Sennheiser adds digital, analog heaphone amps to catalog
updated 06:13 pm EDT, Sun September 2, 2012
Company promises absolutely symmetrical headphone sound
Audio device manufacturer Sennheiser has shown off two headphone amplifiers at IFA 2012. The digital HDVD 800 and the newly announced analog HDVA 600 both up the power heading to high-end headphones, with a significant price tag to match. The company claims that the fully symmetrical layout for analog audio sources ensures "absolutely symmetrical signal transmission" to the headphones.
Both amplifiers are equipped with asymmetrical input sockets, allowing the incoming signals to be symmetrized before performing any further processing. The HDVD 800 also adds AES/EBU and S/PDIF inputs in both optical and coaxial versions to the mix, along with an extra USB port offering 24-bit transmission at 192KHz. Glass panels give a clear view of the internals, including the rotary potentiometer being mechanically connected to the volume control by a 5.9-inch shaft, the cooling element, and audio relay. The rest of the housing is made from anodized aluminum and sections milled from a solid material.
The HDVA 600 will go on sale from October onwards for $1600, while the digital HDVD 800 will go for $2000 from November.
