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3 Questions regarding Headphones for Weiss DAC202...

post #1 of 3
3/17/11 at 2:57pm
Thread Starter 

Greetings from Switzerland !

 

I recently bought a Weiss DAC202 - I am lucky enough to live in Switzerland (I'm an expat Englishman) only a few km from Weiss' HQ in Uster so was able to pick them up in person :-)

 

Currently end-to-end rig on/under my computer desk is Mac Pro -> Weiss DAC202 (over FireWire) -> Event Opal monitors. 

 

That's fine for the day time usage, but at night I need to hit the headphones to avoid waking my two young babies and wife !

 

I currently have a quite old pair of DT880s (250 ohm) - though currently on loan to a friend (might get them back in a few weeks - he's evaluating against a pair of Grado's - not sure which model).

 

If I want to step up a level from the DT-880s, then I've compiled a tentative shortlist of the usual suspects:

Audeze LCD-2

Beyerdynamic T1

Grado GS1000i

Grado PS1000

Grado RS1

 

HiFiMan HE-6

 

Sennheiser HD 800

Ultrasone ED8

Ultrasone ED10 (probably a bit more than I'd like to pay if I'm honest)

 
I'm generally listening to various genres of rock, with an very occasional foray into decent pop music and even some classical.
 
 
Q1) Any of the above that I can scrap immediately as not going to work with the Weiss DAC202 ? I did read somewhere that the HE-6 is not a good match due to the Weiss being underpowered ?
 
Q2) What recommendations does the esteemed readership have for me from the above list ?
 
Q3) Can I run suitable headphones in balanced mode ? The Weiss has balanced XLR outputs for speakers but I'm not sure if I could connect up some suitably cabled HD-800 for example ?
 
Thanks in anticipation.
 
PitBull.
 
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post #2 of 3
3/17/11 at 3:35pm

Congratulations on your purchase.  Of the above, I've only had experience with the Weiss DAC202 with LCD-2's.  The combo has a great detailed sound, but may lack a touch on the bottom end.  There's a MOT who comes to the Seattle meets with a Weiss DAC202 and he recently added a WA6 SE as an amp, but I haven't listened to it recently.  If I remember right, directly out of the Weiss the LCD-2 sounded good, but adding an amp gave it better weight.  Someone more technical than I and with experience with the HE-6 will have to chime in if the Weiss is underpowered for it.  Adding an amp would also give you the option of getting an HE-6, as long as you look for an amp that can handle it.

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post #3 of 3
3/17/11 at 5:16pm

 

 

It's underpower to drive the HE6 with weiss202. I used to own the HE6 ,I know how hard to drive them,if it's underpower,(in my case )you will hear a distort sound ,when you go to a high volumn.

 

About the headphones to pair with the Weiss202 without amp,you will have not many choices,some grados,audio technica,denon and ultrasone will be fine here.(80% up from the full potential)

 

About the DT880 and the upgrade, I would say the T1 or the HD800 will be a good upgrade(though they won't give you exactly the same sound,you have from the DT880,but these headphones sound surly better than the DT880),but you will have more problem to use the T1 directly from the weiss202.HD800  with balance recabled can be run quite well through the Weiss202,but they will sound better if you have a dedicate amp. 

 

 

by the way,great to hear you're in switzerland,I've been there many times,cuz my GF lives in Lausanne

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