tonynewman said:

   
Weak bass and a loss of dynamics. That special texture that the HE6 gives to music is also absent. The sound is 'thin' and anemic.
 
This is exactly how the HE6 sounds from my Taurus - great amp, but it just doesn't have the juice for the HE6.

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What amplifier do you recommend?

torero said:

   
What amplifier do you recommend?

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I really like my modded HE6 from the K1K port on my WA5. That is a big investment in amp + tubes - there are much more cost effective options. Many folks on this forum report great success driving the HE6 directly from the speaker taps of solid state amps.
 
I have tried using the HiFiMan adapter box to drive the HE6 from the speaker taps of the WA5 (8W) and my 845 SET amp (20W) - the K1K port does a better job to my ears, but the 20W SET amp speaker tap output comes close.

tonynewman said:

   
I really like my modded HE6 from the K1K port on my WA5. That is a big investment in amp + tubes - there are much more cost effective options. Many folks on this forum report great success driving the HE6 directly from the speaker taps of solid state amps.
 
I have tried using the HiFiMan adapter box to drive the HE6 from the speaker taps of the WA5 (8W) and my 845 SET amp (20W) - the K1K port does a better job to my ears, but the 20W SET amp speaker tap output comes close.

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Well, after the WA5, every amp should sound rather thin 

clemmaster said:

  Well, after the WA5, every amp should sound rather thin 

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My Triode Corp 845 amp destroys my WA5 when driving the HD800 (both via the speaker taps via the HiFiMan adapter box).
 
This is a huge beast of a SET speaker amp - 45kg of transformer goodness chucking out 20W of audio bliss. Yummy

I wonder why the gap is not as big with the HE-6?  That 845 amp sounds like a beast..

preproman said:

  I wonder why the gap is not as big with the HE-6?  That 845 amp sounds like a beast..

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I think it is the resistors in the adapter box choking the HE6 a little.
 
Running the HE6 from the WA5 using the adapter box requires the gain knob at around the 11 the o'clock / noon position - when using the K1K port I never go much beyond the 9 o'clock position. K1K port on the WA5 sounds better than either amp via the adapter box.
 
Running the HD800 is a no contest - the 845 amp via the adapter box is better than the WA5 via the adapter box which is better than WA5 HPH output.
 
I haven't found the balls yet to try my LCD-X via the adapter box hooked up to either amp. The LCD-X is a very easy to drive headphone with low impedance - mildly paranoid about blowing it up with too much juice. Not something I am keen to try.
 
The HD800 with 20W of class A SET tube goodness behind it is unlike anything else I have heard from a dynamic headphone. More "planar-like" in SQ - quite wonderful to listen to and it weighs nothing compared to my HE6 / LCD-X. SQ of my modded HE6 via the WA5 K1K port is still slightly ahead, but the superior comfort of the HD800 is a big factor for me.

 
I used to be a skeptic when it came to driving headphones from speaker taps - not anymore - this has worked wonders for my HD800.
 
Once I get my solid state power amp I will try hooking up the HE6 directly to the speaker taps and see how that compares to the WA5 K1K port.

I know exactly what you mean about the HD800s.  Yeah that box seems to be the weakest link.  The LCD-3F is a perfect fit for the INT-150, hell so are the HD800s and HE-6.  So I know the HE1000 should be a good fit as well.  
 
I wonder if I started to use other headphones like the TH900 or the ATH-W3000ANV will the INT-150 be too much.  If I go in the closed headphone direction, I guess then I would have to look for a headphone amp for those.

Any recommendations for speaker amps that can drive this that are somewhat easily available? (ideally on Amazon so that I can try it out and return if not liked)
 
The sound I'm trying to get is lush/full but with "bite". I have some LCD-2s that I am trying ATM that don't have that "bite" I'm looking for (as in the distorted guitar bite of hard rock, metal, or even something like Weezer's early stuff) I listen to lots of genres but I'm pickiest with those...

What's your current chain?

tonynewman said:

I think it is the resistors in the adapter box choking the HE6 a little.

Running the HE6 from the WA5 using the adapter box requires the gain knob at around the 11 the o'clock / noon position - when using the K1K port I never go much beyond the 9 o'clock position. K1K port on the WA5 sounds better than either amp via the adapter box.

Running the HD800 is a no contest - the 845 amp via the adapter box is better than the WA5 via the adapter box which is better than WA5 HPH output.

I haven't found the balls yet to try my LCD-X via the adapter box hooked up to either amp. The LCD-X is a very easy to drive headphone with low impedance - mildly paranoid about blowing it up with too much juice. Not something I am keen to try.

The HD800 with 20W of class A SET tube goodness behind it is unlike anything else I have heard from a dynamic headphone. More "planar-like" in SQ - quite wonderful to listen to and it weighs nothing compared to my HE6 / LCD-X. SQ of my modded HE6 via the WA5 K1K port is still slightly ahead, but the superior comfort of the HD800 is a big factor for me.

I used to be a skeptic when it came to driving headphones from speaker taps - not anymore - this has worked wonders for my HD800.

Once I get my solid state power amp I will try hooking up the HE6 directly to the speaker taps and see how that compares to the WA5 K1K port.

Click to expand...

In my experience, it is not the speaker amp per say, it is more the incredible sound quality of some the lower-power amps of yesteryears. It is apparently easier to design a moderately powered amp, SS or tube, using low or no negative feedback and only a small number of gain device operating in regions where they are the most linear.

My best results were with using the speaker outputs of the First Watts M2 and J2, and the Pass Aleph 3, all lower than 30-watt Class-A Amps. All higher-power Class A/AB amps (except for the HK 775) including some by Krell and Treshold, both well respected names, did not do as well apparently due to the necessary compromise required to reach higher power, which is not really needed even by the HE-6. All you need is a pristine sound quality for the first few watts and massive power supply and circuit design capable of delivering the power instantaneously when the music demands it. I have said this in a slightly different context so apologies to many of you who have read it before.

BTW, the HE-6 usually does not need as much as the 25 ohms in series in the box. The HD800 needs a little more with some amps. All you have to do for safety is to reduce the output level from your DAC first and gradually increasing it. I never had any problem with harming the HP, even efficient ones like the HD800 and the TH900.

preproman said:

  What's your current chain?

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Well the only "permanent" member of the chain is the Gungnir DAC (also have Bifrost ATM to compare which I will likely be returning shortly). The headphones arrive today, the amp is the last piece of the puzzle.

noxnoctum said:

  Well the only "permanent" member of the chain is the Gungnir DAC (also have Bifrost ATM to compare which I will likely be returning shortly). The headphones arrive today, the amp is the last piece of the puzzle.

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How much you want to spend on the amp?

preproman said:

   
How much you want to spend on the amp?

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Max ~$1500 give or take some.

The Rag is going to be hard to beat at that price point.

As in Ragnarok correct? Does that qualify as a "speaker amp"?(just asking since so many people in this thread are saying that speaker amps are superior for these cans)

What kind of sound signature does it have with HE-6?

Thanks!