I just bought a Rega Brio but it doesn`t come with a headphone line level output so I decided to buy a Rega Ear Headphone Amplifier but is very expensive.
Do you know if this is a really good headphone amplifier considering the price it costs (£148) and will it be much better than a normal headphone line level output or will it be slightly better.
Great questions Carlos. I haven't tried dedicated headphone amps personally yet. In a few weeks I'm going to try out the Rega Ear and Naim Headline 2 along with a few different sources. I'll let you know what I think.
A few things to keep in mind regarding headphones and headphone amps -
How good are your headphones? If you've got low quality headphones, its not going to make a difference what amp you're using. Same principal as garbage speakers connected to a great amp is a waste of time.
How sensitive are your headphones? The more sensitive the headphones are, the more noise and hiss you'll hear. If you're using headphones designed for portable devices (there are some very good ones, believe it or not), an amp may actually make them sound worse. As quality of amps increases, noise should decrease.
As you know first hand, Rega makes some very good products. I'd be willing to bet that they carry their 'house sound' over to their Ear. It should also be just as synergystic with your gear as any other product they produce. Keep in mind however that not single product a company produces has the same level of attention paid to it. I think its a very safe bet though.
Most Rega dealers are very good and should have a respectable return policy if you're not satisfied. My dealer ordered a Naim Headline and Rega Ear for me to audition side by side in the store. Had I only been interested in one and not the other, he said he'd have refunded all my money back if I didn't like it.
If you like the Rega sound and their products, it should work out well. It really depends on your headphones though.
The Grados should be fine with the Rega Ear. I don't have any personal experience with either one, let alone both together.
However, the Rega Ear seems like a very safe bet. It should most likely be able to do justice to better headphones than those Grados. I believe they're the entry level headphone.