Topic: Cmoy headphone amp....

[bdasilva]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Micro-Cmoy-headphone-amp-Opamp-2227-Amplifier-/260796832082?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb8b3d952#ht_2098wt_921

Anybody run this (or something like this)  Opinions?

[George]

They've been around for quite a few years, probably one of the earliest DIY amps on head-fi from ten years ago.  I had one, worked great.  Can't recall how it sounded though. 

[dlh]

I use one of them to monitor field recordings because my Etymotic 4b's are not terribly efficient.
At moderate volume, the cmoy sounds ok.  I just started running it @ 18v with two 9v's in series for a little more volume.
I was gonna build my own, but bought it instead from a guy who uses custom pc boards and opamp sockets. (Alps pot I believe).

Dave

[Chilly Brioschi]

It is still possible to buy the Benchmark HA-1 module.
That can be the foundation of an excellent DIY headamp project.

[Chuck]

I still have a little Cmoy headphone amp that I use. It works well with my HD 600's and Sony MDR-7506's.

[Church-Audio]

All of these will lack real bottom end because the opamp simply cant swing that much current with low impedance cans like John said. Its just a tiny amp amp designed for amplifying a signal into a high impedance load. You need a large rail to rail current / voltage supply to really deliver low end performance with a quick transient response and you need thermal dissipation of heat. that these small ic chips wont do with out a sink of some kind.. Its kinda like trying to turn a turd into a steak, It might be shaped like one but you would not want to eat it.