[120717]

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD650s

I've got ~$300 (not including p+p costs) for a desktop amp to replace my adorable iBasso P3+
I've pretty much narrowed it down to 3 choices, please vote which gave you the best results and why, and what music you generally listen to.
For me it's electronica, rock/metal, then pop/blues.
If you can think of anything that's more worth my money, please let me know.
Thanks for looking guys

.

Little Dot MK IV:
Little Dot MK IV 4 Headphone Amplifier/Pre-Amp SKU65 on eBay (end time 30-Sep-09 10:01:15 BST)
Little Dot MK V:
Little Dot MK V Headphone Tube Amplifier MK5 SKU61 on eBay (end time 13-Oct-09 11:31:39 BST)
Darkvoice 336SE:
DarkVoice 336SE Headphone Tube Amplifier-neat technics on eBay (end time 10-Oct-09 16:51:17 BST)

 

[Effusion]

My Darkvoice 336se really makes my HD650s sing and come to life... I have yet to hear the Little Dots, but many seem to really enjoy them.

In my opinion, you really can't go wrong with the 336, they seem to be a perfect match for the HD600/650s. You'll want to replace the stock tubes with some nice NOS tubes, which could set you back around $20-$40 extra.

There is no difference between the 336i and 336se besides cosmetics; however, they did just release the "Classic" model, which has been upgraded internally and the 336se has been discontinued and is no longer in current production (price drop?).

I listen mainly to electronic, ambient, and acoustic... continually swapping out tubes to change/shape the sound... there are a ton of tubes out there for this amp and I've found that the combinations are almost endless...

 

[S Smith]

I also have a DV336SE and 650's and like them very much. I used that combo a lot for Rock/Metal, some Blues/Jazz and more heavy music before I got my Woo.

In hind sight, I would save a bit more and increase the budget. If you are not willing to wait, both the LD's and the DV have awesome tube rolling options. I would say this is my single most favorite part of the 336SE. So many tubes to choose from, so little time.

 

[Mehve]

Heh, I could say the exact opposite. I'm very happy with my Mark IV/HD650's, but there's certainly no shortage of happy listeners with the DV amp. Back when I was making my own decision between the two, it eventually boiled down to LD seeming to be more transparent about what was inside their amps, coupled with their frequently praised customer service.

 

[120717]

Thanks for the info.
It seems I can't edit the poll options.
It seems the 336 Classic costs about £60/$100 more than the 336se, is it worth it?
This picture of the Darkvoice 336 Classic is strange...
Darkvoice 336 Classic :: darkvoice_336_classic_6_lg.jpg picture by AntiGeek - Photobucket
Where are the circuitboards and stuff?
What would you suggest if I upped my budget to get the Little Dot MK VII, it has both balanced and regular in/output so I can upgrade my cable and source to balanced, and it's like the MK Vs counterpart to the MK IV SE.
Is there a better balanced/+regular amp better than the MK V/VII in this price range?

 

[grawk]

Personally, I'd lean more towards an M3 or PPA. I'm not a big fan of low end tube amps

 

[120717]

The little dot mk vii is solid state

 

[koven]

you cant go wrong w/ either... many people use hd650 with darkvoice and little dot with amazing results

i think the darkvoice looks nicer, so that's what i'd go for

 

[musicmind]

Check HeadphoneAddicts review of the EF1 and EF2 as well as Skylab's reviews, where he often makes comparative comments about the DV336SE which he owns. The AudioTailor Jade is just a bit above your budget at 350USD but seems to notably better and more versatile.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/rev...lifier-389381/

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/aud...-hd650-417383/

 

[Effusion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by P4Z /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for the info. It seems I can't edit the poll options. It seems the 336 Classic costs about £60/$100 more than the 336se, is it worth it? This picture of the Darkvoice 336 Classic is strange... Darkvoice 336 Classic :: darkvoice_336_classic_6_lg.jpg picture by AntiGeek - Photobucket Where are the circuitboards and stuff? What would you suggest if I upped my budget to get the Little Dot MK VII, it has both balanced and regular in/output so I can upgrade my cable and source to balanced, and it's like the MK Vs counterpart to the MK IV SE. Is there a better balanced/+regular amp better than the MK V/VII in this price range?

Good question...

I haven't heard any impressions yet of the classic and I really don't know what technically was changed... it is much slimmer now, which worries me a little as my 336se can get quite hot and the thought of all the components closer together doesn't sit as well. I do know that they opted to take out the set of pre-outs, which definitely helps with the size... I currently use these to feed my stereo amp, which I can say it actually does a good job of.

I also recently read that the company broke off into two companies, one that still handles the manufacturing and the other the branding/sales; explains the name change, I assume quality won't go down... probably best to go with the 336se or find a used 336i, or wait until there is a verdict on the classic and see if there are any liquidation sales on the back-stock of the 336se...

 

[alphaphoenix]

Quote:

Originally Posted by musicmind /img/forum/go_quote.gif Check HeadphoneAddicts review of the EF1 and EF2 as well as Skylab's reviews, where he often makes comparative comments about the DV336SE which he owns. The AudioTailor Jade is just a bit above your budget at 350USD but seems to notably better and more versatile. http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/rev...lifier-389381/ http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/aud...-hd650-417383/

Yeah. I miss my EF1 with Tungsol. Great, great amp. However, from the list only, I would sway towards DV336SE.

 

[Voodoochile]

PPA if you are into solid state, mapletree ear if you are into tubes.
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[120717]

I haven't actually heard a tube amp before :/
The jade may be a good choice since it has two outputs but I could get the LD mk vii, which would give me the option of an easy balanced upgrade later.
I'm kinda suprised by amps costing as much as my headphones being described as low end.
Could someone compare the litte dot mk iv to the audiotailor jade?

 

[musicmind]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voodoochile /img/forum/go_quote.gif PPA if you are into solid state, mapletree ear if you are into tubes. . . . . .

Are mapletree amps available for 300USD?

The Ming Da MC84-C07 is a nice amp too, if you want the lush tube sound. It should be about 350USD shipped from ebay.

Yes, amps cost quite a lot more than the headphones, even at entry-mid level. Be sure to factor in the cost of tubes as well if budget is limited, some tubes are more sought after and therefor quite expensive.

 

[120717]

Now that I think about it, solid state amps might be more my kinda thing.
Can anyone tell me how to change the options on the poll.