HC1 High Current Headphone Amp

Integrated HC1 to Mackie Big Knob

I integrated the HC1 into a Mackie Big Knob Passive as a compact monitor and routing utility. The HC1 PCB fit inside the enclosure surprisingly well. I extended the potentiometer and LED for panel mounting, and added a toggle power switch and barrel connector to the back. The HC1 receives audio directly from the Big Knob post input-selector, but pre volume knob and monitor controls, allowing the headphone path to remain fully independent from outputs A/B. I originally built this for my home Dante setup, but I could also see myself using it for spatial performance and live routing applications. The HC1 sounds amazing and the build was easy. I recommend.

Wow, the detail in playback on my phones is incredible

The build was straight forward. A couple of hours on the board and an hour more doing my custom box to house it. But the improvement to the sound in my phones was not just louder or cleaner. There are details coming through that just weren't there on my previous 4 output headphone amp. Really impressive.

This is truly a slept-on headphone amplifier (for now)

…and I hope the headphone audiophiles/enthusiasts & audio pros that use cans for audio work catch on. This amp is better/cleaner and more versatile than practically all of the headphone amps found in today’s “prosumer” audio interfaces. You need to step up to TOTL ADC/DAC land in order to get such a clean and powerful headphone section. As you probably already know from reading the description, this amp is based on Doug Self’s NE5532 amplifier design from around 2010 and it’s super cool that DIYRE is offering a “streamlined” dual opamp version (the original amp design uses 32 opamps!) I have built several CMoys, Objective 02s and IMO this amp blows them away!