[Luckbad]

At long last, I picked up Sennheiser HD 650s. I've owned quite a few Sennheisers and still use the HD 555 and HD 598, and I've always wanted these headphones.
 
I have the following hardware to go along with them:

1. AudioQuest Dragonfly v1.2
2. Creative X-Fi Titanium HD
3. Electric Avenues PA2V2
4. Schiit Magi
5. AudioQuest Evergreen cables

 
I tried the Schiit Modi as a DAC and I found it to be less clear and crisp than using the Dragonfly in front of amps. I also tried a Schiit Vali and just didn't find it satisfying with the HD 650 (though I enjoyed it quite a bit with the HD 598).
 
The Dragonfly (DAC) > Schiit Magni (Amp) is the best sounding combo I've found with the HD 650 so far, but it still just doesn't feel like it's doing as good a job as it should be.
 
I expected more. Maybe it's the headphones and they haven't burned in fully yet (only have ~6 hours in them).
 
I want more soundstage, more base, and more clarity.
 
Does anyone have a sub-$200 recommendation for an Amp for the Sennheiser HD 650 (desktop, not using it with portable ever. Too expensive a headphone)?
 
Thanks all!

 

[PurpleAngel]

Have you tried plugging your external headphone amplifiers into the Titanium-HD's RCA outputs?
Seems like that would provide some nice sound.
Might try reading up and asking amp questions on this thread.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/197776/sennheiser-hd650-impressions-thread

 

[Luckbad]

Good suggestion! I'll grab some RCA cables and go direct from the sound card's DAC instead of the Dragonfly.
 
I'm also messing with the Vali again, which I have in a box for return but haven't returned, and maybe I didn't let the Vali warm up enough before deciding it sucked with the 650. It might sound a little better than the Magni for the HD 650 after all.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Good suggestion! I'll grab some RCA cables and go direct from the sound card's DAC instead of the Dragonfly.
 
I'm also messing with the Vali again, which I have in a box for return but haven't returned, and maybe I didn't let the Vali warm up enough before deciding it sucked with the 650. It might sound a little better than the Magni for the HD 650 after all.

 
Hopefully when you installed the Titanium-HD, you disabled the motherboard's on-board audio? in the BIOS.

 

[Luckbad]

Indeed I did.

 

[Luckbad]

Should have some RCA cables on hand tonight or tomorrow for testing the X-Fi DAC vs. Dragonfly.
 
I already eliminated the Modi because I didn't feel it was on par for clarity with the Dragonfly.
 
I very nearly pulled the trigger on the Aune T1 for comparison but people seem to think it sounds almost exactly the same as the Schiit stack (and I don't like the Modi + Magni or Vali combo all that much), so I didn't see the point even if it's $150 right now.
 
It looks like this round will end with one of these combos:

1. Dragonfly + Magni
2. Dragonfly + Vali
3. X-Fi DAC + Magni
4. X-Fi DAC + Vali

 
I really wanted to try out an Objective2 from JDS Labs but I keep flip-flopping about picking one up (there's more risk due to restocking fees and the like). I keep wondering if it's overhyped or if I can really get great clarity, bass punch, and musical happiness out of my HD 650s with the O2.
 
There's also a chance that I'll grab an Asgard 2 if the X-Fi RCA output turns out to sound as good as or better than the Dragonfly DAC.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Should have some RCA cables on hand tonight or tomorrow for testing the X-Fi DAC vs. Dragonfly.
I already eliminated the Modi because I didn't feel it was on par for clarity with the Dragonfly.
I very nearly pulled the trigger on the Aune T1 for comparison but people seem to think it sounds almost exactly the same as the Schiit stack (and I don't like the Modi + Magni or Vali combo all that much), so I didn't see the point even if it's $150 right now.
It looks like this round will end with one of these combos:

1. Dragonfly + Magni
2. Dragonfly + Vali
3. X-Fi DAC + Magni
4. X-Fi DAC + Vali

I really wanted to try out an Objective2 from JDS Labs but I keep flip-flopping about picking one up (there's more risk due to restocking fees and the like). I keep wondering if it's overhyped or if I can really get great clarity, bass punch, and musical happiness out of my HD 650s with the O2.
There's also a chance that I'll grab an Asgard 2 if the X-Fi RCA output turns out to sound as good as or better than the Dragonfly DAC.

 
With an external headphone amplifier connected to the Titanium-HD's RCA outputs. you would want to turn up the computer and Creative/Titanium-HD volume controls to as high as possible, like 75%-100%, it will feed a stronger signal into the external amp.
Just control the volume from the external amp.

 

[Luckbad]

Great recommendation, thanks. The cables aren't in until tomorrow, unfortunately. I know I have some RCA cables in a box somewhere, but I haven't found them yet. Guess I'll have to feign patience and check out the combo tomorrow.

 

[lawrecedent]

Hi, have just bought a pair of these but only have the fiio e18 headphone amp. I know this is not going to be a match made in heaven but are they going to at least give me an idea of what these headphones are capable of?
Cheers

 

[Luckbad]

I'd think you would get a solid taste with just about any non-terrible amp/dac, and that isn't a bad one.
 
In my experience with a fair number of different DACs/Amps now, I never found any of them to be night and day different or better than the others.
 
The biggest difference I noticed was going from onboard computer sound to a discreet DAC/Amp.
 
I ended up going with the X-Fi Titanium HD RCA out as a DAC and O2 from Mayflower Electronics. Got it from them because I was able to get exactly what I wanted (RCA input, 1/4" headphone jack, power and input on back, gain switch).
 
I'm still getting used to the HD650. I only get to listen to it for <1 hour a day while working a lot of overtime at work, so my mental break-in period on these has been really long, and I still listen to Sennheiser HD555s at work for hours a day (and usually game at home with HD598s), so the sound is always a little foreign to my ears.
 
The O2 seems to be a really good amp. In some ways I preferred the tube color of the Vali. The Magni just sucked to me. It didn't sound bad by any means, but it would make my other headphones (555 and 598) crackle/distort if I tried to use it with them and it became very imbalanced at low volumes (left/right).
 
The O2 sounds similar to the Magni (pretty much neutral) but the signal seems clearer and there's never any distortion with any of my headphones at any volume I've tested.
 
As far as DACs go, I feel like the Dragonfly was better than the Modi and roughly equal to the X-Fi Titanium HD, so I returned it since I already had the sound card.

 

[lawrecedent]

Oh my God, I think I have died and gone to heaven!!! Picked these up today and after an hour am already considering selling all my other headphones so I can keep these. The sound is so lush and detailed, not veiled in any way to my ears and the instrument seperation is superb. First real Wow moment since the jump from Klipsch S4i to UE triple fi10.
Oh, and it seems to play well with the fiio e18 on high gain, no obvious power issues. Would love to try a tube amp with them but sadly don't own one at the moment.

 

[lawrecedent]

Having a bit of an amp dilemma. Wanting to buy a little dot tube amp and have read that the mk2 is a good complement to the HD650. However, I also have Grado SR325is and read that the 1+ works great with them. Which would be the best for both in anyone's opinion?