[jdandy]

I have been looking at different headphone amplifiers, and the Burson Audio Headphone Amp 160 has caught my eye.  I would appreciate any comments from owners, and previous owners of this headphone amp.  I would use the amp with HD600's.
 
 

 

[matthewh133]

I have this awesome friend. His name is "searchfunction". Searchfunction and I have been best of friends since I began using the internet back in nineteen-diggity-six. Searchfunction has helped me anywhere! I spend time with him at the park, at work, even at university! He has been a source of much information, helping me to track down the most obscure things with relative ease. I love searchfunction, and I will continue to love him (or her) for as long as he (or she) is alive. I suggest everyone else find their own buddy like my searchfunction.

I love you searchfunction xo

 

[Eric_C]

He's my friend! You can't have him!

 

[jdandy]

matthewh 133.......
Eric_C.......
 
You guys are so witty, and helpful.  Real friendly, too.  Such a cute little story.  Thank you so much.
 
For your information, I am quite aware of the search function here and everywhere else I spend time on the web.  I feel quite certain I make as much use of it as you two do.  As I understand forums, including Head-Fi, they're usually places where a person can share ideas, ask for help, and inquire from those with experience about particular subjects.  That is what I am doing here.  If you have nothing to add to the conversation, that's fine.  If you choose to represent yourself as above for all to see, that's fine as well, although your contribution to the original topic has been minimal to this point, in my opinion.
 
Perhaps someone with knowledge and experience about the Burson HA160 or the HA160D would be interested in commenting.

 

[Eric_C]

Your sarcasm is misplaced, jdandy. You want a "real contribution"? Fine:
http://www.head-fi.org/search.php?search=ha160d
 
Have you tried running that search? Because I see a thread on the HA160+ Senn 650, which can give you some indication on running the 600 with it. 
 
Don't be so quick to dismiss calls to use the search function. Your OP suggests that you haven't looked through the results, and even if you had, why didn't you post in the existing threads instead?

 

[jdandy]

 
Quote:

Your sarcasm is misplaced, jdandy. You want a "real contribution"? Fine:
http://www.head-fi.org/search.php?search=ha160d
 
Have you tried running that search? Because I see a thread on the HA160+ Senn 650, which can give you some indication on running the 600 with it. 
 
Don't be so quick to dismiss calls to use the search function. Your OP suggests that you haven't looked through the results, and even if you had, why didn't you post in the existing threads instead?

Eric_C.......Thank you for your reasonable response.  I am not dismissing the search function.  I spent the better part of the afternoon today reading many threads about the HA160 and HA160D using the search function here.  I read the sixmoons review as well.  I was hoping to open a simple conversation with a current HA160 owner.
 
I have been an audio enthusiast for over 43 years.  I am a founding member of another audio forum where I have over 16,400 posts on a wide variety of audio topics.  Not once in all those posts have I had to deal such a childish and insulting post as arrived in post #5 above.  I spend time on audio forums for fun, enjoyment, and to seek and share information.  This particular thread has demonstrated to me that perhaps I am wasting my time in the wrong forum.
 

 

[Currawong]

Hi jdandy,
 
Sorry about the rough welcome.  A bazillion teenagers sign up daily and post "What are the best headphones?" and people aren't used to someone seasoned appearing in their midst.  Regardless, that post before (which is no longer) was indeed over the line.  People here tend often to sticking to the long threads for discussion, which can be good and bad.
 
Since you're going to get asked by someone else anyway, could you tell us a bit about your musical tastes and how you are using your HD-600s presently?

 

[HeatFan12]

Welcome jdandy.....Way to fill out your profile.  Great job.  Real nice gear you have.  The Mc275 is sick...lol...Beautiful...

 

 

[matthewh133]

Quote:

 
Eric_C.......Thank you for your reasonable response.  I am not dismissing the search function.  I have spent the better part of the afternoon today reading many threads about the HA160 and HA160D using the search function here.  I have read the sixmoons review as well.  I was hoping to open a simple conversation with a current HA160 owner.  As it has turns out I am getting nowhere, with the exception of being insulted by a gnome with a smart mouth.  Maybe this site has an Ignore function, then I could plug this wizard's moniker into it and not be bothered with his dribble any longer.
 
 I have been an audio enthusiast for over 43 years.  I am a founding member of another audio forum where I have over 16,400 posts on a wide variety of audio topics.  Not once in all those posts have I had to deal such a childish and insulting post as arrived in post #5 above.  I spend time on audio forums for fun, enjoyment, and to seek and share information.  This particular thread has demonstrated to me that perhaps I am wasting my time in the wrong forum.
 

