The question this site answers
AmperHeads is an independent audiophile site focused on one question most review sites don’t answer directly: which amplifier actually pairs best with your headphones?
RTINGS, Audio Science Review and Head-Fi already do the heavy lifting on measurements and community discussion. But “I just bought a Sennheiser HD 600, what amp should I get?” rarely gets a short, practical answer with the reasoning attached. AmperHeads was built to give that answer.
Who writes AmperHeads
Every article is written and maintained by the site’s editor under the pen name Elliot Marsh .
Research-based, not hands-on
AmperHeads pages are research-based recommendations, not hands-on reviews. We don’t audition gear, run a listening room or own a measurement rig, and the site doesn’t pretend otherwise. Each recommendation is built from:
- Power math from published impedance, sensitivity and amp output specs: how much voltage and current a headphone needs at 110 dB peaks, and which amps deliver it with headroom.
- Published measurements from Audio Science Review, RTINGS and the manufacturers, credited where a specific figure is used.
- Owner and forum consensus from r/headphones, Head-Fi and the ASR forums, read across years of posts and dated when checked.
- A product-status check: whether the product is still sold, its current street price, and what replaced it, with a “checked” date.
The full method, including what the star ratings mean, is on How We Research and Rate Gear .
What we do differently
Pairing first. Most sites review a headphone or an amp on its own. The question you actually face is whether this amp suits this headphone, and that question mostly comes down to a calculation. We do it for every pairing and show the result.
Price-to-performance. We write for people spending roughly $100–$1,000 in total, which is where most real buying decisions happen. If the math says a $119 amp is enough, we say so and stop.
Clear recommendations. A guide that ends with “it depends on your preferences” has failed the reader. Ours say what to buy for your situation, with the reasoning shown so you can disagree with it.
Current products only as picks. When an amp or headphone is discontinued, the page says so at the top and names what to buy instead, rather than quietly linking to old stock.
What we cover
- Pairing guides: specific amp recommendations for specific headphones, by budget tier from about $100 to $400
- Headphone reviews: research-based evaluations focused on what amplification each headphone needs
- Amplifier and DAC reviews: desktop amps, DAC/amp combos and portable options, mostly in the $99–$400 range
- Buying guides: shortlists for specific budgets and use cases, updated when the market changes
- Comparisons: head-to-head answers to the most common buying decisions
Affiliate disclosure
AmperHeads earns revenue through affiliate commissions. When you buy through some of our retailer links, mainly Amazon, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Commissions don’t decide recommendations: several of our top picks (Schiit, JDS Labs) sell direct with no affiliate program, and we link to them anyway.
See the full affiliate disclosure page for details.
Contact
Questions, factual corrections and owner reports: use our contact page .
We take corrections seriously. If a product we cover has changed in price or availability, or has been replaced by something better, tell us and we’ll update the page.