[SomeGuyDude]

Hooked up to a Verza it definitely seemed like it "wakes up". 

 

[cjoh242]

well, I am now following this thread as I will be ordering my HD650's here shortly, but I do have a question and have only gotten through 1/3 of the thread so far so please be nice.
 
I am thinking about getting one of these amps;
tubemaster
Little Dot mkiv
Schiit Vali
 
now this is based off what I have researched so far...
 
Should I get the matching Mav Audio DAC for the tubemaster, the Modi for the Vali or ? for the Little Dot mkiv
 
 
Your help, direction and feedback is appreciated in advance!!!

 

[SP Wild]

Congrats, I'll leave it for others to recommend an amp.  But I can say I have been doing more research into 'house curve' compensations used in professional audio and have discovered that self proclaimed best engineer on the planet, DanDan Fitzgerald carries with him a pair of HD650s to tune studios he is unfamiliar with.  He uses the HD650 as a stable frame of reference to take into account different studios and different room acoustics.  Which is why I believe him if he proclaims himself 'best engineer on the planet'!

 

[bleudeciel16]

  well, I am now following this thread as I will be ordering my HD650's here shortly, but I do have a question and have only gotten through 1/3 of the thread so far so please be nice.
 
I am thinking about getting one of these amps;
tubemaster
Little Dot mkiv
Schiit Vali
 
now this is based off what I have researched so far...
 
Should I get the matching Mav Audio DAC for the tubemaster, the Modi for the Vali or ? for the Little Dot mkiv
 
 
Your help, direction and feedback is appreciated in advance!!!

 
Wait an extra paycheck or two and get the Bottlehead Crack Amp.  I don't think there's a single amp out there that has been praised as having as good of synergy with the HD650's as the crack amp.  The ONLY downside: you have to solder it together.  Worst case scenario, you pay a head-fi member to assemble it for you for a small fee.
 
I've been using bifrost uber and lyr, and they work great, but from what everyone says, the crack blows everything else out of the water when it comes to driving HD650's.  Mine is in the mail!  (stupid 4 week lead time)

 

[spacequeen7]

^^^ I approve this post (JK) 

 and congrats on your Crack

 

[syphen606]

 
Just finished my Crack and have been testing it with my HD650's. Pretty sure I'm in love. Purely subjective but I'm liking it compared to my O2 and C421.
Link to build pics but its mostly boring:
http://s86.photobucket.com/user/syphen606/library/Bottlehead%20Crack%20Build?sort=2&page=1

 

[MattTCG]

   
Wait an extra paycheck or two and get the Bottlehead Crack Amp.  I don't think there's a single amp out there that has been praised as having as good of synergy with the HD650's as the crack amp.  The ONLY downside: you have to solder it together.  Worst case scenario, you pay a head-fi member to assemble it for you for a small fee.
 
I've been using bifrost uber and lyr, and they work great, but from what everyone says, the crack blows everything else out of the water when it comes to driving HD650's.  Mine is in the mail!  (stupid 4 week lead time)

This...

 

[olegausany]

I saw one in for sale forum yesterday

 

[Anavel0]

Is there any consensus on which DACs go best with the Crack?

 

[syphen606]

Is there any consensus on which DACs go best with the Crack?

 
I've been using a standalone ODAC and its been good so far. I don't know if there is an 'agreed' upon best.

 

[MattTCG]

There is a bottlehead dac due out imminently I believe. There is some good buzz about it. Right now, the bifrost uber is outstanding for anything less than $1k. On the low end, the odac is a good dac and pairs well. 

 

[olegausany]

You should also consider DacMagic Plus

 

[JacobLee89]

  There is a bottlehead dac due out imminently I believe. There is some good buzz about it. Right now, the bifrost uber is outstanding for anything less than $1k. On the low end, the odac is a good dac and pairs well. 

 
Some have said that they were underwhelmed when they bought a bifrost uber as an upgrade to the ODAC. This DAC business will always be in my *always sceptical* list. I've heard that using a USB isolator would bring down the ODAC's harshness on the highs, which will be the next endeavour (eyeing the doodlebug project).
 
I'll be another one using the ODAC with the Crack.

 

[MattTCG]

The bifrost with uber will scale cans that have the ability to do so. The 650 scales well.

 

[JacobLee89]

The bifrost with uber will scale cans that have the ability to do so. The 650 scales well.

 
Though I think that DAC's would be less of a concern in terms of audible improvement: there's only so much of 32 bit 192khz conversion which can be done, and so much output circuitry one can do.
 
I have read from from a review that the bifrost with uber was more resolving than the ODAC, with the 650s, but wasn't the improvement they'd expect for the difference in price.
 
Some even have said that in terms of neutrality, there's no benefit in upgrading to the benchmark DAC1 from the ODAC.
 
I would totally spend the money to see if these claims are rightfully so, but alas I have no funds. With the general consensus that the DAC reaches diminishing returns much earlier, this becomes the reason why I am very much interested in the Crack as the next pairing to my HD650's.