Budget amp for Shure 840

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiggy 

Guys,

 

I just purchased the Shure 840 to replace my Grado SR80's. Looking for a full size home headphone amp that will compliment the 840 at a budget price? I listen on to classical and instrumental gospel, need 3-4 choices to choose from.

 

Thanks,

Wiggy

 You really won't need much there ~ unless you already have a decent soundcard, you might want to clean

 up your source so that your tunes are being decoded as cleanly as possible.

 Nuforce uDAC-2 or Fiio E10 ~ plug and play USB tiny DAC/amp.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiggy 

I'll be listening through a stereo system, not into computer based music.

 

Wig

 What is your integrated amp? It's most likely overkill for either of those headphones as is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiggy 

I'm actually using a modified Sony 5400ES Modwright CD Player that has a headphone jack. Player is on the bottom of picture:

 Nice setup - tube stage and all. Have you compared the 840/SR80i performance between let's say a portable

 player and this current setup? ~ surely this sounds a lot nicer.

 If you still want a proper head amp and you think that you might want to upgrade to another headphone

 down the track then I recommend a second hand Woo Audio 6 - (sticking with tubes and all)

 It's a beautiful, point to point wired American made amp. Drives pretty much everything you can think of.

Srh840 doesn't need an amp. I own them and they run fine out of an iphone.

they don't need one but i always prefered their sound out of some kind of amp.

i wouldn't spend much on an amp for them though.

in fact that sony in the picture is quite suffecient.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiggy 
Guys,

I just purchased the Shure 840 to replace my Grado SR80's. Looking for a full size home headphone amp that will compliment the 840 at a budget price? I listen on to classical and instrumental gospel, need 3-4 choices to choose from.

Thanks,

Wiggy

What do you consider a budget price?

Fiio E9.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiggy 

Guys,

 

Would Hifiman EF2A drive my Shure 840 or Grado SR80's?

 

Thanks,

Wiggy

 Absolutely ~ remember a full sized Apple Classic is more than ample for either of those two headphones, they're designed to be driven off just

 about anything. Had an acquaintance of mine who was very happy with his EF2A and Alessandro MS1 which is pretty positive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiggy 

Gwarmi,

 

Doing tons of reading on amps and like Fourbier HT1, Schitt Valhalla and Woo Audio 3 or 6 but hear the Fournier HT1 is hard to beat at $179, so I might get that over the HF2.

What do you think?

 

Thanks,

Wiggy

  Wow ok another US made tube amp yet to make it to Aussie shores 

  Never heard it so I cannot offer up much advice with the HT1 ~ the others though are a matter of preference but I've never been a fan of the

  Schitt sound.

  Are these the specs you're seeing on the HT1?

  35 Ohm Output Impedance

  50mW Output Power into 30 to 300 Ohms

 Bit of a worry for future headphones if those specs are true. 50mW means it's no powerhouse but more what is more of a worry is

 the output impedance of 35ohms, this will play havoc with the 840's frequency response. Anyone who has used the Fiio E9's 43ohm

 output 3.5mm jack with most $200-ish headphones will attest that it sounds pretty crappo.