[smodtactical]

Just going back and forth between my HD650 and HD800S I love the detail of the 800S but also love the warmth and bass volume of the 650. Would my best bet be a tube amp to bring the 800S bass out?

 

[Rhamnetin]

Just going back and forth between my HD650 and HD800S I love the detail of the 800S but also love the warmth and bass volume of the 650. Would my best bet be a tube amp to bring the 800S bass out?

Honestly your best bet may very well be to sell both and get a different headphone that has lots of detail and openness without sacrificing bass. An all tube amp may have less bass extension than a really good solid state amp too.

 

[-HaVoC-Tzu-]

Just going back and forth between my HD650 and HD800S I love the detail of the 800S but also love the warmth and bass volume of the 650. Would my best bet be a tube amp to bring the 800S bass out?

If you like bass and detail you may prefer the Fostex TH-900MK Sapphire Blue (I never tried the red). Detail is pretty close to 800S when using balanced cables, but sacrifices a little bit of imaging...easily more detail than the 650, but much more and better bass then both sennheisers.

 

[Rhamnetin]

TH-900 is vastly different though, one of the most V-shaped sound signatures of any headphone with extremely recessed mids and sounds very closed in compared to an open back.

 

[zek4u]

Cousin had the TH-900 with the Schitt stack. If you like bass, these are crazy good but I personally preferred the HD800S headphones. If you want a wonderful sound stage and nuance, stick with the HD800S. You can wake up the bass on the HD800S headphones with powerful headphone amps like the Violectric, HDV-820 and others. It will won't be to the point of the TH-900 but sounds good to me. You can even get a bigger sound stage by running all balanced.

Heard the Ether Flow C is another great pair of headphones. From what I can tell, more bass and a sound stage more like the HD800S.

 

[-HaVoC-Tzu-]

TH-900 is vastly different though, one of the most V-shaped sound signatures of any headphone with extremely recessed mids and sounds very closed in compared to an open back.

Haven’t tried the red, only have the sapphire blue which has less of a v-shape.

 

[bluenight]

I most say that i prefer using hugo 2 as a dac to my lake people rs 02 hp amp then to listen directly from hugo 2. Pretty good audio level for the price of the lake people amp. Sounds much better now then when i used mojo dac to feed to rs 02.

So get the qutest as dac if you want to save money and you get the same level of sound as hugo 2s dac.

 

[smodtactical]

Thanks for all the suggestions.
Rhamnetin which headphone would you suggest?

I like the idea of getting a more powerful amp. Right now I have a Burson conductor SL 9018. I'm currently deciding now I think between the moon Neo 430, hdv820 or vioelectric v281.

Going to demo hdv820 soon. The moon was nice but not massively different in the bass over my burson. Overall about 5 to 7 % better in terms of detail, transparency and staging.

If the hdv820 gives me a similar gain then it's a no brainer as it's much cheaper.

 

[Rhamnetin]

Thanks for all the suggestions.
Rhamnetin which headphone would you suggest?

I like the idea of getting a more powerful amp. Right now I have a Burson conductor SL 9018. I'm currently deciding now I think between the moon Neo 430, hdv820 or vioelectric v281.

Going to demo hdv820 soon. The moon was nice but not massively different in the bass over my burson. Overall about 5 to 7 % better in terms of detail, transparency and staging.

If the hdv820 gives me a similar gain then it's a no brainer as it's much cheaper.

If you were to sell both headphones, the Stax SR-007 would be the best for you I am guessing, but it requires a totally different amp. You can get a KGSSHV from mjolnir-audio.com for the price of the amps you listed though.

If you don't want to go the electrostatic route then things become more complicated based on your apparent preferences. The only options I can think of here are a used HiFiMan HE1000 (unless you are willing to drop $3k on a V2) or maybe the Focal Clear but I have zero experience with it.

If staying away from electrostatic systems, then I would get the Mjolnir Audio Pure BiPolar amp (or wait for the upcoming HeadAmp GS-1 Mk2 if you are patient). I would expect it to best the ones you listed in transparency, fullness, separation, and perhaps extension, as both its amp circuit and its power supply are proven to be some of the best measuring, best performing ones out there, and only excellent quality components are used throughout (plus it is a fully discrete amp unlike Violectric).

 

[smodtactical]

If you were to sell both headphones, the Stax SR-007 would be the best for you I am guessing, but it requires a totally different amp. You can get a KGSSHV from mjolnir-audio.com for the price of the amps you listed though.

If you don't want to go the electrostatic route then things become more complicated based on your apparent preferences. The only options I can think of here are a used HiFiMan HE1000 (unless you are willing to drop $3k on a V2) or maybe the Focal Clear but I have zero experience with it.

