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Best Amps under $40050

1. Drop + SMSL HO150X Linear Headphone Amplifier

#1 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"Amazing power. Amazing power and suberb clean sound. The only amp you may need"  Read More

$169
$199

2. xDuoo MP-01 Tube Headphone Amplifier

#2 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"For the Money its Great 👍. I like this Amp and have used it with Sennheiser 58X Jubilee Open back headphones and also Koss PortaPro X headphones. The Koss have more..."  Read More

$79
$149

3. Massdrop Objective 2 Headphone Amp: Desktop Edition

#3 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"(Note: This review was dragged over here into Reviews from my first posting of it in the general discussions about this amp before they created a Reviews section. The..."  Read More

4. Drop + THX AAA™ 789 Linear Amplifier

#4 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"I’ve had a few different headphone amps, and making a comparison is the best way I know to give others an idea of the sound signature produced by the THX 789 amp. ..."  Read More

5. Massdrop x Alex Cavalli Tube Hybrid Amp (CTH)

#5 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"For reference I am using hd600's and my previous amp/dac setup was Schiit Magni 2 + Modi 2. Currently this CTH amp + Modi 2 DAC. Thoughts after burn-in and about 50..."  Read More

6. Drop O2 Headphone Amplifier

#6 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"(Note: This review was dragged over here into Reviews from my first posting of it in the general discussions about this amp before they created a Reviews section. The..."  Read More

7. Drop + THX AAA™ ONE Linear Amplifier

#7 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"Drop was kind enough to send me the THX AAA One amp for review, so I've put together an article and video that I'll link below. The following is an excerpt from the..."  Read More

8. SMSL AD18 Bluetooth Stereo & Headphone DAC/Amp

#8 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"This is my garage amp. It drives a pair of ancient (25 years old) Pinnacle Arctic Series bookshelf speakers and a new Monoprice 8" subwoofer on a shelf below the..."  Read More

9. SMSL AD18 Bluetooth & USB Power Amplifier

#9 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"This is my garage amp. It drives a pair of ancient (25 years old) Pinnacle Arctic Series bookshelf speakers and a new Monoprice 8" subwoofer on a shelf below the..."  Read More

10. SMSL SP200 THX AAA-888 Balanced Headphone Amp

#10 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"Very impressed! Enough Power For My HifiMan HE6se's.. I recently purchased a Topping A90 amp plus D90 DAC to replace my JDS Atom amp and Topping D50S DAC. I have to..."  Read More

11. iFi audio ZEN CAN Signature 6XX Amp

#11 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"Excellent amp! Don't be turned off by the 6XX target of this amp's design and marketing. It works great with any headphones and it's a lot of fun trying out the..."  Read More

12. Massdrop x Alex Cavalli Liquid Carbon X Amp

#12 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"The gateway drug? I wouldn't call myself an audiophile, nor could I use the correct language in describing the characteristics of this amp that set it apart from..."  Read More

13. SMSL SH-8s Amplifier

#13 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"Huge Sound From A Small Amp. I needed something that would pair with my SMSL M400 or possibly the Hifiman EF400. So when the SH-8s was dropped to $130, I thought this..."  Read More

14. SMSL SAP-1 Headphone Amplifier

#14 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"Absolutely outstanding little amp. Beautifully built, very discreet and nice looking little amp. I purchased this not expecting much for the price but boy oh boy was I..."  Read More

15. HELM Audio DB12 AAAMP THX Amp

#15 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"I bought this to use with my LG V35 phone and it's 'QuadDAC'. It seemed to me that they'd be a perfect match and they are. I'm getting serious bass out of that tiny..."  Read More

16. SMSL SH-8 Headphone Amplifier

#16 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

The SMSL SH-8 is a headphone amplifier designed around a singular goal: Making your headphones sound incredible. The SH-8 delivers up to 600 ohms of output impedance,...  Read More

