Click to view our Accessibility Statement or contact us with accessibility-related questions
.jpg?auto=format&fm=jpg&fit=crop&w=30&h=30&dpr=1&q=70)
Little Dot I+ Headphone Amp
01 / 08
Little Dot I+ Headphone Amp
bookmark_border
Where's the price?
To negotiate the best possible price for our customers, we agree to hide prices prior to logging in.
2.5K requests
·
944 Sold
Product Description
An impressive hybrid headphone amplifier for the price, the Little Dot I+ combines the smooth, musical sound of vacuum tubes with the high output current of transistors. It’s specifically designed to drive low-impedance headphones that require a high current to perform to their full potential Read More
You Might Also Like
search
close
Sort by: Top Conversations
keyboard_arrow_downcheapbutgreat
104
Jan 1, 2017
Am I missing something here? How is this a deal when Amazon has it for $99?
bennyboi
8
Jan 2, 2017
my point is that the price listed on massdrop is a discount off the MSRP price, not amazon's price. [Removed]
[Moderated]
[Moderated]
SamTwentyTre
50
Feb 9, 2017
TUBE RECOMMENDATIONS!
1. Voshkod 6ZH1P-EV(amazing treble)
2. Mullard M8161(if you can find any)
3. Mullard M8100(love the bass)
4. GE JAN5654W(amazing for the price) (like $7 for 5 tubes on ebay)
5. Tung-Sol 6AK5
6. Sylvania Gold Brand 5654
7. United Electron EF92(good luck finding them)
8. GE 5-Star 5654
9.RCA 5654 (Black Plate)
10. Mullard M8083
Honorable mentions: Sylvania 5654 & Mullard CV131/6CQ6
dharkharma
54
Dec 31, 2016
For Sennheiser 6XX owners, I am not an audiophile but personally recommend this amp for those who are looking for one and unlocking their cans' potential.
These are relatively inexpensive to acquire and comes with the option of modding (tube and opamp rolling) to tweak the sound to your taste.
My setup: iFi iDAC (ESS Sabre DAC) --> LD I+ (Opamp: Burson Audio V5i, Tubes: Mullard/RTC 5654 or Yugoslavia 6HM5 sound most pleasing) --> HD6XX
These are relatively inexpensive to acquire and comes with the option of modding (tube and opamp rolling) to tweak the sound to your taste.
My setup: iFi iDAC (ESS Sabre DAC) --> LD I+ (Opamp: Burson Audio V5i, Tubes: Mullard/RTC 5654 or Yugoslavia 6HM5 sound most pleasing) --> HD6XX
Keefer
250
Jul 20, 2017
New to tubes and tube rolling?
Dont be intimidated by tubes or tube rolling. The technology is older and sound quality is "warmer" than solid state. Tubes rock!
There is a lot of information out there. Google Little Dot/DarkVoice tube rolling. Whatever amp your interested in or purchasing. Also, search same on HeadFi.org
Ive graduated from DarkVoice 336SE to the Woo Audio WA3 (OTL amp) and the WA6 (transformer coupled) amps. These are the entry level Woo Audio headphone amps. Build quality and sound quality destroys DV and LD. Can be picked up used for 400-500 depending on what tubes seller is offering. You'll quickly learn, it's easy to spend double on tubes (vintage/older are best- NOS) than what you spent on the price price of your amp.
Main thing, is to have fun and enjoy the music!
Dont be intimidated by tubes or tube rolling. The technology is older and sound quality is "warmer" than solid state. Tubes rock!
There is a lot of information out there. Google Little Dot/DarkVoice tube rolling. Whatever amp your interested in or purchasing. Also, search same on HeadFi.org
Ive graduated from DarkVoice 336SE to the Woo Audio WA3 (OTL amp) and the WA6 (transformer coupled) amps. These are the entry level Woo Audio headphone amps. Build quality and sound quality destroys DV and LD. Can be picked up used for 400-500 depending on what tubes seller is offering. You'll quickly learn, it's easy to spend double on tubes (vintage/older are best- NOS) than what you spent on the price price of your amp.
Main thing, is to have fun and enjoy the music!
Keefer
250
Jul 20, 2017
If you want me to be totally honest, the DV is of poor quality components. Known issues etc.
