Amp/dac for disappointed HD800 owner - Page 5

I'm in the same situation as the OP. Icon HDP just doesn't sound right with HD800. Maybe it's the recording style as someone said, I haven't tested enough.

 

Try a Little Dot

 

http://www.littledot.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=815&sid=567cdc8e602e089588d9107b94e6d9f5

A Zana Deux would be sweet. An old Singlepower Supra would too.

Forgot to say I got a DNA Stratus on the way, now it shouldn't take too long to get it, it finally got clearance of my stupid country's customs :)

Guess that problem will be solved. :)

I just wanted to point out that the hdp is not a good match for the hd800, to my ears.
 

but read through a lot of the posts here...
Being very new to high end amps/dacs I'm a bit lost.
I tried the HD800 at a show from the WA2 or 22 and with another amp I didn't recognize or ask the name of. The woo of course was a tube amp and the second one was a SS amp.
With both setups I really enjoyed the HD800. If I had to pick a winner, I think I enjoyed the woo amp more. Though, it's not a fair fight because I only got to try the HD800 with that SS amp in a very noisy area and not to mention it may cost a fraction of the price.

I will be getting a pair of HD800 soon from a trade and was wondering what a good budget dac+amp combo would be. Currently I'm just using my fiio e17 with my Q701 at home.
The reason I'm getting the HD800 now is because it's a deal I can't really pass on.
The WA22 is a bit out of my budget right now... I was hoping to get a combo for under $800 that would last me until I can upgrade to something nicer for the hd800.

I saw a bunch of names being thrown around such as the burson, WA6se, WA22, Ray Samuel amps, beta 22 but they all seem out of my current budget.
Can anyone give me some guidance?

One option is to use your E17 as DAC and output to an Objective2 until you have the cash for a balanced DAC and WA22.

 

i think this is a good idea. Keep the E17 as a DAC for now and focus on just an amp that can meet your budget. Either an O2 as a temporary measure or something that you think you could keep for longer if you don’t plan on getting the WA22 later on. Maybe the Burson HA160. 

 

Another thing you could do at the same time is replace the E17 DAC with the Objective ODAC, if you know you’ll be getting a decent desktop amp and don’t need the E17 amp portion. The ODAC measure very well and some people here who have some experience with good DACs say it holds up very well.

So do you think the ODAC+O2 combo would work as a budget start?
A new odac+o2 combo system is about $300 which could lead to an earlier end game amp later on.

i had good results from a hybrid tube amp..the hisoundaudio EF5...:P

gave the hd800 more organic highs, and fuller lower ends.

 

My thoughts are this:  Look at the WA6 for now.  It's a great entry level amp that will drive the HD 800 fine, and it will even sound impressive with upgraded tubes.  The reason I say WA6 is that when you're ready to move up, someone will take the WA6 off your hands for not much less than you paid for it.  Resale is a big consideration, if you're planning to upgrade.  There are other amps to consider, no doubt, but I doubt they will resale as highly as the Woo in that range (worth checking out Schiit, too, I suppose).  But I know the Woo and with good tubes you will have a workable solution that sounds good today, that won't have you sucking air when you go to sell.  Wait a few weeks and you might buy mine.  I'm thinking of getting into a WA6SE or better. 

 

 

Do your research - Price per performance = 

 

http://www.littledot.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=831&sid=a9109546ca0d60f31df831d751210d16

only one I've tried with it is the WA2 and to be it does the job.

 

Yeah, it should work. Heck, I drove the HD800 out of a Fiio E10 for a couple hours and it didn’t sound awful (sounded quite nice, but lacking in the bass). You may already be thinking this, but I suggest getting the O2 and ODAC as separate boxes so that it’s easy to upgrade the amp and keep the DAC in place till you consider upgrading that at a later date.

Thanks for the info guys xD
I guess I'll look into the O2, wa6 and mk6
Though the price differences are significant... It also depends if I can get it up to canada for a reasonable price.

O2 is cheap enough but doesn't do the HD800 justice and won't pair well.  Might as well get a SA5000, 940/1840 or T1 and pocket the difference.  Sure some people like the HD800 sound w/ cheaper gear, even a laptop HO but you aren't remotely hearing what they can do at that point so why bother.