Budget rigs for the HD800, what's the best you've heard?

You are going to break your bank account .

Cant comment myself but check out this great review

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/mat...ellent-475618/

Yes, I have a very cheap, nevertheless almost equal alternative to my Corda Symphony (in some aspects it's even better). But there's one decisive precondition: a DAC with very low output impedance (< 60 Ω) capable of delivering enough current to drive the HD 800 directly. In my case it's the Bel Canto DAC2. I use a (no-name) 500-ohm potentiometer switched between DAC and headphone for decreasing the signal volume. If you're lucky to have or find a DAC with variable line out, the potentiometer could be renounced – but I guess this configuration is rare (since variable outputs usually are of higher impedance).

Of course the DAC2 isn't a cheap DAC, but I think there should be good sounding DACs or even CDPs with low output impedance around which don't cost a fortune.
.

Benchmark DAC1 has variable line out via the xlr outs Haven't heard the HD800 on it, but I just made a female to female xlr cable so I can listen to my HD650 balanced till I can afford to buy a balanced amp

@OP - Might be worth auditioning with the HD800.

If I had a HD800 I would get two of these amps and run balance.

That's not exactly my approach. But a cheap amp will probably always represent a bottleneck, so if you can renounce it, you save money and theoretically avoid the signal degradation that comes even with the best amps. Every electronics step you can renounce brings you closer to the original signal. Provided that the configuration is capable of driving voice coils instead of input impedances without any drawbacks. That's the case with the Bel Canto and its output impedance of 20 Ω.


Unfortunately I can't answer this question myself. In any event, measuring data alone may not be enough, you need to try if the configuration really works (also in terms of sonic synergy). I just picked up a comment that says you can get the Buffalo's output impedance down to 21 Ω, but at the same time it mentions that this is not recommended for driving headphones, for whatever reason. BTW, isn't it the Volumite which is supposed to drive the headphone then? (You see: I don't have a clue about these devices.)
.

Just based on specs, Lake People G100 should do fine, it's $550 + shipping from England.

At this point I would be happy with the HD800 through my receiver. I just want the damn headphone.

I tried them from NAD set up: C515BEE CD Player + C325BEE Stereo Integrated Amplifier.
I dont know much about what NAD put inside their products, but the sound was more than just decent, means that you dont have to spend sky high dollar to get what you may like, its more like matching than amount you spend, imo.