Усилители для наушников — Matrix Audio NA-1

The NA-1 is a headphone amplifier and preamplifier from Matrix Audio's N Series, launched in March 2026 and on sale from April 2026 at EUR 2,999 or about USD 2,399 to 2,499. It shares its 330 mm wide format with the ND-1 DAC and the NT-1 digital transport. The circuit is fully discrete, fully balanced and works in pure Class A, with four independent amplifier units.

Key specs that matter

Into 33 ohm at 1% THD, the NA-1 delivers 7 W single-ended and 18 W balanced. At 300 ohm the figures are 1.1 W and 4.5 W, and at 600 ohm 580 mW and 2.3 W. The headphone stage offers +17 or +23 dB of gain, frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz within +0/-0.1 dB and -3 dB at 170 kHz, THD+N below 0.0007%, signal to noise ratio of 120 or 123 dB A-weighted and an output impedance below 1 ohm. The preamplifier stage provides +15 or +21 dB of gain, a -3 dB point at 140 kHz, THD+N below 0.0003%, a signal to noise ratio of 121 or 124 dB and an output impedance below 20 ohm. Inputs are one XLR and two RCA pairs at 47 kOhm, and headphone outputs are 6.35 mm, 4.4 mm and four-pin XLR, with XLR and RCA preamplifier outputs. The unit measures 330 x 97 x 275 mm and weighs 6.16 kg.

Engineering and use context

The two circuit boards are stacked, with the preamplifier and linear power supply on the lower board and the headphone stage on the upper board, separating voltage amplification from current amplification. Volume is set by a motor-driven ALPS Type 27 four-gang potentiometer, one gang for each of the four signal paths of a balanced stereo circuit, and the motor allows remote control of a purely analogue level. The power supply combines an 80 W potted toroidal transformer, a 39,000 µF capacitor array and separate 60 V rails for the preamplifier. High supply rails allow large voltage swings, which gives the NA-1 its high output into high-impedance headphones. Running in Class A means the NA-1 draws 35 W even at idle. Crosstalk is -134 dB balanced and -126 dB single-ended. Standby consumption is below 1 W, and maximum draw stays below 80 W.

Pairing

The NA-1 is designed to work with the ND-1 DAC and NT-1 transport, connected through XLR. Its two gain settings suit anything from sensitive earphones to low-efficiency planar magnetic headphones, and its XLR and RCA pre-outs connect to power amplifiers or active loudspeakers.

Alternatives

The Matrix Audio M-Stage HPA-3B is another headphone amplifier from the brand, a fully balanced Class A design with XLR inputs and outputs.