Amp advice for HD 650

[Abrah]

I've just bought an HD 650 and am looking for an amp or dac/amp to go with it. The HD 650 will be mainly used with my desktop. 
I have an old (Sansui A-E750) amp that is hooked up to two B&Wi speakers which I inherited from my parents. 
The old amp is hooked up to my desktops on-board audio. I will use this amp to power the HD 650 for the time being, however I have read that they would greatly benefit from a decent amp. I don't have the kind of money to be able to afford something like a Jotunheim, so I started looking at cheaper alternatives, such as the Fulla 2 and the Magni 2/Magni 2 Uber.
 
What would be the best amp for these cans? My budget is around €150. The Fulla 2 and Magni 2 are both €125, while the Uber is €179. But I'm completely open to other suggestions for amps, even a built-in amp would be fine, although it would be nice if the amp was able to power my B&Wi speakers as well. In which case I could consider an amp that's a little more pricey, but by no means high-end.
 
Edit: I forgot to mention, my main source of material is Spotify Premium.

 

[PurpleAngel]

I would suggest getting a used Asus Xonar DX or D1 sound card
Or a Hifimediy DAC ($42-$70)
So use the Xonar or the Hifimediy as the DAC and plug the headphones into the Sansui.
Try running the HD650 that way for a while, maybe save up for a headphone amplifier to get at a later date.

 

[Abrah]

I would suggest getting a used Asus Xonar DX or D1 sound card
Or a Hifimediy DAC ($42-$70)
So use the Xonar or the Hifimediy as the DAC and plug the headphones into the Sansui.
Try running the HD650 that way for a while, maybe save up for a headphone amplifier to get at a later date.

Thank you for your advice. I can get a used Asus Xonar D1 for about €30. I also looked for other Asus soundcards and can probably get a used Xonar Essence STX for about €70. Do you think that card would be worth the extra money? I assume that I would plug the HD 650's into the STX directly instead of through the amp?

Since you mentioned getting a headphone amplifier at a later date, which amp would you suggest?
Also I'm wondering why you're advising me to get an audio card/DAC instead of one of the Schiit products I mentioned in my post. Is it due to my budget or does it have another reason?

Thanks again!

 

[Axewell]

  I've just bought an HD 650 and am looking for an amp or dac/amp to go with it. The HD 650 will be mainly used with my desktop. 
I have an old (Sansui A-E750) amp that is hooked up to two B&Wi speakers which I inherited from my parents. 
The old amp is hooked up to my desktops on-board audio. I will use this amp to power the HD 650 for the time being, however I have read that they would greatly benefit from a decent amp. I don't have the kind of money to be able to afford something like a Jotunheim, so I started looking at cheaper alternatives, such as the Fulla 2 and the Magni 2/Magni 2 Uber.
 
What would be the best amp for these cans? My budget is around €150. The Fulla 2 and Magni 2 are both €125, while the Uber is €179. But I'm completely open to other suggestions for amps, even a built-in amp would be fine, although it would be nice if the amp was able to power my BMWi speakers as well. In which case I could consider an amp that's a little more pricey, but by no means high-end.
 
Edit: I forgot to mention, my main source of material is Spotify Premium.

I use a pair of HD 650's and have an objective 2 + odac combo with them. Works great, can totally recommend it.

 

[Abrah]

  I use a pair of HD 650's and have an objective 2 + odac combo with them. Works great, can totally recommend it.

Thanks for your reply. I see the O2's a lot around here, though the combo is unfortunately above my budget. I will look around for a used combo, but it's hard to find for a decent price + shipping & tax here.

 

[Abrah]

I've found a Micromega Minium AMP + CD for €175 at a local Hi-Fi store. Would this be a good deal and would it work properly with the HD 650's.
 
Also, in my original post I mentioned BMWi speakers, I meant B&Wi. (Oops)

 

[PurpleAngel]

Thank you for your advice. I can get a used Asus Xonar D1 for about €30. I also looked for other Asus sound cards and can probably get a used Xonar Essence STX for about €70. Do you think that card would be worth the extra money? I assume that I would plug the HD 650's into the STX directly instead of through the amp?
Since you mentioned getting a headphone amplifier at a later date, which amp would you suggest?
Also I'm wondering why you're advising me to get an audio card/DAC instead of one of the Schiit products I mentioned in my post. Is it due to my budget or does it have another reason?

