Matrix Audio NA-1 Headphone Amplifier

The NA-1 is Matrix Audio’s headphone amplifier and preamp for the new N Series – a desktop separates system built alongside the NT-1 transport and the ND-1 DAC. Unlike Matrix Audio’s other headphone amplifiers, there’s no streaming platform or DAC inside the NA-1 at all. It’s a purely analogue amplifier, built to sit at the end of a chain that already has an analogue or digital source ahead of it, whether that’s another N Series component or third-party equipment.

A discrete, fully balanced Class A core

The amplification circuit is fully discrete, running in pure Class A, with a fully balanced architecture split across four independent amplification units to suppress common-mode interference. The circuit board is vertically layered: the preamp stage, linear power supply and filter capacitor array sit on the lower board, with the headphone amplification stage on the upper board, physically separating the voltage and current stages to cut interference and improve heat dissipation.

Two gain modes, one amplifier

Both the preamp and headphone outputs have independent, switchable gain. High gain on the headphone output adds voltage swing for driving demanding, high-impedance headphones; high gain on the preamp output suits power amplifiers or active speakers with lower input sensitivity, giving them enough signal to work with properly.

Three inputs, three headphone outputs, and a preamp out

One balanced XLR input and two single-ended RCA inputs mean up to three sources can stay connected at once. On the headphone side there’s 6.35mm single-ended, 4.4mm balanced and 4-pin XLR balanced outputs, covering most headphones without an adapter. A separate XLR and RCA pre-out lets the NA-1 double as a preamp for a power amplifier or active speakers, alongside its headphone duties.

Volume, the analogue way

Volume runs through a motor-driven, four-gang ALPS Type 27 potentiometer rather than a digital attenuator – turning the IR remote’s volume control moves the physical knob, and the potentiometer’s channel-matching accuracy stays consistent across the whole range. An independent preamp circuit runs from 60V rails for extra voltage headroom, keeping detail intact even at low listening volumes.

A silent power source, built to stay still

An 80W potted toroidal transformer, magnetically shielded and mechanically damped to keep vibration and electromagnetic noise out of the signal, feeds a capacitor array of up to 39,000µF, with the preamp and power amplification stages each running from their own independent supply. Underneath, Matrix Audio’s MA-DAMPER PRO isolation feet, co-developed with Audio Bastion from five different materials, absorb external vibration; the chassis itself is CNC-machined aluminium in the same Matrix Design language as the rest of the range.

Specifications

In the box

• NA-1 unit
• Remote control
• Power cable
• User manual
• Warranty card

Downloads

• Matrix Audio NA-1 user manual