Auralic Taurus MkII Headphone Amplifier

Powerful, clean sounding headphone amp with no coloration added to source. Also works as a great workstation amp / volume control for desktop speakers, offering transparent and spacious sound.
Extremely minimal physical wear on this amp, it is fully burned in, and it is is perfect working condition.
Paypal fee is included in the asking price. 
REVIEW From Innerfidelity:

Before 
we begin, I have to admit: I've been procrastinating a bit on this one. 
I've had the AURALiC TAURUS ($1899) for almost a year now—first the 
original model, followed later by the current MKII version. Typically, I 
would have penned a review within the first few months. The TAURUS is 
different though. It's been there, serving me well as I review this DAC 
or that headphone, without contributing it's own two cents. I suppose 
the more capable an amp, the harder it is to write an entertaining 
evaluation for it. I can't very well say "It's transparent!" and call it 
a day, can I? And so the amp sat there, performing like an unsung 
champion and helping me extract the most from my other components. 
Still, I realize I'm long overdo for putting some thoughts down on this 
remarkable amplifier. So here we go. 

AURALiC is a Beijing based firm entering their 6th year of existence. 
Like many others in this segment, the company was founded by music 
lovers who felt they could offer something unique. They wanted to help 
folks get the most out of their music and figured they could do so in a 
way not yet seen from other companies. It's really the classic origin 
story that I like to see: two friends start small company, reputation 
grows, portfolio expands, and eventually they become something of a 
household name, at least among certain circles. AURALiC started off 
serving their local market and has now made a rather big splash 
worldwide—chiefly on the strength of their Vega DSD-capable DAC, but 
also their Merak amplifier and TAURUS products. 

I say TAURUS products in the plural since there are actually two 
separate models—the TAURUS MKII is the dedicated headphone amp, with 
pre-amp outputs as sort of a bonus feature. The TAURUS Pre is 
specifically designed as a pre-amp, and also happens to have a headphone 
amp on board. This is not just a marketing differentiation—the two 
designs appear nearly identical on the outside but have very different 
internals. Choice comes down to primary functionality which is where the 
focus lies, the extra feature being secondary. 

The TAURUS MKII supersedes the original model which was very similar. 
The MKII brings a tweak to the power supply for better performance in 
regions which don't have access to 220 volts from their wall plugs. 
During my time with the original model I did run into some problems 
which AURALiC determined to be related to my power situation. The MKII 
has been flawless for many months and has the added benefit of even 
lower noise, better isolation of inputs, and (subjectively) better looks 
from the all silver enclosure (the original was black except for the 
front panel). 

The TAURUS is undoubtedly a handsome piece of equipment. Among all the 
gear in my audio rack, it's easily one of the most attractive, with a 
sculptured faceplate that just reeks of class. From the sculptured 
volume knob to the soft LED lighting, no detail has been overlooked. And 
yet it remains somewhat understated, easily mixing in among other high 
end components. I really love what AURALiC has achieved here; it's 
clearly high-end, but not audacious about it. 

Functionality is fairly complete and straight forward. Rear inputs and 
outputs come in both RCA and XLR flavor. The front panel has a standard 
1/4" headphone jack as well as a 4-pin XLR balanced output. A pair of 
selection buttons allows any input to flow through any output—the system 
automatically converts balanced to single ended or vice versa, as 
needed, with minimal sonic penalty. I've had some high-end amps that 
were finicky about that sort of thing, so I appreciate the flexibility 
of the TAURUS. 

