Updated October 2026 · prices checked Oct 10, 2026.
A headphone amp matters when your headphone needs more than the ~1 V a phone or laptop can deliver: 250–300Ω dynamics like the HD 600 and DT 990 Pro 250Ω, and low-sensitivity planars like the HE400SE and Sundara. Below are the amps I’d buy today, then a pairing guide for each popular headphone. Picks are based on published specs, voltage and power math, and owner consensus. The site does not bench-test gear.
Current picks by budget
| Budget | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| ~$119 | Schiit Magni (Unity) | Amp only. 415 mW into 300Ω (Schiit spec) |
| ~$129 | JDS Labs Atom Amp 2 | Amp only. Over 2.6 W per channel (JDS spec) |
| ~$170 | FiiO K11 R2R | DAC + amp, 4.4mm balanced |
| ~$299 | Topping DX5 II | DAC + amp, 6.4 W balanced into 32Ω, LDAC |
| $399 | Schiit Asgard X | Discrete Class A amp, 4.4mm balanced |
| ~$200 | FiiO BTR17 / KA17 | Portable: Bluetooth or USB-C dongle |
Best one-box start: DAC and amp with enough voltage for 300Ω Sennheisers and enough current for budget planars.
Best amp-only buy: under 0.1Ω output impedance, 2.5 W into 32Ω. Pair with a Modi 5 or the optional DAC card.
Best under $300 for planars and balanced cables, with Bluetooth LDAC and a remote.
Best amp for your headphone
- Sennheiser HD 600 and HD 650 : 300Ω, ~2.45 V for 110 dB peaks
- Sennheiser HD 660S2 : 300Ω, ~2.0 V, with a 4.4mm balanced cable in the box
- Sennheiser HD 560S : ~1 V, so an amp is optional
- HD 58X Jubilee (discontinued; the advice still applies to used pairs)
- Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro , DT 990 Pro , DT 1990 Pro
- HiFiMAN HE400SE , Sundara and Edition XS : planars that need current
- AKG K712 Pro and Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
Not sure you need an amp at all? The volts-per-headphone table answers it for 11 popular models.
Amp buying guides
Under $100 · Under $200 · Under $300 · DAC/amp combos under $200 · Combos under $300 · Portable · Balanced · Tube vs solid state · Every reviewed amp, ranked
A note on the reviews below
Several amps reviewed here are no longer sold new: the Schiit Magni Heresy, Magnius and Asgard 3, the Drop + THX AAA 789 (Drop closed in March 2026) and the Arcam rHead. The JDS Atom Amp+ has been replaced by the Atom Amp 2 and the FiiO BTR7 by the BTR17. Each of those reviews names the current model to buy instead. The FiiO K7 is no longer on FiiO’s website but is still sold new.
