Tube lovers are still out there, and for them the Centrance AMPmini seems to be tailor made, as a headphone amplifier with tubes on board.
Somehow, part of humanity finds the “warmer” tube sound more pleasing to the ear than that of semiconductors. We wisely leave the discussion of what is ‘better’ alone. But if you happen to be both a fan of tubes and headphones, you really should take a look at the Centrance AMPmini of American origin. The device is set up as pure Class A, with a maximum output power of 2 x 8 watts. In terms of headphone connection, you have a choice between standard asymmetrical 6.3 mm jack and 4.4 mm symmetrical.
‘Smart’ tube stage
What is certainly interesting is that the tube stage in the Centrance AMPmini ‘thinks with you’. By which we mean that it adapts to the impedance of the connected headphones. In the case of a low-impedance load, it then acts as a current amplifier and at higher impedances as a voltage amplifier. The volume control is set up digitally, while the volume knob is provided with hydraulic back pressure.
You’ll have to pay a price of $5000 for the Centrance AMPmini. But with that comes some patience, as it will be available from August this year.