[tomb]

Thanks for the welcome.
<snip>

Open ...Sennheiser HD580,598,600 ... Hifiman HE500 or maybe even the 400. Lead on a cheap pair of 580's

Am trying to figure out this Massdrop thing.

</snip>
Buckstir

Perhaps the single greatest deal in the market right now is the Sennheiser HD6XX from Massdrop. The Sennheiser HD580/600/650 family is singularly outstanding in the history of headphones. Believe it or not, I pre-date you by a couple of years, having purchased my first big stereo in '72 - original Advent bookshelf speakers, Sherwood S-7900 receiver, and Benjamin Miracord SR50 Mk II turntable. To go along with that, I got the Koss Pro4AAs. Things have changed a bit since then. A few years earlier than the 70's (1968), a German company called Sennheiser came out with the Sennheiser HD414. The headphone world was never the same again. Unlike Koss, Sennheiser has continued on that progression ever since.

The Massdrop HD6XX is a duplicate of the HD650. No one really understands how/why Sennheiser is doing this with Massdrop at such a low price, even though there is much conjecture. Don't worry about how/why, though - just buy them.

Keep in mind the 650 is better than the 600, which is better than the 580. I own all three and have had for years. The 650 is simply more refined, has less distortion and brings out more tiny details than the other two models. The gray plastic grilles cause a bit of glare and distortion on higher, congested passages in the 580. The 600 improves on this a bit with the metal grilles, but the 650 solved it. Note that the 598 is NOT the same headphone and is not even in the same family. It's on a much lower tier. Similarly, Sennheiser quality is exceptional, something you can't say for HiFimans. Beyers are also of very high-quality, but no one gets tonality like the Senn 580/600/650 family.

As for headphone amplifiers, that could be a book ...

 

[buke9]

Lightly used Meze 99 Classics paid for and will ship tomorrow .... that takes care of the closed back cans.
Apparently very easy to drive.

Next conundrum ... a Schiit Vali 2 or Vahalla 2 .... Little Dot mkii is a darkhorse.

Did you get the Meze yet?

 

[buckstir]

Meze 99 classics arrived yesterday. $165 shipped, with box and all accessories. Like new ... from an AK'er responding to my WTB post.
Simply beautiful craftsmanship.
Fit is very comfortable.
Sound is excellent direct from iPod.
Ordered new Schiit Magni 3 after copious research and it shipped yesterday. Will stack with my Modi and Loki.
Eying the AKG K240 Sextetts and the AKG Q701's on this site for a taste of open backed cans.
Also keeping tabs on Massdrop
Am liking this 'phone thing .... could be addictive.

 

[Redcarmoose]

If you get a chance try the Sony Z1R headphones.

Cheers!

 

[Stillhart]

Am liking this 'phone thing .... could be addictive.

Welcome to Head-fi! Sorry about your wallet!

 

[Monsterzero]

Eying the AKG K240 Sextetts

Dont bother trying the Sextetts if youre planning on using the Magni. I know. Ive tried. Also tried with my ADG R2R-11($400.00) as well as my La Figaro 339OTL($700.00) and my GOTL(1400.00).
The only amping solution Ive found that really brings out those magic mids are vintage receivers.

 

[buke9]

Addictive nooo! Says the guy with 15 headphones plus iem’s and six amps ; )

 

[buckstir]

Dont bother trying the Sextetts if youre planning on using the Magni. I know. Ive tried. Also tried with my ADG R2R-11($400.00) as well as my La Figaro 339OTL($700.00) and my GOTL(1400.00).
The only amping solution Ive found that really brings out those magic mids are vintage receivers.

Thanks for the tip.
It helps to rule out certain models
Are you implying I should stay under ... say ... 300 ohms when considering models that would play well with the little Magni 3?

 

[Monsterzero]

You will have other members tell you otherwise,but (to me) Magni 3 is for easy to drive headphones. Yes it has a lot of power for its size,but when driving power hungry beasts like the 600ohm,93db sensitivity Sextett it doesnt cut the mustard.

As an AK member im a bit surprised you dont have an old receiver laying around. They really work wonders for The Sextetts!

As to your original question,ohms is part of the equation as is sensitivity. For example a 600 ohm/101db sensitivity HP will be easier to drive than a 300ohm/93 sensitivity HP will be. Sextetts are tough,but when driven correctly theyre so damn good for guitar centric genres.

Full disclosure: Im not a Schiit fan. However,I am an Audio-GD fan and I absolutely love my GOTL,but for whatever reason neither can make the Sextetts sound the way the old dinosaurs do.

 

[buckstir]

As an AK member im a bit surprised you dont have an old receiver laying around.

Hmmmm .... Some still here ... some in happy new homes.

Pioneer SX-737, SX-1050 ( actually a blackface SX-5580 ), SX1280
Marantz 2275
Yamaha CR-820 x2, M-65
Sansui 500a, AU-D9, 8080
Concept 2.5
Optonica SA-5205
Technics SU-C03
Denon DRA-335
JVC R-S77, S401
Realistic STA-2270
Dynaco ST70
Onix 6550
Golden Tube Audio SE40
Harman Kardon A402
Onkyo M-504
McIntosh 250
Hitachi HA-8500ii
PrimaLuna Prologue Five

Alas ... none of the above will fit on my end table next to my laptop. A space of maybe 12" x 12", allowing room for a coffee mug.
Have the main listening room system.
The den system.
Bedroom system with a second pair of small speakers running to the master bath.
Thus the Schiit stack decision.
Looking to add a few flavors of headphones to explore and enjoy.
A decently recent pic of my main setup.

 

[buckstir]

Part of the record collection (about half).

So basically mid-fi stuff.
Enjoy the hobby.
Have made mistakes a plenty along the way.
But crank it up every night!

 

[Monsterzero]

If you can somehow get one of those receivers incorporated into your system grab a Sextett ASAP.
Now as a word of warning,dont use your Meze with the receivers. The Magni 3 will do just fine. Low ohm headphones thru receivers get all bloated in the bass and sound like dirt.
Any 250+ ohm dynamic headphones and most planar headphones though will work well.

Nice gear you have!

BTW you might want to join us over here

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/calling-all-vintage-integrated-receiver-owners.537704/