Samson SASAMP S-Amp 4-Channel Headphone Amp

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List Price: $79.99
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• 4-channel headphone amplifier
• Four 1/4" stereo headphone outputs
• Individual volume control for each headphone output
• Stereo 1/4" input
• 18 Volt AC adapter included

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This is my second rewrite of this review Jan 3, 2010. Sometimes a piece of equipment will have a design defect that only becomes a problem in some circumstances. This headphone amplifier sometimes acts as if it has no input decoupling. If you are lucky and it likes the output impedance of your DVD player, sound quality will be superb. Assuming this is the case, the only remaining issue will be whether the output power is adequate. AKG K 240, and 271 will put out about 98 dB SPL at the clipping point where distortion begins. Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO 80 ohm also work fine. This is loud enough for me, in fact having more power is a danger in my opinion. Rock fans who like 115 dB SPL will find 98 dB SPL totally lame. AKG K 240 monitor phones made to the old 600 ohm standard will not be loud enough for anyone.

When this amplifier is connected to certain cable and source impedances, supersonic feedback appears to occur. As you turn up the volume at some point the volume will drop suddenly. Others have reported hum or static. This is a rare problem that I have seen only a few times in 45+ years of messing with electronics.

BOTTOM LINE: This may work fine, as it does for me when I use it with my Sony DVP-NS55P or cheap Philco DVD player. It does not work on an LG player which works fine with other amps. The problem is stable over time, and whacking it around a bit has no effect at all, so it is not a loose connection inside. Lack of decoupling leads to unpredictable performance.

TECH NOTE: The theoretical high frequency limit for a CD is 22050 Hz. For a DVD LPCM audio output the theoretical limit is 24000 Hz, assuming that the LPCM recording is mastered at a sampling rate of 48,000 Hz or higher. SACD is higher yet. In practice the upper limit for a CD is about 20,000 Hz, few people have enough hearing at this frequency to notice any loss of higher frequencies. AES (Audio Engineering Soc.) "working group" calls the CD (when properly recorded) transparent to almost all listeners. Back in the 1970s David Hafler sold amplifier kits that had an elegant output filter set to 30,000 Hz. Input circuits were designed to be very stable even when supersonic frequencies from radio and TV stations leaked into the audio input. A small number of extreme audiophiles found fault with this limited response. In response, some amplifiers are designed to work at much higher frequencies, resulting in unstable operation. I for one do not like finding 100 megahertz FM radio signals at an amplifier output. Decoupling inputs and outputs above 30,000 Hz has never, in my 45+ years of setting up stereo systems, caused a customer to complain.

UPDATE: May 21, 2013. I have two units, one has developed a dead spot in the level control leaving three fully functioning headphone outputs. the second unit is fine.

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Buy Samson SASAMP S-Amp 4-Channel Headphone Amp Now

I own two of these units, I use one for my home PC to mix outputs to my speakers and two different sets of headphones (one is a headset), and the other for my audio studio. Both units have serious problems with hum and crackle. They are very poor amplifiers distorting the output in a way that makes listening to music quite unpleasant at times.

Read Best Reviews of Samson SASAMP S-Amp 4-Channel Headphone Amp Here

This a great little amp and it gets a very good review in Sound on Sound. I did have problems with hum and crackle as has been reported in other reviews, but that was down to my having a poor stereo cable connection. I was using a cheapo 3.5 mm jack to 3.5 mm jack cable with a 1/4 inch jack adapter and that's what caused the humming and buzzing.

I since bought a good quality stereo cable 3.5 mm to 1/4 inch jack and the humming and crackling issues have disappeared completely, leaving me to enjoy my AKG 271 mkII cans in all their pristine sonic glory.

You'd be hard pressed to find a better headphone amp for 55 quid (or bucks).

Overall I am a happy customer.

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I really like this Samson 4 channel Headphone amp!

It has a small footprint therefore does not take up a lot of space. the amp has a clean sound output and will get very loud and covers the whole sound spectrum very nicely. My only complaint with the unit is it does not have an on/off switch.

Got one on eBay for $25. Works great. Sounds great. I use it with my Grado SR325i which is also a great headphone if your looking in the $300 range.