[passenger86]

Hi Head Fi Help,

I need your support. I've just moved into a new flat and I need to get a pair of decent headphones to be able to listen to some music for hours. I think about a HD660s. Would you like to recommend me any good amp for them (budget up to $400)? How about DAC? Is it worth to buy it? What do you think about Schiit amps /dac for these headphones?

I'm gonna also use the HD660s to play some hardware electronic/techno live acts (Mackie 1604 vlz4, DSI Tempest, Roland TR-707,Sequential Circuits Pro One, SH-101, SH-2, AKAI MPC 2500 and others).

Do I need to use any amp for HD660s during my jams on hardware connnected to Mackie 1604 vlz4?

Many thanks for your suggestions!

 

[PurpleAngel]

Without knowing how powerful the headphone amplifier on the Mackie 1604 is, the exact (minimum) dollar amount needed to make a noticeable improvement, with the HD660s, is a bit of a guess.
But i would say to buy the Darkvoice 336SE OTL tube headphone amplifier ($214-$250), you can connect it to the line-output jacks, on the Mackie 1604.

 

[marcussmj]

If you want a fire hazard in your home go for it. Horror stories about the darkvoice blowing up do exist, just like the little dot.

 

[passenger86]

Without knowing how powerful the headphone amplifier on the Mackie 1604 is, the exact (minimum) dollar amount needed to make a noticeable improvement, with the HD660s, is a bit of a guess.
But i would say to buy the Darkvoice 336SE OTL tube headphone amplifier ($214-$250), you can connect it to the line-output jacks, on the Mackie 1604.

thanks! I've just read a lot of positive feedbacks about the Darkvoice on amazon. Some of guys mentioned to replace a standard tubes and get a 'better' ones. Do you know which tubes are worthy of attention?

If you want a fire hazard in your home go for it. Horror stories about the darkvoice blowing up do exist, just like the little dot.

wow.. I hadn't expected that they would cause a fire hazard.. Any good, safe amps you could recommend? Thanks

 

[marcussmj]

thanks! I've just read a lot of positive feedbacks about the Darkvoice on amazon. Some of guys mentioned to replace a standard tubes and get a 'better' ones. Do you know which tubes are worthy of attention?






wow.. I hadn't expected that they would cause a fire hazard.. Any good, safe amps you could recommend? Thanks

Hm, for the budget of $400 I would always recommend a decent solid state over some cheap tube amp. A magni 3 would get you there pretty easily, don't see the need to go any further unless you want to spend big boy money which in that case I would suggest a better headphone instead. If you still insist on spending a little more I believe an AGD nfb-1amp would do the trick.

 

[PurpleAngel]

thanks! I've just read a lot of positive feedbacks about the Darkvoice on amazon. Some of guys mentioned to replace a standard tubes and get a 'better' ones. Do you know which tubes are worthy of attention?






wow.. I hadn't expected that they would cause a fire hazard.. Any good, safe amps you could recommend? Thanks

I really do not see much in the way of tube owners claiming their tube amp are catching fire and saying they will no longer buy tube amps.
I'm sure it does happen, but i'm guessing it fairly rare.

 

[passenger86]

Hm, for the budget of $400 I would always recommend a decent solid state over some cheap tube amp. A magni 3 would get you there pretty easily, don't see the need to go any further unless you want to spend big boy money which in that case I would suggest a better headphone instead. If you still insist on spending a little more I believe an AGD nfb-1amp would do the trick.

I'm not ready yet (financially) to spend 'big boy money' to buy a top stuff. I'm just beginning my journey.. I got a long way to go. Amount of headphones/amps/gear available these days is incredible! If you wanna buy a synth, you could find how it sounds on youtube/reviews etc and then try. With amps/headphones - you need to put them all on and then spend some time.. but I'll get there..

I think I'll get a pair of HD660s and Magni 3 for now.. In the near future - I'll definitely spend more time to learn some necessary stuff and to be a bit more familiar before my next purchase of headphones/amps. anyway.. I'd like to get them all! Thanks!

 

[marcussmj]

I'm not ready yet (financially) to spend 'big boy money' to buy a top stuff. I'm just beginning my journey.. I got a long way to go. Amount of headphones/amps/gear available these days is incredible! If you wanna buy a synth, you could find how it sounds on youtube/reviews etc and then try. With amps/headphones - you need to put them all on and then spend some time.. but I'll get there..

I think I'll get a pair of HD660s and Magni 3 for now.. In the near future - I'll definitely spend more time to learn some necessary stuff and to be a bit more familiar before my next purchase of headphones/amps. anyway.. I'd like to get them all! Thanks!

I think you are on a solid foundation. Personally, I would prefer to skip right to the best I could afford and avoid wading through all the unnecessary bull with my money.