[axe]

I´ve been enjoying my HD25-1 II´s for some time now but having read so much about headphones amp´s and how they improve an already excellent sound, I decided to hook up my home theater amp to my pc and then connect the headphones to the amp to see the difference. The sound has become richer while mainting all the detail.... in other words, a more satisfying musical experience. Also, watching movies and trying different settings in the amp has been provided a more cinematic experience, especially compared to my previous headphone. So now I´m finding it difficult to imagine using my HD25´s without an amp.

-My question is.... would I get the same "experience" from a headphone amp? Which amp would you recommend for the HD´s, bearing in mind I wouldn´t want to spend more than what the HD´s cost on an amp. At the moment I have my HT amp on a auxiliary table because of it´s monsterous size and weight, so a smaller device would certainly be welcome.

-Also, I keep hearing about upgrading the cable on the HD25´s to the HD650. Is that easy to do/worth it? Ideally I´d prefer a cable no longer than 1.5/2 meters... is there any cables upgrades that you´d recommend and that aren´t too long?

 

[GreatDane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by axe /img/forum/go_quote.gif I´ve been enjoying my HD25-1 II´s for some time now but having read so much about headphones amp´s and how they improve an already excellent sound, I decided to hook up my home theater amp to my pc and then connect the headphones to the amp to see the difference. The sound has become richer while mainting all the detail.... in other words, a more satisfying musical experience. Also, watching movies and trying different settings in the amp has been provided a more cinematic experience, especially compared to my previous headphone. So now I´m finding it difficult to imagine using my HD25´s without an amp. -My question is.... would I get the same "experience" from a headphone amp? Which amp would you recommend for the HD´s, bearing in mind I wouldn´t want to spend more than what the HD´s cost on an amp. At the moment I have my HT amp on a auxiliary table because of it´s monsterous size and weight, so a smaller device would certainly be welcome. -Also, I keep hearing about upgrading the cable on the HD25´s to the HD650. Is that easy to do/worth it? Ideally I´d prefer a cable no longer than 1.5/2 meters... is there any cables upgrades that you´d recommend and that aren´t too long?

What was your source & amp used for the HD 25 before moving to the "home theater amp"? (I guess your PC headphone output)

When you connect your PC to your amp, are you using the headphone output or using a digital output from your PC and using an external DAC...perhaps in the amp if this is an audio/video receiver or preamp/processor?

Whether a dedicated headphone amp would be an improvement depends on how you'd be supplying the analog signal, cost of the new amp, quality of your present amp, etc.

From my experience with a few AVR receivers from the past 10 years, I've heard improvements in sound quality when using a portable amp which also has a USB DAC($200 ~$300+). I have a Denon AVR2802 (from 2002) and the headphone output sounds thin compared to most of the portable amps that I've owned.

Please explain your setup and how you'd be supplying the amp with a signal.

As for the cable, using the HD 650 cable is easy to do. I've used my HD 25 both ways (stock & HD 650) but I've never done any serious testing. I'm currently using the stock cable for pure portable use.

 

[axe]

The HD25´s are connected to the onboard soundcard on my pc via optical cable. The receiver is a middle range Yamaha (5.1). I have it set on "stereo" for music and "movie theater" for movies. I mostly use my headphones at home as I work from my pc.

What I´d like is the same in a smaller device. I don´t know how much I´d have to spend on an headphone amp to get equal or better SQ.

Have you noticed any difference between the 2 cables?

 

[GreatDane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by axe /img/forum/go_quote.gif The HD25´s are connected to the onboard soundcard on my pc via optical cable.

I'm not sure what you mean here. You can't connect a headphone with an optical cable. Optical = digital. Is the optical cable connected to the Yamaha using its DAC?
Quote:

Originally Posted by axe /img/forum/go_quote.gif The receiver is a middle range Yamaha (5.1). I have it set on "stereo" for music and "movie theater" for movies. I mostly use my headphones at home as I work from my pc. What I´d like is the same in a smaller device. I don´t know how much I´d have to spend on an headphone amp to get equal or better SQ. Have you noticed any difference between the 2 cables?

Which 2 cables?

I've owned the HD 25 for just a few weeks and I think they sound great for the cost, although I bought them on sale. From experimenting with several sources and amps, they do have enough quality to show the differences.

The biggest advantage with buying a dedicated amp might be the convenience of having a small package to keep close to your PC. If you are sending a digital signal out from your PC (optical) then you'll need a DAC/amp combo or separate units. I think that you'd hear an improvement over the Yamaha, based on what I've heard with modern AV receivers but this would depend on how much you spend for the "upgrade". A new amp is also likely to sound slightly different from the Yamaha. If you choose wisely, you might create a better synergy where the HD 25 sounds smoother...they are slightly bright sounding. When I owned a $60 portable amp(my first), I thought it sounded just as good if not better than my receiver. It might not take a lot of money for an improvement. I recommend scanning the for sale forums and buy used..$200 to $500 would be a sensible range.

I was once using my Denon receiver with AKG K240M. This was about 6 years ago. I became curious and bought amps and more headphones, then some more amps...then some more headphones.

NO REGRETS!