HD 600 & HD650 prices.

[Maxvla]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goit /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is it true that headphones are picky about amps for no reason? Like you can get a pricey one and it just doesn't sound good for some reason? Because since I'm ordering off the internet, I'm not going to be able to try it myself.

Yes that is true along model lines, but not for single headphones, generally they will follow a trend you can check by reading on this forum. Like I mentioned before most people will suggest a tube amp for HD600/HD650, which means that these don't mix as well with solid state amplifiers until you start getting into the very high end exotic solid states.

One thing about high end gear is that sometimes the designers have a particular sound they want and it may be a bit off the beaten path so you can certainly have a multi-thousand dollar amp that just doesn't match right with a certain headphone model.

I suggested the hybrid 1+ partly because it is just $109 and partly because you need to get experience with an amp of any kind before you are informed enough to pay more. Long ago I bought a $400 solid state amp for my HD580 (similar to HD600) and I really couldn't tell a bit of difference. I thought amping was bogus and never touched one again after selling it til about 5 months ago when I got my Little Dot MKIII tube amplifier which totally wowed me. Now I'm sitting here with the top of the line MKVI balanced tube amp waiting on some cables to come in so I can fire it up. So you can see from my experience that you simply need to try things out.

Another thing to consider is that if you stick with relatively popular models you see on the forums there is a good chance you can sell off something you don't like or you've upgraded past in our for sale forums and get a good % of the original cost. Many (more wealthy than me) people take a shotgun approach to gear, they'll buy 3-4 headphones, amps, cables, digital to analog converters, cd players, etc or a mix of the above and just try everything and sell off what they don't like later.

 

[Goit]

If you live in a large city, do local used electronic stores take in used headphones? I need to get rid of my current HD555 and don't want to sell online.

 

[Maxvla]

I would guess that would be a store by store decision, you'd simply have to call them.

Selling online especially at this forum is pretty safe. If you are nervous about it you can refuse to sell to someone with no feedback thread. The feedback threads are a good way to see if someone is trustworthy.

 

[Zombie_X]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goit /img/forum/go_quote.gif I saw the other classical music thread that rated the HD600 as the best classical headphone, above the AKG 701. I see that the HD600 is a lot cheaper than the HD650, and not as many stores carry it as they do with the HD650. By being an "older" model doesn't mean that it's bad right? Like older computers are slower and that kind of stuff. Also, what amp is needed for a HD600? Is there some cheap amp that can do it? Like this one? NEW Little Dot Micro+ @@ Headphone Amplifier - eBay (item 140295015112 end time Jan-24-09 20:42:12 PST) Thank you.

Well retty much any amp available can power/drive the HD600's. The main thing is if they can power them correctly. Most amps below $300 will do a decent job, but in my experience you need to spen $500+ to get them to sound their best. That price I'm not willing to pay.

One of the better cheap amps out there is the Little-Dot MK1+. Set the jumpers to closed and the sound will improve a lot. It's a great amp for the price.

And for the amp you listed, I would look elsewhere as it will do a mediocre job of driving them.

 

[wiatrob]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goit /img/forum/go_quote.gif Because since I'm ordering off the internet, I'm not going to be able to try it myself.

If you live remotely close to other head-fi'ers, it'd be worth it to contact some or attend a local meet - I shortened my learning curve quite a bit by hanging out with some hardcore 'headies' (shout out to Lumnette, Blutarsky, Headphoneaddict). You 'll get to listen to a lot of amp/phone combinations, and could spot some of these traits yourself.

The buy/try/sell method is good too if you have the patience/funds for it as well (but can be difficult to explain to significant other).

 

[Nocturnal310]

Also, if they reduce the price of HD600/650..it ll be an indication that they are competing with HD800...in that case many will buy HD600/650 and be happy.

so to distinguish that HD800 is a totally new level of headphone they are doing this.

somewhat of a Pricing strategy used under 4 P's of marketing.

 

[plaidplatypus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelvinz /img/forum/go_quote.gif however other $1000+ headphones will drop in price as everyone sells to buy the HD800's

That would be nice, I really want to try the SR-4070. I think that we will first see used HD600 and HD650 come up for sale as Senn fanboys are the most likely to pre-order the HD800.

 

[Maxvla]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plaidplatypus /img/forum/go_quote.gif That would be nice, I really want to try the SR-4070. I think that we will first see used HD600 and HD650 come up for sale as Senn fanboys are the most likely to pre-order the HD800.

It's likely that most 'Senn fanboys' who are going to pre-order HD800s have already done so, and some will likely want to keep their 600/650s while they test out the new phones.

 

[plaidplatypus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxvla /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's likely that most 'Senn fanboys' who are going to pre-order HD800s have already done so, and some will likely want to keep their 600/650s while they test out the new phones.

The first to test out the new Senns and first to decide what stays and what goes. I'll probably not hear the HD800 until 2010, so I'll just have to hold on to my old Senns 'til then.

 

[Maxvla]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plaidplatypus /img/forum/go_quote.gif The first to test out the new Senns and first to decide what stays and what goes. I'll probably not hear the HD800 until 2010, so I'll just have to hold on to my old Senns 'til then.

QFT. I won't be seeing HD800s for at least a year, if ever. Well, I might see them at a meet, but definitely not in my system at home.