[Fearless1]

Have you tried to drive the hd800 with first watts (of course we need a preamp to control the vol)?

It sounds good, the J2 is very plush sounding so it has decent synergy, but it is significantly better from my Fosgate signature

 

[TheGadaffiDuck]

Not really, it was serviceable.

Serviceable? Which one?

 

[Fearless1]

Serviceable? Which one?

The 4b, what you asked about.

 

[yuhengtiger]

I've heard more then that, I owned around 20 in my quest. Started with a Emotiva mini (like many of us on this path) and have bought sold and traded my way through to the Firstwatt.

Some highlights: vintage- pioneer(still own), Sony, Yamaha, and Lafayette. Modern-Cambridge Azur, Bryston 4B, Audio Research 100.2, Krell KAV(really good) and many others.

It's amazing what 25 real watts and a good power supply can do with the HE 6!

Which KAV model did you try? The kav250a? How is it compare to the 2b and the j2? Thank you very much!

 

[Fearless1]

Which KAV model did you try? The kav250a? How is it compare to the 2b and the j2? Thank you very much!

300i, I liked it over the 2b, the J2/HE 6 synergy is exactly what I was looking for.

 

[ohhgourami]

300i, I liked it over the 2b, the J2/HE 6 synergy is exactly what I was looking for.

 
You want to elaborate on some details? Better amps tend to present space and imaging much better, while a lot of sub 1.5k amps can't do it at all. Did the KAV sound wider than the J2? I've compared an F6 side by side with my Krell EVO and the stage was very narrow.

 

[Fearless1]

You want to elaborate on some details? Better amps tend to present space and imaging much better, while a lot of sub 1.5k amps can't do it at all. Did the KAV sound wider than the J2? I've compared an F6 side by side with my Krell EVO and the stage was very narrow.

I wouldn't call the J2 "narrow". A bit more intimate, but not narrow. The J2 has a holographic sound similar to a good tube amp. I am a sucker for mids and that is the J2's sweet spot.

 

[ohhgourami]

I wouldn't call the J2 "narrow". A bit more intimate, but not narrow. The J2 has a holographic sound similar to a good tube amp. I am a sucker for mids and that is the J2's sweet spot.

 
F6 made music sound like the band is playing in a hallway instead of an open field. Doesn't mean the mids are bad because they had a lot of texture and depth. Good amp for the price.

 

[jerick70]

I've recently acquired a pair of HE-6s.  I've been trying various amps that I own with the HE-6.  Here are a few short impressions.
 
1) Woo WA22 (Brimar 5Z4G Rectifier, RCA 6SN7 drivers, and Chatham 6AS7G copper rods) -  I really like this pairing.  Very smooth and revealing with plenty of punch.  Nice controlled bass.  The volume control is at the 3 o'clock position on some recordings like Diana Krall's DSD fair. 
 
2) Burson Conductor V2+ - A bit anemic with this pairing.  I won't be pairing this with my HE-6s.
 
3) Burson Conductor V2+ w/ Timekeeper power amp and HE-Adapter - Very punchy.  Not as smooth as the WA22 but very competent.  SS addicts will love this pairing.  Lots of power and drives the HE-6s superbly.  Nice sparkly treble.  Non-fatiguing. The V2+ volume control is outstanding with this setup, 100 steps of volume control make a huge difference.
 
4) Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II w/ HE-Adpater - Soon to try.  I'm really looking forward to this pairing.  I'm a little worried about the preamp volume control not being able to deliver the small incremental steps needed to control the HE-6 properly. I'll report back on this.  May try the V2+ as a preamp.
 
Back later to finish this off.....

 

[TheGadaffiDuck]

Finally ive gotten the cable to use the HE6s with. Through an SMSL SA98e, 10oclock is LOUD; ive been using a Micca Origen+ as my line/preout control for now and the result is pretty fantastic! While the bass extensions and whole presentation grande, and the treble is the most unoffensive ive heard in a while through high end headphones, there is a slight hiss which can be annoying, and soundstage could be beter. All in all this is probably my favourite headphone ive heard; it's on par with the Stax MK2 007 i heard except in treble and soundstage, which given given im only using a chinese T-Amp, is only set to get better and better with any Class-AB amp. When i get the Bryston 2blp, i could only imagine how much better it would scale from the system i have.

P.S. i also have an Emotiva XDA2 Gen2 coming in. Anybody have any Emotiva Control Freaks they wanna sell me? Balanced and/or RCA Ver?

 

[KewlMunky]

Is the XDA-2 not going to be used with your HE-6?

 

[TheGadaffiDuck]

Is the XDA-2 not going to be used with your HE-6?

XDA2 is NOT a speaker amplifier. It is a digital source/preamp/DAC. The idea is i use that as my souce volume, then have the Control Freak controlling the volume of my 2blp

 

[jerick70]

  I've recently acquired a pair of HE-6s.  I've been trying various amps that I own with the HE-6.  Here are a few short impressions.
 
1) Woo WA22 (Brimar 5Z4G Rectifier, RCA 6SN7 drivers, and Chatham 6AS7G copper rods) -  I really like this pairing.  Very smooth and revealing with plenty of punch.  Nice controlled bass.  The volume control is at the 3 o'clock position on some recordings like Diana Krall's DSD fair. 
 
2) Burson Conductor V2+ - A bit anemic with this pairing.  I won't be pairing this with my HE-6s.
 
3) Burson Conductor V2+ w/ Timekeeper power amp and HE-Adapter - Very punchy.  Not as smooth as the WA22 but very competent.  SS addicts will love this pairing.  Lots of power and drives the HE-6s superbly.  Nice sparkly treble.  Non-fatiguing. The V2+ volume control is outstanding with this setup, 100 steps of volume control make a huge difference.
 
4) Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II w/ HE-Adpater - Soon to try.  I'm really looking forward to this pairing.  I'm a little worried about the preamp volume control not being able to deliver the small incremental steps needed to control the HE-6 properly. I'll report back on this.  May try the V2+ as a preamp.
 
Back later to finish this off.....

 
All I have to say is SUBLIME!!!!!  The HE-6s out of the speaker taps on the Rouge Cronus Magnum II is awe inspiring and breathtaking.  I don't think I've heard such instrument separation, deep bass, control, sound staging, and precision from a headphone.  I'm listening to the Dave Mathews Band 25th Anniversary concert on Youtube and it sounds like I'm in the front row with music surrounding me.  INCREDIBLE!!!!!!  I found my end game kit for now....   

 

[KewlMunky]

XDA2 is NOT a speaker amplifier. It is a digital source/preamp/DAC. The idea is i use that as my souce volume, then have the Control Freak controlling the volume of my 2blp

I know, I have one. So are you not using it as the DAC for your 2blp? It could control the volume for it as well.

 

[Happy Camper]

All I have to say is SUBLIME!!!!!  The HE-6s out of the speaker taps on the Rouge Cronus Magnum II is awe inspiring and breathtaking.  I don't think I've heard such instrument separation, deep bass, control, sound staging, and precision from a headphone.  I'm listening to the Dave Mathews Band 25th Anniversary concert on Youtube and it sounds like I'm in the front row with music surrounding me.  INCREDIBLE!!!!!!  I found my end game kit for now....   

With rare exception, everybody giving trial to speaker amps have agreed. These hps act more like a speaker than a headphone.