maro73
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2014
- Posts
- 44
- Likes
- 15
Hello Folks
I have been through some very nice listening session for about a week or so
Curiosity led me to go to the headphone route , and bought a HD650 to me a while ago
I had sporadic listening, till I started to do paperwork at home at night.
The HD650 fitted the bill with the Eximus as headphone as, the CAPS Zuma(Jriver) and Auralic Aries as renderers
Upgrading disease or curiosity led me to buy a HD 800 .. and my wores started all over again
Finding the sound that gave music to possibility to fulfill my quest for aural pleasure was , and is the high hurdle for the dwarf.
I do accept my natural interest for new aluminium boxes or new gadgets…but I also think that this hobby is to search for some pleasure , albeit being visual or aural .. or both
Back to the subject : my helpers and sources were
What was my concern with the HD650 ?
Too much bass, not so clear
What was I expecting?
As usual : some extraordinary product that could yield some aural nirvana
What is the thing not to do in HIFI ?
Buying for the sake of a deal , and not considering the sound BEFORE all … I did that !!
So I had the HD 800 and started listening to the HD 800 via the Eximus DAC , and using the Auralic and the CAPS Zuma … Trouble started
And I started with the Eximus, had a brief spell with the Sennheiser HDVA 600 (loaned from a dealer) and ended up with the CHORD Hugo and the VIOLECTRIC V281 .
A “review” of all these seems fair .Considering the time I spent reading and discussing , I think that it’s worth dropping a few lines regarding my findings
Questions which have troubled me :
Gears used :
Eximus DP 1
re Amp + Heaphone Amp + DAC
Chord Hugo : Headphone amplifier and DAC
DDDAC : A nos DAC , from the DIY world
Auralic Aries : Bridge / Renderer from Auralic , used in the USB output mode
HD 800 : Unbalanced with ADL cables
HD 650
OPUS 1
How good is the Chord Hugo vs the Eximus DP 1 regarding the amplification of HD800 ?
Test tracks :
What has hinders me in the past with the HD 800 is the sensation that it is bright, as least I described it as such.
EXIMUS DP 1
The Eximus delivers quite well on bassy tracks, never being able to give a bloomy bass like with the HD650. The imaging is good, with big soundstage and proper instrument separation. Piano on Agnes Obel’s song seems realistic, as such to say that timbre is quite respected. Despite the HD 800 being quite bright , Nils Lofgren has never been a problem to listen to
However , the Gossip song , followed by the Sia – Chandelier has been a pain in the bottom of my body , and very difficult to listen to at louder volume ..I’d say unbearable
Enters the Chord Hugo :
First impressions : Solid build up , FEW OPTICAL CABLES can go inside , MicroUSB is the entry
Second impression : Light it up and take your time to read the manual : code colors etc .. awful learning curve
Installation : The Aries recognizes it automatically
The sound :
Bigest differences : Imaging and sound stage , totally different , to the point of having the illusion of Ella Fitzerald on the scene. There is no rough sibilance on the voice of Louis Armstrong (no sibilance on the Eximus neither)
Bass is good , and to my ears ressembling that of the Eximus.
Is Gossip or Sia bearable : I’m afraid no .. horrible as with the Eximus
Conclusions so far
Chord Hugo retails at 1200-1400 pounds
Eximus is a £2100 DAC with analogue preamp
I would definitely not switch one for the other REGARDING sound on The HD 800 (not discussing the portability issue of the dac)
The Hugo appears to be an analytical without being bright as such , and probably a little detailed compared to the Eximus.
OPUS 4
Chord Hugo ‘s big advantage is it’s portability
I tried the Hugo with the Ipad mini retina , with Flac player (8 euros app)
MIND you that you’ll have to invest £25 in a lighting to USB camera kit to use it with the USB cord furnished with the Hugo
Same music , and transferred to the Ipad app
JUST go FOR it … is the Ipad THAT GOOD .. well music was delivered in a terrific manner. But , please get my point, in the sense that I am not saying that it is better than the Aries .. just stating that I am really surprised that I’ll be able to use the Ipad mini as a player
No straight comparisons have been made , but I just listened to music and let it flow , and just appreciating the moment.
