The Beyerdynamic DT880 Appreciation / Discussion thread - Page 144

Quote:

Originally Posted by HaVoC-28 

 

Rolling Tubes : "ajusting soud that match your tastes , by changing tubes that have an influence on sound " 

 

La Figaro 339 + DAC that suite your needs . (AMP is most important IMO) .

 

Note : i am not huge fan of Tubes amps but tryed at friend homes a 336 C and it was not bad at all specially with Beyer 600 ohms . So if you want something cheaper 336 could be a good match for your tube will . 

I would assume that the Dac would have Spdif in and out put Left and Right Channels, do I want Dual Mono btw? I want to get a balanced amp as well as a pair of balanced dt 880 600ohms... I may just have to research tube amps in general! 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mshenay 

I would assume that the Dac would have Spdif in and out put Left and Right Channels, do I want Dual Mono btw? I want to get a balanced amp as well as a pair of balanced dt 880 600ohms... I may just have to research tube amps in general! 

Balanced will drastiquely  rise price , sub 1000 $ and all balanced seams less easy to achieve . And Gain from balancing are not so huge as some can claim (i think they hear a difference but they exagerate a bit being happy about this little change ) .

I don't recommend NFB 12 for a DT880 user especially. Those headphones need a beefy amp to shine on its best. NFB12 is simply no good enough both as DAC and DAC/AMP unit, especially for such a gorgeous headphone like DT880 600ohm. I share the same opinion about NFB12/11 the headphonia reviewers have.  Great package, great versatility, lots of muscle, but simply put, average musicality. But in any case, I think there are no 200$ DAC-AMPs able to reveal at least 75% of DT880 arsenal. I suggest you go for a better sounding DAC performer, like Audinst HUD MX1 or AudioEngine D1 , E-Mu etc, those have lesser amp section, but greater DAC section, then add a good dedicate amp. For instance, a 600$ AMB M3 amp can show you things you could have never expected from DT880s, I mean extremely textured and punchy bass. A LittleDot MKIV can make DT880 sing so analogical and sweet, that even bigger brother, AudioGD’s FUN is a shame in comparison. I can understand NFB12 owners who love their DAC/AMPs  as a package, but how many use it as a DAC only, who had also made proper A/B comparison with similarly priced products ? I had the chance many times, and the results were always the same – NFB12/11 more amp power, lesser musicality... If you recommend it for Grado, AudioTechnica, Ultrasone users, I might kip my mouth shut, but not 600ohm bayers, guys ! Those bayers deserve better treatment. 

Hope Head-fi admins are not gonna ban me for this post. Just my honest opinion.   

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexRoma 

I don't recommend NFB 12 for a DT880 user especially. Those headphones need a beefy amp to shine on its best. NFB12 is simply no good enough both as DAC and DAC/AMP unit, especially for such a gorgeous headphone like DT880 600ohm. I share the same opinion about NFB12/11 the headphonia reviewers have.  Great package, great versatility, lots of muscle, but simply put, average musicality. But in any case, I think there are no 200$ DAC-AMPs able to reveal at least 75% of DT880 arsenal. I suggest you go for a better sounding DAC performer, like Audinst HUD MX1 or AudioEngine D1 , E-Mu etc, those have lesser amp section, but greater DAC section, then add a good dedicate amp. For instance, a 600$ AMB M3 amp can show you things you could have never expected from DT880s, I mean extremely textured and punchy bass. A LittleDot MKIV can make DT880 sing so analogical and sweet, that even bigger brother, AudioGD’s FUN is a shame in comparison. I can understand NFB12 owners who love their DAC/AMPs  as a package, but how many use it as a DAC only, who had also made proper A/B comparison with similarly priced products ? I had the chance many times, and the results were always the same – NFB12/11 more amp power, lesser musicality... If you recommend it for Grado, AudioTechnica, Ultrasone users, I might kip my mouth shut, but not 600ohm bayers, guys ! Those bayers deserve better treatment. 

Hope Head-fi admins are not gonna ban me for this post. Just my honest opinion.   

So you didn't like at All DT-880 + NFB-11/12, and their is no reason to ban you or what ever , your position is clear , a good amp is needed to make DT-880-600 ohms shine . I agree that AMP is most important than DAC Section , but some can't spend directly what is needed for a good amp to use it with their DT-880-600 . 

Even not properly amped i think that DT-880-600 is still enjoyable (it's what i thought when i had DT-880-600) ... A 200$ AMP/DAC , will not bring DT-880 to full potential but hey , some have to start with something ... 

If they don't consider upgrading later AMp part , they should look peraphs somewhere else than DT-880-600 . 

Actually the NFB-12 has more than enough power to fully drive the DT880 600 ohm.  Alex just doesn't like the synergy with it.  Personally I do - but I'll also admit that more often than not I use the DAC section on the NFB-12 coupled with my LD MKIV (which I think is a great combo).

The one thing I wish would disappear is posters saying the NFB-12 doesn't drive it to it's potential.  Just state you don't like the synergy.  Heck on high gain I can't get the NFB-12 past 1/3 on the pot.  It'd blow my ears off!