If you have a little bit more in your budget, buy a Woo amp. I might be selling my silver Woo WA6. Read the reviews on HiFi.org
If you're interested or have any questions on Woo, email me: keeferdog@hotmail.com
If you have a little bit more in your budget, buy a Woo amp. I might be selling my silver Woo WA6. Read the reviews on HiFi.org
If you're interested or have any questions on Woo, email me: keeferdog@hotmail.com
MannyAkim
136
Sep 25, 2017
KeeferThat Woo Audio WA3 is impressive but the black looks so much cooler :). I will step up to Woo Audio soon :)
fredisyoga
11
Jan 9, 2018
Hi guys, I've been researching about this amp for a while now and pretty excited on how it will sound with my setup. Is it a week before the "drop" will be ready after we've requested to be notified about it? Also, just wondering if you guys know.. I dislike hiss a lot - I'm hoping this will not have any. I have a little dot 1 (the battery operated solid state one, which I've misplaced) that I got years ago and it hissed - my previous setup was 16bit FLACs > Clip+ > little dot 1 > Grado sr80 = hiss.. I've recently upgraded a bit and now running 24bit FLACs > iBasso DX80 > Grado sr325is.. so I'm hoping the 1+ will be a really good addition. I also pre-emptively ordered the voshkod tubes. And now thinking about ordering the muses02 opamp. :D
fredisyoga
11
Jan 30, 2018
Alright I'm sold, ordered the alps blue velvet 100k pot! I'll keep the knob stock for now. It will be a sleeper, modified innards with an unsuspecting exterior. Sure no problem I'll update again when I get the caps haha.
Eli35
653
Jan 31, 2018
fredisyogaReplacing the pot will require some tinkering, but I'm sure you'll find the way. Look for some info on internet, there's plenty of people that did it before.
A community member
Sep 25, 2017
Hello! I am new to the audiophile community, and just ordered my first pair of decent headphones, the Massdrop x AKG 7XX. I will be using these along with my MacBook Pro Retina Late 2014 (w/ Toslink) and Spotify Premium HD Streaming. I have heard that these headphones can be difficult to drive not because of their 62 ohm impedance, but from their 105 db/V (~93 db/mW) sensitivity, 200mW max power input, and high current needs. I am currently looking at the Schiit Audio Vali 2 Tube/SS Hybrid Amp (possibly along with the Modi 2 Uber DAC) and the Little Dot I+ 6JI X2. I have heard these two amps are good options in general, but I am not sure how they pair with the 7XX. I would love any suggestions, as again I am very new to this scene and do not know a whole lot about what exactly to look for. Thanks!
SuperDan2go
5
Oct 24, 2017
THD total harmonic distortion. This will make the most discernable difference. Unfortunately specs are lies sometimes. Auditions are the best. Some reviews can be trusted. If they don't even list then u know what's up.
Also consider that the source quality is just as much a factor. I have seen some headphone amps that have USB connectors. Still that doesn't garauntee any improvement of a p.o.s. sound card.
Ruudh
32
Oct 25, 2017
From my knowledge, somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, the first thing to upgrade after the phones would be the dac. You can have the best tubes in the world, but garbage in is garbage out. I know the red dragonfly doesn't have any trouble driving headphones up to 150 ohms. Hopefully some people with more hands on experience in this field can jump in on this, but seems very illogical to not upgrade your audio source, but do upgrade everything behind it.
Auffreyv
15
Jun 28, 2017
Would this tube amp be worth using with Sennheiser HD598 or HD6XX headphones?
I am currently using an Audioengine D1 all-in-one Amp/DAC. Would this be an upgrade? I am new to the audiophile community and still have a lot to learn! Would it be recommended to connect this tube amp to my DAC via RCA cable and would this set up be better than the Audioengine D1 by itself?
I am currently using an Audioengine D1 all-in-one Amp/DAC. Would this be an upgrade? I am new to the audiophile community and still have a lot to learn! Would it be recommended to connect this tube amp to my DAC via RCA cable and would this set up be better than the Audioengine D1 by itself?
Auffreyv
15
Aug 22, 2017
The marker is quite simply the white circle you see on the lower left corner of the op-amp. The socket has a similar symbol: all you have to do is make sure that they align on the same side. If you have doubts, you can always refer to the stock op-amp, which has the same symbol and was installed in the right direction.
If you purchase your V5i from Burson Audio, keep in mind that you need one (1) dual SS V5i. The people from Burson Audio are really nice. I think it is actually cheaper to order it directly from their website.
Thanks for the info. I just ordered the Jitterbug from Amazon. I will try it out!
If you purchase your V5i from Burson Audio, keep in mind that you need one (1) dual SS V5i. The people from Burson Audio are really nice. I think it is actually cheaper to order it directly from their website.
Thanks for the info. I just ordered the Jitterbug from Amazon. I will try it out!
