I use my HD800 with my iDecco almost daily and I absolutely love it.  Many Headfiers want their components separated, not integrated, so they can tinker with nuances in sound more.  I'm sure there are amps (my Lehmann BCL) than can drive my HD800s closer to their limit, or potential, but I have to listen VERY intently to hear that difference.  The extra expense of owning both components just seems like a low value proposition - to me.

Why are you considering the iNova/iDecco instead the 160D? do you want more functionalities?  

U might also want to consider one of the woo amps like the wa2 with an external dac as the woo stuff are great with the hd800s

Quote:

Originally Posted by Candy2407 

iNova, iDecco by Peachtree audio, are these products good with the HD 800 ? Can anyone tell me if they are worth the price and if they can be a good match for the 800 ? I just came across their website and i didn't really understand how they will perform with my headphones. Pros & cons ? Why not use this as an amp/dac (even an ipod dock) instead of something like a Burson 160D, which i was planning to buy, BTW. Please help ?

The HD 800 is a superb unit but the old GIGO applies here as everywhere else.  If your source is up to it then it is worth extending the budget to get a top DAC/head amp combo.  For some time I used a modded (by Empirical Audio) Benchmark DAC1 and doubted the audio could be better but I was wrong.  Seduced by the specs and comments + a guarantee of refund if not satisfied, I purchased a NuForce DAC9.  I was taken aback by the improvement in audio quality. There was more air to the instruments and greater musicality.

I have read crits of the HD 800 lacking bottom end, not being kind in the upper regions, ... - nonsense.  That is not a reflection of the HD 800 at all but a crit of the signal quality being fed in. 

Bottom line, I'm a VERY happy camper and rarely listen to music via amps & speakers these days.  If you have spent a 4 figure sum on the HD 800, expect to spend this sort of money on the DAC/amp if you want to hear what those headphones can really reproduce.

John

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tassie Devil 

The HD 800 is a superb unit but the old GIGO applies here as everywhere else.  If your source is up to it then it is worth extending the budget to get a top DAC/head amp combo.  For some time I used a modded (by Empirical Audio) Benchmark DAC1 and doubted the audio could be better but I was wrong.  Seduced by the specs and comments + a guarantee of refund if not satisfied, I purchased a NuForce DAC9.  I was taken aback by the improvement in audio quality. There was more air to the instruments and greater musicality.

 

I have read crits of the HD 800 lacking bottom end, not being kind in the upper regions, ... - nonsense.  That is not a reflection of the HD 800 at all but a crit of the signal quality being fed in. 

 

Bottom line, I'm a VERY happy camper and rarely listen to music via amps & speakers these days.  If you have spent a 4 figure sum on the HD 800, expect to spend this sort of money on the DAC/amp if you want to hear what those headphones can really reproduce.

 

John

 

POSTSCRIPT:  Review of the DAC 9 -

http://www.head-fi.org/t/566908/review-of-the-nuforce-dac-9-coupled-to-sennheiser-hd800-headphones-with-warren-balanced-cablinghttp://www.head-fi.org/t/566908/review-of-the-nuforce-dac-9-coupled-to-sennheiser-hd800-headphones-with-warren-balanced-cablinghttp://www.head-fi.org/t/566908/review-of-the-nuforce-dac-9-coupled-to-sennheiser-hd800-headphones-with-warren-balanced-cablinghttp://www.head-fi.org/t/566908/review-of-the-nuforce-dac-9-coupled-to-sennheiser-hd800-headphones-with-warren-balanced-cabling