 
The Sansui might make a decent headphone amplifier for the HD650.
But will not know for sure until you plug the HD650 into the Sansui.
 
70 Euros for an Essence STX card is a great value.
You could plug the STX's RCA line-output into the Sansui.
You would then have the option of plugging the HD650 into the STX's headphone jack and the Sansui's headphone
Use whichever jack sounds better to your ears.
 
Not against the Schiit products, just not sure the Fulla 2 headphone amplifier would make a noticeable improvement, over using the Sansui to drive the HD650.

 

[Monsterzero]

I use a Sansui 881 as my main headphone amp and it drives headphones much harder to drive than your 650s.

I actually sold my Woo Audio WA2 and kept the Sansui.

Yours being a newer model and mine coming from the Golden Age of watts wars YMMV.

 

[Abrah]

Thank you very much for the advice! I'll get one of the Asus cards and depending on which one I can get my hands on, will use either the card or the Sansui to drive the HD 650's. Whichever sounds best. Thanks again.

 

[Abrah]

Unfortunately, I won't be able to get the Asus Xonar Essence STX, although I can get the Asus Xonar Phoebus Solo used for €50. Would that be a decent alternative?

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Unfortunately, I won't be able to get the Asus Xonar Essence STX, although I can get the Asus Xonar Phoebus Solo used for €50. Would that be a decent alternative?

 
For 50 Euros, I can see getting the Phoebus Solo.

 

[schaefer]

I know it's expensive, but if you can find an HDVA 600 for these guys they truly shine. Best of luck on your quest for the best!

 

[marysdad]

I do something very similar. I have a Pioneer SX-950 and B&W speakers, and purchased HD600s for processing vinyl rips. I went with the Objective headamp and DAC as separate units. I run the PC through the ODAC, through the SX-950 amp, to the O2 Headamp, to the cans. Really works well.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  I've just bought an HD 650 and am looking for an amp or dac/amp to go with it. The HD 650 will be mainly used with my desktop. 
I have an old (Sansui A-E750) amp that is hooked up to two B&Wi speakers which I inherited from my parents. 
The old amp is hooked up to my desktops on-board audio. I will use this amp to power the HD 650 for the time being, however I have read that they would greatly benefit from a decent amp. I don't have the kind of money to be able to afford something like a Jotunheim, so I started looking at cheaper alternatives, such as the Fulla 2 and the Magni 2/Magni 2 Uber.
 
What would be the best amp for these cans? My budget is around €150. The Fulla 2 and Magni 2 are both €125, while the Uber is €179.
---
Edit: I forgot to mention, my main source of material is Spotify Premium.

 
For the most part what the Fulla2 will get you is easier integration with the computer, and better compatibility with other headphones compared to the old speaker amp.
 
I'm more inclined to just save up for something like the AudioGD NFB-11, or the Modi2 and Vali2.
 
 

  But I'm completely open to other suggestions for amps, even a built-in amp would be fine, although it would be nice if the amp was able to power my B&Wi speakers as well. In which case I could consider an amp that's a little more pricey, but by no means high-end.

 

What for? You have the Sansui amp. Buying an amp for both headphones and speakers for a low budget will get you either a headphone amp that can't drive speakers at all or a low power unit that might not have enough clean power and current for the B&W nor the Sennheisers (much less if you get a HiFiMan, and the output impedance is not known either). Going cheap gets you something likely too cheap for the headphone you might as well just hook it up to a Macbook if that's the computer you're using now.

 

The cheapest amp that is great for speakers and decent for headphones too is the NAD D3020, and it's about $500+ new. An amp that's as great for the LCD-2 and high impedance headphones as it is with some harder to drive speakers would be the Cayin CS-55a for $1,500. An amp that will drive virtually anything but the largest tower speakers and electrostats would be the Schiit Ragnarok at around the same price.

 

You'd save more money getting separate amps, and will let you have the headphone and speakers systems in separate rooms as well.