[rsantist]

I suppose a lot of post are talking about it. But on my case, I just want an amp according to this 2 headphones.
After reading as much as I could, my final resulta are this:
AUDIO GD 28 ( combo dac+amp) ... Too expensive
MF V3 ( i cand find it quite cheap , used)
Mf V8 , I can not find it right now.
SCHIIT LYR, new.
ICON AUDIO HP8 mkii, too expensive

Which one should I choose?
Any other suggestion?
Thank you

 

[mironathetin]

Removing the too expensive, you ask: X-Can V3, V8 or Lyr. Right?
If you read some posts about the icon audio HP8 you will find that it hums. Not good. So don't worry that you cannot afford it.
 
X-Cans can be tweaked quite nicely. There is a page from a Scottish tuner (rockgrotto) who supplies all the parts and how-tos. This can be fun and you can upgrade as more money comes in. I once had the V8. It sounds ok with the HD650.

 

[rsantist]

Now I have no option for the V8, may I choose the V3 ?

 

[mironathetin]

Sure, why not. It is certainly a good amp. Rockgrotto even writes, the V2 is the best MF ever produced.
 
Read this interesting thread about the V3:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/232635/earmax-pro-over-mf-and-lehmann
 
The favorite of Jornfin is not the V3 but the german earmax, but nevertheless, he describes very well, how the V3 sounds in comparison with two very highly praised amps.
If you get the V3 cheap, don't hesitate. Amps in one price range did not improve so much. Older amps can even have more value and most of the time, they are very well build.

 

[J&J]

The Senn HD 600/650 headphones are pretty much non amp dependent They will sound good with just about any good amp I use them to good effect with my powerful Lyr and out of small portable battery amps. On the other hand good luck with the 701 very difficult to match up generally like powerful SS amps imo  but if you get it right they are great phones

 

[Shaffer]

There are very different sounding headphones. Very different. FWIW, I prefer a Violectric V200 (warm, enveloping) with the AKGs and a Corda Concerto (fast, highly detailed with a cool-ish tonal balance) with the Sennheisers. Good luck.

 

[mironathetin]

  The Senn HD 600/650 headphones are pretty much non amp dependent They will sound good with just about any good amp I use them to good effect with my powerful Lyr and out of small portable battery amps. On the other hand good luck with the 701 very difficult to match up generally like powerful SS amps imo  but if you get it right they are great phones

This is certainly a surprising statement!
 
There are few headphones, that scale as good with the amp, source and cable than the HD 6x0.
Funny, how completely different you hear. Did you really try these cans with different amps?
 
I have your perception with Grados. I listened to RS 1 and 2 with nearly every amp I ever had and found them more or less completely static. This is why they were my favorite for the iPod. But the Senns, completely different. Same with the HD800 btw.

 

[mironathetin]

There are very different sounding headphones. Very different. FWIW, I prefer a Violectric V200 (warm, enveloping) with the AKGs and a Corda Concerto (fast, highly detailed with a cool-ish tonal balance) with the Sennheisers. Good luck.

yes, I agree.
That is why I guess that an output transformer based amp would do best to drive both of them.
But it will be difficult indeed. The HD 650 is a bit treble shy, whereas the AKG tends to the hot side with little bass.
But among the choice of rsantist, the X-Can may do the job. It has a tube and is not horribly detailed, so the AKGs treble may profit from that. On the other hand, the X-Can was one of the dream-team combinations with the HD 650 at its time.

 

[J&J]

I guess for me the Senn HD 600/650 just never sound bad but you are right they do scale up on the other hand the AKG 701 can and do sound bad without right Amp