Welcome To The HeadRoom Headphone Amp & DAC Historical Archive!
Our sister company HeadRoom Audio has been making great headphone amps, DACs and related headphone products going on about three decades now (since 1992!), so there is a lot of historical stuff that has been discontinued over the years to make way for newer and more advanced technologies. And from day one, we've sold it all right here on headphone.com!
We still have long-time customers call us just to say their 12 or 15-year old (or older) HeadRoom amp is still going strong. So if you happen to own one of these lovely old products, then a big congrats is in order - you've got some classic HeadRoom gear we built to perform for many, many years!
Below is a listing of products we have manufactured in the distant and recent past along with their respective Owner's Manuals available for download, starting with the most recently discontinued products first.
Feel free to email if you have any questions regarding our historical archived products or if you have an old unit from HeadRoom Audio that we somehow missed in our archives - we'll add it in right away!
HeadRoom Audio - Generation III: Manufactured 2005-2013
ALL DISCONTINUED
The HeadRoom 'Micro' and 'Ultra Micro' Line
The HeadRoom Ultra Micro DAC & HeadRoom Ultra Micro Amp were both excellent little products whose size belied their huge audio talents. We were sad to see them go, but we found most folks benefited more from our HeadRoom 'Desktop Line' amp series which provided similar sound quality but better connectivity and features. If you are lucky enough to own one or both of these little beauties, you have some of the best sounding gear per square inch on the planet!
Ultra Micro DAC
The HeadRoom Ultra Micro DAC is able to buffer USB feeds from your computer for vastly improved low-jitter smoothness and re-define and musically improve S/PDIF digital data from optical or coax inputs via a single flick of a switch. It can also source a reference analog signal for your favorite headphone or speaker-based back-end.
Discontinued 2010.
Ultra Micro DAC Manual (pdf)
Ultra Micro Amp
The HeadRoom Ultra Micro Amp uses superb TI 627 op-amps, outstanding quality metal film resistors and poly-film caps to completely fill the space right between your ears with magnificent music while taking up very little space on your desktop.
Discontinued 2009
Ultra Micro Amp Manual (pdf)
The HeadRoom 'Desktop Line'
When we first released the HeadRoom Desktop Line of products, there were a total of 72 configurations available. Yep, we said 72. After a bit we realized this was just waaay too many flavors and began to create some popular pre-configured Desktop Amp versions. Then after another little while, we found we still had too many confusing Desktop Line variations, so we made some hard decisions and pared down yet again. What remained was the Desktop Amp, the Ultra Desktop Amp, and the Balanced Ultra Desktop Amp. No doubt, these were some truly great-sounding HeadRoom products!
Balanced Desktop Amp
The HeadRoom Balanced Desktop Amp was an 'all-in-one' Balanced Amp/DAC combo. The Balanced Desktop Amp unit was discontinued in order to make way for the HeadRoom Balanced Ultra Desktop Amp ("The BUDA") and Ultra Desktop DAC ("The UDAC") separates, both released in early 2009. The Balanced Desktop Amp unit demolished all previous sound, size and price barriers. It's immersive detail presence, deeply warm sound and vastly spacious soundstage were a high-end audiophile design breakthrough.
Discontinued 2008
Balanced Desktop Amp Manual (pdf)
Desktop Millet Hybrid Amp
Designed in conjunction with renown tube guru Mr Pete Millet, the HeadRoom Desktop Millet Hybrid Amp was an interesting creature - part tube amp (for the output stages), part solid-state. Hence, a true hybrid topology. These products did not exactly fly off the shelves, but those few audiophiles that loved them became hardcore true believers, and for them it is indeed a very missed odd duck! This was a great, unique headphone amp for your older rock and jazz recordings, as well as a lot of dance, EDM and remix tracks that sometimes tend toward being sharply harsh or edgy.
Discontinued 2008
Desktop Millet Hybrid Amp Manual (pdf)
Desktop Amp (multiple configurations)
This amp easily found a convenient spot on your desktop or nightstand and the huge variety of options and upgrade choices allowed you to personally configure it as the perfect interface between the world of media and the musical space between your ears.
Discontinued 2008
Desktop Amp Manual (pdf)
2005 Portable Desktop (v.1)
This is one product we were happy to replace with an improved version of the HeadRoom Portable Desktop Amp. The very first generation of the Portable Desktop Amp did not use internal rechargeable batteries; instead you had to lug around a four D-cell battery case brick which only lasted about 6-7 hours! This amp fit in a convenient spot on your home desktop, office desk or computer station, and a variety of options and upgrades allowed you to configure it as the perfect interface between a world of media and the musical space between your ears. Then you can unplug and take it on the go!