Geez, someone's a hothead. As Currawong said, new people here post useless copies of threads over and over, it gets tiring. There is already a thread with a WEALTH of information regarding pairings with the HA-160 where discussion is more likely to be responded to, and the front page can have an abundance of different topics rather than copies. The internet is yours to do what you like with, but I see no reason for another thread.

 

[jdandy]

 
Quote:

Hi jdandy,
 
Sorry about the rough welcome.  A bazillion teenagers sign up daily and post "What are the best headphones?" and people aren't used to someone seasoned appearing in their midst.  Regardless, that post before (which is no longer) was indeed over the line.  People here tend often to sticking to the long threads for discussion, which can be good and bad.
 
Since you're going to get asked by someone else anyway, could you tell us a bit about your musical tastes and how you are using your HD-600s presently?

Currawong.......Thank you.  I appreciate your input.  I don't want to get off on the wrong foot here.  Most of what I have read is interesting, with a large base of very knowledgeable folks posting.  I have been a headphone user for almost as long as I have been listening to recorded music and buying gear, suffice it to say more than 40 years.  I thought my Koss Pro4AA's were good phones back in the day, but have made progress through the years, although I have never been as serious about headphones and external headphones amps as the gang here.  I had Sennheiser HD580 from the early 90's, and then progressed to HD600's in the late 90's.  I bought my first external headphone amplifier in 2006, a Gilmore Lite, which I still own.  In the past few days I purchased an X-Can V8P form a Head-Fi member, but it hasn't arrived yet.  I also use the Stefen AudioArt Equinox cable on my HD600's.  The reason I began this thread is I am thinking already of moving up, and wished to converse on the merits of the Burson HA160 and the HA160D.  I have started listening to my HD600's a lot more in the past few months, and I am beginning to find myself more interested in headphones than I have been in the past.  That's why I became a member here, hoping to learn.
 
I have a wide interest in music.  I listen to everything from Sade to Jesse Cook, and Sophie Milman to Diana Krall.  I have a large collection of jazz, some rock, female vocalists, solo piano, solo guitar, some New Age, and I even have a fair collection of country.  Tonight I have listened to Gerald Veasley - Love Letters, Marc Antoine - Modern Times, Special EFX - Butterfly, and Liz Story - 17 Seconds To Anywhere, among others.  My main sound system in the living room is usually on 10 to 12 hours a day, although lately I have spent the days in my office with the headphones on, enjoying it very much.
 
I am new to the Head-Fi community as a member.  I have visited the site on and off for the past year, and decided to join the conversation.  I am a founding member of another audio forum website with over 16K posts, and enjoy my time and friends there.  By joining the Head-Fi forum I am hoping to expand my knowledge, and perhaps make some new friends.  All I ask is you kindly bare with me while I get my feet wet, and point me in the right directions until I catch on.  I fully realize that new members often ask the same old dumb questions that have been addressed many dozens of times, but my attitude on other forums about this is to offer help, and make people feel welcome.  Why not?  If it's not fun, then who would want to hang around.  Besides that, I feel I may have a lot to offer as we come to know each other.  I'll learn the ropes here soon enough......I hope.

 

 

[jdandy]

Quote:

Welcome jdandy.....Way to fill out your profile.  Great job.  Real nice gear you have.  The Mc275 is sick...lol...Beautiful...

 

HeatFan12.......Thank you for the welcome.  The MC275's are great tube amps.  I have two, and run them in mono.  They sound awesome.  With the Gold Lion KT88's, they output about 180 watts in mono. 
 

 

[matthewh133]

Quote:

 
Currawong.......Thank you.  I appreciate your input.  I don't want to get off on the wrong foot here.  Most of what I have read is interesting, with a large base of very knowledgeable folks posting.  I have been a headphone user for almost as long as I have been listening to recorded music.  I thought my Koss Pro4AA's were good phones back in the day, but have made progress through the years, although I have never been as serious about headphones and external headphones amps as the gang here.  I had Sennheiser HD580 from the early 90's, and then progressed to HD600's in the late 90's.  I bought my first external headphone amplifier in 2006, a Gilmore Lite, which I still own.  In the past few days I purchased an X-Can V8P form a Head-Fi member, but it hasn't arrived yet.  The reason I began this thread is I am thinking already of moving up, and wished to converse on the merits of the Burson HA160 and the HA160D.  I have started listening to my HD600's a lot more in the past few months, and I am beginning to find myself more interested in headphones that I have been in the past.
 
I have a wide interest in music.  I listen to everything from Sade, to Jesse Cook, and Sophie Milman to Diana Krall.  I have a large collection of jazz, some rock, female vocalists, solo piano, solo guitar, some New Age, and I even have a fair collection of country.  Tonight I have listened to Gerald Veasley - Love Letters, Marc Antoine - Modern Times, Special EFX - Butterfly, and Liz Story - 17 Seconds To Anywhere, among others.  My main sound system in the living room is usually on 10 to 12 hours a day, although lately I have spent the days in my office with the headphones on, enjoying it very much.
 
