[creuzabar]

Hello guys. I need to know the best amplifier for the HD600 and 650 sennheiser, between bottlehead crack and DROP + THX AAA™ 789. In terms of sound stage, image, depth, extensive bass, treble and medium. Musicality, more analogic sound, less distortion, SINAD, finally need to know the best amplifier in most of the factors mentioned above.
Why is that so important to me?
Well, I live in Brazil, the local currency is greatly devalued when compared to the dollar, in this case the dollar is worth 4 times more than the Brazilian currency. So anything I buy into dollar had cost me at least 4 times in local currency plus taxes and freight costs. And I have little money at the moment, too. And it is for these reasons that it is so important to know the best amplifier, among the 2 mentioned, for the return of the money invested.
Personally I am layman, beginner in headphones of reasonable quality, I have no amplifier, besides an LG V20, a Sony ZX 300a and an HP laptop. That's why I can't say much for myself.
I read on 2 well-regarded sites, Headfonia and Innerfidelity that bottlhead crack was really much rated and recommended as one of the best options for these 2 headphones, but these reviews already have some time when the DROP + THX AAA™ 789 still did not exist.
The bottlehead crack has 10 volts, the DROP + THX AAA™ 789 appears to have around 15 volts in its balanced output. I've seen some people say that the valveamplifiers deliver a more analogic sound, i.e. closer to reality. Again reports of reviews of the internet, not my opinion, in fact I do not even have an opinion, since I have not tested any of this personally yet, which is why your opinions will have such great value to me.
The DROP + THX AAA™ 789 seems to be more interesting because it is younger, in terms of technologies, I'm sure it's a great amplifier for money, but I'm very afraid of it being less pleasurable to the ears than the older Bottlehead crack (by characteristic of the tubes).
I imagine that the questions raised in this topic are not so easy and simple to answer. But I thank those who may have these two amplifiers and headphones, or who have access to people close to them who have them, and who can contribute to the tests.
I also believe that the results will be of great value to the other lovers of the Sennheiser HD600 and 650.
Thank you all now!

 

[PurpleAngel]

Do you own both the HD600 and HD650?

My two cents.
Just go for the THX AAA 789, it's cheaper and I'm fairly sure it will do the job good enough for you.
And get a balanced headphone cable.

 

[serman005]

I haven't heard the THX yet, so I am of no use to you there. But I do own and enjoy both headphones. And I will say, those headphones are like heaven on the Bottlehead Crack. Just outstanding. That said, if you are at all into tube rolling and wanted to save some money, the DarkVoice 336SE with uprgraded NOS tubes can be amazing in my opinion. It really is a steal with the right tubes. There is a whole bunch out there to read about on this if you ever got interested in it. Just a thought.

The other thing I would just offer is that, if a friend told me they wanted to purchase both an HD600 and an HD650, I would probably try to talk them into buying one or the other, and instead, then, adding something that is providing a bit more variety, such as an HE400S, say. Fantastic headphone at tis price, IMO. Some Head-fiers might even suggest one of the K7-series as well. The reason is, the HD600 and HD650 really do share quite a bit in common in terms of overall sound. Like I said, I have them both, but I also have a ton of headphones. It might offer you more variety in an open headphone at your general sort of price range and would possibly just be therefore a little more fun. Again, just another thought.

Lastly, I may be a bit unusual, but I actually listen to my HD600 more than my HD650. I just love it. Purely personal preference, as I imagine most people probably prefer the 650/6XX. The latter is certainly more popular, that is for sure. But I like my 600. So, there you go. To each her own.

 

[Vaejoviscarolinanus]

I have a set of massdrop Sennheiser HD6XX and I have a JDS labs atom and a EL DAC II . After the ordeal of moving the video monitor to get into the settings in order to get the optical output enabled ( toslink is the default), I noticed that DVD player has a headphone output with multiple settings and a volume control. This is a older Marantz DV9500. When I plugged in the Sennheiser HD6XX it was pretty damn sweet. It has 4 headphone settings 3 of them I believe are Dolby laboratories and one is bypassed. Any thoughts on the best way to listen.

 

[Vaejoviscarolinanus]

Okay I just realized that the Dolby laboratories was playing with sound and it sounds much cleaner and the stage is greater with my AMP/ DAC. The Dolby laboratories eq is different from what I am used to.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Hello guys. I need to know the best amplifier for the HD600 and 650 sennheiser, between bottlehead crack and DROP + THX AAA™ 789. In terms of sound stage, image, depth, extensive bass, treble and medium. Musicality, more analogic sound, less distortion, SINAD, finally need to know the best amplifier in most of the factors mentioned above.
Why is that so important to me?
Well, I live in Brazil, the local currency is greatly devalued when compared to the dollar, in this case the dollar is worth 4 times more than the Brazilian currency. So anything I buy into dollar had cost me at least 4 times in local currency plus taxes and freight costs. And I have little money at the moment, too. And it is for these reasons that it is so important to know the best amplifier, among the 2 mentioned, for the return of the money invested.
Personally I am layman, beginner in headphones of reasonable quality, I have no amplifier, besides an LG V20, a Sony ZX 300a and an HP laptop. That's why I can't say much for myself.
I read on 2 well-regarded sites, Headfonia and Innerfidelity that bottlhead crack was really much rated and recommended as one of the best options for these 2 headphones, but these reviews already have some time when the DROP + THX AAA™ 789 still did not exist.
The bottlehead crack has 10 volts, the DROP + THX AAA™ 789 appears to have around 15 volts in its balanced output. I've seen some people say that the valveamplifiers deliver a more analogic sound, i.e. closer to reality. Again reports of reviews of the internet, not my opinion, in fact I do not even have an opinion, since I have not tested any of this personally yet, which is why your opinions will have such great value to me.
The DROP + THX AAA™ 789 seems to be more interesting because it is younger, in terms of technologies, I'm sure it's a great amplifier for money, but I'm very afraid of it being less pleasurable to the ears than the older Bottlehead crack (by characteristic of the tubes).
I imagine that the questions raised in this topic are not so easy and simple to answer. But I thank those who may have these two amplifiers and headphones, or who have access to people close to them who have them, and who can contribute to the tests.
I also believe that the results will be of great value to the other lovers of the Sennheiser HD600 and 650.
Thank you all now!

If you're absolutely set on HD6x0 headphones and won't get anything with lower impedance and sensitivity, then get the Crack.

However if you're concerned about costs...it's a lot more complicated. Currency valuation isn't the real problem here but your relative income, ie, a doctor in a major metro area anywhere in the world regardless of currency valuation will tend to have the same range of buying power, with differences accounted for their level and area of expertise (ie a neurosurgeon will earn more, anaesthesiologists tend to have a lucrative practice since they're needed in the OR by all other doctors, etc), but whether you have to reach upward, ie, within that example you'd be the fresh ER surgeon working on residency in a hospital that isn't the biggest in the area. Then pile on shipping and taxes on top of that.

Given those...well...you have to weigh the differences down the line of having to order tubes if you can't get them locally. They do tend to burn out sooner than the SS components in an SS amp or a hybrid amp (barring some hard to find tubes on some hybrids), but that's not always the case since some of the same solid state components can short and burn out sooner than tubes, at which point you'd have to have the amp diagnosed unlike a more easy way to test bad tubes (ie no need to desolder, just remove it properly and use a tube tester, something you should order unless you know a tube amp tech near you).