Discontinued 2008
Portable Desktop Manual (pdf)
The HeadRoom 'Max' & 'Home' Lines
These HeadRoom top flagship products were very impressive to behold and to hear. As incredibly cool as they were, we were happy to roll up all this excellent sound performance and ridiculously high-quality construction into our more affordable, much more reasonably sized HeadRoom 'Desktop Line'. The HeadRoom Max Balanced Amp shown below weighed in at a behemoth 19 pounds!!
Max Balanced Amp
HeadRoom's top-of-the-line flagship Max Balanced amplifier is nothing short of an all-out assault on the staid world of headphone audio amplification. It serves as the gleaming culmination of HeadRoom Audio's long quest to create the very best headphone sound quality in the world. By driving headphones via stereo left/right XLR cabling, balanced-drive improves imaging, transparency and overall soundstage clarity.
Discontinued 2008
Max Balanced Amp Manual (pdf)
Max Amp (single-ended; non balanced)
The HeadRoom Max amplifier is nothing short of an all-out assault on the staid world of headphone audio amplification. The Max Amp was the gleaming culmination of HeadRoom Audio’s incessant quest to design and engineer the finest headphone sound quality available anywhere on the planet.
Discontinued 2008
Max Amp Manual (pdf)
Balanced Home Amp
The Balanced Home Amp takes our standard Home Amp's acoustic performance up a massive notch by driving headphones via stereo left/right XLR cabling. Balanced-drive further improves the imaging, transparency and the overall soundstage clarity of top headphones re-wired for balanced drive amplification.
Discontinued 2008
Balanced Home Amp Manual (pdf)
Home Amp (single-ended; non balanced)
The HeadRoom Home Amp was a highly refined route to personal audio bliss. A lively open soundstage, ultra punchy response and emotionally expressive dynamics are the musical hallmarks of the HeadRoom Home Amp.
Discontinued 2008
Home Amp Manual (pdf)
Generation I – HeadRoom Audio 'Micro Line'
This was our first generation of HeadRoom Micro Amp & HeadRoom Micro DAC products. They ran only on battery power which was great when on the road, but a hassle to lug around and constantly buy multiple sets of 9-volt batteries. Hence, it was not the greatest amp for office or home use, so we listened to our customer requests and eventually made both battery-powered and AC-specific Micro Line products. HeadRoom then offered the 2nd gen rechargeable Portable Micro Amp (available with or without an internal DAC), as well as an AC-powered Micro Amp unit and an AC-powered Micro DAC unit, which could be used either as individual separate components or paired as a 'mini-stack' Micro amp/Micro DAC combo.
2005 Micro Amp (v.1) 9 volt battery version
The HeadRoom Micro amp will easily find a convenient spot on your desktop or nightstand, and the variety of options and upgrades allow you to configure it as the perfect interface between your world of media and the space between your ears.
Discontinued 2008
Micro Amp Manual (pdf)
2005 Micro DAC (v.1) 9 volt battery version
The HeadRoom Micro DAC unit is the perfect companion for your computer or other digital audio device. Using Cirrus Logic's flagship digital to analog converter (DAC) chip, it precisely reconstructs and improves the analog audio signal heard through your best headphones.
Discontinued 2008
Micro DAC Manual (pdf)
Generation III – HeadRoom “Mobile Line”
At one point, we had 8 products in our HeadRoom Mobile Line, the AirHead, Total AirHead, BitHead, and Total BitHead, all available in either black or clear cases. We were able to improve sound quality and reduce price when we consolidated these units into just 2 versions, the Total AirHead and Total BitHead.
AirHead & Total AirHead
The HeadRoom AirHead is the smallest and lightest portable headphone amplifier and processor in our line. You will hear a wonderful improvement in a high-quality headphone's ability to resolve musical detail, deliver deep, tight bass and present a more natural audio image. The HeadRoom Total AirHead features all the same functionality as our HeadRoom AirHead, but with better internal parts you will experience audibly upgraded sound quality.
Discontinued 2008
AirHead & Total AirHead Manual (pdf)
BitHead & Total BitHead
The HeadRoom BitHead is a portable headphone amplifier that can be used both with a portable music player with line input, and with a computer or laptop as a USB audio device. The HeadRoom Total BitHead features all the same functionality as our BitHead, but with better internal parts you will experience upgraded sound quality.
