Listening to headphones can sometimes be the only way for music-lovers to enjoy their music without disturbing their neighbours (if you live in an apartment block) or loved ones living under the same roof. So a pair of Hi-Fi headphones and headphone amps are absolutely essential if you want to really lose yourself in the music.
High Fidelity is the number one priority for audiophiles, which means their equipment must be up to the job! When choosing a pair of Hi-Fi headphones, uncompromising standards of both sound quality and comfort must play an essential role in the decision.
Our technicians have put together a selection of three first-rate Hi-Fi headphones + headphone amplifier combinations that offer optimum value for money. When it comes to Hi-Fi headphones, we have a lot of time for the brand Grado, which is why each of our combos feature a pair of Grado Hi-Fi headphones with a headphone amp by a different brand.
Combo #1: Start your Hi-Fi journey
Combo #2: Expand your Hi-Fi horizons
Combo #3: Optimise your Hi-Fi experience
The advantage of this first Hi-Fi headphones/headphone amp combo is that it delivers excellent performance at a relatively affordable price. The second combo is aimed at audiophiles on the hunt for an even more intense experience. Lastly, the third Hi-Fi headphones/headphone amp combo brings together two exceptional products to create the perfect option for even the most demanding audiophiles.
Combo #1: Start your Hi-Fi journey
Grado has been making its Hi-Fi headphones by hand in its New York workshop for over half a century. As one of the biggest and most well-respected names in High Fidelity, over time Grado’s Hi-Fi headphones have become the stuff of legend. The Grado SR60e Hi-Fi headphones are the entry-level model in the company’s ‘Prestige’ range, and is one of their ‘Best Buys’. It has been widely praised in the industry press, and rightly so! Designed with all of Grado’s characteristic simplicity and understatement, the musicality and production quality of these headphones is unrivalled in its price range - A sound investment! And we should know - many of the maPlatine.com team own a pair of their own.
The Head Box S2 headphone amplifier by Pro-Ject brings out the very best performances in these Hi-Fi headphones, delivering the famous Austrian brand's signature neutrality. All you need to do is connect the headphone amp to your amplifier or preamplifier, then plug in your SR60e headphones.
Combo #2: Expand your Hi-Fi horizons
With their stylish aluminium housing, the Grado SR325e Hi-Fi headphones are one of Grado’s many benchmark products. These ‘mid-range’ headphones have all the classic features of a Grado product, most notably the brand’s famous vintage design. The production has clearly has been carried out with the utmost precision, with a quality that is beyond reproach for its price range. In terms of sound quality, the SR325e Hi-Fi headphones deliver a remarkable fluidity more commonly found in Hi-Fi headphones twice the price! All of these attributes have contributed to this product winning the most coveted awards in the industry press, including the What Hi-Fi ‘Best Buy’ and the Diapason D’Or. We recommend pairing it with Rhinelander headphone amp by renowned German brand Lehmann Audio. Thanks to its exceptional value for money, it is one of the very best headphone amps available in its price range. It is the perfect companion to the SR325e Grado Hi-Fi headphones as it has the capacity to fully showcase their remarkable potential.
Combo #3: Optimise your Hi-Fi experience
As the old saying goes, ‘the ends justify the means’. This final combo is the perfect illustration of this sentiment. We brought together the outstanding PS1000e headphones and the Lehmann Linear headphone amp, and the results have been astounding. The Grado PS1000e headphones are one of the very best sets of Hi-Fi headphones we have ever tried. With this product, Grado's goal was to create the most proficient pair of Hi-Fi headphones possible, as well as some of the best in the world. And we’d like to join the chorus of industry press in saying: mission accomplished, with flying colours! The Linear amplifier by German brand Lehmann has the capacity to really bring out the true essence of the PS1000e headphones. It’s a very high-end product designed for audiophiles looking for sound quality with the utmost detail and intense emotion. As it happens, it is also used in many a recording studio around the world!
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We hope that this shopping guide will help you to find the perfect headphone amp/Hi-Fi headphones combination for you, one that will give you the most intense, fulfilling Hi-Fi experience possible by letting you get completely lost in the music!
