Icon Audio - HP8 Headphone Amp

Beautiful Versatile Affordable Designed in Leicester by David Shaw, MD and founder of Icon Audio. The conventional way to provide a headphone output on an amplifier is to drop the power through a resistor.This has a big problem that it provides very high source impedance (rather like a weak battery) the effect of this is to give very “Low FI” results. Ideally headphones should be driven from small high quality amplifiers. Many headphone amplifiers use small “microchip” amps which although are a better solution still do not provide ideal matching to the wide range of headphones available.

Our HP8 is in fact a small integrated hi fi amplifier. We use a custom wound multi-tap output transformer which provides perfect matching to virtually any headphone load. We start with a substantial mains transformer with matching power supply and two output transformers. The HP8 tops the scales at 6.5kg, giving you an idea of how much iron you get for your money!

Like our other models the HP8 has no printed circuit board and is all hard wired with top quality components. We use silver Teflon audio cable, gold plated terminals and the famous “ALPS” volume pot for sonic purity. The first stage gain uses the excellent Mullard (New Old Stock) 12AT7. this wonderful valve has exceptional detail and fluidity. Its smoothness complements the super Russian 6H30pi (small) version of the 6SN7 probably the greatest of all HI FI driver valves). This combination will give you a simply stunning insight into inner detail of your favourite recordings whether Analogue or digital. We have also provided speaker terminals on the rear to further increase the versatility. Although 2+2w (RMS) does sound much it can give surprisingly good results in an office or bedroom environment where high sound levels are not required. Indeed, used with high efficiency speakers (e.g Lowther/Fostex etc) it will fill a room with full range sound. Like our other amplifiers, close attention has been paid to the finish of the HP8. It uses the same “Bullet Proof”* build (*Hi Fi News/Hi Fi Choice) as our other amplifiers with a combination of anodised alloy plate, stainless and painted steel. We do not use “tin and plastic”! For space saving we have used the same “lengthways” chassis as our phono pre-amp so it will fit nicely alongside your existing equipment, with the connections on the rear, and headphone socket at the front. The HP8 is very versatile. It may connected to your hi fi in several ways: 1, In a normal hi fi system you would connect to the “record out” of your amplifier. This will then be directly connected to the “source” that you have selected.

Specifications and Features
• Comprehensive manual supplied
• Full instructions for valve change included
• All hand wired point to point
• No printed circuit board to ‘colour’ sound
• Japanese Blue ALPS volume pot.
• Class A, all Triode circuit
• Output impedance matching from 8 to 600Ω
• 2 x Russian 6H30pi super triodes
• 1x ECC81 first stage valve
• 2x 2w RMS continuous per channel max
• Signal to noise level -90db
• Freq response better than 20hz-20kHz +0 –0.2db
• Total harmonic distortion typically less than 0.2% 1khz
• Suitable for 4 to 10 ohm loudspeakers
• Japanese steel EI transformers with low oxygen copper
• Slim profile design
• High quality 2W metal film, & wire-wound resistors
• Blue LED mains indicator
• Polypropylene audio capacitors
• Silver TEFLON audio cable
• Custom hand wound output transformers
• Ceramic valve holders for minimum leakage
• Gold plated Input & speaker terminals
• One line input
• Tape monitor circuit
• 350mv input sensitivity.