EarMen TR-Amp Portable Headphone Amp, Pre-Amp, DAC
EarMen TR-Amp is a portable headphone DAC/Amp from the same people that brought you Auris Audio.
Sharing space with someone is one thing, having to endure their music choices could be another. However, if you are looking for some personal audio escape, then headphones are the obvious choice. But, what if you need a portable headphone amplifier that is capable of driving any set of cans or IEMs that you can think of?
Enter the EarMen TR-Amp - the brand comes from the well-respected European manufacturer Auris Audio and showcases the company's portable high-end audio products. The new £200-ish TR-Amp is the brand's latest offering and is nowhere as shabby as its name might suggest.
Firstly the CNC milled-aluminium enclosure is home to a quoted 400mW of power into 16 ohms which backs up the company's claim of being able to drive almost all headphone designs currently available. The amplifier section of the TR-Amp utilises Texas Instruments' TPA6120 IC with current-feedback Class-A/B amplifier architecture to ensure high bandwidth, extremely low noise and up to 128dB of dynamic range, according to the manufacturer.
The premium portable amp, pre-amp and DAC will merrily crunch all PCM audio formats up to 32-bit/384kHz, DSD256 via DoP, native DSD128 and renders MQA to take full advantage of Tidal Masters, and the like. The processing is by way of an ES9038Q2M SABRE DAC using ESS's patented HyperStream II QUAD architecture and comes armed with the company's Time Domain Jitter Eliminator.
If you're planning on sitting in the garden while you listen to some tunes, you will be glad of the TR-Amp's rechargeable 3,700mA battery that boasts 10 hours of playtime without a drop in output potency, according to EarMen. Recharging is via a dedicated USB-C port, with data delivered via a separate USB-C data port.
Volume control is analogue for both the preamplifier and headphone amplifier sections, as is switching between Direct DAC or PreAmp functions. Finally, the TR-Amp has two headphone outputs which can also be used simultaneously, if you feel like sharing.
Available directly from EarMen for $249 (£208 using today's PayPal exchange rate), the TR-Amp is designed, produced and assembled in Europe and comes bundled with a shielded female USB-A to USB-C adaptor.
Jay Garrett
StereoNET’s resident rock star, bass player, and gadget junkie. Jay heads up StereoNET as Editor for the United Kingdom and Europe regions. His passion for gadgets and Hi-Fi is second only to being a touring musician.
Posted in: Headphones
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