The Hugo excels in clarity , soundstage .. (I’m bad with words for sound) , and its naturalness surprises me. I cannot say that it is a harsh DAC , because the Gossip and SIA songs have been unbearable in any other system, as it is here too. But it remains detailed and very nice to listen to.
Verdict : FANTASTIC value of the Chord Hugo for its portable use
OPUS 3
OPUS 3 : DAC shoot out
Violectric is plugged via RCA to
1. DDDAC (2 settings : Sowter transformer and Capacitor output)
2. Eximus DP 1 : RCA out to RCA in of V281
3. Chord Hugo : same configuration , Crossfeed at 0
Auralic Aries : USB out put to each DAC
How is the DDDAC ?
1. Output via Sowter : surprisingly detailed , and good bass response : The tracks from SIA & Gossip are still simply horrible , as with anything at my home . The Violectric is set to the 12 oclock on the Volume
2. Output via Mundorf capacitors : My goodness .. I have described the sound as dry in the past .. but on the headphone setup , the surprise is earblowing . Great detail , no harshness , no muddy impressions , simply crystal clear , and mind you that the sennheisers can be too much ... but in this case , it is not
Is the Violectric that good or is the DDDAC very very good ?
How is the EXIMUS DP1 ?
Well , for quick description , I'd say very nice to listen to , clearly better than using it as DAC + Headamp
But , I am used to details now , and seems polished , lacking the details .. but the Sennheiser's appetite to deliver the accurate sound seems to fade a bit ..
Very good for some casual listening , the HD800 losing all what I criticised. (the Gossip & SIA are still unbearable).
How is the Chord DP 1 as a DAC ?
It itches me to say that it terrific ... simply ear blowing .. pages are there on the web .. and really fantastic DAC
OPUS 2
LIST OF AMPS PROPOSED FOR HD800 from loads of websites :
(from other websites , not my comments , but nice to point out the alternatives for amplification of the HD800) : Compilation of posts :
Schiit Vali - Extremely resolving for price. Tube wetness. Hint of warmth in bass. Smooth neutral / slightly bright treble. Tends to impart a certain quality to timbre, but not I’m gonna bitch for $120. I use it myself. At the time it was released (before the version 2 Schiit amps), it was better than most of the other Schiit amps. Tube microphonics can be an issue. If it’s bad, exchange it. That’s probably why it isn’t $99.
Matrix mStage - Warmish solid state if input caps are left in place. If you DAC’s offset is zero, you can remove the caps and direct couple for more clarity and a less warm sound. Lacks resolution and microdynamics compared to better brethren. Set at high gain. Consider resistor mods to push op-amps into cheesy class A.
Schiit Valhalla 2 - Probably top third of this list in terms of SQ. Yes, that's how good it is. Fast, clear, resolving - more than holds its own compared to Crack. Not as warm though and tends toward neutral presentation. Does not work nearly as well with low Z or low sensitivity orthodynamic headphones. Best to stick with high Z Senns or Beyers. Not an insult to Schiit or Eddie Current, but someone made an Eddie Current amp for $349. Anaxilus Mods preferred with Valhalla.
Bottlehead Crack - Must have the speedball upgrade for use with HD800. Warm (but again tubes play role). The 120 ohm output impedance could be a bit too much for the HD800. Not resolving and controlled enough compared to the best here to take full advantage of the HD800 capabilities, but a good value proposition especially if you can DIY and add tweaks to your own build. Most owners say it pairs better with the less demanding HD6XX series.
EC Super 7 (available used only) - Bassy and thicker. Darker sounding the most stuff here. Balance can vary though quite a bit depending upon tubes. Can mix and match 6SN7s for an almost infinite variety of textures, timbres, tonal balances. Great slam and microdynamics. Very good resolution, at least with the versions with the ElectraPrint transformers. S7’s have been modified for better clarity and less thickness.
Luxman P1u (available used only) - basically sounds like a ECZD lite. Slightly more veiled, slightly less fast, but just a euphonic in a no hassle solid-state package. The P1u sounds dated – it’s less technically competent than most other amps in list now. But again, how you can get that luxurious ECZD sound in a solid-state package?
