[Topspin70]

Glad to hear that, having just pulled the trigger on the Jot.

 

[ChaseM]

Has anyone heard an HD800S through a V281? I'm really close to pulling the trigger on a set to pair with my LCD-4 and am just wondering if this is a good match. Thanks!

 

[MacedonianHero]

So your opinion that hd650 have similar soundstage to T1??? This a very good joke if thats what you mean

Not the exact same...but same ballpark-ish (meaning "medium" soundstage and still very good). I would give the T1.2 the nod here as the better soundstage.

 

[ubs28]

Has anyone heard an HD800S through a V281? I'm really close to pulling the trigger on a set to pair with my LCD-4 and am just wondering if this is a good match. Thanks!

I didn't really like it. I also heard the Focal Utopia from the V281 and I also didn't like it.

I was simply missing high fidelity like from my home rig. But best is to listen yourself and see what you think of it because I am used to the sound of TOTL equipment.

The Hugo 2 is probably worth checking out also if you are going to try out the V281.

 

[Topspin70]

The V281 has a warm signature if I remember correctly. Having had mostly warm amps so far I think a neutral and clean signature may bring out the real character of the HD800S.

 

[Svatopluk]

Has anyone heard an HD800S through a V281? I'm really close to pulling the trigger on a set to pair with my LCD-4 and am just wondering if this is a good match. Thanks!

I have the V280 which I understand to be basically the same amp section as the V281 but without the preamp. As long as you avoid warm sounding DAC's with the V281/HD800S pairing, you should be okay.

You may want to check out the V281 thread as well for more information.

 

[pctazhp]

The V281 has a warm signature if I remember correctly. Having had mostly warm amps so far I think a neutral and clean signature may bring out the real character of the HD800S.

I'm not sure what you mean by the "real character" of the HD800S. I consider both my Elise and Euforia OTL amps as pretty neutral, but their character and level of performance can be varied quite a bit with tube rolling. And it's not just the amp that is important, but also the DAC. I consider the HD800 as a highly resolving, relatively neutral headphone that scales quite well with the quality of the upstream chain. I don't think it requires any real trick to sound good, other than quality source and amp. But it is resolving enough that I think it is difficult to chose DAC and amp without significant home evaluation.

 

[Topspin70]

I'm not sure what you mean by the "real character" of the HD800S. I consider both my Elise and Euforia OTL amps as pretty neutral, but their character and level of performance can be varied quite a bit with tube rolling. And it's not just the amp that is important, but also the DAC. I consider the HD800 as a highly resolving, relatively neutral headphone that scales quite well with the quality of the upstream chain. I don't think it requires any real trick to sound good, other than quality source and amp. But it is resolving enough that I think it is difficult to chose DAC and amp without significant home evaluation.

The HD800S is neutral as u had mentioned. So a neutral, uncoloured amp would let us hear the real character of the cans. That's what I mean. Pretty simple really.

 

[ChaseM]

I don't necessarily consider the V281 to be a warm amp. Its very revealing of what is downstream of it just as any of the higher end amps can be. I find it to be a perfect match with the LCD-4s. I recently made a change in Dac's from the Chord 2qute to the Ayre Codex which to me was a huge step up in detail retrieval. My chain is as follows.

MacBook Pro > Cardas Clear USB > IFI Iusb 3.0 > Cardas Clear USB > Ayre Codex > Cardas Clear Balanced Interconnects > Violectric V281 > LCD-4s with Silver Dragon Cable

I think I will just reach out to The Cable Co and get a loaner set to try out. I'll post some impressions on my setup whenever I get a set.

 

[Svatopluk]

I didn't really like it. I also heard the Focal Utopia from the V281 and I also didn't like it.

I was simply missing high fidelity like from my home rig. But best is to listen yourself and see what you think of it because I am used to the sound of TOTL equipment.

The Hugo 2 is probably worth checking out also if you are going to try out the V281.

I don't necessarily consider the V281 to be a warm amp. Its very revealing of what is downstream of it just as any of the higher end amps can be. I find it to be a perfect match with the LCD-4s. I recently made a change in Dac's from the Chord 2qute to the Ayre Codex which to me was a huge step up in detail retrieval. My chain is as follows.

MacBook Pro > Cardas Clear USB > IFI Iusb 3.0 > Cardas Clear USB > Ayre Codex > Cardas Clear Balanced Interconnects > Violectric V281 > LCD-4s with Silver Dragon Cable

I think I will just reach out to The Cable Co and get a loaner set to try out. I'll post some impressions on my setup whenever I get a set.

I have to agree pertaining to the Violectric house sound not being warm but maybe more like slightly lush, but not to the degree of many tube amps. One thing I've noticed in my experience with the V280 is it sounds leaner and faster as you lower the gain from 0 down to -12 while it sounds lusher as the gain is increase to +12.

Auditioning sounds like a good idea when your all ready at the level of the LCD4.