Popping the cover to investigate the guts of this machine, I was greeted 
with some serious heatsink action. No wonder this thing runs so cool. 
AURALiC was kind enough to supply pictures showing the board without the 
extra metal, to give us a look at the critical output stage which would 
otherwise be obscured. That output is based around AURALiC's 

proprietary Class A "Orfeo" modules which are said to be inspired by the 
classic Neve 8078 analog mixing console. Never heard of it? It's a 
legendary console which has been used to record classic albums by Chick 
Correa, Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, and numerous other audiophile approved 
artists. You can read a bit more on the history here. Heck, it's the 
only recording console I know of to inspire a documentary—the 
soundtrack of which topped the Billboard charts. That has to count for 
something right? AURALiC says their Orfeo modules give the amp a warm, 
natural sound, and I have to say that's a good description. But more on 
that later. 

The Orfeo output stage is not the only thing the TAURUS has going for 
it. There's the ultra low noise input buffer, helping the device achieve 
a dynamic range in excess of 130dB. There's the linear power supply 
featuring a shielded toroidal transformer flanked by over 30,000uF worth 
of Elna caps. Each section is walled off from one another for better 
isolation. Oh, and did I mention how much juice is on tap? TAURUS 
musters 4,500mW into 32 ohm loads (single ended mode) or 120 ohm loads 
(XLR output), meaning it can drive any headphone out there with gusto—up 
to and including the notoriously difficult HiFiMAN HE-6. The specs of 
the amp are among the best you'll find anywhere, regardless of price. 

The astute reader will note the balanced and single-ended headphone 
outputs have differing behavior based on load. If you spotted that, good 
catch, pat yourself on the back. The TAURUS output stage has four 
sections in total. When operating in "STD" mode (the 1/4" jack), two 
outputs drive each channel in parallel. This results in maximum output 
current for low impedance headphones, with less voltage swing for high 
impedance loads. In BAL mode (the 4-pin XLR jack), two sections operate 
in a bridge-tied load configuration. The result? Much higher voltage 
swing at the expense of output current being comparatively limited. 
AURALiC is quick to point out that MOAR POWER is not always the answer. 
Just because you'd think planar headphones would do best from the 1/4" 
jack while high impedance Beyerdynamic models should use the balanced 
output, it doesn't necessarily always work out that way. I'd also add 
that "limited" output current or voltage swing, in this context, simply 
means "limited" compared to the max this device is capable of. 
Realistically the BAL output is still quite powerful into low impedance 
loads, and the STD output can still swing plenty of voltage. There's 
really nothing I can think of which the TAURUS can't handle (short of 
electrostatic models, obviously). Output impedance is low enough not to 
be a factor—less than 1 ohm from the STD jack, and somewhere between 3 
and 4 ohms from the BAL output. Users of multi-driver, balanced armature 
IEMs may want to avoid the BAL output but all other headphones should 
be fair game.  

In order to give the TAURUS a workout befitting a statement amp, I went 
straight to my best gear. No doubt AURALiC would recommend their Vega DAC as fed by their new Aries 
streamer, but I believe my substitutes get the job done equally 
well—Auraliti PK90 file player with NuForce LPS-1 power supply, feeding 
an Audiophilleo 1 with PurePower option, out to the Resonessence Labs 
Invicta DAC, which then connected to the TAURUS through both XLR and RCA 
cables (just to see if there was a significant difference—which there 
wasn't). Ancillaries included an APS S15 power conditioner and a bunch 
of Cabledyne Silver Reference cables. I used the TAURUS to drive a 
Sennheiser HD800, beyerdynamic T1, Audeze LCD-2, Mr. Speakers Alpha 
Dogs, HiFiMAN HE-500 and HE-6, Thunderpants TP1, Audio Technica AD2000 
and W2002, Grado PS500, and some in-ear monitors like JH Audio JH13FP, 
Westone ES5, and Noble 8C. I figure this pretty much covers all the 
bases from the very difficult to drive to the ultra-sensitive, planars 
to dynamic drivers, sealed to open back models, etc. We've got thin, 
bright headphones and warm, thick models, and most everything in 
between. I've got balanced and single ended cables for most of these, so 
I was able to go back and forth to see which output paired best with 
each model. 

So, given all that, how did the TAURUS acquit itself? Read on to find out. 