Bryston BHA-1 - Delineated treble attacks, but actually works well with HD800. Neutral sound. Some reports of MOSFETS getting hot resulting in bass mud galore. Recommended if you live in a cool climate. Do not stack on top of anything else and make sure there is good circulation. This amp does not like heat. Good staging for solid-state compliments HD800. Flatter than the better amps, but if you want solid state, one of few choices.
DNA Sonnett 2 - Has the DNA house sound with inner warmth, intimacy, immediacy. Improvement in clarity and resolution over the Sonnett 1. Basically sounds like the Stratus but without the DHTs - that last bit of microdynamics, separation, and staging. HD800s out of the box work with Sonnett 2 without mods of any sort.
HDVD600 / 800 - A very refined sound (HD800 is smooth with this amp), but lacks the slam the better amps have. Balanced mode a must for staging, layering, separation, openness. Not an exceptional amp, but very solid choice considering price, the amp circuitry to impart its own sound which allows the benefit of using a variety of sources while maintaining synergy with the HD800. This can either be a good thing, or a bad thing.
Schiit Ragnarok – Best solid-state amp in headphonia and is capable of competing with the great tube amps. Highly resolving and must be careful with source. With the right pieces in place, the smoothest sounding amp, solid-state or tube I have ever heard. And with solid-state cleanness, clarity, and tautness.Best solid-state amp for HD800 period.
ECP DSHA-1 - Solid-state but not solid-state sounding amp. Not tubey sounding, but has treble characteristics akin to tubes. Against the big boy amps, just a tiny notch below in terms of explosiveness, resolution, microdynamics, clarity. (Honestly, I don’t think most people would notice.) One of the best sounding solid-state solutions. Works well with Joe and John Grados too.
EC ZDSE - Euphonic sounding amp. Luxurious ride in a Mercedes. Slightly veiled when compared to the big boy stuff. Very good stage. Warm and euphonic. Ironically, treble is the sharpest (just sharp, not nasty) of all EC amps; but all other EC amps tend to sound "not bright". I've noticed most ZDSE owners have a thick copper cable with HD800. The older ZD (non-SEs) had better caps and were less veiled sounding. Keep the SE version at 12 ohms output impedance. It sounds best that way.
DNA Stratus - Slightly wet sound. Latest version and upgrades is an improvement all- around with better bass articulation, staging, blackness, etc. Intimate sounding and actually good with cheap Chinese tubes (my personal preference would be probably be the more solid-state sounding EML Mesh or Psvane Replica WR275, but many like the big bottle Shuguang 2A3s for a lusher presentation). Works straight out of box with HD800, although with latest upgrades, more care must be taken with source. Beyers, TH900, D7000, and many other dynamics also work really well with the Stratus.
Cavalli LG – Only as good as the tubes used. HD800 sounded great with rare vintage Mullard CV-181s. I haven’t even begun to explore the tubes this amp can use. The LG has the Cavalli trademark smooth sound - very refined and resolving which suits the HD800 tendency toward dryness. Fantastic with Paradox Slants, HE-5, Abyss too.
EC BA – Neutral or a tag organic sounding amp with new Cinemag transformers. Best staging, layering, separation, openness of any of the amps here by far because of high-frequency AC heater stolen from outer space satellite military applications. Need to be careful of source. Sometimes not a forgiving amp, but choice of tubes makes a difference. Since KR PX-4 tubes are unreliable, unobtainable, or a rip-off, get a BA built for the 2A3 tube where there is a wider variety of great tubes at modest cost. Yes, you can do that – a 2A3 BA.
EC 4-45 - Best production amp to take advantage of the HD800s technical capabilities period. Take the BA and turn things up a notch in realism. Soundstage is super precise, three dimensional, deep, and open. Not forgiving of source and is neutral / lean. Advise using with R2R DAC. Avoid if you like artificial warmth - it's a 45 tube after all.
Apex Teton - If the Luxman and EC ZDSE is on the list, the Apex Teton (similar in presentation) is a no brainer. In most technicalities, Teton is superior to both. The problem is cost. Most notable weakness is a lack of fully extended tonal dynamic range and a more relaxed laid back tempo; but some might like that with the HD800. [Anax from Pete's Esoteric Transport]
Assessment of the amplification part :
The quest for nicer sound via the HD800 implied a dedicated headphone amplifier
Circumstances , and some alternatives offered me the possibility to have the Chord Hugo , and my choice for the headamp was less than obvious.