17. Aune B1S Portable Headphone Amp

#17 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"The Aune B1s Portable Headphone Amp is a welcome addition to my music experience. The detail warmth and extreme clarity this Amp provides is something to be..."  Read More

18. Helm Bolt DAC/Amp

#18 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"Helm Bolt DAC/Amp. Very small footprint, easily attaches to my Samsung galaxy phone with USB-C connector with no other changers or dongles needed. The sound is amazing..."  Read More

19. SMSL DA-8S Amplifier

#19 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"Very good. I was impressed with sound quality so I bought a second one. Small display is a bit of a pain but how many times am I going to adjust this thing? I have..."  Read More

20. Topping A50 Headphone Amp

#20 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

The perfect partner for any pair of high-impedance headphones, DAC, or both, the Topping A50 headphone amp delivers powerful amplification to fit any setup. This...  Read More

21. SMSL SA-50 Plus DAC/Amp

#21 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"It is a loud little amp. I use this amp to power my Kef Q150's along with a Sonos Port. Sounds great!"  Read More

22. SMSL SA-98E Stereo Amplifier

#22 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"incredibly small. Needs one day of burnin in. Drives Focal Aria 948s with twin 8" woofers. These are efficient speakers (92 dB) so an amp with 2 x 20 W clean power..."  Read More

23. Topping L30 Headphone Amplifier

#23 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"So clean! PSA: TOPPING has recalled L30 units with serial number 2011 or lower. If you purchased from Drop.com you can contact shenzhenaudio for replacement..."  Read More

24. FX Audio Tube-P1 Amplifier

#24 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"This was the most surprising piece that I bought in all of 2018. Not only is it a phenomenal speaker amp, but it delivers quality tube sound to both budget and high..."  Read More

25. XDuoo XQ-10 Portable Amp

#25 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

Ideal for pairing with your smartphone or small digital audio player, the XDuoo XQ-10 is as portable as they come. This tiny battery-powered amp weighs just over an...  Read More

26. xDuoo DA-100 Bluetooth DAC/Amp

#26 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

A solid DAC/amp should sit at the center of any audiophile’s setup. Performance is always important—but if that setup is used for entertaining, convenience should also...  Read More

27. xDuoo MT-601 Tube Headphone Amplifier

#27 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"Fun Little Amp. This is a great little amp that I run with my turntable. It sounds great and was a steal :) He is silly"  Read More

28. Topping A30 Pro Headphone Amplifier

#28 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"Absolute power and accuracy. -Has been a pleasure to use, a truly amazing amount of power, up to 6w of single ended power is unheard of. -Single ended power means no..."  Read More

29. Topping MX3 Power/Headphone Amp w/ Bluetooth

#29 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"I got this for my friends computer, he is blind and needed something simple to operate with as few component's as possible. This unit has worked perfectly for him, he..."  Read More

30. APPJ EL34+6N4 Tube Stereo Amplifier

#30 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"Sweet sound. Is a part of my bedroom now. Even made my 6" car speaker sound good. Pairs well with 100w8ohm B&W685S2."  Read More

31. xDuoo MT-603 Pre-Amplifier

#31 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

The xDuoo MT-603 is a handy little preamp that sits nicely into any setup. That’s because xDuoo has built this tube format into a switcher-style chassis.  Read More

32. SMSL VMV VA2 Headphone Amplifier

#32 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

This is a small form factor, mid level, solid aluminum Amp. It features separate headphone outputs, one suited to high impedance cans and the other focusing on the...  Read More

33. Matrix M-Stage HPA-3B Balanced Headphone Amp

#33 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"Out of the box and running HD6XX single ended through my Matrix Quattro ii, this thing R I P S!!! What a combo. I’m new to headphones, but have Cavalli Tube Hybrid,..."  Read More

