Hi guys, has anyone use headphone for the 332? If so, which makes is better and why so? Thank you
@naimophile I use the Focal Utopia with the Cardas Beyond Clear cable.with 1/4 inch jack. Very satisfied. Very comfortable. Clear dynamic sound. The headphone amp is, I believe, the same quality as in the Atom HE. Drives my Utopia without difficulty. I found no need for an external headphone amp.
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Thereās a HUGE āshow us your headphonesā thread, and lots of other info if you search.
Budget?
Open/closed etc?
So many choices but comfort a big factor if you contemplate buying without trying. Great sound but uncomfortable is a bad outcome!
Bruce
PS Donāt assume Naim and Focal are an obvious pairing. Headphones ate very different, and pretty personal.
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No idea what the headphone amp is like in this amp? If itās anything like the one in the nait 50, then Iād be looking at an external amp if you are serious about cans.
Therfore, consider the cans and external amp as a pair and audition as a pair.
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Yes Bruce ..thanks for the reply 
.. a good thread on that .. and many lovely HP in the threads. However , do not want to trouble any of our friends as many in the thread are using the OC, which has a different sound signature to the NCā:sweat_smile: .. so I start one here ..
very kind of you to let me know .. thank you 
Yes I saw quite a numbers of our friends had an amp for the headphones .. interesting to see amp for headphones (I am new to HPs) 
and thanks for the advice
Thank you JB.. am looking at the focal range .. and also reading g on the headphones thread . Many are using focal i seeā¦..
And also , your HP goes directly into the 332? No need for an amp ?
For reference I use Focal Clears amongst my collection of HP/cans. They are currently driven by a Mcintosh HPA200, previously a Violectric v281, both excellent amps.
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Yes. However you will need a cable either a 1/4 inch connector at one end. Leno at the other end I am very satisfied. Thr auto mute when you plug in the headphones is very convenient. Also all my sources go through the headphones when plugged in.
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Generally the headphone stage in amplifiers is not top notch, and a separate HP amp is desirable once you reach certain levels.
I use a SPL Phonitor external HP amp, but there is a huge range out there.
Headphones are a very personal thing and price does not always match quality and the sound quality you are looking for. Expect to pay around ā¬1500-ā¬2000 for the best sounding cans. Prices rise into the stratosphere here as well, often for little gain.
My personal favorite right now is the Heddphone 2GT made by Hedd a German recording studio company for ācivilianā use. A superb all rounder.
The Sennheiser HD800S is a classic, by which others are judged, on review sites, but maybe lacks some bass for bass heavy music. Unbeatable for acoustic music like Jazz and Classical.
If you like lots of Bass the Shure 1540 is a ā¬500 bargain.
Headphones like speakers are a dangerous costly rabbit hole to descend into.
Take a look at the Head Fi site.
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The headphone amp in the 332 is the same as the Atom HE, without the connection options. Focal and Naim use the Atom HE to drive the Utopia.
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Indeed, very true 
.
ATB, J
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Your comment is so true. I use my Utopia infrequently. Mainly when my husband needs not to be disturbed by the stereo. I wanted the best I could afford even if I use them infrequently. Also comfort was crucial.l had many headphones over the years that I sold off b/c they were uncomfortable. This was before I had a Naim system.
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