Headphones

Ultrasone Volcano – Top quality tube amplifier for headphones

It is a headphone amplifier that stands for everything that distinguishes Ultrasone AG. It offers tube sound at the highest level, is reduced to the essentials, features impeccable workmanship and presents itself with an elegant, timeless design. Above all, it was developed for the Ultasone Edition 15 headphones, with which it forms a reference-class pairing.


Ultrasone AG has been one of the leading developers and manufacturers of headphones for years. Time and time again, the company from Lake Starnberg stands out with extremely innovative solutions, as it sees itself as a technology-driven manufacturer holding more than 60 patents.

With the latest solution from Ultrasone AG, however, the company took a somewhat more “conservative” approach to development, if one may put it that way, because with the new Ultrasone Volcano, it is presenting a headphone amplifier based on traditional tube technology. Nevertheless, here too, a solution is to be offered that stands for everything that has distinguished Ultrasone AG since its foundation in 1991.

The presentation of the new Ultrasone Volcano had been preceded by years of development, but now it was possible to present a headphone amplifier which, based on tube technology, has a discrete design using only strictly selected components, relies on the finest materials and is an outstanding partner for a wide range of high-end headphones, but was developed by Ultrasonse AG primarily for the Ultrasone Edition 15.

With the new Ultrasone Volcano, Ultrasonse AG has placed its faith in all the virtues associated with a high-end amplifier. Richness of detail, three-dimensionality, depth and a stoic composure even with enormous dynamic changes, these are the characteristics that Ultrasone AG lists in this respect. In addition, however, and this is expressly emphasised, there should be an overflowing musicality for a completely non-tiring listening experience, and this, according to the Bavarian company, is what tube technology can do best.

As already described, the decision was made to use a completely discreet design for the new Ultrasone Volcano, relying solely on strictly selected, high-quality components. In fact, every component has been optimised for outstanding sound, this extends to the power cable that comes with the new Ultrasone Volcano, as this too is intended to be a particularly high-quality design.

It goes without saying that, with such a high level of circuitry complexity, the finest possible equipment is naturally also used for the interfaces. Especially, in this class you can expect an unbalanced pair of RCA sockets as input, and of course a balanced input in the form of XLR sockets.

The front is first of all adorned with a massive rotary encoder for volume control, which is centrally located. To the left of it is the main switch, to the right of it are the connections for headphones. Here the customer has the choice between a conventional 6.3 mm stereo jack as unbalanced output, and a so-called pentaconn as well as XLR for a balanced connection. All outputs are available simultaneously for parallel operation,

The performance data of the new Ultrasone Volcano are quite remarkable. The manufacturer states that the Ultrasone Volcano can reproduce a frequency range between 3 Hz and 100 kHz. The output impedance is 32 to 600 Ohm and 600 mW power is available. This means that really any headphones can be operated without any problems.

Such a sophisticated system also deserves appropriate “packaging”, whereby, as already described in the introduction, only high-quality materials and flawless workmanship were used. The solid metal housing with a finely brushed metal front is flanked by real wood side panels. This actually results in the timelessly elegant design that the manufacturer promises for the new Ultrasone Volcano. By the way, the aforementioned side parts can be manufactured in various woods at the customer’s request.

Above all with the case, by the way, the company has focused on sustainability and the conservation of resources and sources the materials and components from suppliers in the immediate vicinity of the main factory in Gut Raucherberg.

“This amplifier stands for everything that ULTRASONE has distinguished in the last 30 years.”

Michael Willberg, CEO of Ultrasone AG

By the way, the new Ultrasone Volcano is delivered in an equally elegant wooden box. Another special feature is the fact that Ultrasone AG offers a lifetime guarantee for the new headphone amplifier.

The fact that the new Ultrasone Volcano is indeed an exclusive solution in every respect can also be seen from a note on the manufacturer’s website set up especially for orders of this product. Where the simple “Order” button would otherwise be found, you will find the note that now “…applications for an Ultrasone Volcano pre-order” are possible. What is meant, of course, is that customers who choose this solution, as already described, can design their solution individually. However, one should then already be aware that this exclusivity also has its price. From € 19.000,- the sales price for the new Ultrasone Volcano is supposed to be.

Getting to the point

Even though Ultrasone AG clearly sees itself as a technology-driven, innovative company, when developing the latest solution from Ultrasone AG, they took a more “conservative” approach, if you can put it that way, because with the new Ultrasone Volcano they present a headphone amplifier based on traditional tube technology. Nevertheless, here too, a solution is to be offered that stands for everything that has distinguished Ultrasone AG since its foundation in 1991.

Manufacturer:Ultrasone AG
Distribution:Ultrasone AG
Price:€ 19.000,-
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Michael Holzinger

Michael Holzinger, founder and editor-in-chief of HiFi BLOG and sempre-audio.at, has been working for years as a journalist in the fields of IT, photography, telecommunications and consumer electronics.

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