34. EPOS GSX 1000 2nd Edition External Sound Card

#34 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

Giving gaming setups worldwide a huge audio advantage, the GSX 1000 External Sound Card from EPOS has become a mainstay in the signal chains of many gamers. Now, the...  Read More

35. SMSL SAP-9 Balanced Headphone Amp

#35 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

The inexpensive SMSL SAP-9 is a great option for those looking to recable their headphones and discover the benefits of a balanced setup. Offering clean, clear sound,...  Read More

36. Burson Fun Headphone Amplifier

#36 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"In short: The Burson Fun supplies all of the power I need in a form factor small enough to comfortably fit on my desktop. The most power hungry cans I've plugged..."  Read More

37. SMSL SH-9 Balanced Headphone Amplifier

#37 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"Better than even expected. I got the SMSL SH-9 as an upgrade to the Schiit Magni 3 I had for years. I expected the SH-9 to be more powerful and presumed there's be..."  Read More

38. Topping MX5 Headphone and Speaker Amplifier

#38 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

Topping’s reputation precedes it when it comes to headphone amps—and while many of the brand’s desktop units feature outputs designed for some speaker preamp...  Read More

39. Topping TP60 Class-T Amplifier

#39 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

Frequently named among the best budget power amplifiers on sites like Audiogon, the Topping TP60 features a powerful TA2022 Class-T amplifier and delivers an output of...  Read More

40. SMSL SAP-12 Headphone Amplifier

#40 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

In the world of portable amplifiers, the SMSL SAP-12 delivers a whole lot of bang for the buck. Featuring a newly designed class A/B output stage circuit, a custom...  Read More

41. F.Audio AM01 Headphone Amp

#41 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

Engineered for flexible, high-fidelity amplification, the AM01 Headphone Amp from F.Audio fits a lot of features into a compact form factor. Starting with the amp...  Read More

42. Aune S7 Pro Balanced Headphone Amp

#42 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

"First impressions are highly favorable. Let me start by saying I'm still in the evaluation process with the Aune S7 Pro. I received it about two weeks ago, and have..."  Read More

43. SMSL DA-9 Bluetooth Amplifier

#43 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

SMSL’s approach to desktop amps and DACs is nearly unmatched, and the DA-9 puts the brand’s prowess on full display, with modern Bluetooth connectivity for...  Read More

44. SMSL SP400 THX AAA-888 Headphone Amplifier

#44 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

One look at the SMSL SP400, and it’s clear that this is a headphone amp that’s built with quality and care—and that quality extends far beyond the chassis. Using a PCB...  Read More

45. xDuoo XQ-20 Headphone Amp

#45 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

Ideal for pairing with a smartphone or digital audio player when you’re on the go, the xDuoo XQ-20 headphone amp measures a measly 1 centimeter thick and weighs just...  Read More

46. FX-Audio BOX01 Phono Preamplifier

#46 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

The sound of vinyl is certainly sought-after—but in many cases, it’s not just the record and record player that influence the listening experience. Often, an external...  Read More

47. AIYIMA Tube T3 Phono Preamplifier

#47 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

Whether you spin vinyl or listen on your smartphone, a tube preamplifier is a great way to improve the sound of your favorite songs. If you listen both ways, then the...  Read More

48. Audio-Technica AT-PEQ30 Phono Equalizer

#48 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

No matter how you’re listening to your turntable, you need a phono preamplifier (or “phono stage”) to amplify your signal and equalize it. From industry-leader...  Read More

49. Ovidius B1 Portable Headphone Amplifier

#49 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

Smartphones have made many things easier—but for music listeners, limiting port choices can make it difficult to achieve a true audiophile experience. The Ovidius B1...  Read More

50. Bravo Audio SP1 12AU7 Class A Tube Stereo Amplifier

#50 in Best Amps under $400 of 50 products

The Bravo Audio SP1 is billed as a Class A tube amp for headphones, but is actually a hybrid unit that delivers warmth, power, and clarity. That’s because the Class D...  Read More