I took into account that loads of users emphasized the use of balanced cables for the HD800
The Bryston BHA1 was the other choice , but there were so many on the market that I was astonished. A lot of people had mixed feelings regarding this amp.
And I had some serious exchange with some folks on HeadFi and concluded to withdraw from the idea.
Then came Violectric : the designer even answers to the phone. I was about to order , but the delay was very long
I’d thank Audition6 who managed to sell one of their Violectric V281 in stock (Highly recommended)
Received the Violectric : built like a tank , deep and awkward height .. really solid impression
Well you would have guessed
It's no surprise that the Violectric V281 is a BETTER amplifier than the CHord Hugo , driving the HD800
There is smoothless , and less fatigue when auditioning in loud mode
I did not use the gains in the Violectric
The only thing , albeit being artificial , is the various crossfeed settings in the Hugo , which can deliver some different acoustics
The Violectric remains a tremendous headphone amp , and really noiseless. Unfortunately , I won't be able to comment on the different versions , mine being the one with remote and relay
I'll have to enquire , if the factory jumper settings of the Violectric is BALANCED or STEREO (I read that somewhere)
And now I am using balanced cables with the Violectric ... and the HD800 is again a headphone which is best driven in the balanced mode
The question will utterly remain : is the HD 800 for me ?
In the future , I'll save some money , and buy the Audeze LCD3 or LCDX .. but that's another story OR , buy some valve amp .. time and bargains will tell
Cheers
I have been through some very nice listening session for about a week or so
Curiosity led me to go to the headphone route , and bought a HD650 to me a while ago
I had sporadic listening, till I started to do paperwork at home at night.
The HD650 fitted the bill with the Eximus as headphone as, the CAPS Zuma(Jriver) and Auralic Aries as renderers
Upgrading disease or curiosity led me to buy a HD 800 .. and my wores started all over again
Finding the sound that gave music to possibility to fulfill my quest for aural pleasure was , and is the high hurdle for the dwarf.
I do accept my natural interest for new aluminium boxes or new gadgets…but I also think that this hobby is to search for some pleasure , albeit being visual or aural .. or both
Back to the subject : my helpers and sources were
- songmic (very very nice discussions)
- Headfi : http://www.head-fi.org
- http://www.headfonia.com/
- Violectric : http://www.lake-people.de/
What was my concern with the HD650 ?
Too much bass, not so clear
What was I expecting?
As usual : some extraordinary product that could yield some aural nirvana
What is the thing not to do in HIFI ?
Buying for the sake of a deal , and not considering the sound BEFORE all … I did that !!
So I had the HD 800 and started listening to the HD 800 via the Eximus DAC , and using the Auralic and the CAPS Zuma … Trouble started
And I started with the Eximus, had a brief spell with the Sennheiser HDVA 600 (loaned from a dealer) and ended up with the CHORD Hugo and the VIOLECTRIC V281 .
A “review” of all these seems fair .Considering the time I spent reading and discussing , I think that it’s worth dropping a few lines regarding my findings
Questions which have troubled me :
- Is the Chord Hugo a good portable device, and a good dac , or simply overhyped ?
- Is the Chord Hugo a good headphone amp for the HD800 ?
- How can I have the sound I want with HD800 ? Is the HD 800 right for me , or is it a question of proper matching of sources etc ?
- What amplifier for the HD 800 ? (LOADS and LOADS of PAGES on that …)
Gears used :
Eximus DP 1
re Amp + Heaphone Amp + DACChord Hugo : Headphone amplifier and DAC
DDDAC : A nos DAC , from the DIY world
Auralic Aries : Bridge / Renderer from Auralic , used in the USB output mode
HD 800 : Unbalanced with ADL cables
HD 650
OPUS 1
How good is the Chord Hugo vs the Eximus DP 1 regarding the amplification of HD800 ?
