Updated October 2026 · prices checked Oct 10, 2026.
How this list works
This page ranks every headphone amp the site covers, in two groups: current amps you can buy new, then discontinued amps that only make sense used. Rankings are based on published specs, voltage and power math against popular headphones, price, and owner consensus. The site doesn’t bench-test gear, so where a ranking depends on measurements, the figure is the manufacturer’s.
Most of the amps we originally reviewed have since been discontinued, which is why several current picks below link to a buying guide rather than a full review.
Best for most people: DAC + 4.4mm balanced amp, about 8 V into 300Ω. Drives HD 600s and budget planars from one box.
Best amp-only value: 415 mW (11 V) into 300Ω, 2.5 W into 32Ω, under 0.1Ω output impedance. Replaces the Magni Heresy.
Best under $300: 6.4 W into 32Ω balanced, DAC and Bluetooth LDAC. The pick for planars.
Current amps, ranked
| # | Amp | Type | Price (Oct 2026) | Buy it for | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FiiO K11 R2R | DAC + amp | ~$170 | One box for nearly any headphone | Combos under $200 |
| 2 | Schiit Magni (Unity) | Amp (DAC card optional) | $119 | Most volts per dollar | Amps under $200 |
| 3 | Topping DX5 II | DAC + amp + Bluetooth | ~$299 | Planars, balanced cables, LDAC | Combos under $300 |
| 4 | JDS Labs Atom Amp 2 | Amp | ~$129 | Magni alternative, IEM-friendly low gain | Amps under $100 |
| 5 | Schiit Jotunheim 3 | Amp (DAC card optional) | $499 | 6 W balanced into 32Ω for hard planars | Balanced amps |
| 6 | Schiit Asgard X | Amp | $399 | Discrete Class A design, 4.4mm out | Balanced amps |
| 7 | FiiO K7 | DAC + amp | ~$220 | Still sold; buy on discount | FiiO K7 review |
| 8 | FiiO KA17 / BTR17 | Portable dongle / Bluetooth | ~$200 | Phone and laptop, planars on the go | Portable amps |
| 9 | FiiO BTR7 | Bluetooth DAC/amp | check price | Still sold but superseded by the BTR17 | FiiO BTR7 review |
Schiit prices from schiit.com on Oct 10, 2026. Positions 1–6 are separated by use case far more than by sound. With an appropriate load, every solid-state amp here is audibly clean, so read “Buy it for” as the real difference.
Why the K7 is only #7: it’s no longer on FiiO’s website, though still sold new at about $220. At that price the K11 R2R matches it for most headphones and the DX5 II beats it outright for $80 more. Our K7 review is still accurate about what it does.
Discontinued (used market only)
These were reviewed when they were current. They’re still good amps, so the reviews stay up for owners and used buyers, but don’t pay near-new prices for them.
| Amp | Status | Buy new instead | Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| JDS Labs Atom Amp+ | Replaced by the Atom Amp 2 | Atom Amp 2 (~$129) | Atom Amp+ review |
| Schiit Magni Heresy | Discontinued | Magni (Unity) ($119) | Magni Heresy review |
| Schiit Asgard 3 | Discontinued | Asgard X ($399) or Midgard ($219) | Asgard 3 review |
| Schiit Magnius | Discontinued | Topping DX5 II or FiiO K11 R2R | Magnius review |
| Drop + THX AAA 789 | Drop closed March 2026 | Topping DX5 II or Jotunheim 3 | THX 789 review |
| Arcam rHead | Discontinued (Arcam) | Schiit Asgard X | rHead review |
Match the amp to the headphone
- Sennheiser HD 600 / HD 650 (300Ω, ~2.45 V): K11 R2R (balanced) or Magni (Unity). See the HD 600 and HD 650 pairing guides.
- HiFiMAN HE400SE / Sundara (planars, 40–80 mW): K11 R2R balanced, Magni, or the DX5 II for headroom. See HE400SE and Sundara .
- Beyerdynamic 250Ω (DT 770/880/990, ~2.5 V): any desktop amp above. The 80Ω vs 250Ω question matters more than the amp.
- IEMs and sensitive headphones: low noise and low output impedance matter, not power. The Atom Amp 2’s low gain, or a dongle like the FiiO KA3.
- No amp and no DAC yet: one box. Start with DAC/amp combos under $200 .
When you don’t need any of these
If your headphones need about 1 V or less for loud peaks (most IEMs, the ATH-M50x, the HD 560S), a phone or laptop already drives them. The do I need a headphone amp? page has the voltage for 11 popular headphones.