Tube Amp for DT990/600?

Hey Head-Fi,

I realize this question has been asked many times before - doing my research ahead of time before asking about this has yielded that answer. However, like the majority of threads out there asking for which amp is best for a certain pair of cans, they only talk about driving them and not how different amps will change the sound.

I know suggestions for the DT990/600 are typically the Schiit Valhalla, Little Dot Mk III, M-Stage, some Dark Voice amp, Phenix G3 - but the only thing that's been established with these amps is that they are capable of driving them.

My question is which amp, listed above or not, will do the following to the DT990s:

- Tames the highs - soften is the right word here? (I found them to be a little too sharp, fatiguing)
- Brings out the mids, if I remember correctly they were slightly recessed
- Brings out vocals and acoustic detail (I love hearing the texture of strings)
- Tighter, punchier bass

Music genres I listen to: ranges from classical to dubstep, however I listen to the dubstep end of the spectrum more than the classical!

My budget is up to $325.

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mosshorn 

I have the exact same cans as you, and I can say after extensive researching, I've decided on the Bottlehead Crack. I don't know about you, but getting to build it myself adds a lot of meaning to it. Also, I've heard that it has amazing synergy with the 990's. If you don't want the DIY route, I would probably say look to the Little Dot MKIII or MKIV. 

 

 

 

But my price range is a little lower than yours, so YMMV.

Building it yourself also means there a little bias as well, haha! But how does it sound once it is amped? I might look into that but the last time I put anything together myself I didn't have much faith in it.

EDIT: Just looked at these on the site and it seems like a fun project. Very positive reviews and great price. Some even prefer it to the LD Mk III. While it might not be as pretty sitting on your desk, it definitely seems cool to be able to say that you put it together.

Also, I just found another thread exactly like this that points to either the LD Mk III or Crack, my bad! I'll be looking at both of these and make a purchase depending on which I can get for less.

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ultrainferno 

So you actually want to change the characteristics (highs-mids-bass) of your DT990 by getting another amp? Why not change to another headphone?

I think the changes I'm expecting from an amp aren't too significant, are they? Even if they are, I still love the DT990s either way!

Too late, I've ordered a Bottlehead Crack kit but I did look into the Mavericks and found conflicting thoughts about them. I hope I made the right choice!

Quote:

Originally Posted by villageidiot 

I too have a dt 990/600 and share the exact same sentiments about it's weaknesses (although I still think they sound frickin' awesome!) and would love to hear about the SQ once you're done. Coming from someone who has never owned a tube amp and never even indulged in a single DIY project - I am definitely looking at a crack tube amp (definitely looks fun to build) to power these babies and would love to hear your thoughts when you're done building it, such as the difficulty of the project, the tubes used and most importantly the SQ.

I will most likely be using the stock tubes supplied with the amp, I'm a novice when it comes to tube rolling, and not to mention, DIY projects. I don't own all the tools that are required for the build, which is going to set me back a little more than I wanted but I guess it's expected when assembling an electronic. A full list of required and recommended tools can be seen here: http://www.bottlehead.com/smf/index.php/topic,173.0.html . It's definitely worth a peek to get an idea of the difficulty of the project. I can already tell I'm going to have a hard time soldering.

Just like you, I think the DT990s sound amazing as is, unamped out of my Mac and "amped" out of my Auzentech Forte card. I can't imagine what it's going to sound like when the Crack is done!

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishsammy 

Congrats!  I've heard the Crack is definitely a good choice for the beyers.  I'm also intrested to hear what your impressions are of the sound/build difficulty/etc.  I'm thinking of getting one myself for a bedside rig...

Bedside, you say? Haha, the pictures on the site are a little deceiving. The amp is actually pretty large - 11" long and 7" wide. Don't remember the height, though.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azsamael 

I just bought a DT990/600, and I only have a Fiio E7, and that is just not good enough to drive these. Everything sounds recessed even at full volume.

 

I was thinking of a Schiit Lyr or Valhalla paired with a Music Hall DAC 25.3 or the Bifrost.

 

But definitely let us know how it goes.

Have you heard them properly amped before? I'd like to know ahead of time what I should expect to hear, but maybe expectations are bad to have with these kind of subjective things...
 

I started the build today and spent around 6-8 hours on it. So far, nothing too difficult. There's a lot of measuring, wire cutting, and some screwing at the beginning, but it's all pretty easy for anyone to do. The hard part is when you start soldering and there's a lot of cables in the way of your joint, so having a small soldering tip, steady hands, and maybe even a helping hand is a plus. So far, I estimate that I'm about 75% done. You can definitely get this done during a weekend with a minimal amount of tools, but apart from the obvious tools, you'll definitely want a set of small needle nose pliers, they're handy when you need to hold up a small wire while soldering.

I'll comment on the sound when it's done!