Hi folks, I'm looking for some advice on headphone set up. Just for context, I have zero experience with dedicated headphone amps or high quality headphones.
At the moment I have a 2.1 set up that I'm really happy with, that includes headphone outputs on both the amp (yamaha as501) and streamer/pre-amp (wiim ultra) that I can connect my current headphones to (Rode nth-100). Both sound pretty good, but I'm finding myself having to listen with headphones more often for late night sessions when others are home. 
So what I'm wondering is:
- how much sound improvement could I expect if I bought a basic dedicated headphone amp (something like a topping DX3 pro +; & preferably with optical in)?
- what would be some options for better headphones - I'm thinking of open backs in the 250-500 $AU range.

Any helpful advice will be greatly appreciated.

Edited July 5, 2025Jul 5 by DazzS

If you're happy to utilise the dac in your Wiim, negotiate a bit of discount on a Schiit Vali 3 headamp/Grado SR125x bundle from A2A and let the good times roll.

20 minutes ago, Cacofonix said:

If you're happy to utilise the dac in your Wiim, negotiate a bit of discount on a Schiit Vali 3 headamp/Grado SR125x bundle from A2A and let the good times roll.

Thanks for the suggestion mate but I'm not really interested in a tube amp. My preference is to use optical out from the wiim (so just use it as a streamer/preamp)  because I've already got the line out to my stereo amp and don't want to muck around with swapping rca out connections or using a switch box.

I will check out those Grado cans though.

Edited July 6, 2025Jul 6 by DazzS

If I were to start over, I would get a DAP as a streamer, use digital coax or optical out into a desktop DAC then out of that into a desktop amp.  This would allow me to use the DAP on the go or dock it on my desk when Im at home.  DAP would be much better than a desktop or laptop as its a dedicated device wherein a desktop or laptop may have digital noise. 

With regards to what DAP, DAC and amp that would depend on your budget. The Fiio FT1 has had some good reviews lately and that is in your price range for a headphone.  

Best to go separate DAC and amp so you are not stuck to one and can mix and match. 

Thanks for the reply mate. This was a couple of months ago though and I ended up getting a FiiO K11 R2R dac/amp and hifiman he400se headphones

2 minutes ago, DazzS said:

Thanks for the reply mate. This was a couple of months ago though and I ended up getting a FiiO K11 R2R dac/amp and hifiman he400se headphones

nice one, R2R is where its at! music is so much fuller and you dont get that "glare" in the sound with delta sigma dacs.  Enjoy your system! 

Yeah it's a really nice dac, sounds great into my stereo amp and through headphones.