Review- Sennheiser HDV820 headphone Amplifier

Maximize the potential of your headphones with the Sennheiser HDV820 headphone amplifier.

The perfect match for Sennheiser and other reference headphones
With most hi-fi amplifiers, the built-in headphone amplifier is usually a last-minute thing. Of course, if you have a pair of quality headphones and use your phones often, it’s worth getting a dedicated amplifier, such as the Sennheiser HDV820. Years of specialized experience have produced a headphone amplifier of absolute precision.
Sennheiser HDV820 – Quality components and gain control for perfect sound
With its use of high-quality components, the Sennheiser HDV820 offers a level of detail and staging that standard headphone amplifiers cannot hope to match. Quality volume control provides not only accurate volume, but also ultra-low distortion levels. On the back of the device you will find a five-step gain control. This optimizes playback, regardless of the impedance of the headphones.
Much more than a headphone amplifier, it is also a quality DAC
With a built-in ESS Sabre32 digital-to-analog converter, you can connect digital input sources without the need for a separate DAC. A selection of coaxial, optical and USB inputs ensures connection with a PC, laptop, Blu-ray/DVD/CD player and virtually any source with digital output. The balanced XLR analog output also allows you to connect to a suitable amplifier, such as the Cambridge Audio Azur 851a, and use the HDV820 as a stand-alone DAC.

Pro connectivity
With a wide range of different types of plugs, you can connect most headphones to this amplifier. The Pentaconn xlr3, XLR4 and 4.4mm jacks are perfect for the growing number of balanced output headphones. A high-quality 6.35mm jack is also available for standard headphones. On the back, RCA phono and XLR-3 inputs are available for connection to the amplifier or music source. For digital sources, there are optical, coaxial and USB sources. Photo: Sennheiser
Precision construction
A precision anodized case not only looks and feels great, but also provides protection from electrical and mechanical interference. With its full shielding and dedicated PSU, the Sennheiser HDV820 offers great advantages over built-in headphone amplifiers with much lower distortion and background noise levels.

Listen to every drop of performance from your headphones, with the Sennheiser HDV820 headphone amplifier .

• Dimensions 224 x 44 x 306 mm
• Frequency response < 10 Hz to > 100 kHz
• THD, total harmonic distortion < 0.001 %
  • Weight 2.25 kg
  • Power consumption Nominal 12 W (2 x 300 Ω headphones connected to the 4.4 mm outputs)
  • Gain UNBAL input/XLR-4 output: Adjustable 14 dB, 22 dB, 30 dB, 38 dB, 46 dB BAL input/XLR-4 output: 16 dB
  • Operating voltage (mains) 100 – 240 V ~, 50 – 60 Hz
  • Dynamic range > 115 dB @ 600 Ω load (A-weighted)