[ardilla]

^ So don't go for the Crack if you are looking for romance, is that it?

 

[DefQon]

You can go for romance only if you don't want the fun part. 

 

[ardilla]

^ Since I am able to have great fun with HD650 and both the WA22 and the WA2 I guess I must have a special talent for romance. Never really cared that much about models anyway. Their looks seldom make me laugh.

 

[mironathetin]

Is my impression correct? If you ask for an amp for headphone XY, the recommendations are usually the few latest models on the market?
 
I still use the earmax silver edition with my HD 650. Tried Black Cube linear, Leben CS 300, MF X-Can, Lake People Violectric V200. I also casually listen to new amps as they are available at my dealer. Never listened to Wa2 or 22 though. They don't seem to be available anywhere in Europe.
Up to now, the earmax tops them all by a margin or at least, there was no advantage to the new models. Only the Leben amp is in the same league sound quality wise, but the Leben hums. Since the OP writes, he listens to classical music (Bach?), hum is a no-go.
 
The earmax is a 15 year old design. But that does not mean, it is dated. We all discovered recently how good vinyl sounds and sounded. My impression is, there may be new audio technology that sounds different, but the sound quality progress overall is in small steps only. 
 
I just bought a box of classical recordings from the 50s (RCA living stereo box, 60 CDs). They sound outstandingly natural, thanks to state of the art remastering, but also thanks to great sound engineers, who obviously thought about the placement of the few microphones that they used.
After listening to that, I started to have doubts that we listen to the top of the sound only because we keep buying new amps and players. It has been really good before, too, even long ago. CD was a step back during the 80s, 90s and beginning of the 2000s, that is certain. Now, as we finally get really good DACs, we have to live with the loudness war.
 
The earmax is still among the top amps IMHO, and for the HD 650 one of the first choices. Available used for first class prices, too. Probably a little expensive when bought new, especially outside of Europe.

 

[RedBull]

Agreed. Earmax stunned me when I first hear them with hd650 and classical music. My jaw dropped.

 

[irishsammy]

I can't believe nobody has mentioned the Bottlehead Crack.  For the high-impedance Senns, it doesn't seem like it gets much better, particularly for the price. 
 
Edit: Oops...gotta go past Page 1 to get to the Crack reference.  Whew, glad it was somewhere.

 

[Austin Morrow]

If you're willing to spend $1800 on a high-end amplifier, I would highly consider selling off the HD650, spend $700-$1000 on an LCD-2, and use the remaining funds for an amp.

 

[Jeff Y]

I've tried Woo Audio, Burson, Vioelectric, FIIO, Little Dot, and Graham Slee and possibly other ones that I can't remember. And I found the Graham Slees the best. Burson was awesome as well but I felt like it took away the "dark" HD650 sound signature which I didn't want to have it happen. Graham Slee made HD650 musical but still have that 650 sound that I love so much. Solo SRG2 with green power supply is sitting with my Vioelectric at home competing.(graham slee sounds good with my Grado 325Is too)