MattTCG
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2012
- Posts
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Yeah, I definitely go with the lyr. It's just a rock solid choice and does so many things well. Can't really go wrong with that choice.
Although I've not heard either
If I'm only able to purchase one at a time, which one would you recommend I buy first?
Thanks
You are suggesting something you have never heard over something you have never heard...........why do people do this constantly??? Sound is subjective own/demo the gear then make suggestions.
End rant
Welcome to The Internet.
I constantly see people give bogus opinions/reviews all the time. It happens everywhere.
I re-terminated a stock Sennheiser cable with a 4 pin Neutrik XLR connector tonight (thanks to jazzerdave for pointing out a good thread with the pin-outs). Of course the Sennheiser cable is a b*tch to work with and I managed to forget slipping the connector shell onto the cable *before* I soldered all the connections--doh! Nothing like doing everything twice.
I've been listening to the HD650s out of my Mjolnir+Gungnir all night and man do I have a big smile on my face.I'm comparing the Mjolnir to the Lyr powered by a pair of Amperex orange globe A-frames. The balanced Mjolnir stack brings the HD650s upper mids forward and adds a nice touch of brightness to the signature. I'm hearing more detail across the full frequency range with some enhanced dynamics. The sound is tighter and the Mjolnir adds some air to the HD650.
The HD650s sound great with the Lyr with a lushness in the lower mids. The MJ trades away some of that lushness for more detail and air. The signature is more HD800-like (a headphone I'm warming up to, btw). This is an awesome combination and worth a listen.
I think the Mjolnir is my next move, the loss of the plush sound of tubes is what stops me, but I guess I can keep the Lyr around. The only "higher end" SS amp I own is the HA-160 and I feel like it thins out the 650 too much, but I like what you describe here.
Bravo on re-terminating the stock cable, I tried with one my dog(wife's dog) chewed on and it did not go well.
I can't remember--is dog slobber an insulator or a conductor?. The HD650s have a very full controlled sound out of the Mjolnir. The HA-160 may be a bit underpowered to really kick the HD650s. I love the hybrid tube flavor if the Lyr, but the detailed energetic signature of the Mjolnir is addictive with dark headphones like the Senns and the LCD-2/3.
It seems like most HD-650 owners choose amps and dacs that match the sound of the headphones, rather than complement them. That is, they pair the warm headphones with warm amps. This doubles down on the desired sound character, literally amplifying the strengths. Why not feed the HD-650s with something a bit cooler, with the goal of balancing the warm headphone sound out with complementary strength at the other end of the spectrum in the amp (or DAC)? Or would that just cancel out the strengths of each element and dilute the desired sound of the HD-650?