Why buy a headphone amp?

High-performance headphones need high-quality amplification to perform up to their full potential. If you connect them directly to the headphone jack on your computer, iPod®, or stereo receiver, you may be disappointed. A separate headphone amplifier sends a stronger, cleaner signal to your headphones.

Our take on the HiFiMAN EF2A

by Dave Bar

Add the magic of tubes to the sound of your music

Plug the HiFiMAN EF2A into one of your computer's USB ports and prepare to be impressed. This compact digital-to-analog converter/headphone amp bypasses your computer's built-in DAC and audio circuitry — processing your digital music files outside the noisy environment of your computer for far better sound quality. The EF2A's vacuum tube headphone amplifier brings your tunes to life, imparting smoothness and clarity. You'll hear more dynamics and detail that you can really savor on your headphones. The EF2A also includes an analog audio input so you can enjoy improvements in sound with another music source. This is one component that looks so cool, you'll absolutely want to show it off on your desktop.

HiFiMAN's EF2A sports vacuum tubes for cool looks and hot sound.

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Highlights:

uses two 6J1 vacuum tubes for amplifier input stage
Burr Brown PCM2702 digital-to-analog converter for high-fidelity stereo sound
durable metal chassis and front plate construction
external power supply included
USB (type B) input for connecting to a computer
supported sample rates: 44.1kHz
input bit depth: 16-bit
stereo RCA audio input
full-size stereo headphone output
recommended headphone impedance: 32-300 ohms
signal-to-noise ratio: 95dB
frequency response: 20-20,000 Hz (±0.2dB)
output at 32 ohms: 3V, 320mw
output at 300 ohms: 6.2V, 256mw
5-5/8"W x 1-13/16"H x 3-7/16"D
warranty: 1 year
Our 60-day money-back guarantee

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What’s in the box? | In-depth notes

Product Research

What's in the box?

Download owner's manual

Headphone amplifier
Two 6AK5 vacuum tubes
AC adapter with attached 56" cord (16V/0.8A)
5' USB cable (with Type A USB on one end and a Type B USB on the other end)
Owner's Manual

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Features

Overview: The HiFiMAN EF-2A is a hybrid USB headphone amplifier which combines vacuum tube sound quality with solid-state technology to deliver outstanding audio performance. The EF-2A has two inputs on the rear panel: a line-level CD input and a USB input. On the front, you'll find a 1/4" headphone jack, power switch, source switch (CD or USB), and rotary volume control. The EF-2A has a simple, but elegant, brushed aluminum faceplate and chassis.

Vacuum Tubes: The EF-2A uses two 6AK5 vacuum tubes (equivalent to the Chinese 6J1) at the input stage to significantly improve the condition of the source signal. The tubes have a flat frequency response and a high signal accuracy. The tubes are packed separately inside the box, so you will need to install them through the provided holes in the acrylic top panel. When installed, the tubes protrude approximately an inch.

Burr-Brown DAC: The EF-2A's USB input incorporates a Burr-Brown PCM2702E DAC (digital-to-analog converter) to improve the audio performance from your computer's headphone output. The DAC provides 16-bit/44kHz resolution, which is equivalent to CD quality.

Power Supply: The EF-2A uses an external power supply instead of one that is built-in. This keeps the size of the headphone amp small, and prevents noise generated by the power supply out of the chassis.

Key Components:

Volume Control: ALPS potentiometer
USB DAC Chip: Burr-Brown PCM2702E
Vacuum Tubes: Chinese 6J1 x2 (6AK5)
OP-amp: OPA2604

Specifications:

Input Impedance: 47k Ohms
Output Impedance: 32-300 Ohms
Output: @32 ohms: 3 V, 320 mW; @150 ohms: 6.2 V, 256 mW
Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 20k Hz (+/- 0.2 dB)
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 95dB
Distortion: 0.2%
Power Consumption: <15W
Input Voltage: 16 volts AC, 500 mA
Power Supply: 110/220 Volts

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5 out of 5

Gamechanger

Written By Erik, Chicago, IL on Sunday, March 17, 2013

Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)

The tube amplifier is something I've always wanted to own but never had enough cash to actually venture into that market. The amplifier in this little guy is great. My headphones, Sennheiser HD-518's, now have the power to run free. My previous setup connected my headphones to the headphone jack on a receiver. This kind of setup lacked power which resulted in severe ear fatigue. This is why I bought this combo: to properly drive my cans. Now I'm able to listen, even at a high volume, for hours without any fatigue.

The tubes themselves sound great. I would allow at least 50 hours of burn in time before you actually make an opinion on them. I'm over 75 hours now and they're still burning in, but sound great at this point. Consistent, clean power provides crisp highs, warm mids, and pounding lows. I've listen to everything from singer/songwriters to blue to jazz to electronica and everything sounds great.

