[moodyrn]

I can only report my experience. I have no idea about the power of it, and don't really care about the 3:00 thing but it wasn't a good match. A friend of mine who was there(headfi user The Wuss) who also owns a darkstar said he was very disappointed with that combo.

 

[preproman]

If I only had the HE-6 that would be my one and only headphone.  I wouldn't go out and get the GS-X mk2 for it, that's for sure.  
 
However, If the HE-6 was one of many headphones in my stable, and I was a one amp man.  The GS-X mk2 would be a good choice.

 

[moodyrn]

I agree with that. Even though its not the ideal match I was hoping for, it still sounded ok. But more importantly, if I had a few different cans it would be my amp of choice. It's the closest thing to a one size fits all dedicated headphone amp I've come by. It was steller with my jh13.

 

[Solude]

Quote:

A friend of mine who was there(headfi user The Wuss) who also owns a darkstar said he was very disappointed with that combo.

 
You means wrapping a shiny case around a $200 amp doesn't result in audio gold?  No

 

[Lorspeaker]

thats it....i am gonna stick to my $200/95% 85%  65% cambridge 340a amp...let me dust this thang again..fhuuu..fhuuuu.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

 
Power thing is way over blown.  preproman's F1J for instance is a little over ~3W into 50ohm.  Anyone think it's underpowered?

Exactly.
 
Quote:

8W into 50 seems a bit much to me.  
 
A $200 NAD amp gets you 95% there  Ha...  I got the F1J, F3, J2, that 8K SimAudio and other higher quality speaker amps saying different.  
 
I have a $200 speaker amp right here (may not be as good as the NAD).  While it's ok and a good starter amp for the HE-6.  There's much better out there.  This $200 amp I have does not get you no where near 95% of the capability the HE-6 is capable of.

 
My point was that you get good reasonable power into the HE-6s and they hit their stride, the HD800s, you'll need a $2700 GS-X, $3500 WA5, etc.... for them to fully hit their stride. The $200 NAD I mentioned was used, but for about a $500 brand new Class A speaker amp, the HE-6's nut get cracked pretty thoroughly IME.
 
Here is the beast I heard them at my brother's place:
http://www.mcintoshlabs.com/us/Products/pages/ProductDetails.aspx?CatId=amplifiers&ProductId=MC302
 
Let me tell you, this is on amazing amplifier and was amazing with the HE-6s. Had to be VERY careful to not blow the drivers and the volume dial never made it past 9 o'clock. But that said, a $400 NAD I had access too (C326BEE) wasn't too far off. There was more difference between the Schiit Lyr and GS-X with the HD800s!
 
So I'm going to have to go with what I've heard. 

 
EDIT: I also want to add that in my mind, this is not a positive for the HD800s at all. I'm a fan of having easier to drive headphones for reasonable costs. This is where the Hifiman / Audeze headphones have the advantage. Sure, you're gonna need moar powa for the HE-6s, but uber expensive boutique headphone amps need not apply.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

I can only report my experience. I have no idea about the power of it, and don't really care about the 3:00 thing but it wasn't a good match. A friend of mine who was there(headfi user The Wuss) who also owns a darkstar said he was very disappointed with that combo.

The Darkstar.  

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

 
You means wrapping a shiny case around a $200 amp doesn't result in audio gold?  No

You're being generous at $200. 

 

[preproman]

Quote:

Exactly.
 
 
My point was that you get good reasonable power into the HE-6s and they hit their stride, the HD800s, you'll need a $2700 GS-X, $3500 WA5, etc.... for them to fully hit their stride. The $200 NAD I mentioned was used, but for about a $500 brand new Class A speaker amp, the HE-6's nut get cracked pretty thoroughly IME.
 
Here is the beast I heard them at my brother's place:
http://www.mcintoshlabs.com/us/Products/pages/ProductDetails.aspx?CatId=amplifiers&ProductId=MC302
 
Let me tell you, this is on amazing amplifier and was amazing with the HE-6s. Had to be VERY careful to not blow the drivers and the volume dial never made it past 9 o'clock. But that said, a $400 NAD I had access too (C326BEE) wasn't too far off. Much more different than the Schiit Lyr and GS-X with the HD800s!
 
So I'm going to half to go with what I've heard. 

 
 
Yeah that Mac looks like a real beast of an amp.  I'm sure the HE-6 sounds really good on it as well.  
 
But it sounds like your saying the HE-6 doesn't scale with better gear / amp quality.  Saying the NAD gets it close to the Mac.  
 
While both the HE-6 and the HD800s on the same amp - GS-X mk2.  The HE-6 will require more and the HD800s as you say hits their stride.  
 
I know from personal experience the HE-6 can sound better that what the F1J has to offer.  However, it the best I can afford.  That comes from testing on a boat load of amps both headphone amps and speaker amps.  More to come as well.  At CAF I'll be taking my HE-6s there as well.  More amps to be tested on 

  
 
This is a pretty unique headphone (HE-6, K1K)  It really takes some trial on error to get right.   

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

 
 
Yeah that Mac looks like a real beast of an amp.  I'm sure the HE-6 sounds really good on it as well.  
 
But it sounds like your saying the HE-6 doesn't scale with better gear / amp quality.  Saying the NAD gets it close to the Mac.  
 
While both the HE-6 and the HD800s on the same amp - GS-X mk2.  The HE-6 will require more and the HD800s as you say hits their stride.  
 
I know from personal experience the HE-6 can sound better that what the F1J has to offer.  However, it the best I can afford.  That comes from testing on a boat load of amps both headphone amps and speaker amps.  More to come as well.  At CAF I'll be taking my HE-6s there as well.  More amps to be tested on 

  
 
This is a pretty unique headphone (HE-6, K1K)  It really takes some trial on error to get right.   

 
That's because the HD800s and HE-6s are apples and oranges, not because of the one particular amp. It's physics....
 
From Innerfidelity:
 
Power needed to bring the HD800s to 90dBSPL: 0.16mW
Power needed to bring the HE-6s to 90dBSPL: 19.69mW
 
That's 3 orders of magnitude. Another way of looking at it: 102dB sensitivity for the HD800s and only 83.5dB for the HE-6s. Apples and oranges. And in this case, the oranges (HE-6) are easier to drive with regards to cost 

. (While the HE-6s are harder to drive due to their need for more power). So here you have it, the cheaper amp (F1J) is better for the HE-6s and you don't need the more expensive GS-X MKII to drive it. Whereas the HD800s need to $2700 headphone amp to fully hit their stride!! Remember that was my point!
 
Again, I see this as an asset for the HE-6s, where one doesn't need to drop $2-3k on a boutique amp to hear them at their best.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

Again, I see this as an asset for the HE-6s, where one doesn't need to drop $2-3k on a boutique amp to hear them at their best.

 
Again I disagree.  Like I said before.  Me hearing them at their best "Thus far" was on a $8K amp.  One if I could afford - I would have.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

 
Again I disagree.  Like I said before.  Me hearing them at their best "Thus far" was on a $8K amp.  One if I could afford - I would have.

 
 
My experiences on a $6k amp weren't as "optimal" as yours.
 
No worries, disagreeing is a thing we do here. Makes this place fun!

 

[preproman]

Quote:

 
 
My experiences on a $12k amp weren't as "optimal" as yours.
 
No worries, disagreeing is a thing we do here. Makes this place fun!

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

It's before noon here...to early for that....well, in a few minutes anyway. 

 

[Lorspeaker]

At the rate this hi-end ampspeak is continuing for the HE-6, 
headfi is no longer playing in the small league to the home-fiers..
we are talking McINtosssssh here. Yea !!!!!!!!!!!!!