile amplifiers. As the name suggests, the former are used with large stationary players, e.g. in homes next to hi-fi systems. The latter are much smaller and are most often used to amplify the signal from a portable mp3 player or mobile phone. These stationary, apart from high power, are also characterized by a large number of digital and analog inputs. The mobile ones, due to their small size, are both less powerful and have a much smaller number of inputs.

Summation

Please note that the headphone amplifier is only an accessory for our player and headphones. Certainly, this accessory is unnecessary for listening to an audiobook, while for real music lovers who want to fully use the potential of their headphones, a suitable amplifier can significantly enrich the listening experience. We must remember that there are a lot of these types of amplifiers on the market. Particular models differ not only in terms of power, but also the more advanced ones have other additional functions. Therefore, before making a purchase, it is worth considering what features of the amplifier we care about the most. Is it supposed to be a power, a type of input, or maybe some other possibilities focused on the sound? Such a good solution is to test a few different amplifiers on headphones, to which we buy our device.