£16,300

Reference Headphone Amplifier

The magic of ultra HiFi sound brought to dynamic headphones.

Dynamically driven.

Designed for dynamic headphones, the Reference Headphone Amp is a fully balanced amplifier. Boasting 139dB of dynamic range, the amp works in tandem with the Reference and Select DAC, allowing the music to come to life in vibrant and unforgettable new ways.

CNC billet chassis.

Starting with a 65lb plate of raw aluminum, material is machined in our own in-house CNC shop. After more than four hours of machining, 60% of the aluminum is removed, resulting in a significantly lighter, more contoured product with the best anodized finishes on the market.

4-Pin XLR

Each amplifier is equipped with three 4-pin XLR outputs, designed for a shared listening experience.

Fully equipped.

A rear-facing headphone jack allows for a cleaner system aesthetic—there aren’t any dangling cables interfering with a cleanly assembled system. The noise floor is reduced with an isolated transformer and grounding scheme. 12 Volt triggers allow remote control over the system power.

Analog bypass.

If you’re sharing the headphones with a two-channel system, use our internal bypass we’ve installed directly into the amp. Simply turn off the unit for the signal to be sent to your other system.

Anodized finishes.

Available in matte silver and matte black, our high-quality anodizing provides a durable and sleek aesthetic for your Reference Headphone Amp. Any audiophile M6X1 foot can be installed to optimize your system.

Specifications

The Reference Headphone Amp can ONLY be used with MSB DACs.

Supported FormatsAnalog Only
XLR Analog InputsOptimized for 75Ω or 150Ω Balanced Source
XLR Analog OutputsDirect connection to input when enabled or unit powered off. When listening to headphones, output is muted with 75Ω output impedance
Headphone Output Impedance0.45Ω
Frequency Response5Hz-20kHz ±0.016dB
Common Mode Rejection Ratio> 95dB CMRR @ 60Hz > 95dB CMRR @ 1kHz > 80dB CMRR @ 20kHz
Crosstalk<-130dB Crosstalk @ 1kHz <-110dB Crosstalk @ 20kHz
SMPTE IMD 0dBu0.0019% @ 45Ω
% THD+N 1kHz 0dBu0.00065% @ 45Ω
Max Power @ 1% THD+N16Ω @ 4.25Vrms (1.12W
32Ω @ 8.6Vrms (2.3W)
45Ω @ 15.5Vrms (5.3W)
150Ω @ 15.6Vrms (1.62W)
Noise Floor (150Ω Input Impedance)0.00168mVrms 20Hz-20kHz
Headphone Output Connectors1x Rear 4 Pin XLR 2x Front 4 Pin XLR
DisplayPower LED
ControlsIR Remote (Configurable) Power Button (Configurable) 2x MSB 12V Trigger
Power Consumption64 Watts Less than 2W standby
TopologyInput/Gain Stage - Class-A - Double balanced - Impedance matched - DC coupled - Fully discrete Output Stage - Class-A - Balanced - Current gain only
Chassis DimensionsWidth: 17.5 in (444 mm) Depth: 17.5 in (444 mm) Chassis Height (Without Feet): 2.2 in (79 mm) Stack height: 2.85 in (92 mm) Weight: 36 lbs (16 kg) Product Feet: M6X1 Thread
Shipping DimensionsWidth: 25 in (635 mm) Depth: 25 in (625 mm) Height: 10 in (254 mm) Weight: 61 lbs (28 kg)
Included AccessoriesProduct manual Ground cable IEC power cord