[carloc]

Testing and comparing the new E70V with the Metrum Onyx DAC3. The ampli is the Meghahertz OTL.

 

[bagwell359]

Thank you all, these are all great amps and they cost more than 1000 USD (even when purchased pre-owned)
Are there any cheaper alternatives? more like great "value for money" amps (tube/ solid state) under 1000USD?

XDUOO T26 is $319, and the venerable BHC or BHCs. Some of the older Woo stuff can be had under $1k too.

 

[JamieMcC]

Thank you all, these are all great amps and they cost more than 1000 USD (even when purchased pre-owned)
Are there any cheaper alternatives? more like great "value for money" amps (tube/ solid state) under 1000USD?

Take a look at the Whammy headphone amp from diyaudio it was designed by the legendary Wayne Colburn who is Nelson Pass's right hand guy for something like the last 25 years and who design's all the the spendy Pass pre amps and phono stages to go with Nelson's power amps.

It's a kit but simple to build and I've seen a few on eBay I think the guy who builds the Bottlehead kits also builds them to sell on line.

I built one and fitted it with Burson V6 classic discreet opamp it sounded near identical to my Bottlehead Mainline which is a killer combo with the hd800. It took me about a month of listening to both to work out the subtle difference the Mainline brings which gives it a edge over the Whammy.

Whammy kit $299
Mainline kit $1429

https://diyaudiostore.com/products/whammy

Edit

I'm m going to add here that the Whammy can also be used as a excellent preamp afterall it's designed by one of the top preamplifier designers out there. This can either be done by adding RCA outs on the back or as simply as plugging in a trs to 2xrca adapter into the front headphone out socket.

I mention this as you can have a full Pass monoblock system with Whammy and two ACA amp camp amps in bridged mode for under $1000 and thats buying the full kits rather than just the PCBs and building your own enclosures.

I'll let that sink a bit

A full great sounding Nelson Pass pre and bridged monoblock system that will drive pretty much any difficult to drive headphone like he-6 etc as well as speakers for sub $1000.

Check out Steve Guttenbergs video on using the ACA in bridged mode.

 

[JamieMcC]

There is a Whammy thread here on headfi if you wanted to take a look. It has a few builds were folk just purchased the PCB and sourced there own enclosures.

When first launched only the PCB was available and diyaudio added the option to purchase a full kit with enclosure about a year later.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/pass-diy-headphone-amp-whammy.877569/

 

[Thenewguy007]

Best amp.... let me see.... amps I've owned and used with HD800. A lot of these amps have come and gone but HD800 has remain.

Feliks Audio Euforia


Glenn OTL and Ragnarok


Wa5le (This wasn't mine but I had it for 2 weeks)


Sansui AU-907MR


Ultrasonic Studio Oblivion


Ultrasonic Studio Odyssey


I did not have photos of HD800 with Studio Six and Wa22. Had both of those amps before.

Would you mind ranking the amps? Which were the ones that stood out the most for the HD800?