Joseph13
0
Jan 25, 2018
Hi. Im having some trouble. To start off I have my Little Dot 1+ hooked up to the topping dac d30 to my computer via usb. I have the Sennheiser hd 579s. When i turn the amp up to 25 at the desktop i start hearing buzzing noises, which i assume is normal for tube amps. But the issue is when im in games there is a background noise that is louder than the normal buzz and gets really loud when i go into pvp. I can hear it on the right side of the headphones but if i turn the amp all the way down it switches to the left. The sennheisers work fine when i plug into the mobo. I have also switched out the stock tubes for https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BFJDTW0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Any suggestions? Sorry for being a noob and bringing my problems here. I just don't know were to troubleshoot from this point.
Eli35
653
Jan 26, 2018
Joseph13Hi Joseph, I have exactly your same dac/amp setup, great choice hehehe. My LD using Mullard M8161 (EF92) produces almost no buzz at all, and with Voskhod 6ZH1P-EV just a liiitle bit, barely audible, so you shouldn't have almost any buzz if everything works fine. There could be many things causing this buzz, I had some problems until finding the optimal results from this setup, so these are my ideas:
- first of all, check your LD jumpers. You're using EF95 family tubes, so your LD should have the jumpers exactly as seen on this picture:
- make sure you don't have a ground loop caused by plugging the DAC and amp or PC on different power sources. You shouldn't have it, since the D30 doesn't have ground connection, but checking this is pretty easy so I'll explain how: turn on the DAC, then the amp, and when you can hear this buzz, unplug the RCA inputs from the amp. If the buzz goes away when you unplug the RCA and comes back when you plug them, you have a ground loop. To prevent the loop, try plugging your DAC, amp and PC on the same plug splitter, as close as possible. If it does not work, well, you always can supress one of the grounds and pray for the best (risky) or make some further research. I did first when using my PC as source before getting the D30, don't blame me, I swear I tried to fix it by any means.
- use another source to test if the problem is on your DAC or amp, for example connect your phone to the DAC using a 3.5mm to RCA cable. If it sounds fine, you know the problem is on your DAC or PC, or the connection between them.
- since you said the buzz is more audible when you're playing games, I bet there might be some electric noise on the USB port that connects the DAC to the PC. Try using other USB port, both front & rear, maybe you find a less noisy one.
- if nothing works, try with other tubes and/or opamps. Check the internal components, soldering, caps, volume pot... If everything looks fine, contact support.
Some other free tips: - when turning on, first turn on the DAC and a few seconds after the amp; when turning off, do the opposite (first amp, then DAC). - before tube rolling (changing tubes), turn off and let the amp cool down and discharge for a few minutes. Unplug it from everything, and remove the tubes before moving jumpers. Same when changing gain switches, and always move both. - double-check your jumpers when switching between different tube families. If you misplace jumpers, you could damage tubes or even blow the amp, so make sure everything's ok before turning on the amp. - always use "matched pairs" of tubes, and if you suspect one of your tubes sounds different (louder, noisy, or whatever) swap the tubes and test if it goes to the other channel. If it does, you know there might be a problem with one of your tubes, or a mismatch. - set the gain switches according to your headphones. If you don't use any high impedance or low sensitivity cans, you can leave it at the "low" gain. Mine is "high", you can see it in the picture. - this kind of amps usually suffer some channel imbalance when the volume knob is very low (let's say under 15%), so try keeping the volume knob above that level to prevent it. You can always play with the software volume, so not a big deal. But also keep in mind running the amp at max volume all the time it's not good, so find a "sweet spot" for the volume knob where you can have the software volume at a reasonable 60-80% at your desired volume, so you don't have to constantly play around with the knob. - don't let the amp running for more than 8 hours or so before cooling down for a while, this thing gets pretty hot and it might damage the internal circuits or even cause a fire if something goes really really bad (not common). But don't turn it on and off too often, it also shortens the life of the tubes. As a rule of thumb, if you're considering turning off the amp for a while, if you'll turn it on again in under 15 minutes, keep it on (unless it has been on for too long, in that case turn it off and let it cool down for at least 10-15 minutes). - try to avoid plugging-unplugging headphones while the amp is on, it's not a big deal but it causes small shorts that might damage the amp in the long term. If you want to make a quick A-B test it's ok, but don't abuse it if you want your amp to last for years.
- make sure you don't have a ground loop caused by plugging the DAC and amp or PC on different power sources. You shouldn't have it, since the D30 doesn't have ground connection, but checking this is pretty easy so I'll explain how: turn on the DAC, then the amp, and when you can hear this buzz, unplug the RCA inputs from the amp. If the buzz goes away when you unplug the RCA and comes back when you plug them, you have a ground loop. To prevent the loop, try plugging your DAC, amp and PC on the same plug splitter, as close as possible. If it does not work, well, you always can supress one of the grounds and pray for the best (risky) or make some further research. I did first when using my PC as source before getting the D30, don't blame me, I swear I tried to fix it by any means.