Discontinued 2008
BitHead & Total BitHead Manual (pdf)
Limited Edition, spring 2005
The rebranding of HeadRoom began with the Coda and Overture amp/DAC combo. These cute little amps were precursors to our first generation of HeadRoom Micro Line products. We only made 200 of each, so these could be considered collector items!
Coda Amp (limited edition)
The HeadRoom Coda Amp is the finishing touch to our entire product line of aluminum enclosure amps. The HeadRoom Micro Amp is now the successor to the limited-edition HeadRoom Coda Amp.
Discontinued 2005
Overture DAC (limited edition)
The HeadRoom Overture DAC was the first time we paired up digital to analog conversion with headphone amplification and it was certainly not the last.
Discontinued 2005
Coda Amp & Overture DAC (pdf)
Generation II: 2001-2005 Line
And now we're stepping deep into the way-back machine to a previous life — the audio world before digital. Okay, not really, but certainly before the iPod or before computer listening really took off. We still talk to many customers who own amps from this line and use them on a daily basis — our HeadRoom products really do stand the test of time!
Little Amp
The HeadRoom Little is our introductory home or office amp. It is a non-portable amp that is conveniently small and matches up well with any headphone from the Grado SR60 to the Sennheiser HD600 or HD650. The Little is perfect for someone who doesn't have a headphone jack, or someone who wants to improve the sound of the headphone jack on their present home audio equipment.
Discontinued 2005
Little Amp Manual (pdf)
Little More Power Source
The HeadRoom More Power is the power-supply upgrade for the Little HeadRoom Amp. The Little More Power combo approaches the type of sound quality achieved with the Home unit. It offers tight bass, sweeter mids, and very good detail – we actually were a bit shocked at the improvement.
Discontinued 2005
Little More Power Manual (pdf)
Base Station One Power Source
The HeadRoom Base Station One is perfect for use with your HeadRoom Supreme or HeadRoom Cosmic Amp in a home or office environment. It is a very good power supply that will work wonders for your electronics. It is designed to supply +/- 15 volts regulated power to our Supreme and Cosmic amps.
Discontinued 2005
Supreme Amp
The HeadRoom Supreme is indeed supreme at creating pleasant high-fidelity sound for the mobile traveler. If your primary need is an amp for traveling, the Supreme is all the amp you'll need, plus it still fits in nicely at home with a high-end system. The Supreme offers detailed, audiophile-quality sound, plus it is forgiving of inadequacies, making it suitable for a wide range of portable players from the mediocre to the very best. This amp was powered with an external 'brick' power supply, which housed four heavy D-cell batteries.
Discontinued 2005
Supreme Manual (pdf)
Cosmic Amp
In the same family as the HeadRoom Max and Maxed Out Home, the HeadRoom Cosmic is our best amp for portable use. The Cosmic takes full advantage of the premium internal module and highlights audio advances within other components, allowing it to be a fast, highly detailed and articulate portable amp.
Discontinued 2005
Cosmic Manual (pdf)
Home Amp
The HeadRoom Home Amp puts its money into audio components instead of cosmetics. It has an Avel-Lindberg toroidal transformer in the power-supply–very brawny. It has dual headphone jacks, but only one volume control. So to achieve the same sound level when using two headphones, the headphones must be matched.
Discontinued 2005
Home Manual (pdf)
Maxed Out Home Amp
The HeadRoom Maxed Out Home looks like a Home Amp but sounds comparable to the Max Amp. The Maxed Out Home unit is a touch warmer-sounding than the Max, and of course it is lacking in the cosmetic department, but overall it presents a sonic representation that is very convincingly similar to the Max.
Discontinued 2005
Maxed Out Home Manual (pdf)
The Max Amp
The HeadRoom Max is our Home amp on growth hormones: Nobel pot, dual-mono power supply back to the shared Avel-Lindberg toroidal transformer, Burr-Brown 627 op-amps, dual- mono advanced HeadRoom modules, polyphenoline sulfide film capacitors, Neutrik headphone jacks, pseudo-Litz stranded circuit board traces.
Discontinued 2005
The Max Manual (pdf)
BlockHead Amp
The HeadRoom BlockHead is the world's first fully balanced, double dual-mono, mono-block headphone amplifier. This amp was years ahead of its time. These days everyone knows about balanced headphone amplifiers, but HeadRoom was the FIRST amp manufacturer to build a balanced headphone amp. The BlockHead was groundbreaking and still holds up against any current balanced amp on the market today.
