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Is it worth buying an OTL amp in 2025?

neehawerc
in Head-Fi, Portable & Desktop Audio, Hearables

Featured Replies

Is it worth buying an OTL amp in 2025? Transformer coupled amps have really stepped up in technology lately and have impedance matching functions to suit different headphones...

 

I have 300 ohm headphones(HD600 & ZMF Atriums) which are magical with OTLs but wondering if I should invest in one of the new school amps with impedance matching functions.

    • Like 1

    For HPs I'd stay with OTL.

    • Author
    21 minutes ago, mwhouston said:

    For HPs I'd stay with OTL.

    Locally, Woo Audio and Feliks Audio are available that I know of.  Any recommendations of OTL under 5k?

    • Like 1

    Bottle Head is a kit fairly good and inexpensive. I've assembled a number of them for others.

     

    I have a home grown OTL for sale if interested.

    • Author
    3 minutes ago, mwhouston said:

    Bottle Head is a kit fairly good and inexpensive. I've assembled a number of them for others.

     

    I have a home grown OTL for sale if interested.

    i currently have a darkvoice 3322 and trying to move that before I get the next one.  thankyou though. 

    • Like 1

    I presume you mean you want a tube amp.      (Just for correctness - most soid state amps are OTL.)

     

    However, if you want to stay tube/valve, then yes OTL always sounds best to me with headphones.

    • Like 1
    • Author
    9 hours ago, aussievintage said:

    I presume you mean you want a tube amp.      (Just for correctness - most soid state amps are OTL.)

     

    However, if you want to stay tube/valve, then yes OTL always sounds best to me with headphones.

    Yes tube amp.  Any OTL recommendations?

    32 minutes ago, neehawerc said:

    Yes tube amp.  Any OTL recommendations?

    Linear Tube Audio. 
     

    https://www.lineartubeaudio.com

    • Like 1
    12 hours ago, neehawerc said:

    Yes tube amp.  Any OTL recommendations?

     

    6AS7 triode based. It's a common choice, but a good one.  My own DIY uses parallel 6AS7s into a resistive load.

    • Like 2

    I’ve built a number of power amps and HP amps with the 6AS7 tube. Excellent performer either way. If you want the triode sound of clear and detailed mids its hard to beat at the price. All my power amps were/are SETs. 

    • Like 1
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