niglu93
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2012
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what is an odac?
I'm using the HD 800 with fiio e17
and it has enough power to drive them.
Would I be able to use the E17 and E09 combo for my iPhone too?
The e17 will drive them but not well. I just listened to it on high gain and it was just okay. It got a lot better with an e09+odac...much better. And then there is another level with amps in the Schitt series as well as others.
so what exactly does a "speedy" amp do technically different?
so what exactly does a "speedy" amp do technically different?
I suspect the E17 would sound better than an E11, though I have not personally heard the E17, that is the impression I've seen from others. If that is the case, the E11 powers the HD650 somewhat OK. In fact, I even preferred the sound of the E11 to the sound of my $350 Headroom Micro (desktop, old model) for HD650. The old Micro happened to create a congested midrange that the E11 did not. However when compared to an amplifier that is an even better match such as the Schiit Lyr or (much to my surprise) the headphone out of my Marantz integrated amp, HD650 jumps to a new level.
So I would say you'll probably get it to work, and it'll probably even sound fairly good. But just know that the HD650s are still capable of far more than that, and don't wrongly accuse the HD650 of being the limiting factor as I once did. They are not
If you don't mind a very analytical sound, you may wish to look into the JDS built Objective 2. The level of analytical presentation was, to me almost brutally sterile with HD650, but some folks prefer that kind of sound. You can also get an O2+ODAC for a little more than your budget if you need the DAC too. The ODAC supposedly warms up the O2 a little, and is certainly going to be better than straight laptop output.
I don't really understand how an amp/ dac can sound 'analytical'. The O2/ ODAC does what an amp/dac is supposed to - nothing more, nothing less - with a level of refinement (in terms of noise, or lack thereof). Under a double blind test, I doubt you'd get impressions ranging from "analytical" to "congested midrange".
Based on measurement alone, something like the E17 is efficient in putting out enough voltage for the HD650. The main reason to get any amp for high impedance headphones is if one's amp is unable to drive music to large volumes. Sound quality comes second, and simply does not justify spending hundreds of dollars in hopes of improving the sound, which is limited at best. That same cash could go into a higher end headphone, and the sound quality - for good or worse- will actually be audible enough to survive a blind test easily.
And I am getting sick of phrases such as "better match" or "good combo". Amp and headphone pairing is subjective on so many levels... what is "better" or "good"? What's considered an "improvement"? Such words aren't universally understood or perceived. What seems like an improvement may be a detriment to the ears of another. And that's assuming IF these differences are there, and often they are not: they're simply the outcome of psychological bias. If we expect to hear greater treble presence in the somewhat rolled-off-treble of the HD650, we'll hear it.
We need more myth busters on these boards.
Technically speaking (but simplified) it basically stops and starts the flow of power faster, more precisely, swings between high and low voltage/current more rapidly, thus making for much cleaner and detaled sound delivery without slurring, smearing, bleeding, coloring, or just not responding fast enough. Basically keeps up with the driver's abilities much more similarly.
It's not a power hungry can, but it's a performance hungry can. Possibly the most performance hungry non-electrostat. Easier to drive than HE-6...but that's not saying a lot.
So what is your point really. If you don't want to discuss "better match" or "improvement" then you may have come to the wrong place tbh. I think that the o2/odac combo leaves a lot to be desired with the headphones I own and the material I enjoy listening to. But pair an Asgard or even an e09k with the same odac and my enjoyment goes way up. Every statement that I make on this forum, and about anyone else here for that matter, has the implication of this is what I hear before and after it.
So what is your point really. If you don't want to discuss "better match" or "improvement" then you may have come to the wrong place tbh. I think that the o2/odac combo leaves a lot to be desired with the headphones I own and the material I enjoy listening to. But pair an Asgard or even an e09k with the same odac and my enjoyment goes way up. Every statement that I make on this forum, and about anyone else here for that matter, has the implication of this is what I hear before and after it.
I just tried this and I thought the e11 was better, the e17 sounds underpowered