Listening

I'll cut right to the chase here and give you a spoiler: the AURALiC 
TAURUS MKII is among the absolute best headphone amplifiers I've ever 
heard. And I've heard quite a few. Solid state, valve, or hybrid; once 
we cross the threshold to 4-digit price tags, I start caring less about 
topology and more about results. It's one thing for a $400 tube amp to 
have some inherent limitations. It's quite another for a multi-thousand 
dollar model. I'm willing to overlook some issues if the more affordable 
amp does a really good job in other areas. But I simply can't give a 
free pass to some expensive thing because, well, "it's not bad.... for a 
tube amp". That just doesn't fly with me. 

Thankfully the TAURUS completely transcends that sort of talk. I put it 
up against at least half a dozen different amps I have here in the 
$1,000+ category and the TAURUS never once required a disclaimer. It was 
not outdone by the $1,500 Analog Design Labs Svetlana II single-ended 
triode amp with the super-permalloy output transformers. It stood its 
ground against the $1,000 Violectric V200 whose output stage sports 
eight transistors per channel. The $1,799 SPL Phonitor excelled in 
whiz-bang adjustability but was no match for the TAURUS in sound 
quality. The beastly $1,599 HiFiMAN EF-6 and the classic $3,000 Luxman 
P-1u could not dethrone the TAURUS—I preferred it to either of them in 
nearly all situations. And that's really they key phrase here—most 
situations. The TAURUS does a damn fine job across the board. While one 
amp or another may have a special synergy with a certain headphone, 
therefore becoming a better match than TAURUS in that one particular 
scenario, the TAURUS excels with just about everything. Even when it 
isn't the absolute top choice for a given headphone, you can be sure 
it's in the running, among the top two or three choices. That's not to 
call it a "jack of all trades, master of none" type device.... it 
definitely gets a fair share of first place trophies. 

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's break it down a little closer for 
individual headphones. The TAURUS has what I call a generally neutral 
sound, insofar as it has no major emphasis in any particular region. 
You'd think that might be a given in this price range but I've heard 
plenty of expensive amps that are far more colored than this. While 
staying largely neutral overall, I do get a subtle hint of unique flavor 
from each headphone output. The single ended jack comes across as being 
more direct, more dynamic, more lively. The balanced output seems a bit 
more nuanced and subtle, with more expansive soundstage and more 
precise imaging. By no means are these night and day variations—it's a 
subtle dash of flavor, but sometimes it tips the scales in favor of one 
or the other depending on the headphone being used. 

Sennheiser HD800

I started with the Sennheiser HD800, as I tend to do when evaluating 
most amps. Right off the bat TAURUS impressed with an iron grip on the 
top end—which is critical for my enjoyment of this particular headphone. 
I don't do so well if the amp is at all tipped up or loose in the 
treble region...HD800 is bright enough as it is, and doesn't need 
further encouragement there. Some amps counteract this by dulling the 
upper mids and highs, glossing over some detail in the process. HD800 is 
spectacularly detailed anyway so the result can still be pleasing. Yet 
the ideal amp, in my opinion, is the one which can tease out the finest 
details without stifling them—this requires a firm grip to minimize 
grain as well as peaks. It also helps if the amp is suitably full range. 
HD800 is no bass cannon and you really don't need any limitations from 
the amp holding it back. I'm happy to report the TAURUS has some serious 
kick. The key here is texture and accuracy more than in-your-face slam, 
and when you get those right the perception of impact just happens 
naturally. So don't think for a second the TAURUS is one of those light, 
airy sounding amps which is really "pretty" but doesn't have enough 
guts. 

You like soundstage? Precision imaging? How about sheet music pages 
turning, or audience members coughing? The TAURUS does microdetail and 
localization better than the vast majority of amps I've experienced. We 
can thank the inky-black background for that, and I'm sure the signal to 
noise ratio doesn't hurt. Despite all that, I wouldn't call this a 
hyper-detailed amp. The overall sound is superbly balanced, and the lack 
of grain combines with the excellent bass extension to impart a sort of 
warmth to the end result. It's hard to explain but there it is. 

