[FatBox360]

Greetings,
 
The headphone bug bit last spring/summer and coming up on a year later I feel like adding to the family.  I would like to expand the audio experiences available to me at home, but without doubling up on what I'm already getting.
 
Currently I own:
-HiFiMan HE400
-Sennheiser HD600, with ZY HiFI Cable
-Shure SE215
-Schiit Asgard (gen 1)
-Fiio E17
-Schiit Modi
-Source = Spotify (premium) and CDs, mostly
 
The HE400 and Asgard generally hang out on my desk, being fed by the Modi.  (A side note: I have y-splitters on the Modi with one side going to the Asgard and the other going to a Topping TP22 amp driving my speakers.  Don't know if/how that affects anything.)
 
The HD600 and SE215 I pair with the E17, using either optical from an AirPort Express or my Nexus 7 and an OTG cable, so the E17 is always acting as a DAC and an amp.  With the bigger jack on the ZY cable I got an adapter, since I'll take it to the Asgard occasionally and I didn't want to keep switching to the stock HD600 cable.  I set the gain to 0 for the Shures and 6 for the Senns.
 
Based on that, where would you go next?  Upgrade the Asgard?  Add at tube amp?  Is there a headphone who's sound signature is so different from the ones I have it's worth adding, like something with super high impedance?  Does my stuff, or how I'm pairing my stuff, make sense to begin with?  What would you say I'm missing so far?
 
I'd like to add cans or an amp to the family; not looking to replace.  Probably have to start thinking about upgrades instead of adds the purchase after next.
 
 
Thoughts?
 
 
 
Thank you.

 

[KG Jag]

Budget?
 
Sound signature preference?
 
Music genres?

 

[billybob_jcv]

Gosh, soooo many headphones, so little time...

I can think of many ways you could go, depending on your budget and your interests. You could try a planar magnetic, like a HiFiMan or Mr. Speakers Mad Dog, or mod your own T50RP. Or, you could try more detailed, brighter headphones than what you now own, like a Grado or AKG.

 

[FatBox360]

Budget is ~$500. Could be $800-$1000 in a couple months, and I'm not in a terrible hurry.

Genre-wise I'm one of those "anything but country" people, and I'll add contemporary hip-hop as something I don't much care for. The Royal Concept is getting some heavy rotation at the moment, but so is Billy Joel and Dave Matthew Band. Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack stuff one night, then some Pantera the next, and classical after that.

Not sure how to respond to sound signature preference, which is why I'm looking for something that would cover what I'm not already getting. I enjoy the HE-400 for the perceived power and the HD-600 for the crsip, neutral sound. I guess I lean towards liking the planars more, but it's really close.

 

[billybob_jcv]

Oh - I must have missed the entire section of your post where you said you already own the HE400...

 

[FatBox360]

Modding some Fostex would be fun, and at the price it certainly opens up another purchase sooner. I'd just be worried about messing something up, due to lack of experience, and if it'd be so different from my HE-400 planars for it to be worth it, at the moment.

I don't think I could afford electrostatic cans at the moment. Hopefully I could afford some Stax one day. I've been thinking DT 990 or 880, but didn't know if 32, 250, or 600 ohm would be the way to go with the Asgard. Which is why maybe getting some tubes now and some high impedence stuff in a couple months would be the play.

 

[billybob_jcv]

I think the Asgard could easily drive either the 250 Ohm or 600 Ohm Beyers. Don't forget, it's not just the impedance, it is also the sensitivity. At 96 dB/mW, the DT 990-250 is significantly more efficient than the the HE400 at 92.5 dB/mW, even though the HE400 is much lower impedance.

 

[FatBox360]

I still don't have how amp impedence, headphone impedence, efficiency, power, etc. all work together. I keep trying to research it but it's confusing. Like the Bottlehead Crack piqued my interest, and the webpage says they're good to pair with Senns or Beyers at 300-600 ohm, but it's OTL, which isn't good for planars? Or is it planars that aren't the HE-400?

I also thought the Schiit Valhalla 2 would be fun, but I have the same concerns about what it's meant for, since Schiit says "Whiel most tube OTL amps are really only designed for 300 ohm Senns and 600 ohm Beyers ... You may even like it with high-efficiency planars like ... HE-400." May like?

Is it something like solid states are good for a wider variety of cans and tubes not so much, unless otherwise specified. Ugh.

 

[Mr Rick]

I still don't have how amp impedence, headphone impedence, efficiency, power, etc. all work together. I keep trying to research it but it's confusing. Like the Bottlehead Crack piqued my interest, and the webpage says they're good to pair with Senns or Beyers at 300-600 ohm, but it's OTL, which isn't good for planars? Or is it planars that aren't the HE-400?

I also thought the Schiit Valhalla 2 would be fun, but I have the same concerns about what it's meant for, since Schiit says "Whiel most tube OTL amps are really only designed for 300 ohm Senns and 600 ohm Beyers ... You may even like it with high-efficiency planars like ... HE-400." May like?

Is it something like solid states are good for a wider variety of cans and tubes not so much, unless otherwise specified. Ugh.

It has to do with the topology ( design ) of the amplifier. The Schiit Lyr is a tube amp, but of a different design. It is a powerhouse when used with low Z HPs. It also has to do with the efficiency of the cans. I use the Valhalla 2 with my 32 ohm Philips X2s and they play very well. They are very efficient.

 

[FatBox360]

Is there a table or formula this? (Efficiency x impedance) / tubes = good, or something?

Circling back around the original query, though - where should I go next, and why?

 

[Mr Rick]

Is there a table or formula this? (Efficiency x impedance) / tubes = good, or something?

Circling back around the original query, though - where should I go next, and why?

This might help.
 
http://www.audiobot9000.com/
 
As I already mentioned the Schiit Lyr will drive most anything you might want.

 

[FatBox360]

That sight is awesome, thank you.

 

[AlrightMister]

Maybe upgrade the SE215's? I know, that's not new cans... Hmm. Maybe some sealed Japanese market only wood headphones. I know I'm being vague here, or maybe making suggestions to myself 

 

 

[FatBox360]

I've thought about upgrading the Shures, but they aren't getting much use these days.  I think when summer rolls around those could be improved upon, but it's all new cans today.  On that note, any specific suggestions for sealed Japanese market only wood headphones in my price range you can suggest?  For either of us?
 
Otherwise I've think I settled on getting an amp in a couple months and now just focusing on headphones that can give me a different sound that the HiFiMan or the Senns.  Think I have it boiled down to:
-DT 990 Pro
-Shure SRH1840
-MrSpeakers Alpha Dog
-AKG K712 Pro
 
Thoughts?