 

[ChaseM]

I have to agree pertaining to the Violectric house sound not being warm but maybe more like slightly lush, but not to the degree of many tube amps. One thing I've noticed in my experience with the V280 is it sounds leaner and faster as you lower the gain from 0 down to -12 while it sounds lusher as the gain is increase to +12.

Auditioning sounds like a good idea when your all ready at the level of the LCD4.

Lush is the perfect word. It seems like some people think your listening to mud when you say Violectric for some reason. And agreed on the gain. The V281 is just 2 V280's stacked together to run fully balanced. But I have to run mine on unity gain with the 4's to get enough volume around 12 o'clock.

I'll have a set of HD800S on the way in the next few days. Can't wait to get an idea of what it sounds like!

Thanks All

 

[Topspin70]

Same experience here regarding gain adding warmth to the sound. Interestingly I was just reading this thread from a few years back that revived recently. Some investigative and technical insights into the phenomenon: https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/q-high-gain-low-gain-quality-difference.543242/

 

[Svatopluk]

Lush is the perfect word. It seems like some people think your listening to mud when you say Violectric for some reason. And agreed on the gain. The V281 is just 2 V280's stacked together to run fully balanced. But I have to run mine on unity gain with the 4's to get enough volume around 12 o'clock.

I'll have a set of HD800S on the way in the next few days. Can't wait to get an idea of what it sounds like!

Thanks All

I usually use the Utopia with the V280 due to the availability of the lower gain settings but I did use it with the HD800S today to jog my memory of the pairing. Basically, with gain set on -12 (because I was to lazy to adjust it) there is no way IMO the HD800S can be considered to be lacking in detail or clarity. Chain used as follows.

Cambridge CXC > Gumby > V280 > Sennheiser balanced cable > HD800S. Listening level 75 db peak.

Looking forward to hearing your impressions.

 

[ToTo Man]

I've not read this thread for a few months so apologies if I'm repeating a question that's already been asked, but I'd like some advice on the best Schiit amp to pair with the HD800S? I have read previously that Schiit amps in general are often not recommended for the HD800 and HD800S as their slightly lean and bright character exaggerates the reported "toppiness" of these headphones. The Jotunheim in particular does not seem to be considered a good pairing from what I have read, is that fair to conclude?

I own a Valhalla 1 with stock tubes (originally bought a few years ago to pair with my HD600) and currently have a Jotunheim on home demo. I don't hear a significant difference in HF between these two amps, but I do hear differences in other areas. The Jot sounds "drier" and faster and has slightly more prominent upper mids and a leaner and grippier bass, while the "Valhalla" sounds "wetter" with a slightly weightier and longer-lasting bass and a slightly wider and more dimensional soundstage and I think provides a slightly richer soundscape overall. The Jot sounds more resolving to my ears, while the Valhalla 1 sounds more engaging. To sum up, both amps have their own pros and cons, but I could probably live with either using my HD800S. My main complaint about my Valhalla 1 is the low-level hum that is constantly audible through my headphones. I don't know if Valhalla 2 is any quieter in this regard?

The HD800S are my main headphones but I often get other headphones to demo/review, so I am looking for a decent headphone amp that works well with a variety of headphones. The Jot seems very good value for money and offers wide compatibility, while the Valhalla specs suggest it is best suited to high impedance 'phones.

Or maybe I should consider upgrading to a Lyr 2 or even a Mjolnir 2? I had a Mjolnir 2 on home demo last year and thought it sounded awesome, but I didn't try it with HD800S, only Mr Speakers Ether which I had at the time. The drawback to buying a Mjolnir 2 is finding space for it in my hifi rack because it won't stack neatly on my Bifrost. So many first world problems!....

PS - I currently have a pair of Utopias on home demo to review. Maybe my ears are now shot after an infection last year (my left ear now maxes out at 12.5kHz and my right ear at 14kHz, which I think is below average for a 31-yr old), but overall I actually prefer the sound profile of my HD800S. The Utopias have superior bass and mids, but I'm finding the HF a bit soft and rolled off. They don't have the 'airiness' of the HD800S. I suppose I should be relieved because my preference for the HD800S has saved me some serious $$$!...

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

I'm not sure what you mean by the "real character" of the HD800S. I consider both my Elise and Euforia OTL amps as pretty neutral, but their character and level of performance can be varied quite a bit with tube rolling. And it's not just the amp that is important, but also the DAC. I consider the HD800 as a highly resolving, relatively neutral headphone that scales quite well with the quality of the upstream chain. I don't think it requires any real trick to sound good, other than quality source and amp. But it is resolving enough that I think it is difficult to chose DAC and amp without significant home evaluation.

I feel like the HD800s is totally great out of a neutral amp and DAC. The HD800 on the other hand I prefer with some warmth in the chain. It doesn't necessarily have to be a tube amp, since there are some solid states that tonally work perfect for me with the HD800... So I agree with you that "Quality" source and amp can make all the difference with the HD800. Do you feel the same goes for the HD800s, or is it more forgiving to both due to its slightly warmer tonality? (this is all relative to the HD800 I am comparing it to.)