Sennheiser HDV 820 Headphone Amplifier and DAC - Black

The HDV 820 is the amplifier Sennheiser makes for its own top headphones. Its DAC is an ESS SABRE ES9028PRO, and the circuit stays balanced from input to output. Connected to a Mac or Windows PC over USB, it plays PCM files up to 32-bit/384 kHz and native DSD up to DSD256. A Mac needs no driver. On Windows, Sennheiser's free USB Audio package adds the driver, including ASIO for native high-resolution and DSD playback. Sennheiser announced it in Tokyo in May 2017 as the successor to its HDVD 800, and builds it at its plant in Tullamore, Ireland.

The back panel takes five sources: USB, optical and coaxial digital, and balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA analog, picked with the input knob on the front. The front has four headphone sockets: an XLR-3/6.35 mm combo for unbalanced headphones, a balanced XLR-4 and two balanced 4.4 mm Pentaconn sockets. Sennheiser pairs it with its HD 800 S and HD 820, and the balanced 4.4 mm cable that comes with either pair plugs straight in. Any dynamic headphones from 16 ohm work, up to four pairs at once, and one volume knob sets them all. A pair of balanced XLR outputs, on the same volume knob, lets it run active speakers or a power amplifier too.

Sennheiser lists more than 115 dB of dynamic range at 600 ohm, under 0.001% distortion and about 480 mW into 600 ohm from the XLR-4 socket. It weighs about 2.25 kg and runs on 100 to 240 V mains. There is no battery, remote control, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, and no USB cable in the box. The DAC firmware can be updated with Sennheiser's free HDV 820 Updater, and the HDV 820 comes with a one-year Sennheiser warranty in India.

Place the HDV 820 on a flat, steady surface with room around it, as the case gets warm in use. With your sources switched off, connect them to the inputs on the back: a USB 2.0 cable with a Type-B plug for a computer (not included), or optical, coaxial, RCA or XLR cables. Plug the supplied power cable into the mains socket on the back and into a wall socket, then press the on/off button. On a Mac, choose Sennheiser HDV 820 as the sound output; on Windows, install Sennheiser's HDV 820 USB Audio Software Package first. Turn the volume down, plug in your headphones, pick the source with the input knob and raise the volume slowly.

Sennheiser HDV 820 headphone amplifier, mains power cable, quick guide, safety guide and microfibre cloth. No USB cable, headphone cable or remote control is included, and headphones are sold separately.

Sennheiser gives the first owner a one-year warranty from the date on the invoice when this product is bought new from an authorised Sennheiser dealer in India. A defect in materials or workmanship in that year is repaired, or the product or faulty part replaced, free of charge at Sennheiser's choice. To claim, contact Sennheiser India customer support or visit a Sennheiser service centre with the original invoice, as every claim needs it. The power cable and other accessories in the box, normal wear and tear, damage from misuse or accidents, and products opened or repaired by anyone other than an authorised service partner are not covered.