I ended up preferring the HD800 in balanced mode as I felt it was more 
open and "holographic" sounding. The STD output was nice too and I 
wouldn't complain if that's all I had available to me—yet direct 
comparison showed the balanced connection to be consistently preferable 
with this headphone. 

I compared the TAURUS to the Icon Audio HP8 MKII 
($999 plus tube upgrades for another $500) which is one of my favorites 
for HD800. The TAURUS gave a more well rounded, even handed 
presentation from top to bottom. The Icon was a lot of fun—especially 
with the adjustable output impedance cranked up, thus reducing damping 
factor and warming things up a bit. Add in the somewhat smooth top end 
and I can absolutely see the appeal. On the other hand, when I switch to 
TAURUS I do hear what seems like a more faithful representation of the 
original recording. Laser-sharp accuracy and wide open soundstage makes 
for an appealing listen, especially with exceptional recordings. I might 
choose the HP8 for some light hearted fun—The New Amsterdams, Wu-Tang 
Clan, Soundgarden, Riverside, Metric... you get the idea. Switch to some 
more "serious" material—nearly anything from Reference Recordings, 2L, 
Channel Classics, the MFSL releases, the Steve Hoffman DCC Gold 
discs—that's the sort of stuff which really shows the "authenticity" of 
the TAURUS. I'd listen to the Icon and think it couldn't get much 
better—then I'd swap in the TAURUS and prove myself wrong. 

HiFiMAN HE-6

Next I switched things up to the HiFiMAN HE-6 which is a headphone I've 
really struggled to enjoy. On the one hand I appreciate its resolution 
and clarity. On the other hand, I find it somewhat bright and at times 
downright unnatural. Part of the problem is the extremely low 
sensitivity—I'm not necessarily on board with the folks who demand huge 
monoblock speaker amps for the HE-6, but I will admit it needs a beefy 
(headphone) amp to do it justice. The TAURUS clearly seems up to the 
task. 

This is the first time I felt the HE-6 worthy of being called a true 
flagship headphone. Up until now the best I had heard it perform was 
from the Violectric V200. In that scenario I felt like HE-6 and the less 
expensive HE-500 were different but roughly equal in performance. The 
TAURUS is the first amp I've heard allowing HE-6 to clearly surpass the 
more affordable sibling. They have most of the precision of the HD800 
with more solidity and "punch" all around. Soundstage takes a 
considerable hit; this is the most expansive I've heard a planar 
magnetic design sound, yet it still falls short of the HD800 by a 
significant margin. That's just the character of the headphones and 
TAURUS isn't a miracle worker. Still, large orchestral works were 
satisfyingly grand in terms of space and scale, so I can't complain 
much. 

The HE-500 doesn't seem to improve much when mated with the 
TAURUS—apparently the V200 already takes it about as far as it will go. 
But with the TAURUS in play, HE-6 has superior midrange articulation, 
better deep bass impact, and just sounds more effortless in general. Is 
it worth the price difference? That's subjective. For me, the answer has 
always been "no". Until now. I can totally see building a system around 
the HE-6 now that I've heard what it can really do. 

I like the HE-6 a lot with both outputs. My contact at AURALiC says they 
prefer the BAL option, and I agree it sounds mighty good. Yet more 
often than not I find myself gravitating towards the STD output. I 
suppose this is one of those cases that comes down to individual 
preference. I'm glad HiFiMAN chose to include a balanced cable as well 
as the adapter for single ended use. It's win-win. 

