Усилители для наушников — Rotel DX-3

The DX-3 is a desktop headphone amplifier from Rotel that also works as a DAC and a line-level preamplifier. It reached Europe and the UK in March 2025, with other markets following, at a suggested price of USD 1,499. The chassis combines an ESS converter, a Class A headphone stage and a colour front display, and buyers can order it in a black or a silver finish.

Key specs that matter

From the 6.35 mm single-ended jack Rotel rates 765 mW into 16 ohm, 383 mW into 32 ohm and 41 mW into 300 ohm. The 4.4 mm balanced jack delivers 2.8 W, 1.4 W and 150 mW into the same loads. Distortion into 32 ohm is below 0.008% at 70 mW single-ended and below 0.004% at 270 mW balanced, and output impedance stays under 0.3 ohm and 0.6 ohm respectively. Signal-to-noise ratio is above 100 dB single-ended and above 110 dB balanced. Three gain steps sit at 0 dB, -6 dB and -12 dB, and the maker lists headphones from 16 to 300 ohm as suitable. The box measures 215 x 73 x 247 mm, weighs 3.2 kg and draws 30 W.

Engineering and use context

Conversion is handled by an ESS Sabre ES9028PRO, an eight-channel chip rated to 32-bit and 768 kHz. Over USB the unit plays PCM at up to 32-bit and 384 kHz and DSD up to 11.2 MHz natively or 5.6 MHz over DoP, though a driver is needed on the computer. Coaxial and optical inputs take up to 24-bit and 192 kHz, Bluetooth supports aptX HD and AAC, and an RCA analogue input is also fitted. The circuit is fully balanced and differential from end to end. The analogue input needs 1.2 V into 10 kohm, overloads at 5 V and keeps channel separation above 86 dB at 10 kHz. A shielded toroidal transformer made in Rotel's own factory feeds high-current driver stages. Volume runs through an NJW1195A analogue attenuator chip in steps as fine as 0.5 dB, set with a large knurled knob or the aluminium remote. The unit is Roon Tested, and standby consumption is under 0.5 W.

Pairing

The low output impedance and balanced power make the DX-3 a fit for planar and low-impedance dynamic headphones, while the gain switch keeps sensitive in-ear models away from the bottom of the volume range. Rear XLR and RCA line outputs let it run powered monitors or a separate power amp, delivering 2 V from 200 ohm balanced and 1 V from 100 ohm unbalanced in analogue mode, rising to 3.5 V and 1.6 V from digital sources, so it can also sit in an existing system as a standalone DAC.

Alternatives

Rotel offers no other dedicated headphone amplifier besides the DX-3 in its current range.