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Just how much would a better amp improve my HD 650s? - Page 2

post #16 of 156
6/22/12 at 10:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by IEMCrazy View Post

+3 to the above.  Quite a lot!  Like Austin and everyone has said, HD650 responds to every little change and upgrade very well.  Despite the praising of the resolution of some of the higher end cans, the 650 can easily out-resolve anything I ever intend to throw at it, including the rest of my gear! 

...

 

I mention Lyr since that's what my experience in upgrading was, but I've heard great things about the Crack & Crack+Speedball, Valhalla, WA6, and many others. Go with what appeals to you, but do upgrade.  E9 is ok, but you can get a lot more out of those HD650s!

 

I enjoyed reading the above post (didn't want to quote the whole thing). Its nice to hear someone flesh out a little bit of what they mean when they say the HD650 upgrades well. Sometimes, "upgrades well" sounds like "if you're rich, you'll enjoy it more." Yeah, this post shows some fairly expensive steps, but this post read like they were intelligent steps for someone who has already owned the HD650 for five years. 


Edited by imackler - 6/22/12 at 10:47am
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post #17 of 156
6/22/12 at 3:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by disastermouse View Post

Hey all,

 

I've got an iMac-> Music Streamer ii+-> E9.  How much improvement would I notice with a better amp?  And which amp would you recommend that could then upscale to better drive an electrostat?  I'm thinking about the Lyr, of course - but any other suggestions?

 

A fully balanced B22 baby.....

 

650s configured with duel 3-pin XLR connectors > to a fully balanced 4 channel B22 > to a fully balanced DAC.  These birds really can sing.


Edited by preproman - 6/22/12 at 3:49pm
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post #18 of 156
6/22/12 at 6:31pm

HD650 scales up well because to begin with it sounds crappy with crappy amps or ipod, walkman and small cheap portable amps... It sounds harsh because underpowered source can't properly drive them. I use them on Lafigaro 339 and the stock amp was beautiful with HD650. With modded LF339 and some nice tubes, this is killer! The cheap Lyr will do them good!

_DSC2419.jpg
 

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post #19 of 156
6/22/12 at 6:34pm
Thread Starter 

I was set on building a Crack until I learned that if you turn it on with your headphones plugged in, it could blow a channel.  I won't leave a tube amp running and I'm to ADHD to remember to unplug them every time.  So they're out.  I hope the Lyr doesn't do this - I just leave my solid state amp running.

 

Don't I have to build a B22?

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post #20 of 156
6/22/12 at 6:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by disastermouse View Post

I was set on building a Crack until I learned that if you turn it on with your headphones plugged in, it could blow a channel.  I won't leave a tube amp running and I'm to ADHD to remember to unplug them every time.  So they're out.  I hope the Lyr doesn't do this - I just leave my solid state amp running.

 

Don't I have to build a B22?

 

No.  You don't have to.  I just like DIY amps.  Also my GS-1 drives them really good as well.

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post #21 of 156
6/23/12 at 12:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by disastermouse View Post

Hey all,

 

I've got an iMac-> Music Streamer ii+-> E9.  How much improvement would I notice with a better amp?  And which amp would you recommend that could then upscale to better drive an electrostat?  I'm thinking about the Lyr, of course - but any other suggestions?

As the Fiio E9 is solid state, maybe try a tube amplifier, Little Dot MKII or Little Dot MKIII.

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post #22 of 156
6/23/12 at 9:34pm

Hi,

 

I feel the HD600 and HD650 scale well, but they do not improve greatly as many claim. You will notice improvements but they won't be major at all. The biggest improvement would be transparency and bass control. The sound should also sound more expansive and cohesive with better extension and detail. It's never night and day with any headphone, maybe 10%-15% better, sometimes it's even more subtle or not even noticeable.

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post #23 of 156
6/23/12 at 10:13pm
Thread Starter 

What about a Mjolnir with some balanced stock cables?  Any difference there?  I'm thinking in this direction so I can upgrade to orthos later on.

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post #24 of 156
6/23/12 at 10:26pm

Hi,

 

Balancing is not all that much of an improvement over SE. I think balanced is a tad clearer but not much more. You're better off getting a really nice SE amp.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by disastermouse View Post

What about a Mjolnir with some balanced stock cables?  Any difference there?  I'm thinking in this direction so I can upgrade to orthos later on.

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post #25 of 156
6/24/12 at 12:22am
The HD650 goes from midfi to highend with the right amp. Try it on the Woo WA22...cool.gif
However, many would feel they got more VFM with an LCD2 and a cheaper amp. All depends on budget, and how much you like the sound sig. The right amp makes the HD 650 astonishing.
Edited by ardilla - 6/24/12 at 12:25am
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post #26 of 156
6/29/12 at 8:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by disastermouse View Post

Hey all,

 

I've got an iMac-> Music Streamer ii+-> E9.  How much improvement would I notice with a better amp?  And which amp would you recommend that could then upscale to better drive an electrostat?  I'm thinking about the Lyr, of course - but any other suggestions?

 

Hey, look, you answered your own question in another thread:

 

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by disastermouse View Post

Actual music is for the insufficiently equipped.  How can he properly hear the headphones with that foot tapping?  It's unscientific!

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post #27 of 156
6/30/12 at 5:46am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by sphinxvc View Post

 

Hey, look, you answered your own question in another thread:

 

 

You know that was a joke, right?

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post #28 of 156
6/30/12 at 9:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zombie_X View Post

Hi,

 

Balancing is not all that much of an improvement over SE. I think balanced is a tad clearer but not much more. You're better off getting a really nice SE amp.

 

 

 

Well some may not agree fully with this.  I for one found a major difference with my 650's with the duel 3-pin balance XLR cable going into my B22 - More bass, more attack, more open.  

 

Compare to SE into my GS-1 it's not the same.  Maybe it's the power of the B22 now that I think of it.  I guess I would have to listen to them SE into the B22.  But I can't the B22 is balanced onlyconfused_face.gif


Edited by preproman - 6/30/12 at 9:14am
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post #29 of 156
6/30/12 at 10:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by disastermouse View Post

Hey all,

 

I've got an iMac-> Music Streamer ii+-> E9.  How much improvement would I notice with a better amp?  And which amp would you recommend that could then upscale to better drive an electrostat?  I'm thinking about the Lyr, of course - but any other suggestions?

 

 

Much much less than most people on these forums would have you think. With E9 you're already at 95% of what HD650's can do in terms of amplification. You can find threads on this forum (although most of such threads are deleted for obvious reasons) with people doing blind tests between E9 and much more expensive amps and not hearing any difference. 

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post #30 of 156
6/30/12 at 10:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by preproman View Post

 

 

Well some may not agree fully with this.  I for one found a major difference with my 650's with the duel 3-pin balance XLR cable going into my B22 - More bass, more attack, more open.  

 

Compare to SE into my GS-1 it's not the same.  Maybe it's the power of the B22 now that I think of it.  I guess I would have to listen to them SE into the B22.  But I can't the B22 is balanced onlyconfused_face.gif

 

This depends on the different types of amps. Different types of balanced amps may affect the sound more over single ended. My HeadRom Triple Stack improved the soundstage a tad bit, but that was about it, it sounded just as good single ended on the BUDA.

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