Headphone Amplifier Audiobyte SuperHead Matt Silver

Headphone amplifier and line preamplifier with a minimalist signal path and an output array of precision transistors

The Audiobyte SuperHEAD is a dedicated headphone amplifier with line preamplifier functionality, completing the analogue section of the Super Series alongside the SuperHUB streamer and the SuperVOX multibit DSD converter. The design is built around signal integrity and the shortest possible signal path — every component between the source and the headphones is a potential source of colouration, which is why the architecture uses fewer stages and shorter conductive paths. This is the brand's first headphone amplifier, built on twelve years of development in digital audio systems.

The output stage does not rely on large power transistors, but on an array of smaller, precisely matched active devices working together. This approach delivers a more linear response and better output control across a range of impedances — from low-impedance planar headphones to high-impedance dynamic drivers. The active components were selected according to measured parameters so that their characteristics complement one another. Power comes from an internal linear power supply rated at 40 VA, housed in a full-aluminium CNC-machined chassis whose rigidity suppresses resonances.

The measured figures confirm the design intent: signal-to-noise ratio above 125 dB (1 W / 32 Ω), THD of −118 dB at the line output, maximum output of 17 V RMS into 100 Ω and a bandwidth of DC – 800 kHz (−3 dB) at unity gain. Gain is adjustable from 0 to 20 dB in 0.5 dB steps, with maximum attenuation reaching −90 dB. The low noise floor and stable distortion even at higher output levels contribute to the legibility of microdynamics, more precise instrument localisation and the preservation of harmonic structure at both low and high listening levels.

Operation is handled by an IPS capacitive touch display combined with a precision rotary encoder with a defined turning resistance; volume, input selection and operating mode can all be controlled. Connectivity includes balanced XLR and single-ended RCA inputs and outputs, while the headphone section offers 4-pin XLR, 4.4 mm balanced and 6.3 mm single-ended connectors. The dimensions of 300 × 290 × 60 mm and the panel height match the other models in the series, allowing consistent installation in the SuperRACK stand.

Key features

• Signal path: Minimalist architecture with short conductive paths
• Output stage: An array of matched precision transistors instead of large devices
• Specifications: SNR above 125 dB, THD −118 dB, 17 V RMS
• Dual mode: Headphone amplifier and line preamplifier
• Construction: Full-aluminium CNC chassis, internal linear power supply