Bravo Ocean to JDS Objective2 a worthwhile upgrade (senh hd650s) ?

[Dylan Archer]

Hi all,
 
My main use of headphones is in working on my home recordings. 
 
My current headphone chain is scarlett6i6 > Bravo Ocean > senh hd650's
 
It does not sound nearly as audiophile as my main system (oppo bdp95 > ecofan 20w pp el34 amp > Usher dancer mini-x diamonds)
 
Im guessing the weak link is the Bravo Ocean.  Am i likely to get a good improvement in sound if i upgrade it to a JDS Objective2?

 

[PurpleAngel]

I doubt using the O2 would offer any improvements, over the current Bravo Audio Ocean tube (hybrid) headphone amplifier, with the HD650.
 
Maybe the Darkvoice 336SE tube amp.
 
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/dark-voice-366se

 

[Dylan Archer]

LOL @ me i allready ordered an O2, when it arrives ill update post with opinions on the comparison.  In theory budget "audiophile" op amps should beat cheapie starved plate valve, alltho im pretty sure the actual amplification on the Bravo is done by mosfets and the valve is just a buffer.  It gets quite hot in use but the valve is barely warm.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  LOL @ me i already ordered an O2, when it arrives ill update post with opinions on the comparison. In theory budget "audiophile" op amps should beat cheapie starved plate valve, all thou I'm pretty sure the actual amplification on the Bravo is done by mosfets and the valve is just a buffer.  It gets quite hot in use but the valve is barely warm.

 
The 300-Ohm HD650 like a lot of power to sound their best.
And these lowering costing tube amps (Bravo Ocean) using 20-30 year old surplus military (Russia/China) tubes are about the cheapest way of getting a lot of power (might not be the best quality power).
So chances are the O2 will not have any more power to offer, then the Bravo.
But if you plug the HD650 into the O2 and like the sound, cool.

 

[GREQ]

The O2 most likely won't give the HD650 'enough power' (subjective), since it's a lot weaker than the Bravo but you might prefer the slightly more analytical, cleaner presentation.
 
I wouldn't use any gain with the O2, anything over the standard low-gain immediately introduces distortion. Higher gain options should be banned on the O2.

 

[Dylan Archer]

Wow, just removed the foams on the hd650's - very impressed.. a noticeable improvement in detail. 
 
Followed the highly difficult and technical instruction here - http://apuresound.com/hdsennmod.html

 

[LightDarkSonic]

The ocean (stock) can be quite boomy, so it is a good idea to avoid warm tubes, I use a sylvania tube that I bought don't know from where or when it is, but I tested a lot of tubes when buying it and ended up buying this sylvania and a cleartop, I like the cleartop with my DT 880 but the bass gets kinda muddy with the HD 598 so I use the sylvania, seeing as the 650 can is even warmer I would advise you on one with tight bass and lean midrange. The sylvania in particular has a pretty different sound to the stock tube (which is quite bad) so it could make a good difference, none of mine where particularly expensive too so it may be a worth upgrade

 

[Dylan Archer]

One of the reasons i bought the Bravo was so i could put my nos mullard ecc82 in it - now that valve is in my brick mic preamp, and ive got a rca cleartop in the Bravo.
 
The O2 should arrive in  the next few days - will be an interesting comparison, the specs (IMD , THD, etc) are an order of magnitude better with the O2...

 

[LightDarkSonic]

How was the pairing Bravo + Mullard? I'm curious as it may pair really well with my DT 880's

 

[Dylan Archer]

I found that valve rolling in the Bravo made minimal difference.  the mullard had the expected sound (smooth treble, tight bass, slight low mid enhancement).
 
I suspect the valve in the Bravo is just used as a buffer - its the mosfets that make the Bravo heat up so much, in mine the valve does not get that hot at all.

 

[LightDarkSonic]

I heard about it before, just didn't know the consequences of it being used as a buffer, so the signature of a REAL tube amp changes more, didn't know about that, still there is certain amount of difference between my cleartops and my sylvanias,to the point of making me dislike using the the bravo with the cleartops and opting for the sylvania for the HD 598.

 

[Dylan Archer]

Well that turned out to be a waste of money - the O2 is very slightly "dryer" sounding than the Bravo, but the Bravo is way more musically enjoyable.

 

[GREQ]

I think it depends on the headphone too.
I find that more efficient headphones have more punch and control through the O2, and sound a bit incoherent through the Bravo which I tend to use more exclusively with planars or inefficient vintage headphones.

 

[LightDarkSonic]

I'm guessing it wouldn't pair badly with something that isn't clinical sounding, like it would pair well with my 598 but not my 880...