Outboard DACs

Light and Shade
For example, the lush sound of Rod Stewart and Jools Holland’s take on ‘Frankie And Johnny’ from the pair’s new Swing Fever set [Warner Records 5054197801686] has all the relaxed atmosphere of an extended set from the Later... TV show, but the amp and headphone pairing dug deep into the sound of the accompanying big band, revealing the great musicianship going on ‘behind the scenes’. That insight extended to a fine view of the Czech Philharmonic/Semyon Bychkov recording of Smetana’s Má Vlast [Pentatone PTC 5187203; 96kHz/24-bit download], with dramatic light and shade in the orchestra, and a real sense of presence and ambience. There were great sweeps of music, for example in the celebrated ‘Moldau’ section, but at the same time excellent instrumental timbres, from the silky strings and woodwind to the blare of brass, and the percussion sounded magnificent, really hitting hard when required. The result was a sound with exuberance and soul, enough to convert even the most steadfast ‘speakers or nothing’ merchant.

Sound Control
What, though, about the power on tap from the DHA V226? Well, yes, it will make even demanding headphones play louder than they, or your ears, will be able to stand, even though the sound remains clean and controlled at extreme levels. But the beauty of all that effortless power, plus those little DIP switches on the rear of the compact casework, is the controllability it brings to the user. Experiment a bit, and you can reach a setting giving you a decent range of adjustment on this amplifier’s fine-feeling volume control, while retaining exceptional clarity and dynamics.

Hi-Fi News Verdict
The potency here isn’t focused on sledgehammers cracking nuts, but rather on letting the listener use almost any ’phones, from easy-drivers to the most demanding, without pause. Add in the flexibility of this design, its logical, studio-influenced controls, its ruggedness, and the no-nonsense air about the whole enterprise, and the DHA V226 emerges as a very desirable unit for the serious headphonista.

Sound Quality: 88%