I am new to the Head-Fi community as a member.  I have visited the site on and off for the past year, and decided to join the conversation.  I am a founding member of another website with over 16K posts, and enjoy my time and friends there.  By joining the Head-Fi forum I am hoping to expand my knowledge, and perhaps make some new friends.  All I ask is you kindly bare with me while I get my feet wet, and point me in the right directions until I catch on.  I fully realize that new members often ask the same old dumb questions that have been addressed many dozens of times, but my attitude on other forums about this is to offer help, and make people feel welcome.  Why not?  If it's not fun, then who would want to hang around.  Besides that, I feel I may have a lot to offer as we come to know each other.  I'll learn the ropes here soon enough......I hope.

 

 
I apologize for my original posts, but in full honesty, the best responses you get here and within the larger threads. It's where most of the owners of the product in question tend to frequent to discuss the product and their pairings. I'd suggest posting here:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/457484/burson-ha-160-headamp-update-the-ha-160d-dac-version-is-out
 
OR
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/526998/burson-ha-160d-headamp-24-96-usb-coax-dac-unboxing-first-impressions
 
Anyway, I have the HA-160, and thoroughly enjoy it with the HD650. Although not my cans of choice, they are a good matching. I'd assume they produce some quality sounding music with the HD600's too.
 

 

[jdandy]

 
Quote:

 
I apologize for my original posts, but in full honesty, the best responses you get here and within the larger threads. It's where most of the owners of the product in question tend to frequent to discuss the product and their pairings. I'd suggest posting here: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/457484/burson-ha-160-headamp-update-the-ha-160d-dac-version-is-out or http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/526998/burson-ha-160d-headamp-24-96-usb-coax-dac-unboxing-first-impressions
 
Anyway, I have the HA-160, and thoroughly enjoy it with the HD650. Although not my cans of choice, they are a good matching. I'd assume they produce some quality sounding music with the HD600's too.
 

matthewh133.......I appreciate the change in direction, and the apology.  Not knowing the best place to ask questions, a new member doesn't immediately recognize where the best results will come from.  I'll try posting some of my questions in some of the threads I read this afternoon.  Perhaps that will be a better place to connect with owners.
 
Since you own the Burson HA160 let me quiz you about the stepped volume control.  I realize there are 24 individual volume steps that correspond to the various resistors built into the control.  I am curious if the stepped attenuator has an audio taper designed into it.  In other words, are the volume increases slight in the first six or eight steps, and then become greater once past a certain point, or is the decibel increase equal at each step from beginning to full on?

 

 

[matthewh133]

Quote:

 
matthewh133.......I appreciate the change in direction, and the apology.  Not knowing the best place to ask questions, a new member doesn't immediately recognize where the best results will come from.  I'll try posting some of my questions in some of the threads I read this afternoon.  Perhaps that will be a better place to connect with owners.
 
Since you own the Burson HA160 let me quiz you about the stepped volume control.  I realize there are 24 individual volume steps that correspond to the various resistors built into the control.  I am curious if the stepped attenuator has an audio taper designed into it.  In other words, are the volume increases slight in the first six or eight steps, and then become greater once past a certain point, or is the decibel increase equal at each step from beginning to full on?

 

As far as I can tell it's gradual amounts at the start, and it becomes greater steps the higher you get (most noticeably from 10 o'clock onwards). I'm not really willing to test past 12 o' clock as that's plenty loud enough to my ears (using the HD650), as I listen louder than most according to what I've discovered at meets. I use my AD2000s more than the HD650 and they only need to be at 9 o'clock.

 

[jdandy]

Quote:

As far as I can tell it's gradual amounts at the start, and it becomes greater steps the higher you get (most noticeably from 10 o'clock onwards). I'm not really willing to test past 12 o' clock as that's plenty loud enough to my ears (using the HD650), as I listen louder than most according to what I've discovered at meets. I use my AD2000s more than the HD650 and they only need to be at 9 o'clock.

matthewh133.......I understand the not willing to go past 12 o'clock.  Me, too.  From your description of how the volume rises, I believe the attenuater is designed with an audio taper.  I like that best.  I don't listen at tremendously loud levels like I use to when I was younger, and prefer an audio taper in the volume control.  It allows me to make finer adjustments in the volume at the levels I usually enjoy.  I would not like a healthy volume jump between steps before about 11 o'clock.
 
More questions.  Since the Burson HA160 has a detachable power cord, have you tried any other power cords besides the stock cable that comes with the HA160?  If so, what differences are you hearing?