Best Solid State amp for HD800? - Page 2

LoL...sorry about that.

To my ears, the HA160D is a nice match for the 800's...music sounds effortless and natural. 

To my ears a balanced B22 is the best but I agree that the V200 is great.  Supposably Senn used the v200 when developing but i can't independently verify, just what i have read.  It makes sense though because even though the v200 had great detail, it is very warm sounding that helps with the treble that some complain about.  For the money i go v200-under $1000.

I'll reiterate what previous posters have said about the b22 being an outstanding match with the HD800. The M^3 is another great amp that is close to the b22. I've listened to both side-by-side and if budget is no object the b22 is worth the premium over the M^3. If money is a concern then the M^3 is a worthy alternative.

The B22 (which can vary depending on parts) is probably the end-all in transparency, but with the HD800 can sound quite harsh on a large minority of recordings. That's why I recommend the B22 and P-1u for sonic bliss.

I just procured a used Apache for little under $2000 and it is absolutely stunning(sells for $3k new). I upgraded from a Concerto and it "blows it out of the water". Detail retrieval and soundstage is just unbelievable. If you can find a used Apache it has my highest recommendation.

No, but I have heard a balanced HD800 through it and it was heads and shoulders over any SS amp I've listened to. I haven't auditioned the B22 so I can't make a direct comparison but I'm sure it's on the same playing field.

I like the Lehmann Audio Black Cube Linear.  I like it so much I bought two.  one in black and one in silver.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmWPZhOpFRw

 

 

To me it sounds harsh and bright. Awful combo :S 

You should try dark to warm SS amps for the 800, or maybe even tubes.

I am not a fan of that combo either.

 

 

Edited by DjAmTraX - 1/2/12 at 7:14am

Well I like how tubes sound with my HD800, but I think the BCL sounds pretty great with it too. The luxman is maybe a bit better,

http://ecpaudio.com/DSHA1.shtml

 

If your looking for a TOTL around $2000 solid state you should consider the dsha1. I have a custom version of one which I love with my Grado hp1000 and plan on checking out with  some hd800's soon, others who have heard them at meets have commented positively.

 

The amp offers some nice features completely unique from other options. The transformer coupling allows balanced and unbalanced usage, as well as excellent noise and grounding characteristics. The best feature is the ability to modify the output impedance, which can have a huge effect on the tonal balance of the hd800.  By changing the output impedance, you influence the overall damping factor on the headphone - I believe the apparent brighter tonal balance can be attributed to having too high of a damping factor, and by switching to a higher output impedance may be what the hd800 truly needs.

 

Regardless, I would recommend paying attention to the output impedance of any amp you are considering for the 800.  The sound of the 800 makes me believe that the internal damping of the headphone is very high, meaning less damping factor is needed from the headphone amp.