PreSonusHP2 Personal Headphone Amplifier

I purchased 7 amps all in the range of $30 - $250. From the China type cheap ones like Bolanle, Mackie to the cheap Behringer HA400 (DONT PURCHASE THESE CHEAP ONES UNLESS YOU WANT WORSE SOUND QUALITY AND STATIC HISS).I found a few names floating around that seemed to make good amps. All were around $100+ - Topping, Creative (old company), ifi, and Schiit to name the most popular. I crossed out Creative and ifi based off gut instinct. I focused on Schiit and also stumbled on Presonus. I was interested in both Schoot and Presonus, Schiit because they had a good solid story and just wanted to make a no frills Amo that actually works. Presonus because they have their own high impedance headphones. I picked a model from each brand and ordered them since the cheap china ones all did the same thing, increase the volume and create a loud hiss.NO HISSING ALLOWED, I’m not buying an amp and quality headphone and gear to go backwards with sound quality. So if you can’t afford a quality amp, get lower ohm headphones, you will hear the music with no issues and still get quality headphone audio.E.g. Audio Technician M50 doesn’t need an AMP to work at 38 ohm*Both the Presonus HP4 and the Schiit Magni+ both work great. I kept both, why?Personus HP4- 4 headphone outputs and one for monitor- Sturdy build and doesn’t get hot- Slightly less audio quality (I mean very slightly, you have to swap back and forth numerous times to even notice)Schiit Magni+- Three output db options (allows for fine tuning between volume and static)- Slightly better sound quality- Unit heats up (but they say it will last a long time)- *ONE HEADPHONE OUTPUT (this is why I kept the Presonus as well)If the Schiit Magni+ had more headphone outputs, I would have kept that only, but the presonus has more flexibility and allows me to amplify speakers and headphones at the same time. I ended up buying a used Presinus from Amazon for about $65 and a clearance/B stock Schiit Magni+ /Heretic for $79.I’m content with the sound and flexibility and since both units seemed to be made well, I believe they will last.*Tip for anyone looking to get a headphone amp to power high OHM. I learned you need an amp with very low Output Impedance. You willPay likely have to search for the spec/data/cut sheet to find that info, but that will help you weed out the garbage Amps.The output impedance should ideally be 8 times then the headphones Ohm/Impedance. The Schiit Magni+ is around .3 - 4 output impedance, yes I said .3.The output impedance of the Presonus HP4 is a bit tricky since the spec sheet says it’s 51 ohm for the Monitor outputs, that should be for the speakers, they aren’t really clear on the headphones. But I assumed it’s higher than Schiits which may be the difference in sound quality, but the person is works great too.If you do hear a slight hiss due to external input source interference, you can decrease volume on the amp till it’s gone the. Just volume up your gear.

I use the HP4 for home studio use to allow myself and the performer(s) to monitor with ease, and it's great!I originally had the Behringer MicroAmp HA400. First of all, don't buy that. The power supply chirps VERY loudly, and the sound quality is eh. Put that $25 towards something like this instead.Presonus makes quality stuff at a great price point for those still pretty early on in their gear collecting journey (such as myself). The HP4 looks nice, has a small footprint, sounds good, and most importantly is versatile and does its job perfectly.This thing actually solved several of my problems:-I had that stupid chirping HA400 that just needed to go asap.-I have a hardware issue on my Focusrite interface involving both of the headphone jacks, so I needed something that would accept L/R input and allow me to run from the Scarlett's monitor outs instead until I can get that fixed.-The power adapter is along the cord, rather than having a brick plug, which is SUPER helpful when it comes to tight real estate on the power strip. (Fewer bricks on the strip=more outlets you actually have access to).I highly recommend this item for anyone working on a home studio setup.

If you're looking for a quality headphone amp for the studio or portable player use, look no further. This is a quality built headphone amp that has great specs and is super quiet. I was going to purchase the Behringer PowerPlay P1 headphone amp but complaints of the battery compartment cover falling off changed my decision to go with the Presonus HP2 which is twive as much but worth it.I use it with my iPOD Classis 80GB along with a FiiO L3 Line Out Dock (LOD) Cable and a 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm Audio Coupler Female to Female. To connect to the XLR cable that comes with the Presonus to your iPOD or similar device will require a Hosa CYX402M Stereo Breakout 3.5mm TRS to Dual XLR Male 2 Meter cable which Amazon didn't carry but can be had from American Musical Supply. Expect nothing but the best from Presonus you won't be disappointed.

I love this headphone amp! In the recording studio I've tried other amps by Rolls, but it's a step down from the original signal that is being given to it. The PreSonus HP4 is a totally different story. In fact, I use one to drive my headphones for regular music listening. My computer audio interface has a pretty good headphone jack, but when I run the output signal to the HP4 and plug my headphones in there instead, the difference is amazing. I have some big headphones (Sennheiser HD 280 and HD 595), and they need a lot of power to sound right. The extra headroom provided by the HP4 makes especially the low end sound a lot better at medium volumes.I also use the HP4 for watching movies or listening to music (or playing video games) with friends when someone else in the room doesn't want to be bothered by the sound. It's great to be able to hand out headphones and let everyone listen at a volume that is comfortable for them.A few more things:- Durability is great. This has a metal case and can take some abuse, although I'd be careful with the knobs because they stick out pretty far.- No sound (hiss, static, pops, etc.) when adjusting volume, unlike many other headphone amps.- Separate left and right inputs, not a stereo plug, making this perfect for use with a mixer or audio interface.Overall I'd highly recommend this to anyone who needs either more headphone channels or a nice-sounding amp to drive a pair of power-hungry higher-end headphones.