[JustRon]

I've got a pair of 900i's on the way and am wondering what would be a good amp to drive them (say, $500 or less). I tried looking through the 300-and-some-odd page thread on the 900's, but the only amps I see referenced are desktop or portables. Technically, I can use a desktop amp with my stereo, but I don't need any features they often have. I'll only be listening to vinyl and my source is a Jolida JD9ii phono amp (ChiFi tubes, but I like it) and a Vincent SV237 hybrid integrated amp (tube pre-stage, but no headphone jack).
Thanks

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Schiit Vali2 or Little Dot Mk I. Hook it up to the Rec Out of the SV237.

 

[JustRon]

I'm considering Schiit... this headphone thing is new to me so I bought a Fulla 2, thinking I needed a DAC (my Macbook Pro's DAC is as good as the F2). So, I moved it to my stereo and have been trying out headphones knowing the F2 was temporary. I bought a bunch... Beyer DT 990 Pro, Beyer T90, HE-400i, Soundmagic HP200, M&O Beryllium Acoustic, and finally the Ultrasone Pro 900i. I'm also testing with a Jolida Glass FX tube amp. So far, the Ultrasone's are a clear winner- I love the bass on these things! I've read they need a lot of break-in, but they are doing fine out of the box with the Jolida amp. The little F2 is actually pretty good, too (although not great). I don't know if I'm keeping the Jolida- I'm actually considering SS (Beyer A20?) or maybe a Schiit (Valhalla 2?). I may be getting enough tube color (which I like) from my phono amp.

 

[S Crowther]

I'm considering Schiit... this headphone thing is new to me so I bought a Fulla 2, thinking I needed a DAC (my Macbook Pro's DAC is as good as the F2). So, I moved it to my stereo and have been trying out headphones knowing the F2 was temporary. I bought a bunch... Beyer DT 990 Pro, Beyer T90, HE-400i, Soundmagic HP200, M&O Beryllium Acoustic, and finally the Ultrasone Pro 900i. I'm also testing with a Jolida Glass FX tube amp. So far, the Ultrasone's are a clear winner- I love the bass on these things! I've read they need a lot of break-in, but they are doing fine out of the box with the Jolida amp. The little F2 is actually pretty good, too (although not great). I don't know if I'm keeping the Jolida- I'm actually considering SS (Beyer A20?) or maybe a Schiit (Valhalla 2?). I may be getting enough tube color (which I like) from my phono amp.

I am having great results listening to the Edition 10 out of a Pro-Ject Headbox RS. It is a hybrid design with switchable impedance. The tubes make its treble soft which suits the Ultrasone signature quite well.
By the way the Edition 10 is a much maligned headphone.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

The little F2 is actually pretty good, too (although not great). I don't know if I'm keeping the Jolida- I'm actually considering SS (Beyer A20?) or maybe a Schiit (Valhalla 2?). I may be getting enough tube color (which I like) from my phono amp.

Beyer A20 has a high output impedance. Valhalla has a little bit lower despite being OTL but an OTL design also puts out more power at 300ohms vs 32ohms, not to mention most high impedance headphones have 96dB sensitivity or better anyway so their kind of power delivery isn't always necessary unless you're comparing it to an amp that drastically drops output below 200mW at 300ohms. Low impedance, low sensitivity headphones are more common, so the OTLs aren't all that advisable except if you just have a few headphones and need something cheap but powerful (and the Valhalla2 isn't as cheap as the Darkvoice DV336se or Little Dot MkIII).

Valhalla2's selling point is that it won't sound as rolled off at the top as the Little Dot MkII, or een the MkIII, and some who have been hoping to use the amp as an EQ have been terribly disappointed.

 

[JustRon]

^I just learned that about the Valhala from Schiit. Anyway, I just bought a used Lyr 2 from the classifieds here, so we'll see how that does. I'm at the end of my 15 days with the Fulla 2, so that's going back. I'll just be comparing the Jolida and the Lyr (when it arrives).

 

[TWerk]

I have a MacBook Air and it drives the pro 900s very well, as it does most headphones. They don't require much and as you mentioned, the apple products have superb built in audio quality.