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Best High-End Amp for the Hd650 - Page 2

post #16 of 30
1/12/13 at 9:13am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by OldSkool View Post

Man, I wish I could suggest something. If Dubstep Girl recommends the WA-6SE, check it out...I trust her ears.

 

FWIW, although I love my Lyr driving the 650's, I fully understand wanting to buy the right amp the first time, to avoid upgraditus. biggrin.gif
 


Thank you for the reply.

 

I know, and her tastes seem to match mine in many ways. But I cannot "check it out". That means that I have to buy it and sell it if I don't like it...

 

Now I could just shop for an used zana deux and be done with it, but the price is often prohibitive.. And it's not like they grow on trees, it can take a while before someone decides to sell it..

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post #17 of 30
1/12/13 at 11:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by customcoco View Post


Thank you for the reply.

 

I know, and her tastes seem to match mine in many ways. But I cannot "check it out". That means that I have to buy it and sell it if I don't like it...

 

Now I could just shop for an used zana deux and be done with it, but the price is often prohibitive.. And it's not like they grow on trees, it can take a while before someone decides to sell it..

 

its very hard not to like the 650 + WA6-SE (in fact, it sounds even better than the often recommended WA2 OTL amp, which can come across as too thick with the 650s)

 

with the right tubes (sophia or usaf-596 +6ew7 or other good power tube), the hd 650s will sound fantastic. they respond very well to upgrades and the WA6-SE seems to add some much needed soundstage, openness, and energy to the senns. overall, they can keep up with faster music and less of a closed in/congested sound to the 650s. i'm sure theres better options out there, but its hard to say how much of an improvement you'd see with something more expensive.

 

you could even get a WA6 to save money and still be very happy with that setup, though the WA6-SE is a much better amp.

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post #18 of 30
1/12/13 at 9:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by carlchip78 View Post

My 650's sound awesome out of a WA6SE.

 

Absolutely - outstanding with the WA6SEm!   

 

But... also great with the Burson Soloist - superb!  

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post #19 of 30
1/13/13 at 8:22am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dubstep Girl View Post

 

 I'm sure theres better options out there, but its hard to say how much of an improvement you'd see with something more expensive.

 

 

Thanks for the reply, the WA6SE is now definitely on my list... beerchug.gif

 

But, you know, I want to quit this place. Audio has become an obsession for me lately and I don't like that. I've found out that the Hd650 are the only headphones that could satisfy me and I want to amp them to the best of their capabilities. I've never heard the WA6SE so I cannot comment on their sq, but I've heard the Zana and I know that it sounds spectacular with the senns.

 

I want to be able to think : "You've bought the best equipment you could afford now move on, go find another hobby." That doesn't mean that I need high end equipment to enjoy music (I'm listening to Bach's mass in b minor through my imac's speakers as I write this... and I enjoy it immensely), but I need the best equipment I can afford to quit this place and to focus on other parts of my life.

 

But I don't want to sound like a dick, I took your advices into consideration and I may very well end up with the Woo. thanks a lot.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gradofan2 View Post

 

Absolutely - outstanding with the WA6SEm!   

 

But... also great with the Burson Soloist - superb!  

Thanks for the comment, I'll read more about the burson.

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post #20 of 30
1/13/13 at 8:45am

if you wanna take the SS route, the soloist seems to be well received on head-fi, right on par with the woo amps.

 

just depends on the sound you want from the senns. remember tube rolling can also let u further change the sound (on the WA6-SE, the sophia or  596 rectifiers can really change the amp significantly)

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post #21 of 30
1/13/13 at 9:00am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dubstep Girl View Post

if you wanna take the SS route, the soloist seems to be well received on head-fi, right on par with the woo amps.

 

just depends on the sound you want from the senns. remember tube rolling can also let u further change the sound (on the WA6-SE, the sophia or  596 rectifiers can really change the amp significantly)


Yeah, but I'm heading toward tubes more and more these days..

 

I want them to sound as clear as possible, without altering their overall tonality, and to increase their soundstage quality (depth, width, imaging etc...)

 

Thanks again.

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post #22 of 30
1/13/13 at 9:01am

I run my HD-650 from a Darkvoice 337se and it sounds fantastic.  I am so infatuated with the sound, I have a tough time deciding between this and my LCD-2/Mjolnir combo.  The LaFigaro 339 has also been a popular choice as it is pretty much the same amp as the Darkvoice.