Test tracks :
- Aha : Crying in the rain
- Otis Redding : Sitting on the docks of the bay
- Adele : Set fire in the rain
- Massive attack : Blue line (Bass)
- Gossip : Heavy cross
- Rodrigo y Gabriela : Live in Japan : Take five
- Ella & Louis : April in Paris
- Sia : Chandelier (Piano version)
- Hugh Masakela : Stimela : Drums , fine recording
- Nils Lofgren : Keith don’t go
- Daft Punk : Giorgio Moroder
- Agnes Obel :Falling , catching
What has hinders me in the past with the HD 800 is the sensation that it is bright, as least I described it as such.
EXIMUS DP 1
The Eximus delivers quite well on bassy tracks, never being able to give a bloomy bass like with the HD650. The imaging is good, with big soundstage and proper instrument separation. Piano on Agnes Obel’s song seems realistic, as such to say that timbre is quite respected. Despite the HD 800 being quite bright , Nils Lofgren has never been a problem to listen to
However , the Gossip song , followed by the Sia – Chandelier has been a pain in the bottom of my body , and very difficult to listen to at louder volume ..I’d say unbearable
Enters the Chord Hugo :
First impressions : Solid build up , FEW OPTICAL CABLES can go inside , MicroUSB is the entry
Second impression : Light it up and take your time to read the manual : code colors etc .. awful learning curve
Installation : The Aries recognizes it automatically
The sound :
Bigest differences : Imaging and sound stage , totally different , to the point of having the illusion of Ella Fitzerald on the scene. There is no rough sibilance on the voice of Louis Armstrong (no sibilance on the Eximus neither)
Bass is good , and to my ears ressembling that of the Eximus.
Is Gossip or Sia bearable : I’m afraid no .. horrible as with the Eximus
Conclusions so far
Chord Hugo retails at 1200-1400 pounds
Eximus is a £2100 DAC with analogue preamp
I would definitely not switch one for the other REGARDING sound on The HD 800 (not discussing the portability issue of the dac)
The Hugo appears to be an analytical without being bright as such , and probably a little detailed compared to the Eximus.
OPUS 4
Chord Hugo ‘s big advantage is it’s portability
I tried the Hugo with the Ipad mini retina , with Flac player (8 euros app)
MIND you that you’ll have to invest £25 in a lighting to USB camera kit to use it with the USB cord furnished with the Hugo
Same music , and transferred to the Ipad app
JUST go FOR it … is the Ipad THAT GOOD .. well music was delivered in a terrific manner. But , please get my point, in the sense that I am not saying that it is better than the Aries .. just stating that I am really surprised that I’ll be able to use the Ipad mini as a player
No straight comparisons have been made , but I just listened to music and let it flow , and just appreciating the moment.
The Hugo excels in clarity , soundstage .. (I’m bad with words for sound) , and its naturalness surprises me. I cannot say that it is a harsh DAC , because the Gossip and SIA songs have been unbearable in any other system, as it is here too. But it remains detailed and very nice to listen to.
Verdict : FANTASTIC value of the Chord Hugo for its portable use
OPUS 3
OPUS 3 : DAC shoot out
Violectric is plugged via RCA to
1. DDDAC (2 settings : Sowter transformer and Capacitor output)
2. Eximus DP 1 : RCA out to RCA in of V281
3. Chord Hugo : same configuration , Crossfeed at 0
Auralic Aries : USB out put to each DAC
How is the DDDAC ?
1. Output via Sowter : surprisingly detailed , and good bass response : The tracks from SIA & Gossip are still simply horrible , as with anything at my home . The Violectric is set to the 12 oclock on the Volume
2. Output via Mundorf capacitors : My goodness .. I have described the sound as dry in the past .. but on the headphone setup , the surprise is earblowing . Great detail , no harshness , no muddy impressions , simply crystal clear , and mind you that the sennheisers can be too much ... but in this case , it is not
Is the Violectric that good or is the DDDAC very very good ?
How is the EXIMUS DP1 ?
Well , for quick description , I'd say very nice to listen to , clearly better than using it as DAC + Headamp
But , I am used to details now , and seems polished , lacking the details .. but the Sennheiser's appetite to deliver the accurate sound seems to fade a bit ..
Very good for some casual listening , the HD800 losing all what I criticised. (the Gossip & SIA are still unbearable).
How is the Chord DP 1 as a DAC ?
