Aurorasound HEADA Headphone Amplifier

The HEADA Headphone Amplifier is Aurorasounds’ latest development and is, exactly like Karaki-san’s phono stage VIDA, and preamp PREDA a technical masterpiece. The first units arrived.  The sound is fantastic so far, and gets better every day...

Audiophile headphone aficionados agree that balanced-drive is the ultimate nirvana of headphone listening, the cat’s meow of cans, the "creme de la creme" of personal audio systems, the highest of the high-end.

Balanced drive delivers a significant increase in audio performance due to the doubling of slew rate and voltage swing power, a massive reduction of THD distortion components, and the virtual absence of crosstalk at the headphones due to the elimination of the common ground plane. The acoustic result lends an extremely expansive, open-toned quality to your headphones, as well as very transparent and refined musical detail, tightly textural low bass, and perfectly pronounced mid-ranges. Many music lovers say its the closest headphones can come to sounding like a room speaker listening experience.

The HEADA features:

• Well-controlled capability for high-end headphone diaphragms due to balanced drive amplifier system
• Left/Right independent  four -wire cable brings excellent stereo image and presence
• SNR, THD+N, Dynamic range, Slew rate, power - all specifications are superior to single-ended drive
• Uses Aurorasound’s special design - discrete transistors and FTEs amplifier module, 4 units
• Uses large-size conductive plastic volume control for smooth operation with very low gang error
• High power torodial transformer and high-speed regulation power supply inside the case
• 4-pin XLR and 2x 3-pin XLR plus standard phone jack for any kind of headphone connectors
• Low/High gain-select switch allows for multiple headphone impedance and sensitivity values
• Two –channel  input selector, CH-1 support, XLR and RCA connectors, CH-2 support (RCA only)
• No signal loss when Input signal passes to other components, due to output supports
• Vintage design, real wood case,  solid aluminum knob, solid metal foot -insulators

Outstanding Product Award hi-finews (GB) April 2015

Keith Howard, hi-finews April 2015 concluded:
"...equipment reviewing would be unallowed pleasure if only every item of equipment gave as much listening pleasure during its tenure. Partnered with a neutrally balanced, transparent headphone the Heada is capable of some of the best, if not the best, sounds I have heard from between capsules. Its alluring warmth is matched to great resolution, making for a musical experience as welcoming as it is informative..." Check out the entire review

Qobuzissime Award January 2015 (French Magazine):
"...to conclude, and whatever may be our opinion and our findings on the use of amplification bridged a Hi-Fi headphone amplifier Aurasound Headâ is certainly our reward Qobuzissime for its excellent sound qualities which have provided us moments of intense musical enjoyment. More aesthetics a little old-fashioned appliance provides pleasant heat and it offers a very serious electronics manufacturing breathing human intervention, which is probably the main reason for its price not within the reach of all..." Check it out

 Special Award of Audio Excellence 2015 from Ongen publishing, Japanese magazine

HiFi Wigwam online magazine (UK, Nov. 2014):
"...the build quality is equally impressive. The quality of the circuit board, and case show real attention to detail. This is high end Japanese HiFi in the very best tradition. If you listen to Headphones a lot then the price won’t be an issue, if you don’t listen often, this would be considered a treat, either way I heartily recommend this amp. Superb sound quality and tank like build, while being handsome enough to give real pride of ownership. A pride that will last some time, as will the enjoyment. I’m in no rush to send this back..."

NetAudio magazine (Japan, Oct. 2014):
"...I have changed the headphone cable to Oyaide’s 3-pin balanced type. Again using an analogy, sushi tastes like the one served at ultra-high-class sushi restaurant in Ginza Japan. Rendering has such class and stately, the sound melts into your eardrums through the inner ear. Phrasing of jazz is feelingly fuller and richer, and the sound from trumpet and saxophone melted like snowflakes the moment it hit the eardrums, spreading inside your brain like honeydew. Vocal’s consonant feels like tasting rather than visual perception-----, I cannot write any further than that. For classical music, it becomes easier to detect deficiencies of music erformances. At the same time, it strikes again how great musical compositions are. HEADA is a work of art..."

DiGi Fi magazine (Japan, May 2014):
"...since the cosmetic design is very unique and somewhat classicstyle, it may not blend well with today’s high-tech audio equipment. However, those who are looking for a headphone amplifier for serious indoor listening, HEADA is an attractive choice!"