Started my hobby of learning about audio and diving in my music as a way to relax coming off active duty. I currently have a Fostex HPa3 (Dac/Amp) powering my HD650 and stock Fostex Mrk3 but looking to upgrade equipment in a few months as I make my transition.
I'm willing to learn but a bit intimidated by the vast audio/hi-fi world. I'm looking to spend no more than $800usd total for better hardware. Thanks for having me.
A used Bifrost Multibit and Valhalla 2 should run just under $800. You might even have some room left to invest in quality tubes. Personally, I prefer smooth sounding Bugle Boys (hard to find one that's not noisy nowadays), Pope PCC88, etc. But most others would recommend a more transparent tube with more air on top to compliment the dark/smooth sound signature of the HD650.
I'm not too sure about the Fostex, but the HD650 should scale noticeably, especially when paired with a tube amp.
@h2rulz, thank you for the suggestion. I will look into those models and see what I can learn. Have you used this setup yourself? It looks very nice and I hear good things about that brand (also a little pricey for the quality I've heard too).
I have that exact setup. Well, I have the HD6XX, which essentially is Massdrop's version of the HD650. I did once own the HD650. But I found a buyer just when I got the Valhalla 2 (prior to the Valhalla 2, I never warmed up to the HD650). I had a brief listen with the Val2 before dropping them off at the post office, and I loved the combination so much I ended up purchasing the HD6XX later.
Anyways, It'll do a great job in opening up the soundstage of the HD650 and add some air to to the otherwise dark signature.
I'm no audiophile expert, but I can assure you that both the Bifrost MB (aka Bimby) and the Val 2 are very well regarded.
Thank you. I was just looking into something I saw for a low price: Parasound DA/C 1100. I could get one under $350 but I'm going looking for more information.
I personally think DACs are an ever-changing technology. Whereas a good amplifier and good set of cans could be kept indefinitely - the HD650 that h2rulz recommended are headphones I've owned since 2003. They're a keeper! The Valhalla 2 tube amplifier is similarly excellent for those headphones!
If you're looking for bargain basement price on a DAC, I'd recommend the Modi Multibit for $249. It is state-of-the-present at an extremely low price. But if you are, as you state, looking for end game, the Bifrost Multibit is a better deal. Why? It can be upgraded to keep up with the changing technology of DACs.
Started my hobby of learning about audio and diving in my music as a way to relax coming off active duty. I currently have a Fostex HPa3 (Dac/Amp) powering my HD650 and stock Fostex Mrk3 but looking to upgrade equipment in a few months as I make my transition.
I'm willing to learn but a bit intimidated by the vast audio/hi-fi world. I'm looking to spend no more than $800usd total for better hardware. Thanks for having me.
Check your HPA3 manual. If the RCA output in the back outputs a fixed line out signal, you can skip getting another DAC and just use that to feed a line signal to a headphone amp.
You can then spend you budget on something like a Meier Corda Classic or Violectric V181.
@ProtegeManiac would you have an opinion as to how those you suggested compare to an NFB1 Amp? I'm doing to feeling and trying to make comparisons but it is very hard for me. I hear very good things about this amp. Just wondering. Thanks a lot though!
@ProtegeManiac would you have an opinion as to how those you suggested compare to an NFB1 Amp? I'm doing to feeling and trying to make comparisons but it is very hard for me. I hear very good things about this amp. Just wondering. Thanks a lot though!
Haven't heard the NFB-1 but I got to try the NFB-11, NFB-12, and NFB-16; nor the Classic, but I have the Cantate.2, tried the Symphony, Head-Five, and one other (the one that came out between the Symphony and Classic). Specs wise the Meiers and Violectric have a lot of clean power, so does the AudioGD, but the latter has a tendency to be just slightly brighter than the other two at very loud volumes. Levels you wouldn't really use apart from that one track on each album that you really like. Overall, not really a problem.
What might be is customer support. If you're after a cheap DAC-HPamp then there's no beating the value of AudioGD entry level products like the NFB-11. However if you can afford to spend a lot more than that, you can get smoother after sales support from Meier, Schiit, Violectric, JDSLabs, Schiit, etc.
Endgame? Are you going to stop after what you think is good enough? Well how do you know? I'm not advocating spending money you don't have by no means but your just starting why limit yourself as this is all there is. Getting started by saying I've got $800 to get the best I can is another story. Then that is another story as they're are as many amps and Dacs as opinions. You're headphones can't be more different. Trying to find a amp to drive both not hard but trying to get the most out of them different story. Not a lot of dac/amps I've had will drive the 650's real well. I think after all that I've heard the 650's are just awesome from a Bottlehead Crack. It was made for it just too sweet . The Fostex not so much. Not that it doesn't like tubes just not a OTL amp (Output Transformer Less a circuit that prefers high impedance headphones). If you like your headphones you can go many different ways go with a all in one. Audio GD makes really good stuff but there are others. If it was me I would pic up a Schiit Modi multibit to start. I just love the multibit sound as I have the Yggy and will never get rid of it. The Project Ember is one that I would look into. Very nice hybrid amp that can run most headphones and there are so many others. I would go with one of the Schiit multibits they are all that. Like I said as many as there are opinions. Before I forget thanks for your service I'm am a old Cold War sub sailor here .
@buke9 yes, I will be stopping afterwards. Looking for "endgame" that I can basically get for a low price. The guys here have suggested things and I've researched into them endlessly so far.
I've also learned that a "Theta DS Pro" or most of those DACS are 90s models that are still "endgame" pieces of hardware that I could find for as low as $300 - $500 but by today's standards I've have to pay more than that for better performance.
And trust me, if I had $800 to START I would spend all of it and try different options and different headphones for a very long time. (The LCD2 have interested me too) I won't have the funds to throw at this hobby like I would like though.
I dont have much knowledge so I'm trying to weight all my options at a $800 cutoff and get every opinion I can. I have questions about:
Parasound DA/C 1100 -> NFB1 AMP -> HD650
But haven't seen much comparison between the very similar options to formulate an vague chart of some sort to go by/sort "sound/value/price".
I just want the best to live with and possibly just try different headphones and collect. who knows hahah? Cold war- I should be thanking you! We are all brothers in the service regardless of the branch.
Hmm. Very informative info. Just blew my a$$ out the water hahaha. Looking at:
Bifrost Multibit + NFB 1
Modi Multibit + Asgard 2
Parasound DA/C 1100 + NFB 1
I dont know. Too many options but want to try something that I will always enjoy.
Hmm. Very informative info. Just blew my a$$ out the water hahaha. Looking at:
Bifrost Multibit + NFB 1
Modi Multibit + Asgard 2
Parasound DA/C 1100 + NFB 1
I dont know. Too many options but want to try something that I will always enjoy.
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