It itches me to say that it terrific ... simply ear blowing .. pages are there on the web .. and really fantastic DAC
OPUS 2
LIST OF AMPS PROPOSED FOR HD800 from loads of websites :
(from other websites , not my comments , but nice to point out the alternatives for amplification of the HD800) : Compilation of posts :
Schiit Vali - Extremely resolving for price. Tube wetness. Hint of warmth in bass. Smooth neutral / slightly bright treble. Tends to impart a certain quality to timbre, but not I’m gonna bitch for $120. I use it myself. At the time it was released (before the version 2 Schiit amps), it was better than most of the other Schiit amps. Tube microphonics can be an issue. If it’s bad, exchange it. That’s probably why it isn’t $99.
Matrix mStage - Warmish solid state if input caps are left in place. If you DAC’s offset is zero, you can remove the caps and direct couple for more clarity and a less warm sound. Lacks resolution and microdynamics compared to better brethren. Set at high gain. Consider resistor mods to push op-amps into cheesy class A.
Schiit Valhalla 2 - Probably top third of this list in terms of SQ. Yes, that's how good it is. Fast, clear, resolving - more than holds its own compared to Crack. Not as warm though and tends toward neutral presentation. Does not work nearly as well with low Z or low sensitivity orthodynamic headphones. Best to stick with high Z Senns or Beyers. Not an insult to Schiit or Eddie Current, but someone made an Eddie Current amp for $349. Anaxilus Mods preferred with Valhalla.
Bottlehead Crack - Must have the speedball upgrade for use with HD800. Warm (but again tubes play role). The 120 ohm output impedance could be a bit too much for the HD800. Not resolving and controlled enough compared to the best here to take full advantage of the HD800 capabilities, but a good value proposition especially if you can DIY and add tweaks to your own build. Most owners say it pairs better with the less demanding HD6XX series.
EC Super 7 (available used only) - Bassy and thicker. Darker sounding the most stuff here. Balance can vary though quite a bit depending upon tubes. Can mix and match 6SN7s for an almost infinite variety of textures, timbres, tonal balances. Great slam and microdynamics. Very good resolution, at least with the versions with the ElectraPrint transformers. S7’s have been modified for better clarity and less thickness.
Luxman P1u (available used only) - basically sounds like a ECZD lite. Slightly more veiled, slightly less fast, but just a euphonic in a no hassle solid-state package. The P1u sounds dated – it’s less technically competent than most other amps in list now. But again, how you can get that luxurious ECZD sound in a solid-state package?
Bryston BHA-1 - Delineated treble attacks, but actually works well with HD800. Neutral sound. Some reports of MOSFETS getting hot resulting in bass mud galore. Recommended if you live in a cool climate. Do not stack on top of anything else and make sure there is good circulation. This amp does not like heat. Good staging for solid-state compliments HD800. Flatter than the better amps, but if you want solid state, one of few choices.
DNA Sonnett 2 - Has the DNA house sound with inner warmth, intimacy, immediacy. Improvement in clarity and resolution over the Sonnett 1. Basically sounds like the Stratus but without the DHTs - that last bit of microdynamics, separation, and staging. HD800s out of the box work with Sonnett 2 without mods of any sort.
HDVD600 / 800 - A very refined sound (HD800 is smooth with this amp), but lacks the slam the better amps have. Balanced mode a must for staging, layering, separation, openness. Not an exceptional amp, but very solid choice considering price, the amp circuitry to impart its own sound which allows the benefit of using a variety of sources while maintaining synergy with the HD800. This can either be a good thing, or a bad thing.
Schiit Ragnarok – Best solid-state amp in headphonia and is capable of competing with the great tube amps. Highly resolving and must be careful with source. With the right pieces in place, the smoothest sounding amp, solid-state or tube I have ever heard. And with solid-state cleanness, clarity, and tautness.Best solid-state amp for HD800 period.
ECP DSHA-1 - Solid-state but not solid-state sounding amp. Not tubey sounding, but has treble characteristics akin to tubes. Against the big boy amps, just a tiny notch below in terms of explosiveness, resolution, microdynamics, clarity. (Honestly, I don’t think most people would notice.) One of the best sounding solid-state solutions. Works well with Joe and John Grados too.
