Sennheiser HD650: Will the Matrix M-Stage properly power them?

Well, it will power them, the real question, as you have correctly phrased, is properly.  One thing the 650s are famous, or infamous for is their "veil".  This comes from, in my experience, amps that don't have the proper juice.  When I had my HeadRoom Micro amp, they drove the 650s to way lauder than I needed them too, but it wasn't enough power, in my opinion to extract all there was to be had from them.  Now don't get me wrong, the headRoom/650 combo served me well, but it could have been better.

So the M-Stage will drive them just fine, but you wont be getting the best from the 650s.  

Dosen't mean you cant have one heck of listening session though!

After all that I'm not sure I helped

WTF?!!! Do you need to harvest the power of a gamma ray burst to drive the HD650?! How are you meant to keep your headphones from disappearing into the subsequent black hole?!!!

I've just bought the HD650 on impulse hoping to drive it with my Audio-GD Fun. WTF are you guys using to drive these cans?!

My full size HeadRoom Desktop Amp/DAC drives mine well. I don't hear any veil. On high gain at about 1/3 volume is usually all I can take, so there is plenty of room to go.

It uses a 15 volt power supply, i would sure hope that is enough.

A gamma ray burst is ok, but the big bang would be better.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by olor1n 

WTF?!!! Do you need to harvest the power of a gamma ray burst to drive the HD650?! How are you meant to keep your headphones from disappearing into the subsequent black hole?!!!

 

I've just bought the HD650 on impulse hoping to drive it with my Audio-GD Fun. WTF are you guys using to drive these cans?!

my beta22 drives hd650s quite well :]

Quote:

Originally Posted by olor1n 

WTF?!!! Do you need to harvest the power of a gamma ray burst to drive the HD650?! How are you meant to keep your headphones from disappearing into the subsequent black hole?!!!

 

I've just bought the HD650 on impulse hoping to drive it with my Audio-GD Fun. WTF are you guys using to drive these cans?!

LOL

Not very experienced with amps yet (I use a E7/E9 combo now), but seriously guys, if something like a M-Stage isn't going to drive HD650 properly , which amps are consider to do the job prober. (I certainly believe the experienced members and do want to learn)

I'm not talking about getting 100% out of the Senn, but let's say 97 or something.

I'm considering HD600/HD650, need some perspective about how much money a proper but not perse uber amp will cost.
 

You just need something of quality AND quantity.  Both are important.  So something like the Burson HA-160, Woo 6, tube/solid doesn't matter as long as the power and gumption is there.  The M-Stage will be just fine, but as is often the case in this hobby, more can be had with better gear.  Sorry if I started something here, just wanted to make sure things were clear.  I hate it when member bash each other over gear choices, so I hope thats not what I did.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kboe 

A gamma ray burst is ok, but the big bang would be better.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by olor1n 

WTF?!!! Do you need to harvest the power of a gamma ray burst to drive the HD650?! How are you meant to keep your headphones from disappearing into the subsequent black hole?!!!

 

I've just bought the HD650 on impulse hoping to drive it with my Audio-GD Fun. WTF are you guys using to drive these cans?!

They drove my T1 at 500 ohms just fine. That was the amp I owned when I bought the T1. There is no headphone it did not drive. It also drobe the HE5LE i heard plugged into it at 2 different meets. Go for it it is a great amp

Thanks for the reassurance Frank. It's probably a matter of semantics when these sorts of questions are asked, and I suspect there are countless amps that can give the HD650 a workout at this "entry level" price range. Whether an amp has good synergy with the HD650 is another matter. I think it's important to highlight the difference between quantity and quality as kboe stated.

That whole statement is a much better way to say it than I said it. Bravo!
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by olor1n 

Thanks for the reassurance Frank. It's probably a matter of semantics when these sorts of questions are asked, and I suspect there are countless amps that can give the HD650 a workout at this "entry level" price range. Whether an amp has good synergy with the HD650 is another matter. I think it's important to highlight the difference between quantity and quality as kboe stated.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kboe 

You just need something of quality AND quantity.  Both are important.  So something like the Burson HA-160, Woo 6, tube/solid doesn't matter as long as the power and gumption is there.  The M-Stage will be just fine, but as is often the case in this hobby, more can be had with better gear.  Sorry if I started something here, just wanted to make sure things were clear.  I hate it when member bash each other over gear choices, so I hope thats not what I did.

I agree with there is better for sure. The Concerto was a solid SS amp and another that drove both my T1 and LCD2 very well and it was clearly better for the step up in price. My Decware CSP-2 is also a step up over the Matrix and the Concerto and when I add the Taboo with the CSP-2 it will be a major upgrade in both price and sound. its never ending and there is always better.

The thing I liked about the Matrix at 270.00 bucks was at how good it played both high sand low impedance cans. I still think for the money is a screaming bargain and would be at 600.00 and I liked it better than the Gilmore Lite which IMO is bass light. I have never heard it with the 650 but I did with the HD800 and it sounded good.

Those are great reference points Frank I.

I understand, there's always better. And people differ in taste and in how critical they are. I see f.e. a FiiO E9 can drive 300 ohms, but to get the best out of cans like HD650 is another story. I've read enough until now to fully understand that.

What is more difficult in finding your way with these things: is it worth the 300 euro's to buy a 650 when you're not going to spend very much money on a amp, at least, not as much as some of us do here at head-fi.

I'm more like looking for Little Dots (1,2 or 3), Music Fidelity X-Ray v3, Creek obh21 and maybe at tops a M-Stage. On top of that, It would be nice if it drives my SR225, K501 and DT770/80 nicely as well  

So the most basic decision is: do I buy HD600/650's when I know I'm not going to spend more than that on amps the next few years?

Kboe, you didn't start anything I think. Just different people giving different opinions, that's one of the reasons we're here, with all our differences in experience en preference.

Your exactly right Proglover, exactly right.