[Motocrossman24]

hi guys, new member and fairly new headphone enthusiast. I’m looking for a headphone amp used to drive planar headphones, currently have the hifiman He400i and will be grabbing a set of he560 in the next few week. My budget for the amp is about 800$ I could go a bit more but prefer not to. Requirements: power(I believe he560 requires something like 2watts at 45ohms) and good sound. Atm I’m leaning towards the schiit lyr3 with the ak4490 dac unit and Tung-sol/lisst solid state tube combo. This amp/dac will most likely be end game for me so I do like the ability to easily convert the lyr 3 from tube to pure ss.

Thanks in advanced for any recommendations, I appreciate it.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

hi guys, new member and fairly new headphone enthusiast. I’m looking for a headphone amp used to drive planar headphones, currently have the hifiman He400i and will be grabbing a set of he560 in the next few week. My budget for the amp is about 800$ I could go a bit more but prefer not to. Requirements: power(I believe he560 requires something like 2watts at 45ohms) and good sound.

AudioGD NFB-28. 8watts at 40hms, Class A operation. All those headphones can be easily equipped with balanced cables.

Atm I’m leaning towards the schiit lyr3 with the ak4490 dac unit and Tung-sol/lisst solid state tube combo. This amp/dac will most likely be end game for me so I do like the ability to easily convert the lyr 3 from tube to pure ss.

That'll be easier as it can do 9watts and on single ended operation, plus you can swap out the tube and LISST easier than the DAC filters on the AudioGD.

 

[squee116]

No problem with the Lyr 3 idea. Just be aware it's Single ended output only, which isn't really a problem given its power output.

 

[Motocrossman24]

No problem with the Lyr 3 idea. Just be aware it's Single ended output only, which isn't really a problem given its power output.

Yea everything I have currently or plan to buy in the somewhat near future is single ended...it honestly almost scares me when I start looking at aftermarket headphone cables, you could spend 1500$ just on a cable. Thanks for the advice guys

 

[ProtegeManiac]

it honestly almost scares me when I start looking at aftermarket headphone cables, you could spend 1500$ just on a cable

Why would that scare you when there are a lot of alternatives for less than $100?

 

[Motocrossman24]

Why would that scare you when there are a lot of alternatives for less than $100?

Would you care to list a few of them? Most I have found in my limited searches are 300$+ I have found a few in the 150$ range but nothing less then 100$ besides cheap looking ones on ebay

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Would you care to list a few of them? Most I have found in my limited searches are 300$+ I have found a few in the 150$ range but nothing less then 100$ besides cheap looking ones on ebay

I'm using this on my HD600. There's a HiFiMan version of it. Also balanced cables. Doesn't perform any worse than stock, probably better; length is ore usable than the too long stock cable. Doesn't sound any different from my custom braided cable made of conductors that came from some fancy manufacturer's China factory but phased out for a new design and then sold cheap (that our DIY-er here managed to get in bulk for a price cheaper than good quality Starquad).
https://www.amazon.com/NewFantasia-Replacement-Sennheiser-headphones-1-2meters/dp/B01D76YYKA/

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD650-Upgrade-Headphones-Replacement/dp/B0128SE0FM/
https://www.amazon.com/Sukira-Hifiman-HE-400I-headphones-Balance/dp/B074LFKHGG/
https://www.amazon.com/Sukira-Sennheiser-headphones-Balance-Upgrade/dp/B074LFV489/
https://www.ebay.com/itm/High-Quali...HE-5-HE-6-HE-500-HE560-Headphone/122597311121
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Silver-Aud...0I-HE560-HE-350-HE1000-HE1000-V2/302555910143

You don't need a $300 cable with the cable manufacturer's own fancy thick conductors hand-braided into a Starquad that doesn't have that second layer of insulation that good quality bulk cables have.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-HiFiMAN...0-Headphone-Neutrik-Canare-Cable/173105750313
https://www.ebay.com/itm/6-HiFiMAN-...00-HE-500-HE-560-Headphone-Cable/173220996360

 

[PaganDL]

Hi Motocrossman24,

There are plenty of options like ProtegeManiac stated which are cheaper alternatives to supposed 'high end cables' or even aftermarket cables as sadly, most confuse the two & I will even add my own to the mix.

null-audio.com

As was also mentioned, whether there is truly a difference in sound is up to you but there are other less mentioned reasons why an aftermarket cables are chosen, comfort, better build quality, pro audio choice, etc...
The point is the list goes on.
One thing that irritates me personally is how those who dabble in personal audio have no idea how the pro audio world works & poo poo anything due to price, supposed look, etc when all that matters at the end of the day is it performs, how is a subjective & personal choice.
The same goes for pro grade equipment which cost fraction or less what most equivalent consumer gear costs.
Neutrik & Canare are among the best pro audio choices out there whose connectors & cables cost hardly anything when compared to the 'fancy' & what some people believe who don't know any better think are really good, eg, those $$$ cables, etc.

 

[AxelCloris]

We've cleaned up the thread. Please keep posts within the Posting Guidelines. Thanks everyone.

 

[PaganDL]

Thanks AxelCloris,

It's good to know there are good standards on Head Fi, apologise for any accidental ridiculousness which mods had to clean up.