EC ZDSE - Euphonic sounding amp. Luxurious ride in a Mercedes. Slightly veiled when compared to the big boy stuff. Very good stage. Warm and euphonic. Ironically, treble is the sharpest (just sharp, not nasty) of all EC amps; but all other EC amps tend to sound "not bright". I've noticed most ZDSE owners have a thick copper cable with HD800. The older ZD (non-SEs) had better caps and were less veiled sounding. Keep the SE version at 12 ohms output impedance. It sounds best that way.
DNA Stratus - Slightly wet sound. Latest version and upgrades is an improvement all- around with better bass articulation, staging, blackness, etc. Intimate sounding and actually good with cheap Chinese tubes (my personal preference would be probably be the more solid-state sounding EML Mesh or Psvane Replica WR275, but many like the big bottle Shuguang 2A3s for a lusher presentation). Works straight out of box with HD800, although with latest upgrades, more care must be taken with source. Beyers, TH900, D7000, and many other dynamics also work really well with the Stratus.
Cavalli LG – Only as good as the tubes used. HD800 sounded great with rare vintage Mullard CV-181s. I haven’t even begun to explore the tubes this amp can use. The LG has the Cavalli trademark smooth sound - very refined and resolving which suits the HD800 tendency toward dryness. Fantastic with Paradox Slants, HE-5, Abyss too.
EC BA – Neutral or a tag organic sounding amp with new Cinemag transformers. Best staging, layering, separation, openness of any of the amps here by far because of high-frequency AC heater stolen from outer space satellite military applications. Need to be careful of source. Sometimes not a forgiving amp, but choice of tubes makes a difference. Since KR PX-4 tubes are unreliable, unobtainable, or a rip-off, get a BA built for the 2A3 tube where there is a wider variety of great tubes at modest cost. Yes, you can do that – a 2A3 BA.
EC 4-45 - Best production amp to take advantage of the HD800s technical capabilities period. Take the BA and turn things up a notch in realism. Soundstage is super precise, three dimensional, deep, and open. Not forgiving of source and is neutral / lean. Advise using with R2R DAC. Avoid if you like artificial warmth - it's a 45 tube after all.
Apex Teton - If the Luxman and EC ZDSE is on the list, the Apex Teton (similar in presentation) is a no brainer. In most technicalities, Teton is superior to both. The problem is cost. Most notable weakness is a lack of fully extended tonal dynamic range and a more relaxed laid back tempo; but some might like that with the HD800. [Anax from Pete's Esoteric Transport]
Assessment of the amplification part :
The quest for nicer sound via the HD800 implied a dedicated headphone amplifier
Circumstances , and some alternatives offered me the possibility to have the Chord Hugo , and my choice for the headamp was less than obvious.
I took into account that loads of users emphasized the use of balanced cables for the HD800
The Bryston BHA1 was the other choice , but there were so many on the market that I was astonished. A lot of people had mixed feelings regarding this amp.
And I had some serious exchange with some folks on HeadFi and concluded to withdraw from the idea.
Then came Violectric : the designer even answers to the phone. I was about to order , but the delay was very long
I’d thank Audition6 who managed to sell one of their Violectric V281 in stock (Highly recommended)
Received the Violectric : built like a tank , deep and awkward height .. really solid impression
Well you would have guessed
It's no surprise that the Violectric V281 is a BETTER amplifier than the CHord Hugo , driving the HD800
There is smoothless , and less fatigue when auditioning in loud mode
I did not use the gains in the Violectric
The only thing , albeit being artificial , is the various crossfeed settings in the Hugo , which can deliver some different acoustics
The Violectric remains a tremendous headphone amp , and really noiseless. Unfortunately , I won't be able to comment on the different versions , mine being the one with remote and relay
I'll have to enquire , if the factory jumper settings of the Violectric is BALANCED or STEREO (I read that somewhere)
And now I am using balanced cables with the Violectric ... and the HD800 is again a headphone which is best driven in the balanced mode
The question will utterly remain : is the HD 800 for me ?
In the future , I'll save some money , and buy the Audeze LCD3 or LCDX .. but that's another story OR , buy some valve amp .. time and bargains will tell
Cheers