If staying away from electrostatic systems, then I would get the Mjolnir Audio Pure BiPolar amp (or wait for the upcoming HeadAmp GS-1 Mk2 if you are patient). I would expect it to best the ones you listed in transparency, fullness, separation, and perhaps extension, as both its amp circuit and its power supply are proven to be some of the best measuring, best performing ones out there, and only excellent quality components are used throughout (plus it is a fully discrete amp unlike Violectric).

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll definitely consider them.

My understanding is electrostatics are bass light and not as punchy? Is that incorrect?

He1000 v2 is something interesting although I've seen a lot of people prefer the 800s but I'd like to hear the v2.

I'll look into the mjolnir amp.

Where did you hear about the gs1 mk 2?

 

[Rhamnetin]

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll definitely consider them.

My understanding is electrostatics are bass light and not as punchy? Is that incorrect?

He1000 v2 is something interesting although I've seen a lot of people prefer the 800s but I'd like to hear the v2.

I'll look into the mjolnir amp.

Where did you hear about the gs1 mk 2?

That is incorrect about electrostatics. While the SR-007 and SR-009 do have a dip below 80 Hz, it's not a significant one like the typical dynamic headphone nose dive below 100 Hz. See Innerfidelity's measurements: SR-007 vs HD 800 S

That is the SR-007Mk1 but the current one should be similar, and with the bass port mod it is even better. Only elite planars have better bass than the SR-007 and SR-009, they crush all dynamic headphones in that regard from my experience including the HD 800 S. Much more fullness and impact and deeper sub-bass with the SR-007.

The biggest audible difference between the HE1000 v2 and HE1000 is the ear pads, not sure how much it changes the sound but the HE1000 is more transparent than the HD 800 S, its bass walks all over that of the HD 800 S, the treble sounds more natural to me (also more laid back), and overall it is less analytical and has more character for better or worse.

I heard about the GS-1 Mk2 from Justin of HeadAmp himself. He actively posts about it and shows pictures of prototypes on head-case.org, also told me about it earlier this year via email. I made a thread on it here:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/headamp-gs-1-mk2.883745/

That may actually end up being a Pure BiPolar, but with a preamp and optional better volume control, chassis color options, and a lower price. Dynalos (which the GS-1 Mk2 and GS-X Mk2 and Pure BiPolar are at their core) and Dynahis are the only standalone solid state non-electrostatic headphone amplifiers I am willing to buy and use.

 

[bluenight]

Read that gsx mk 2 is not a good match with hd800s. To bright.

And innerfidelity says
"Sound quality is ruthlessly articulate. If you've got headphones you consider a bit too bright, don't pair them with this amp, you'll just bring out the worst in your cans. EQ is a must if you'll be using headphones with a lean signature. But if you use EQ or pair the GS-X with warm cans you will be shocked with the detail retrieval and resolution to be found here."

http://www.head-fi.org/t/740568/top-shelf-solid-state-with-hd800s

Think focal clear would be a good can to audition if you go to another headphone.

They say its a super hd 650

https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/innerfidelitys-wall-fame-over-ear-open

 

[bluenight]

Also when i auditioned hdv 820 i dident find hd 800s lacking in bass. Bass got even stronger when i used hugo 2 as dac to it. It was a very good sound and very strong bass. My lake people rs 02 with hugo 2 dont have the same amount of bass. But its good enough for now, i might get the hdv 820 eventually but i am content for now.

 

[Rhamnetin]

Read that gsx mk 2 is not a good match with hd800s. To bright.

And innerfidelity says
"Sound quality is ruthlessly articulate. If you've got headphones you consider a bit too bright, don't pair them with this amp, you'll just bring out the worst in your cans. EQ is a must if you'll be using headphones with a lean signature. But if you use EQ or pair the GS-X with warm cans you will be shocked with the detail retrieval and resolution to be found here."

http://www.head-fi.org/t/740568/top-shelf-solid-state-with-hd800s

Think focal clear would be a good can to audition if you go to another headphone.

They say its a super hd 650

https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/innerfidelitys-wall-fame-over-ear-open

It's not that the GS-X Mk2 is too bright, the GS-X Mk2 is extremely transparent, a "wire with gain" so it just allows the HD 800's bright character to come through without holding it back. The HD 800 S is less bright than the HD 800 though but I personally prefer both with tube amps.

 

[smodtactical]

Also when i auditioned hdv 820 i dident find hd 800s lacking in bass. Bass got even stronger when i used hugo 2 as dac to it. It was a very good sound and very strong bass. My lake people rs 02 with hugo 2 dont have the same amount of bass. But its good enough for now, i might get the hdv 820 eventually but i am content for now.

You were using an 820 + hugo 2 ?

It's not that the GS-X Mk2 is too bright, the GS-X Mk2 is extremely transparent, a "wire with gain" so it just allows the HD 800's bright character to come through without holding it back. The HD 800 S is less bright than the HD 800 though but I personally prefer both with tube amps.

Which tube amp do you like to run the 800S on ?