Other Headphones

From there I moved on to various other models. I loved the Grado PS-500 
from the STD jack. I've said it before and I'll say it again—this is by 
far my favorite modern-day Grado design. I like it better than RS-1i, 
GS-1000i, and PS-1000i, all of which are supposedly "better" if we use 
price as a deciding factor. The limited edition HF-2 was a good start 
and the PS-500 picks up where it left off. I still won't call myself a 
Grado die-hard, but thanks to the PS-500 I finally "get it". Anyway, the 
TAURUS does a great job of mostly avoiding excessive Grado harshness. 
There's still some to be heard of course, but it's not insurmountable 
for these ears. Gain is a tad higher than I'd like, but I was usually 
able to dial in a good volume even if the knob topped out a bit early. 
In the end, this is probably overkill for the easy to drive Grados—but I 
love it regardless. These did best from the STD output, which is not 
what I would have predicted. 

The Audio Technica W2002 sounded like it usually does, which is to say 
"unique". I prefer it from my Analog Design Labs Svetlana 2 single-ended 
triode amp, which has some kind of magical synergy with AT woodies. 
Aside from that pairing, the TAURUS is still one of the best I've heard 
for that model. Same deal with their AD2000 open version. I'm not sold 
on them for all music, all the time, but once in a while they scratch an 
itch that my other headphones can't. Again, the STD jack was preferable 
here. 

Other planar magnetic designs sounded exceptional with the TAURUS. 
Thunderpants, Mad Dogs, Alpha Dogs, HE-400 and LCD-2.... I've rarely 
heard them so dynamic and alive. Realism seems a notch above most other 
amps. The high current makes for a sense of ease during transient peaks, 
where demands on the amp increase by a large factor. TAURUS manages to 
have both the finesse and the brute force to make drive planar models in 
the best possible way. Here I noticed a split in my preferences—BAL 
mode was my choice for HE-400 and LCD-2, while the others seemed better 
from the STD jack. 

Lastly, I tried my favorite custom in-ear monitors from Westone, Noble, 
Unique Melody, and JH Audio (among others). This made me notice 
something I had not yet heard—the TAURUS is extremely sensitive to noise 
issues. Ground loops, RF interference, you name it. This probably 
relates to the rather high input impedance. AURALiC does mention this in 
their literature and gives a few suggestions for optimal results. By 
simply moving the amp to different locations around the house, I was 
able to hear a clear differences in background noise from one outlet to 
the next. Thankfully in my regular listening area, with my APC S15 in 
place, I get about as black a background as I've ever heard. Even with 
sensitive IEMs, there's no hiss or hum to be found. That's the good 
news. The bad news? Gain is pretty high, so the IEM user is left with a 
rather small window for volume adjustment. At least the volume pot is of 
very high quality, with no trace of imbalance even at the lowest 
volumes. If you can dial in a good setting the TAURUS once again shows 
itself as a reference quality amp—definitely overkill for IEMs, but very 
enjoyable nonetheless. Just be careful with that volume knob. 

Conclusion

How 
much do you a suppose a state-of-the-art, flagship headphone amplifier 
should cost? If I start around $4,000 and move upwards from there, I run 
out of fingers before I run out of amps to count. The majority of them 
are valve-based. AURALiC bucks the trend with a reference quality 
solid-state design costing less than half that. Some may argue TAURUS 
doesn't belong to that elite group given its "discount" status, but I 
would wholeheartedly disagree based on nearly a year spent with it. This 
thing is the real deal. In fact, I can think of several amps costing 
double (or more!) which don't perform nearly as well. If you want an 
endgame-level headphone amp which offers extremely accurate, resolving 
sound while maintaining a warm and inviting tone, look no further. The 
AURALiC TAURUS MKII is one of the absolute best values in the high-end, 
and worthy of the Wall of Fame. 

Editor's Note: I too have been listening to this amp for a few months 
and am smitten. This is a spectacular headphone amp, and I will be 
putting together a "Wall of Fame" page for headphone amps and the TAURUS 
will be among the first to populate it.