Aurelia Studio B Headphone Amp

[DeBunnee]

Item: Aurelia Studio B Headphone Amp
Age: Old
Price: R 1200
Warranty: Nope
Packaging: Never had but will pack securely
Condition: Works perfectly. Cosmetically, not terrible, but would look better if you paint the face plate.
Location: West Coast
Reason: Upgraded ages ago, and never thought of selling.
Shipping: On you.
Collection: Can discuss.

Stole this form Scubadude's sale thread, but it all applies, even if it's not the unit he sold.

For the uninitiated, this is a piece of South African head-fi history. Almost 10 years ago Gert designed and built around 30 of these. My one is the upgraded Studio B (or Boutique) version with upgraded pot, caps and a few other tweaks.

I posted these impressions on a chat group a few days after I got it.

"OK some thoughts on the Aurelia Studio B. I did not expect much from this amp. It is based on a TPA6120 opamp after all, which although very well-specified for headphone amp service, was surely intended for mobile amps, DAP's, and high-end smartphones. Apart from some low-key Chinese models (SMSL SAP-1 and SAP-9, Topping A30, HA-info, FX-AUDIO PH-A2, etc) it has never been used in a desktop unit.

To put it bluntly, this amp is much better than it has a right to be. The sound signature is very close to the much-wanted SPL Phonitor - very linear through the range, nicely detailed and reasonable dynamic impact. Because of the lower gain, it works a treat with sensitive IEM's as well as full sized cans up to 300 ohm (don’t have any 600ohm one's ATM).

As a full-sized headphone amplifier for the price of mid-range Fiio portable, I cannot recommend the Aurelia strong enough. It is plenty powerful and transparent enough for anyone starting out in head-fi to experiment with a range of over-ear headphones, then buy a better amp to suit the chosen headphones. I cannot think of a more cost-effective entry into this very rewarding hobby."