beyerdynamic A20 Headphone Amplifier - Silver

An excellent headphone amplifier and highly recommended if you have Beyerdynamic Headphones.It is a very nice looking amp, being well built and smart but understated. It has a good heft to it and appears solidly made. The only niggle with build quality was the volume knob appears to get more resistive as you turn it over 50%, it appears it is slightly off concentric, but it is a minor problem and doesn't detract from the use of the unit.It drives all my headphones with ease.Beyerdynamic DT880 600ohm,Grado SR225e 32 Ohm,Klipsch X11i 50 Ohm,Sennheiser Momentum M2 over ears 18 Ohm,Sennheiser HD579 50 Ohm,Sennheiser HD650 300 Ohm.(Ranked in order of best meshing with the A20 to my ears)I have put about 20 hours on the Amp.It pairs unbelievably well with the DT 880 600ohm's. It adds a lot of resolution and air to the headphones. The soundstage is improved and it adds weight and meat where its needed. Very musical and easy to listen to. The clarity is remarkable. The headphones become incredibly insightful. (The headphones could use a bit more of what I perceive as mid bass or meat, so I'd imagine the 770 or 990s would mesh even better). Vocals are clear, central in depth, slightly warm of neutral and very realistic on the 880s, but don't have that HD650 usual velvetyness and weight. Treble is extended to the point of being a smidge bright to my ears on some tracks, but wow, it is so resolving. It is a neutral amp, but musical, as I just want to keep listening to all my tracks and discovering new ones. Amazing with Jazz and classical, but a great all rounder. I'm running it from the RCA outs of an ASUS STX II and under 50% volume I could not detect any noise from the Soundcard. (I picked up noise from the computer over 50%, but that is not the amps fault).It didn't mesh as well with the 650's and they sounded far less detailed after the 880's. The sensation reminded me of what cardboard sounds like in comparison to the clarity of the Beyers, and the 650s are some of my absolute favorite headphones, so I wouldn't recommend it as a good pairing with the Sennheisers, It doesn't flatter them compared to how it brings the 880's alive. The 650's sound full and lush and warm from the STX II headphone out on the 300 - 600 ohm setting, but not as warm from the A20, To me it highlighted the differences between the 880 and 650 sound.All my other headphones sounded very similar to their original sound signatures. The HD 579s gained extension in the bass area but sounded "natural" in the other ranges. The Grados sounded a tiny bit warmer and really nice with a fullness of sound and closest to the 880s insightful sound. The A20 didn't really add any colouring to the music, it just amplified, which to me is the mark of a good neutral amp.My guess is this amp will work well with most higher impedance headphones. I don't know how it will pair with the lower impedance beyers but I'd imagine it would work extremely well with the 250ohm versions as well.If you own a set of Beyerdynamic DT range headphones especially the 600 ohm versions, I highly recommend trying this amplifier, it really pushes them to a new level. Would love to try the Amirons on this amp when the wallet allows, as I think the middle ground between the 650s mids and the 880s insight is where my my Audio Nirvana is hidden, but I'm really happy with the 880s on this amp in the interim. The A20 is a keeper.

It's not neutral, it adds a bit of bass, but it does it very well. I doubted other reviews as being picky, but I'm removing a star because it really does sound dead and lifeless when two headphones are plugged in (I tried two ATH-M50x's and also HD600/HD650), so it essentially renders that "feature" pointless and unusable to me and just seems like a tease. My (admittedly more expensive) LehmannAudio Linear does two headphones perfectly, but with a single pair of headphones, I think I may actually prefer the sound of the A20. The passthrough audio is huge to me since I put it between my receiver and tape deck on the rec out port, and works even if it's unplugged.Update:I can't get over how much I love this amp with my DT880s! I've always been lukewarm on the sound but kept them because they are by far the most comfortable to wear all day. This amp really fills out the sound signature and has made them the favorite all-arounders in my arsenal. I wish I could give it 5 stars, but I think my criticism of the uselessness of the second phones jack stands.

I have the Beyerdynamic T1 (2nd generation) which is 600 ohm resistance. It plays well with macbook air (2012) and iPhone 6, but with much improvement with the O2 (Objective 2) amp, and the Beyerdyanmic A200p dac/amp. I was told that the O2 is a good amp, but to match the T1 with Beyer's own A20 would be much more appropriate.I am stunned at the results.The soundstage and definition with the A20 is as if the musicians are in my living room, to my left and right, and the center for the singer. Each note, each fingertip against a bongo, cajun, or cello, is clearly defined. The sound from the A20 is crystal clear and more defined than I thought possible. I did not think anything could sound better than the T1 coupled with the O2 until I heard this. The sound is stunning.I am not an audiophile so I lack the audiophile's vocabulary; suffice to say, listening to Sgt. Pepper's has alerted me to sounds, notes instruments, and harmonies I did not know were on the album.The London Philharmonic highs are clear and distinct, while Stevie Wonder's bass songs are clear, deep, rich, with no 'cloudy' or muddled sound. Alison Krauss' highs were perfect, while Dylan's low growl's were as if he, too, was in the living room giving a performance.Amber Rubarth's album, "Sessions from the 17th Ward" must be heard through the A20 (with good headphones!) to see what it is like to quickly turn one's head to the left, thinking someone is there playing the bongo, while to the right, the cello plays.It is in trusting the synergy of the company, the German manufacturing is still a thing of both beauty and structure. It is built like a tank and even its feel is quality. The T1's are the "Mercedes Benz" of headphones, with the same quality of artisanship here with their amp. A must buy for those who have invested in a good amp. Even at low volume, the separation and clarity is amazing.It brings your well worn and used music library into new life.

Not worth the amount, the performance is very weak, and the presence of noise in the sound, there is a subwoofer for $ 75 I bought better and stronger than him.Search for another productVery, very, very badUnfortunately, I spent my money on something I would throw in the trash

The device has some serious buzz even at 25% percent ampage. Really unhappy with it, as it sounds almost the same as through my sound card. Did provide a volume boost though, but for the price, stupid.