[Bee inthe Attic]

--->I came on here a few months ago looking for a good $100 headphone.
--->After reading all of your posts and reviews, I have now spent a GRAND (yes, $1000) on phones, mods, pads, amp, cases.
--->THANKS very much EVERYONE!!! =)
 
Now for my question - I need some advice please.
I just bought the HD 600 (300ohm), and am wondering if I need another amp with my current setup.
I'm using a MacbookPro > Fiio e10 (that I use to power my Grado 225's and Beyer DT770 Pro80's quite well).
 
1) The e10 says it's suitable up to 300ohms; will this be 'good enough' to use for a while until I can afford a proper amp?
2) I have Logitech Z-2300 powered speakers that have a headphone jack. If I connected my HD 600 to these speakers, would they power them better than the e10? would these be 'good enough'?
3) I'm assuming most of you will say I NEED a better amp, so will the Fiio e9 be 'good enough', or can you recommend something between $100 - $200 or so that won't require an upgrade for some time?
 
Thanks so much.

 

[Destroysall]

Option 1 seems "okay" and should be "okay" for a while until you get a proper amp.
 
Option 2 is a no-go.
 
Option 3 is a maybe.  You have the e10 already, which is fine.  But you can still get the e9 if you wish and set it up along with the e10 and see how that sounds.
 
I would say if you can find one, grab an Apogee Duet (1 or 2) off of eBay.  Its been said by many that it pairs extremely well with the HD 600.

 

[mak2675]

I'm wondering the same thing. I was hoping an hd600 would work with my laptop --> e10 setup. So far everyone seems to say e10 does a passable job with the hd600, but that almost sounds like I'm better of getting an hd598, which I'm guessing wouldreally shine with an e10. So I'm presuming its like a battle between a shining 598 setup and a satisfactory hd600 setup for me. Personally a good chance I'll just go with the hd600.

 

[mikeaj]

Sennheiser HD 6xx series are not that demanding because of the high impedance and relatively high sensitivity for the impedance.  If you have a device which sounds good to you and will be loud enough, they will probably sound just fine with the HD 600. 
 
Given the same output volume setting from the E10, they will just be some 2-3 dB quieter than the DT770 Pro/80 you already have.  Unless you currently max out the volume driving the DT770, you're probably good to go.
 
The upper "suitable load impedance" range is mostly just marketing bunk.  If it can do 100 ohms fine, it will be able to do 300 ohms, 600 ohms, 20000 ohms, whatever.  In practice, there are just several 600 ohms models out there like the Beyerdynamic DT 770/880/990 and vintage AKG models, etc. that also happen to have relatively low sensitivity, meaning they need more voltage than most other headphones to play louder.  FiiO etc. just don't want a customer with one of these headphones to buy the device and be disappointed that the E10 or whatever does not drive them as loud as they would like.

 

[Bee inthe Attic]

thanks

 

[MayaTlab]

You only "need" an amp if the one you've got cannot provide the necessary voltage / current at a specific volume that's required to play the loudest parts / peaks in a track without too much distortion. I don't know the Fiio E10, but if it can do that, you don't "need" an amp.
On the other hand I'm not suite sure the HD650 is the best way to spend your money if there is no plan down the road to upgrade your equipment : I feel it only starts to make sense when you pair it with a better amp (Auditor, Violectric amps, etc.) and source. But as long as you're not damaging your HD650 by under powering them, there is no "need" to rush for a new amp : take all the time you need !
As an example I'm now using my HD650 with a TTVJ Slim : it's fine power wise (especially as I have the habit to listen at very quiet levels around 70 dB max), but it certainly doesn't do the HD650 justice : there's no soundstage to speak of, lack of clarity, details, etc. But I'm taking my time to save up for something very nice instead of rushing my way to a half-assed purchase.
EDIT : my mistake, I thought you bought a pair of HD650. I read that the HD600 is a little bit less amp dependant, and as it doesn't cost as much, my comment about the quality / price ratio of a pair of HD650 unamped no longer holds. But it should still not be underamped, and I'm sure it will benefit on the long term from a better amp, although it might not be necessary to go to the level of the Violectric / SPL / etc. offerings to get the most out of it.