Each of us has different ideas on what sounds good - but can't we just bury this myth about the power required?

If it's load , doesn't mean it's fully driven. Try to get another dedicated amp, like AMB M3 or even better, use NFB as DAC only, then switch to NFB's amp. On AMB M3 or better, you'll hear things you thought DT880 are not able to by definition. This is why I insisted about getting a more DAC oriented all-in-one device, then an amping monster like NFB11/12 with 'boring' DAC section (again, IMHO). Muscles are useless without brains.

Let's agree to disagree shall we Alex?  Science says I'm correct - the NFB-12 can after all put 150mW into 600 ohm - more than enough to power them properly.

And I also own an LD MKIV - so I know what a more powerful amp will do with the Beyers.

Again - I respect that you don't like the NFB-12 with the DT880s, but can we please drop the "they can't power them properly" phrasing.  It's clearly incorrect 

I donno. Maybe you are right. But honestly from most amps I've tried, my DT880 performed typical (lazy-slow), but some amps (AMB M3, AMB Beta 22, Lynx HA61, Hitachi Receiver) change it's character, adding speed, dynamics and subbass layer. Like you've been driving your car on ECO, and one day you've pushed the SPORT button ON. Same car, totally different experience.

By the way, same impressions go to Bayerdynamic T1 , but in this case, there is also a hidden NITRO button as well, even harder to find and activate. That is why so many people can't justify T1's High-End status. Simply to hard to activate that NITRO system. 

I think it's just that the NFB-12 has a certain character - a full body and slight warmth.  I personally like it - as I think it's quite close to a tube like sound (for a solid state).  You may simply prefer something a lot more linear (many do).  Doesn't have anything to do with under-driving.  Just a different signature preference.

The Dacport can drive the DT880/600 ohm and give a good synergy, it's transparent, adding some pace, give the mid (vocal) and the bass some body (adding some impact aswell), i love the synergy, too bad that the Dacport can't use another input aside the USB port

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mshenay 

What would be a good DAC and Amp pairing for the DT 880 600 ohm, I'm going to be using Spdif Outpute as well <3

For $1000 you could:

buy a La Figaro 336C And a few tubes to roll in

buy a good DAC like an Arcam rDAC or one of the Cambridge Audio DACs like the DacMagic Plus or DACMagic 100

it is my opinion that you should always buy a good DAC with: USB, optical and co-axial digital inputs, you never know what else you may want to do with your DAC in the future.  Balanced and SE outputs are also nice. You never know.............

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexRoma 

 I suggest you go for a better sounding DAC performer, like Audinst HUD MX1 or AudioEngine D1 , E-Mu etc, those have lesser amp section, but greater DAC section, then add a good dedicate amp. For instance, a 600$ AMB M3 amp can show you things you could have never expected from DT880s, I mean extremely textured and punchy bass. A LittleDot MKIV can make DT880 sing so analogical and sweet, that even bigger brother, AudioGD’s FUN is a shame in comparison. 

Yea I'm 100% NOT going to buy a DAC/Amp combo because well comboing =good at all great at nothing, so thanks for the suggestions and man... I been wanting some HE-500s but I might have to save up for a MEGA BEEFED up dt 880 600 set first

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris J 

For $1000 you could:

 

buy a La Figaro 336C And a few tubes to roll in

 

buy a good DAC like an Arcam rDAC or one of the Cambridge Audio DACs like the DacMagic Plus or DACMagic 100

 

it is my opinion that you should always buy a good DAC with: USB, optical and co-axial digital inputs, you never know what else you may want to do with your DAC in the future.  Balanced and SE outputs are also nice. You never know.............

Yea that sounds like a plan! Although I'm not a DIY guy... I can't build electronics and I won't try. But I do like DIY amps, they are always unique. So when you say "A few tubes to roll in" what do you mean by that e.e

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mshenay 

Yea I'm 100% NOT going to buy a DAC/Amp combo because well comboing =good at all great at nothing, so thanks for the suggestions and man... I been wanting some HE-500s but I might have to save up for a MEGA BEEFED up dt 880 600 set first

Yea that sounds like a plan! Although I'm not a DIY guy... I can't build electronics and I won't try. But I do like DIY amps, they are always unique. So when you say "A few tubes to roll in" what do you mean by that e.e

Go with the HE-500 instead, if you love DT880 i'll bet you gonna love the HE-500, but still DT880 are among my favorite headphones

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeinharis 

 

Go with the HE-500 instead, if you love DT880 i'll bet you gonna love the HE-500, but still DT880 are among my favorite headphones

The HE-500 is going to cost about as much as the AMP and DAC I need to Power the Dt 880, seeing as the 880 is a cheaper can I think it would be better to buy and Amp the 880 b4 even attempting to buy the HE-500 and THEN have to get a Good amp for it. Or I would hope the Amp I get for the Dt 880 600 would as able to also drive an synergy with the HE-500 better to! 

ANd this ofc is like 5-6 months dwn the line, Proabably in the Spring whne I get another check from College! 

Looked at the  Audinst HUD MX1, looks nice I like the Coxial out from the USB, the only real Issue I have with it is lack of USB ports on my pc xD but that's a quick fix