[Xeo]

I've read a lot through the forums, and I've come across posts that say the A900's wont benefit from amping unless that amping is SIGNIFICANT. I dont know what "significant" means, but my dad's old Pioneer VSX 3300 receiver works wonders for these headphones. I dont know anything about recievers or amping, here's a link to an ebay auction for the receiver I'm talking about, just in case it helps http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

When I plugged my phones into that, the music was 200% better in my opinion. The difference was night and day (what's more, when I first listened to my a900's running straight from my nomad, they knocked the pants off of all the other headphones in my house).

Anyway, I've found lots of recommendations for sub $300 amps on these boards, but I want to know if their ability is "significant" enough to make a huge difference on my A900's like the bulky VSX-3300 does.

Now that I think about it more, could the lack of drive in my a900's be from the source rather than a lack of power? The only places I've listen to my headphones are from the headphone jack on my SB Live platinum, my nomad zen xtra, and that pioneer reciever (connected to an old pioneer cd player) that i already told you about. I also have another computer with an EMU 0404 sound card. Would it be wise to try to listen to my headphones through this card if possible, before I go and try to buy an amp, or would I be wasting my time if I did that?

 

[chrisfromalbany]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xeo I've read a lot through the forums, and I've come across posts that say the A900's wont benefit from amping unless that amping is SIGNIFICANT. I dont know what "significant" means, but my dad's old Pioneer VSX 3300 receiver works wonders for these headphones. I dont know anything about recievers or amping, here's a link to an ebay auction for the receiver I'm talking about, just in case it helps http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW When I plugged my phones into that, the music was 200% better in my opinion. The difference was night and day (what's more, when I first listened to my a900's running straight from my nomad, they knocked the pants off of all the other headphones in my house). Anyway, I've found lots of recommendations for sub $300 amps on these boards, but I want to know if their ability is "significant" enough to make a huge difference on my A900's like the bulky VSX-3300 does. Now that I think about it more, could the lack of drive in my a900's be from the source rather than a lack of power? The only places I've listen to my headphones are from the headphone jack on my SB Live platinum, my nomad zen xtra, and that pioneer reciever (connected to an old pioneer cd player) that i already told you about. I also have another computer with an EMU 0404 sound card. Would it be wise to try to listen to my headphones through this card if possible, before I go and try to buy an amp, or would I be wasting my time if I did that?

Well I would want to know what the output of the "nomad zen xtra" is. I run my A900 out of the ipod w/o an amp, then with a small portible amp or out of the stereo kenwood. It does sound better out of the Kenwood but I wouldn't say it is night and day. Small portible amp is no different. I am getting a SM3 then maybe.. Maybe there is a difference. Have to see.

 

[dj_mocok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xeo I've read a lot through the forums, and I've come across posts that say the A900's wont benefit from amping unless that amping is SIGNIFICANT. I dont know what "significant" means, but my dad's old Pioneer VSX 3300 receiver works wonders for these headphones. I dont know anything about recievers or amping, here's a link to an ebay auction for the receiver I'm talking about, just in case it helps http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW When I plugged my phones into that, the music was 200% better in my opinion. The difference was night and day (what's more, when I first listened to my a900's running straight from my nomad, they knocked the pants off of all the other headphones in my house). Anyway, I've found lots of recommendations for sub $300 amps on these boards, but I want to know if their ability is "significant" enough to make a huge difference on my A900's like the bulky VSX-3300 does.

Improving A900 significantly through amplification ? This, I never heard of. But of course, I don't have the money to try this with Dynahi-calibre amps

maybe they WILL indeed sound different...

Anyway, I suspect the 200% increase you got from plugging your A900 to your dad's receiver is mainly because the source (stand-alone CDP vs. Nomad) not the amplification.

But for A900, I wouldn't bother so much looking for expensive amps... the money is better spent for a new CDP or a new headphones I say...

 

[Bleed]

I have a gilmore lite for my A900's, and it really opened up. the bass is so much tighter and deeper, but not overwhelming. The mids were never a problem for me, so I can't comment on that

.

OT: heres something really weird, I hooked up my EX71's onto my gilmore lite, and it sounded alot like my A900's. Gone were the very annoying highs, although the bass is a bit shallow, I still enjoyed listening to them

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