 

[Jojomite]

how bout getting an asgard?

 

[Philharmoniker]

For something like HD6xx most likely you would want a nice amp to be able to appreciate its full potential. In fact, you would probably want a nice source as well. Depending on the type of music you listen and your preference of sound-style there are numerous choices of amps and sources to go for them.

 

[Glow Fish]

How about a used Gilmore Lite to tide you over until you are ready to make a bigger purchase?  They are maybe $250-300 used I think.

 

[Bee inthe Attic]

thanks for the suggestions.
 
not sure I want to go with a crazy expensive amp (in relation to my phones price at least), even as an eventual upgrade
(can't really justify paying more $$ for an amp than my headphones).
 
the schiit look pretty good - is there a big difference between the Asgard & Valhalla??
would they pair well with HD600, DT 770 Pro80, & Grado 225?
and I'm assuming this would work with my existing setup.... MacbookPro > Fiio e10 > Schiit

 

[Audio-Omega]

I use my HD600 for movies without amplifier.  The sound quality of my computer doesn't justify a need for one, so I use equaliser to tweak when necessary.  

 

[Destroysall]

I would say it depends on the sound you want.  Schiit themselves recommend it for both Grados and the Sennheiser HD555-598 and the HD6xx series, so for those, I say Asgard. 
 
On another note, if you want a warmer sound, then the Valhalla (or any other tube amp) is the way to go.
 
Now, on my account, I would also like to know how a Schiit amp would work/sound if the e10 was serving as a DAC.
Quote:

thanks for the suggestions.
 
not sure I want to go with a crazy expensive amp (in relation to my phones price at least), even as an eventual upgrade
(can't really justify paying more $$ for an amp than my headphones).
 
the schiit look pretty good - is there a big difference between the Asgard & Valhalla??
would they pair well with HD600, DT 770 Pro80, & Grado 225?
and I'm assuming this would work with my existing setup.... MacbookPro > Fiio e10 > Schiit

 

 

[Vladco]

Bee inthe Attic You should ask yourself question: What do I want from my system?

After that I suggest to find good store or mate in yours area or headfi meting and listen for the pleasure the music you usually do. If you like what you hear you find the way to make it true. If not money will be wasted. High end sound not really cheap but yours phones capable of delivering it. Almost all the advised you'll receive here will be compromised on the budget.
 Vlad
 

 

[Bee inthe Attic]

Quote:

I'm wondering the same thing. I was hoping an hd600 would work with my laptop --> e10 setup. So far everyone seems to say e10 does a passable job with the hd600, but that almost sounds like I'm better of getting an hd598, which I'm guessing wouldreally shine with an e10. So I'm presuming its like a battle between a shining 598 setup and a satisfactory hd600 setup for me. Personally a good chance I'll just go with the hd600.

my laptop > e10 > hd 600       ...sounds anything but 'satisfactory'
 
i bought the 600's specifically to listen to classical music, but they are becoming an all-rounder for me.
i even enjoy them with hip-hop, and find myself reaching for them over my DT 770's at times.
 
i'm new to the audiophile game, but it all seems like selecting a new television. you go into the store, and see 10 tv's side by side, and it's easy to pick out which picture is best. but without this side-by-side comparison, most of the tv's would look really good once you get it home and start watching. the e10 > hd 600 sounds real good to me. i'm sure hearing it with a $500 amp would sound a bit better, but i'd say pick the phone you want, instead of thinking too much about the amp pairing.
 
 
 
thanks for everyone's advice. i'm going to stick with my e10 for now, and probably try out the schiit asgard, matrix m-stage, or fiio e9 when i'm ready for a new toy.

 

[brendon]

Hey I had a HD600 in my home for around a week and I did quite a bit of testing with it. Comparing the sound directly out of my mobile phone (no amp whatsoever) and then connecting it to my desktop setup (Music Streamer II DAC --> EHHA tube hybrid amp) I did not detect a terribly huge difference. The soundstage was better and slightly more bass and treble.
 
So I think you should be fine for the time being.
 
A better source would be a bigger upgrade than a better amp for your HD600 IMO.
 
So save your money now and when you have a big budget spend on some nice DAC with a headphone output.