Note: We have one new EAR HP4 Tube Headphone Amp in stock as of November 2022. EAR makes only one headphone amp model and the HP4 is one of the best in the world. These units take up to 120 days to deliver but we have this one ready to ship immediately from the USA; please call to make sure it’s still available.

Jaguar is pleased to offer EAR electronics, some of the most musical tube gear in existence. When it comes to high-end tube amplifiers, there are hundreds of brands on the market, many costing much more than EAR. However, at Jaguar we’re only interested in amps like EAR or Lamm, which are created by visionary designers and stand above the others as truly unique and special.

The EAR HP4 Headphone Amplifier is one of the finest headphone amplifiers in the world. It uses four 6SL7 valves, properly matched to the load through renowned transformers, to deliver nearly 1W of high quality, low distortion power into either high or low impedance headphones. The output circuit configuration uses de Paravicini’s Enhanced Triode Mode, as employed in the highly successful V20 and 859 integrated amplifiers, while the input is also transformer coupled giving the flexibility to accept balanced or unbalanced signals from the preamplifier.

For the greatest user convenience, the EAR HP4 Headphone Amplifier has its own volume control, while input signals can be independently switched through to the power amplifier for headphone and/or loudspeaker listening. As with all EAR products, reliability is paramount and the expected valve life is in excess of 10,000 hours.

The EAR HP4 has connections for 4 pairs of headphones, with inputs selectable for Low or High Impedance, as well as Balanced or Single-Ended operation.

EAR (formerly “Esoteric Audio Research”) is the brainchild of Tim de Paravicini, whose name has been associated since the 1970s with electronics of the highest fidelity. De Paravicini’s innovative techniques have not only borne fruit in products for EAR, but in designs for some of the world’s most highly regarded electronics manufacturers. Some of these designs have been continually prized—and sought—by discerning listeners for decades after their introduction.

Tim de Paravicini has also made unique contributions to the world of professional recording and mastering. Users of his tape recording systems, microphones, and other recording technology include performers Pink Floyd and Lenny Kravitz, the Altarus and Water Lily record labels, and renowned recording and mastering engineers like Robert Ludwig, Joe Gastwirt, and James Guthrie. One of the world’s highest-ranked mastering facilities, The Exchange in London, uses two playback systems in which the entire chain–from tape machines and equalizers to cutter amplifiers and monitoring equipment—is EAR-designed and built. Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs uses his LP cutting system, as well as a playback tape deck with his electronics.

EAR amplifiers are unequaled in their ability to deliver a pure rendition of the signal fed into them, free from the colorations and distortions of most amplifiers. Tim de Paravicini has been instrumental in investigating the role of ultrasonic resonances in amplifier circuits and their effect on transient response. He has also undertaken significant original research on the subjective effects of distortion. This research has not only facilitated the interpretation of amplifier measurements but has shed light on the correlation between measurements and sound quality. The results are easy to appreciate—EAR amplifiers are among the most accurate amplifiers ever made.

Part-Time Audiophile

https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2014/09/26/review-ear-hp4-headphone-amplifier