[cddc]

   
Thanks for your response. I will be using the built in amp of the essence for a long while as i'm spending the entire budget on the HD650. If i decide to upgrade the amp in the future i heard the Matrix M-Stage HPA2 is a very good amp for the price.

 
Essence should be good enough for HD650. You would definitely notice the huge difference between HD650 and OE2. 
 
In  terms of upgrade, m-stage is not a bad one...lots of people here also recommend Lyr and Crack around that price range.

 

[mcandmar]

Pedantic semantics.  Its a choice between two quality resistors in the signal path or a carbon resistive track in a $2 pot, not to mention the potential channel imbalance with a regular pot.
 
/translation: There just better. (That's a subjective and objective statement)

 

[whirlwind]

A new Gold Lion 12AX7 in my Mad Ear and the detail and texture just went up a couple notches in my HD650.....the 650 seems to really like the higher gain tube

 

[cddc]

   
I have the modi and bifrost on my desk currently. Short answer, if you can swing the money get the bifrost. 

 
Thanks a lot for your opinion. How does Bifrost improve the sound over Modi - more details or larger soundstage or better bass/mid/treble?
 
I am currently considering the upgrade path to be: modi + magni/vali -> modi + crack with sb -> uber usb bifrost + crack with sb 

 

[MattTCG]

I only offered the short answer. 

   The modi sounds somewhat "thin and artificial" when compared to the bifrost. Music through the bifrost is full, natural and engaging. Better bass extension with the full complement of textures. The treble on the bifrost is resolving but never harsh or strident. 

 

[cddc]

  I only offered the short answer. 

   The modi sounds somewhat "thin and artificial" when compared to the bifrost. Music through the bifrost is full, natural and engaging. Better bass extension with the full complement of textures. The treble on the bifrost is resolving but never harsh or strident. 

Cool, thanks very much, mate.

 

[hdtv00]

Well to add some thoughts on amp and stuff. I just got an Aune T1 and let's just say my mind is BLOWN. It was only ok with stock tube, but when I replaced it with a Single leg dimpled disc GAC coded Heerlen made Orange Globe and the highs just went to an entire other level. I'm just in shock at the quality that it brought to the HD 650's. And to top that off used the line out to connect to my receiver playing back cd's or high res audio on my Paradigm studio 100 v3's and I'm about to faint. I can't believe that little black box took my setup to whole other world audio wise.
 
I seriously can't believe it. I've been listening to music nearly non stop since I've had it these last 2 days
.

 

[thisisvv]

Recently entered the head phone world....and luckily got some nice gears in my system HD650 being one of them....
 
I will be doing
 
 
PC-> CHord qbd76 (dac) -> Ray samuels raptor (amp) ->Hd650...
 
 
i am getting the amp today ....wanted to know if anyone have any expererience with this combo....i have my qbd76 in main system and it blows off any dac i have used so far....also is it worth to upgrade the stock cable on hd650..
 
V

 

[upstateguy]

  Hey buddy, let's not be too serious on wording. Most people here are not electrical engineers or experts alike...too much terminology would kill us. So wording or metaphors don't have to be exact.
 
So far I can understand that the stepped attenuator (i.e. the resistor cylinder - hopefully I did not screw up the wording too much 

) has some sonic advantage over the ordinary potentiometer (the stock volume control), and would sound better. That should be good enough for us to make the decision. 

 
I hate stepped attenuators, benefits aside.
 
The volume is never exactly right. 
 
Sure, you can turn it down with foobar but I'll take a good potentiometer over a stepped attenuator any day.

 

[atraf]

What Price would you guys say is a good price for the HD650 ? 
 
Is 339 EURO considered a good price? 

 

[Zojokkeli]

  What Price would you guys say is a good price for the HD650 ? 
 
Is 339 EURO considered a good price? 

I paid 380€ for mine so I'd say it's a good price.

 

[MattTCG]

  I paid 380€ for mine so I'd say it's a good price.

 
Seems fair to me given the retail price and Senn's push to fix pricing. 

 

[Xtralglactic]

What about $250 AUD? some people don't know the value of things ... :rolleyes:

 

[UNIFi]

$250 AUD, I wish the regular prices were like that! Look at our stores selling them at 500+

 

[Sadkmf]

AFAIK best price online for a Hd650 is at accessoryjack, $400 including shipping..
For Europe, Amazon France has periodic discounts, got mine from them for 240euros, last year..