HeadRoom Headphone Amplifier -- Modified and Improved (A DIY project)

 

The description and photos below are from my eBay auction description of this project. (the item sold, April 2015, but for much less than I was hoping!)


Up for sale is my HeadRoom "LITTLE" (Premium Module) headphone amplifier + "MORE POWER SUPPLY" ( + massive upgrades!) 

The LITTLE features HeadRoom's patented crossfeed circuit.

Important note: To save you shipping cost, an IEC power cable is not included (its weight makes shipping cost prohibitive). You can easily obtain an IEC power cable from any local store for $2 (or you may even already have a spare one lying around the house)

I am original/only owner.

I purchased Little in 1995/6ish and had it upgraded in early 1997 as follows:

Little incorporates the Premium Module (OPA627-based). See photos! This was the BEST Headroom module at the time (incorporated into their top-end desktop units, like Home and MAX -- some that sold for over $1000!!).  

More Power Supply replaced the Little's original adapter (More Power Supply connects to Little via high-grade Straight Wire Duplex cable)

With Little (+ Premium Module) and More Power Supply, I had assumed I was 90% of the way there to high-end rigs like HeadRoom Max, etc. (not sure, tho', as I've never heard the Max!).

(The above upgrades were, of course, done by HeadRoom in Bozeman. I can provide you with my name if you wish to contact and confirm that purchase/mod with HeadRoom directly!)

In 2008, I decided to upgrade (** see note below) the Little and More Power Supply ​ significantly further by upgrading/adding premium-grade parts and enhanced power-supply tweaks. These are as follows (and as shown in photos):

More Power Supply upgrades:

- replaced all original Panasonic generic-grade FC electrolytic caps with top-grade Panasonic FM

- replaced all generic diodes with premium Fairchild Schottky diodes

- replaced all generic three-terminal voltage regs with higher-quality devices from Linear Technology

added new German Wima polypropylene film bypass caps (shown on PCB solder side)

added new power-stiffening snubber network (Wima + resistor for each +/- 15v rail, shown on PCB solder side)

Little upgrades:

- replaced all original Panasonic generic-grade FC electrolytic caps with top-grade Panasonic FM

added new German Wima polypropylene film bypass caps (shown on PCB solder side)

All contacts cleaned with Caig.

** I upgraded the units myself, including o'scope testing and extended subjective listening evaluations with many other audio gear enthusiasts. These tweaks/upgrades raised the sonic bar up several notches! My personal estimate of this package's value (with its massive upgrades): it competes with solid-state headphone amps currently sold at $800-1200.

eBay only lets me add 12 photos to this listing. I have other images that show More Power Supplbefore 2008 upgrade of topology (they show original inferior FC caps and std. diodes, etc. and compare to above photos with premium parts!). If your want to see those photos, please ask for that via Private Message. [one photo is shown below; the FC caps were massively leaking electrolyte fluid]




























Below are other pix of the amp, including one of the More Power Supply without mods:


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This page was orig created Thursday, 2006-12-14 19:50, and last updated: Monday, 2024-01-08 15:07 PST