[lackey]

Hi all,
 
First post here. The more I read, the more confused I get around here. I love the education though. 
 
So, I will be doing 2 different types of listening:
 
1. Home Theater - I have a dedicated home theater where I spend most of my time at home. It is sound proofed fairly well so I don't generally have to worry about being too loud. I use a VortexBox with 225 GB (and growing) of flac files which I use for home listening. I also use my Oppo BDP-103 for my SACD and DVD-A collection which I haven't figured out how to transfer over to the Vortexbox. The VortexBox feeds in to a Parasound ZDAC which will be used as my headphone amp (at least initially). The ZDAC feeds my Marantz SR7007 surround receiver and finally to my Magnepan MG 2.7 QR's. When listening to music in my theater, I will be fully focused on the music so this is by far more important to me than the portable listening.
 
2. Portable Listening - I have a Pono player on order which I will be loading with flac files in October. Probably IEM's will be the way to go as I would use them at my desk at work most of the time but would also take them with me on trips to use on the plane. While listening in these situations, my attention is really directed on my work so I don't necessarily need the best of the best sound. 
 
My music listening is mostly classic rock and blues. I also have a good sized collection of acappella music and will even listen to classical on occasion. I like a full and detailed sound from the crisp sounds of the hi-hat to clear but not overbearing kick drum and bass guitar. I love it when I can hear details that I did not know were there.
 
Being a Magnepan owner, I like the idea of planar head phones but I'd like to hear opinions on how to invest $600 on 1 or 2 pieces of gear. My head is telling me 2 separate sets of phones and spending the majority on the home listening. Maybe there is something out there that does it all but I doubt it.
 
I would also be open to any reasons you might have for me to raise my budget to as much as $1000. 
 
I hope I described everything in a way that you can come up with some answers for me. 
 
Thanks so much!
 
edit: What do you do when your listening position is 24 feet from your headphone amp?

 

[KG Jag]

Get an HE-500, while they are still available at $599.  Buy a headphone amp for about $200 to $300--think maybe Asgard 2 or Little Dot.  Reading the Equipment Forums will give you some good ideas.  Buy the UE 6000 at closout prices of well under $100.

 

[Claritas]

I agree about HE500 for sound. Comfort is yuck because it's heavy. Maybe if you listen lying down or get a headband pad. If that doesn't appeal to you, consider ZMF v1.

 

[KG Jag]

I don't have comfort issues with the HE 500 and I have a neck that's been in service for 6+ decades.  That said, the HE 500 is heavier than the average bear and everyone is different--especially when it comes to all aspects of headphone comfort.

 

[lackey]

Get an HE-500, while they are still available at $599.  Buy a headphone amp for about $200 to $300--think maybe Asgard 2 or Little Dot.  Reading the Equipment Forums will give you some good ideas.  Buy the UE 6000 at closout prices of well under $100.

Hey KG,
I'm curious about why you are recommending the headphone amp. Will the Zdac not serve that purpose well?

 

[KG Jag]

 

Get an HE-500, while they are still available at $599.  Buy a headphone amp for about $200 to $300--think maybe Asgard 2 or Little Dot.  Reading the Equipment Forums will give you some good ideas.  Buy the UE 6000 at closout prices of well under $100.

Hey KG,
I'm curious about why you are recommending the headphone amp. Will the Zdac not serve that purpose well?

Don't know anything about it.  If it's only a DAC, it won't do.
 
Assuming that you are talking an amp to power the HE-500, I have found the Asgard 2 to be an excellent entry level amp with good power and switchable gain.  It's also very good with many other cans.
 
For dynamic cans and less demanding orthos, like the HE-400, the O2 is an excellent buy (an amp/dac version is also available).

 

[lackey]

 
Don't know anything about it.  If it's only a DAC, it won't do.
 
Assuming that you are talking an amp to power the HE-500, I have found the Asgard 2 to be an excellent entry level amp with good power and switchable gain.  It's also very good with many other cans.
 
For dynamic cans and less demanding orthos, like the HE-400, the O2 is an excellent buy (an amp/dac version is also available).

 
It's a combination DAC and headphone amp. The only specs I can find show the headphone amp output as 10 ohms. The documentation claims "

The Zdac’s high current headphone amp will drive virtually any headphones from 32 to 600 ohms." Does that tell you anything useful? I guess otherwise I'll just be taking a chance on having to purchase another amp.
Thanks Again!

 

[KG Jag]

 

 
Don't know anything about it.  If it's only a DAC, it won't do.
 
Assuming that you are talking an amp to power the HE-500, I have found the Asgard 2 to be an excellent entry level amp with good power and switchable gain.  It's also very good with many other cans.
 
For dynamic cans and less demanding orthos, like the HE-400, the O2 is an excellent buy (an amp/dac version is also available).

 
It's a combination DAC and headphone amp. The only specs I can find show the headphone amp output as 10 ohms. The documentation claims "

The Zdac’s high current headphone amp will drive virtually any headphones from 32 to 600 ohms." Does that tell you anything useful? I guess otherwise I'll just be taking a chance on having to purchase another amp.
Thanks Again!

It tells me that their probably better at marketing than at engineering.
 
They present a nearly bear claim of what their product can do (and presumably do well).  Without reliable third party confirmation, take it to heart at you own hazard.