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post #23 of 30
1/14/13 at 5:33am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by pelli View Post

I run my HD-650 from a Darkvoice 337se and it sounds fantastic.  I am so infatuated with the sound, I have a tough time deciding between this and my LCD-2/Mjolnir combo.  The LaFigaro 339 has also been a popular choice as it is pretty much the same amp as the Darkvoice.


Thanks for the input, how does the hd650 sound with your mjolnir?

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post #24 of 30
1/14/13 at 6:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by customcoco View Post


Thanks for the input, how does the hd650 sound with your mjolnir?

I'm waiting on a balanced cable so I have not had a chance to listen yet.  I'll chime in when I get it, but it may be a couple weeks.

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post #25 of 30
1/21/13 at 6:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by customcoco View Post

@ compuryan :

Did you feel like the zana was technically on par with the beta22 ?

Yes, more or less. The four-board fully balanced beta 22 I heard had a little better separation/detail than the zana, but that may be because it was balanced. A standard two-channel beta 22 might be more on par with the zana. Can't really go wrong with either amplifier

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post #26 of 30
1/22/13 at 2:34pm

I can't believe no one here has mentioned the Bottlehead Crack (w/Speedball upgrade and if your willing DIY or get it build by Bottlehead). The Bottlehead Crack with speedball blows the WA6SE/WA22 and all the Burson's easily with the HD650. You can't go wrong with the Crack + HD580/600/650/800 combo unless you move up to $2k+ headphone amp's. Also second the B22 recommendation as well but again it's DIY but a basic channel will be around less than $1k depending on how exquisite you want the amp to be the sky is the limit. 

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post #27 of 30
1/22/13 at 3:21pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by compuryan View Post

Yes, more or less. The four-board fully balanced beta 22 I heard had a little better separation/detail than the zana, but that may be because it was balanced. A standard two-channel beta 22 might be more on par with the zana. Can't really go wrong with either amplifier

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by DefQon View Post

I can't believe no one here has mentioned the Bottlehead Crack (w/Speedball upgrade and if your willing DIY or get it build by Bottlehead). The Bottlehead Crack with speedball blows the WA6SE/WA22 and all the Burson's easily with the HD650. You can't go wrong with the Crack + HD580/600/650/800 combo unless you move up to $2k+ headphone amp's. Also second the B22 recommendation as well but again it's DIY but a basic channel will be around less than $1k depending on how exquisite you want the amp to be the sky is the limit. 

Thanks to both of you for your replies.

 

I'm pretty busy atm, but I'll think about it.

 

Thanks again

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post #28 of 30
1/22/13 at 3:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DefQon View Post

I can't believe no one here has mentioned the Bottlehead Crack (w/Speedball upgrade and if your willing DIY or get it build by Bottlehead). The Bottlehead Crack with speedball blows the WA6SE/WA22 and all the Burson's easily with the HD650. You can't go wrong with the Crack + HD580/600/650/800 combo unless you move up to $2k+ headphone amp's. Also second the B22 recommendation as well but again it's DIY but a basic channel will be around less than $1k depending on how exquisite you want the amp to be the sky is the limit. 

 

what about the WA2?

 

and how can the crack beat the WA6-SE, even the WA22? 


Edited by Dubstep Girl - 1/22/13 at 8:46pm
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post #29 of 30
1/22/13 at 8:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DefQon View Post

I can't believe no one here has mentioned the Bottlehead Crack (w/Speedball upgrade and if your willing DIY or get it build by Bottlehead). The Bottlehead Crack with speedball blows the WA6SE/WA22 and all the Burson's easily with the HD650. You can't go wrong with the Crack + HD580/600/650/800 combo unless you move up to $2k+ headphone amp's.

 

I guess you are talking based on price/performance ratio? 

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post #30 of 30
1/22/13 at 9:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fabio-fi View Post

 

I guess you are talking based on price/performance ratio? 

Nope just sound, but price/performance ratio can also be justified I guess now that you've brought it up. But keep in mind a fully upgraded Bottlehead Crack w/Speedball with a good set of 6AS7 and 12AU7 tubes can run up to $1000 so it's not really that far off the price of the WA6SE. But seriously the WA6SE and the WA22 + any of the high impedence Sennheiser's is like having sex with a hot model, but an upgraded Crack + the Senn's is like having a threesome with 2 hot models. I don't know about you but I trust my ear's enough and I know which I'd prefer. 


Edited by DefQon - 1/22/13 at 9:51pm
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