The DAC is great and is nothing more than I need. Most of the files on my computer are either 192/256/320 mp3 files. I also have a small collection of CD's stored on my drive. These are the albums I listen to the most. Honestly, if I'm working on some homework or browsing the web I can't tell the difference between Pandora, mp3's, and CD's.

I have encountered a small amount of noise when I scroll my mouse wheel. After some troubleshooting I found that this interference comes from my other devices and not within the amp. I repeat, this is not within the amp.

Pros:

Tube warmth, power, design, and size.

Cons:

Interference with other usb devices

1 out of 1 people found this helpful

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5 out of 5

Def worth it

Written By N703ick, Ashburn va on Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)

Very good for the $$. Do not let the sound at first bother you. It can be tiny and no bass at first. After about 25-40 hrs of burn in on the tubes it will sound amazing. The volume is crazy, I like it loud and if you do to this is for you.

Pros:

Tube sound (need I say more), good volume level, solid build.

Cons:

Giant wall wort transformer plug. That's about it.

1 out of 1 people found this helpful

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5 out of 5

A Super Headphone Tube Amp

Written By Plainswind, Idaho Falls, ID on Saturday, January 19, 2013

Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)

I picked one of these up because I wanted to experience the warm sound of tubes as well as having an amp dedicated to my headphones. This little gem works its magic with the music, movies and games that I listen to. The chassis is well polished and all components are built of sturdy material. The tube sockets are made of porcelain, which surprised me. The clear acrylic window lets you peer into the amp to see its inner workings. The components within are high grade and assembled neatly. (The capacitors and MOSFETs are not laying on their sides or at angles; resistors are installed neatly, etc.) Its tone was somewhat 'tinny' when first used, but over the several hours that I used it, its sound stage became true and full. (About 48 to 72 hours) The volume knob and switches are solid and the audio channels are nicely balanced. I have tried it on both Mac (Mountain Lion) and Windows 7 (64-bit) with no issues. The CD audio input works wonders as well. I have paired it with the Bose AE2 headphones. (I have also tried other headphones; the amp drives them all nicely.) Overall, the tubes add a richness to the sound as well as a delicate glow to the room. I'll be enjoying this little amp for years to come. Thanks to Crutchfield for their super support staff and as always, super service.

Pros:

Small, yet powerful. Catches the eye and has a rich sound stage.

Cons:

None!

1 out of 1 people found this helpful

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4 out of 5

Nice looking piece

Written By JoshW, LEH, NJ on Monday, December 17, 2012

Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)

When I was browsing in Crutchfield's site, I spotted this little jem. I was looking for an amp for my headphones. I have this unit installed into my home entertainment system. The unit is displayed on my end table in the corner. It works great with my Bowers & Wilkins P5's. The sound is so clear and pure. I listen to alot of classical and jazz. The sound has improved from just pluging into my reciever, which is a Yamaha RX-V471. The sound is so rich and full of detail. The tubes give off a nice glow. The only cons I have with the unit is the usb connection. If you have a computer with terrible audio and your willing to make the HiFiman your primary sound card then fine. To warn you, there is no instructions and no drivers with the unit. You have to find the right suitable driver for the DAC chip installed in the unit. The owners guide has no direction, if you have issues just contact the manufacture. I use it as a direct connection to my entertainment system. It serves it purpose. Its great for late night movie watching and listening to music collection.

Pros:

Looks and sounds amazing

Cons:

USB DAC. No Drivers. Poor instruction manual.

4 out of 5 people found this helpful

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HiFiMAN EF2A

Vacuum tube headphone amplifier/USB digital-to-analog converter

Item# 818EF2 offer details

Review Summary

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Why buy a headphone amp?

Our take on the HiFiMAN EF2A

by Dave Bar

Add the magic of tubes to the sound of your music

Highlights:

Shop all HiFiMAN Headphone Amplifiers

Hands-on research from the Crutchfield Labs (what are the Labs?)

Product Research

Our Product Research Team

Features

Product Reviews

Reviews for the HiFiMAN EF2A

Average Customer Review:

Review this product:

Crutchfield Video Review Guidelines

Filter by rating:

Gamechanger

Def worth it

A Super Headphone Tube Amp

Nice looking piece

Accessories

Add accessories for the HiFiMAN EF2A

Connect your computer to your headphone amplifier/DAC with a high-quality USB cable. See all categories & accessories

Smart people protect with SquareTrade- The best warranty at the best price

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USB Cables

RCA Audio Patch Cables

Power Protection

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