Lake Constance might not be the first area that springs to mind when discussing hi-fi, but the aptly named Lake People company has had a strong presence in the pro-audio industry since 1986. This extensive experience was instrumental in founding Violectric as its domestic arm in 2009, a brand that has since consistently delivered high-quality products.

It offers a range of headphone amplifiers as well as an impressive phono preamp, which StereoNET's Jimmy Hughes said possessed "innate purity and rightness" alongside "keen presence and rhythmic drive", no less. However, it is one of the former in the spotlight today, from the company's Niimbus high-end sub-brand, the US 5 Pro. This isn't just a feature-packed headphone amp but also a hi-fi preamp. It opens up a world of possibilities for those seeking a serious desktop head amp that can power active speakers and create a compact, high-end system.

UP CLOSE

One of the things that separates Niimbus from its Violetric stablemates is the more sophisticated, and therefore more expensive-to-produce, design. Fried Reim, the brains behind both Lake People and Violectric, freely admits that the styling of the 82x370x275mm [HxWxD] casement was inspired by Dieter Rams, designer of the legendary classic Braun products. That said, external design is only one factor.

The Niimbus series is equipped with components that surpass those found in Violectric products due to budget constraints. The US 5 Pro, for instance, features two toroidal transformers with over 50,000uF of filter capacity, high-quality Nichicon capacitors in the power supply, and superior input and output sockets at the back.

Lake People is particularly proud of its robust, motor-driven volume control and light bar, which consists of fourteen LEDs. Behind this, the control system is built with a resistor network with 256 reed relays translating into 256 incremental volume steps. The light indicator becomes even more helpful when using the US 5 Pro via its bundled remote control, making it easier to see where you are on the dial from your listening position. That remote is not your usual throwaway plastic affair either, being milled from a single billet of aluminium.

Through its 60V internal operating voltage and a quartet of powerful amps offering a claimed 7000mW Pmax into 50 ohms and 32V RMS into 600 ohms, the US 5 Pro can drive high-impedance headphones demanding a high output voltage swing. Meanwhile, the low gain (unsymmetrical at -2dB and symmetrical at +4 dB) translates to inaudible self-generated noise from the amplifier and the highest possible dynamic range, the company says.

Via dip switches under the rear connection panels, you can adjust the preamp gain over a wide range from -18 to +24dB – to get headphones with low efficiency up to speed. A good starting point is the middle position of the volume control at normal listening levels. I have a love-hate relationship with dip switches – mostly the latter, it has to be said – and would have preferred a more elegant solution on an amplifier in this elevated price bracket. The fascia-mounted headphone outputs include a balanced one with a 4-pin XLR, a balanced 4.4mm Pentaconn, and two single-ended outputs with 6.3mm jacks. This should cover and cater for most people's needs.

Using a Musical Fidelity MX-DAC for digital-to-analogue duties and outputting via Atlas Element XLRs, I threw a selection of headphones at the Niimbus, including DCA Expanse, Ultrasone Edition 15 Veritas, Oppo PM-1, and Sendy Peacock.

THE LISTENING

This headphone amplifier really has earned the 'Pro' part of its moniker. Open, transparent and neutral sounding, I have to agree with the Teutonic brand's testament of "tools, not toys". Recording studio professionals demand that their monitoring equipment is super-clear and detailed, as when they're mixing or remastering, they need to hear even the smallest details. To this end, the US 5 Pro could almost be described as ultra-analytical if it wasn't for the smooth way it conducts its business. Indeed, I enjoyed that it shares many things I like with my reference headphone amp, MOON's 430HA/D, which is high praise indeed.

Despite my dislike for dip switches, it really wasn't any hassle to adjust the gain when required for the headphones being used. Yes, you need access to the rear panel to do so, but correct me if I am mistaken: most people tend to favour one or maybe two headsets rather than having half a dozen or more per listening session.

It wasn't long before I was enjoying all the plus points of headphone listening – especially the exquisite, revealing nature of a decent personal audio set-up. This is attainable for much less money than a stereo speaker system offering similar performance. For this reason alone, it's obvious why head-fi continues to grow in momentum. This is before we consider the space requirements, the fact that people are staying in the family home for longer so they can afford to move out, and when they do, it will most likely be into a house share, small home or apartment.