- use another source to test if the problem is on your DAC or amp, for example connect your phone to the DAC using a 3.5mm to RCA cable. If it sounds fine, you know the problem is on your DAC or PC, or the connection between them.
- since you said the buzz is more audible when you're playing games, I bet there might be some electric noise on the USB port that connects the DAC to the PC. Try using other USB port, both front & rear, maybe you find a less noisy one.
- if nothing works, try with other tubes and/or opamps. Check the internal components, soldering, caps, volume pot... If everything looks fine, contact support.
Some other free tips: - when turning on, first turn on the DAC and a few seconds after the amp; when turning off, do the opposite (first amp, then DAC). - before tube rolling (changing tubes), turn off and let the amp cool down and discharge for a few minutes. Unplug it from everything, and remove the tubes before moving jumpers. Same when changing gain switches, and always move both. - double-check your jumpers when switching between different tube families. If you misplace jumpers, you could damage tubes or even blow the amp, so make sure everything's ok before turning on the amp. - always use "matched pairs" of tubes, and if you suspect one of your tubes sounds different (louder, noisy, or whatever) swap the tubes and test if it goes to the other channel. If it does, you know there might be a problem with one of your tubes, or a mismatch. - set the gain switches according to your headphones. If you don't use any high impedance or low sensitivity cans, you can leave it at the "low" gain. Mine is "high", you can see it in the picture. - this kind of amps usually suffer some channel imbalance when the volume knob is very low (let's say under 15%), so try keeping the volume knob above that level to prevent it. You can always play with the software volume, so not a big deal. But also keep in mind running the amp at max volume all the time it's not good, so find a "sweet spot" for the volume knob where you can have the software volume at a reasonable 60-80% at your desired volume, so you don't have to constantly play around with the knob. - don't let the amp running for more than 8 hours or so before cooling down for a while, this thing gets pretty hot and it might damage the internal circuits or even cause a fire if something goes really really bad (not common). But don't turn it on and off too often, it also shortens the life of the tubes. As a rule of thumb, if you're considering turning off the amp for a while, if you'll turn it on again in under 15 minutes, keep it on (unless it has been on for too long, in that case turn it off and let it cool down for at least 10-15 minutes). - try to avoid plugging-unplugging headphones while the amp is on, it's not a big deal but it causes small shorts that might damage the amp in the long term. If you want to make a quick A-B test it's ok, but don't abuse it if you want your amp to last for years.
Tigerman
412
Nov 10, 2016
heyandynAs @Cubicego said.
There's no rating for this amp into 600 ohms, but it'll do 150mW into 300 ohms. The HD650 needs less than 10 mW to reach 110 dB, so I think it'd work fine.
(I got my figures from here:
http://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/system-synergy-special-sound.54/page-2#post-4328
and
http://www.littledot.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=819 )
http://www.littledot.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=819 )
merddynemrys
42
Aug 13, 2016
This just arrived. A couple of comments. Access to the switches/jumpers is NOT described in the manual (the settings are described). To access the setting components the user needs to remove ONLY the lower two screws at the BOTTOM of the front and back panels and the bottom just drops off (there are 14 screws visible from the outside of the case so save yourself the agony of removal of excessive screws). Since this is spun as a "modding" system it would be common sense and common courtesy to send enough jumpers for ALL the options. On this basis there are two jumpers NOT supplied for systems NOT using EF91...etc. The user will have to find these two extra jumpers if (s)he decides to use EF91's... in the future. A small point but it makes the difference between an average seller and a superior one.
Little Dot should be encouraged by Massdrop to correct these omission (at least for systems sold through Massdrop).
Davestef
239
Jan 28, 2019
ok so the mullards are a big improvement over the we408a. the sound is fuller and have a more balanced sound signature. the 408s sound kind of thin in comparison. less bass, and mid bass. more treble, not to say the treble on the mullards is rolled off. the 408 sounds more trebly. the mullards sound more natural. this is using the grado sr225e
Frogmeat
562
Jan 28, 2019
DavestefOne of these days I will check out a Grado headphone, my local store actually has about 5 different models, just not a fan of non removable cables. And glad you like the Mullards, I have a stack of tubes for both my Littledots, and the Mullard brand is always what I end up using.
Showing 173 of 542
Recent Activity
Related Products
Drop Refurbished
Like-new products you can trustDrop Rewards
Get $5 for every 500 points you earn! Learn more
Drop Keyboard Club
Become a member and expand your keycap collectionCollaborate With Us
For Brands & DesignersFollow Drop