Discontinued 2005
BlockHead Manual (pdf)
Switch Amp
The HeadRoom Switch was exactly just that – a dead-quiet switching box unit that simply allowed you to connect up to three audio sources via RCA inputs, and switch easily between them using the knob on the front panel.
Discontinued 2005
Generation II – “Mobile Line”
This was the second iteration of our plastic enclosure portable amps.
AirHead and Total AirHead
The HeadRoom AirHead is the smallest and lightest portable headphone amplifier and processor in our line. You will hear a wonderful improvement in a high-quality headphone’s ability to resolve musical detail, deliver deep, tight bass and present a more natural audio image. The HeadRoom Total AirHead had all the same functionality as it's little brother, but better internal components to provide enhanced sound quality.
Discontinued 2005
AirHead and Total AirHead Manual (pdf)
Generation I: The 1990′s
This is where our corporate records - and our memory - gets a little fuzzy. We will continue to add some of these historical archived products as we are able. If you own something from this era, please email and we'll gladly add it to our archive!
AirHead
The HeadRoom AirHead is the smallest and lightest portable headphone amplifier and processor in our line. You will hear a wonderful improvement in a high-quality headphone’s ability to resolve musical detail, deliver deep, tight bass and present a more natural audio image.
AirHead and Total AirHead Manual (pdf)
AirHead (Initial Run)
Our first prototype HeadRoom AirHead amp was initially released with 9-volt batteries and was in production for a very short period of time.
Wheatfield HA-1 Amp
Okay, these really aren't HeadRoom Amps. But we were the exclusive dealer of these fine amps for a short period of time, so we thought we'd include them in our archive. It was a really nice little tube amp. Strikes an excellent balance between the characteristic tube sound and being dynamic and punchy. We thought it better than its big brother, the Wheatfield HA-2, for most rock and contemporary studio-recorded music.
Wheatfield HA-1 Manual (pdf)
Wheatfield HA-2 Amp
One of the things we really like to do is hook up this amp when we're listening to raspy old LP records and poorly recorded CDs because this headphone amp will sweeten just about anything. A true lush tube sound this amp is an old-time audiophile delight.
The Max Amp
Discontinued 1999
The Home Amp
The HeadRoom Home Amp has an audiophile-quality linear power supply that really lets the internal electronic module show its funky high-end stuff.
Discontinued 1999
The Supreme (2nd Revision)
We think the HeadRoom Supreme will be around for a long, long time. Oh sure, it may go through a few changes; and maybe you'll be able to get it in different colors someday. The perfect partner at the office, assistant in the kitchen, or helpful workmate in the shop.
Discontinued 1999
The Little
Think of the Little just like our Supreme amp, with all of the extra money taken out of it. The Little one uses exactly the same electronics module as the Supreme, but lacks the DC-to-DC Converter, battery holders, and enclosure needed to make the Supreme portable.
Discontinued 1999
The Static
The Static provided HeadRoom Crossfeed for listeners who owned electrostatic headphones, such as Stax.
Discontinued 1999
Our Very First HeadRoom Products - The Standard, Supreme, Premium & Jelly Bean Amps
The HeadRoom Standard Amp
The HeadRoom Standard Amp is the best unit for general portable audiophile use. It is best for people who want very high quality sound and own a really good headphone, but don't want to be tied to the wall socket for power.
The HeadRoom Premium Amp
The Premium is for people who appreciate the qualities found in top Audiophile category equipment. If you will be using HeadRoom mostly at home or in the office, and have very good headphones, this is the unit for you.
The HeadRoom Supreme Amp
The HeadRoom Supreme Amp is built for true Audiophiles listening at home or office. It uses the same electronics as the HeadRoom Premium unit but includes a switchable near-ear emphasis filter. It also uses extremely high-quality capacitors and resistors on the main circuit board.
The HeadRoom Jelly Bean
The JellyBean includes a CD transport, de-jitter electronics, D-A, HeadRoom Home amp, and API AC filtering all in an Anvil air certified case. Each one is custom, so you can fit all kinds of stuff in it.
About Our HeadRoom Crossfeed Circuitry
Headphones are actually capable of much more accurate sound than speakers on a performance-per-dollar basis. Why, then, don’t people use headphones more extensively for high-end listening? The answer, we believe, is that there are some fundamentally unnatural things about the way you perceive the location of the sounds you hear on headphones, and that artificiality gets in the way of having a gratifying listening experience.