While the musical presentation of the Niimbus wasn't exactly romantic, it would be wrong to describe it as cold or antiseptic. Instead, it's a very faithful neutral component, unlike the rose-tinted tube charms of the Auris Euturpe. Using the Ultrasone closed-backs, The The's Love is Stronger Than Death was wonderfully direct and intimate thanks to Matt Johnson's close mic'd vocals and the way the amplifier presented the piece unsullied. I was drawn in and felt the singer's emotional portrayal – which is no small thing, as this song was written as a form of therapy after Matt lost his brother. The jangly acoustic guitar on the right side was nicely balanced with the rounded characteristics of the bass on the left. Such cohesion shows how well the Niimbus is voiced.

The Ultrasones require a bit of oomph behind them to give of their best, and it is the same story (and then some) for the Dan Clark Audio Expanse open-backed planars. The good news is that the Niimbus US 5 Pro never lacked the required grunt. Here, the claustrophobic, lo-fi intro of Roads by Portishead had me raising an eyebrow until Beth Gibbons' vocals, along with the snare and hi-hat work, came in to open up the mix. The Niimbus, whilst truthful and revealing, didn't highlight the top end, yet the strikes were sharp, purposeful and cut through the hazy backdrop without sounding too edgy.

Lower registers also have a pleasing heft, as demonstrated by Chase & Status's Baddadan. That nasty urban groove was fulsome and dirty in all the right ways. That said, the amplifier handed the tune off to the headphones with plenty of separation, so this slab of electronic dance music didn't become the kind of distorted mess one typically hears from the open window of a hatchback that looks fresh from ram-raiding the local Halfords.

The midband is crisp, taut and fast. The vocal stylings of Charlotte Adigéry showcased the recording's clarity, and the lack of hum from the amp could be savoured during the spaces between the notes in tracks like Bear With Me (And I'll Stand Bare Before You). Even turning the volume dial up to unseemly levels during this track only served my ears with more music – punctuated by its addictive synth bassline – without adding any errant noise.

Feed the Niimbus with a well-mastered track such as Kaneda's Theme (From Akira) as performed by Eru Matsumoto on her Passion For Life and Cello album, and the instrumentation and vocals were supplied with the right amount of space. Dynamically, this arrangement moves from light percussive rhythms before building to a crescendo over the three minutes, and the US 5 Pro imparted the increasing urgency with a great sense of pace and timing.

Similarly, Rays On Pinion by Baroness was treated with equal care and attention during its long journey, which starts off as a pleasant enough indie rock jaunt before giving way to a heavier post-hardcore vibe. Nevertheless, even at its peak with the volume cranked up in my closed-backs, the sound never got unruly. This amp kept a firm grip on order and maintained all threads where they should be. The bass guitar rumbled away, propelling things ever onward along with the drums. At no time did there appear to be a fight for supremacy between the guitar tracks and vocals, as everyone was given equal elbow room within the soundstage.

On the subject of soundstaging, and thanks to a pair of Dynaudio LYD-5 powered monitors, it was interesting to hear the difference between this track played through the Ultrasones and a pair of stereo speakers placed as near-field monitors. Naturally, as soon as you expose music to loudspeakers, the room becomes an added element. Still, the Niimbus delivered the same deft handling heard in my various cans to them.

While connected, I could not resist feeding this desktop set-up with Sledgehammer from Peter Gabriel's Growing Up Live album. Tony Levin's fretless bass work was wonderfully rich, slinky, and vocal, and there was also a great sense of the space where the show was taking place. Intriguingly, this large auditorium feel was still translated when I returned to headphone listening. Yes, this was a change from a £400 pair of monitors to a £4,000 pair of headphones, but the amplifier's essence was maintained in both instances.

So, is the Niimbus US 5 Pro the endgame headphone amplifier that we've all been waiting for? Well, it sounds truthful but not overly analytical. It refuses to flatter poor or thin recordings but will reward your better choices. As someone who rather enjoys unpicking the threads of tunes, I do tend to get pulled towards components that help me peel back the layers when I feel so inclined. However, I also like to have a glass of something nice, get lost in the music, and enjoy the moment. For me, the Niimbus makes all this happen.

THE VERDICT

There is a strong element of pro-audio in the Niimbus US 5 Pro's DNA. This is evident in the clear, well-designed external layout as much as it is in the unfussy, neutral sonic presentation. Those looking for an instrument that makes badly ripped MP3s listenable should look elsewhere, but those with a better-curated collection will benefit from the uncoloured, clear and precise characteristics of this classy headphone amplifier. So, if you have the budget and are in the market for something to drive even the most unruly headphones, the Niimbus is an essential audition. And if it's to become part of your desktop set-up with a pair of powered speakers, you can treat it as a 'two for one' deal!

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