[Falcaw]

Agreed I just auditioned this actually, the Vega/Taurus mkII combo running fully balanced with HD800's absolutely blew me away....end game setup for me...definitely would recommend an audition of this combo if you can.....
 
To be honest though I haven't heard any of the other setups and I was a/b testing this vs vega/burson soloist combo....(unbalanced mind you) but not even a competition...

 

[Speedy Pedro]

I am also a big fan of the Auralic Taurus with the HD 800. Blew Sennheiser's own amps clear out of the water on a head to head comparison.

 

[SONYES]

HI 
 
THE BEST  FOR TO  BE ON  FRONT REW
 
LUXMAN P-1U +HD 800 / 
                              +/T1
 
WHAT WENDERFUL  COMBO
 
SONYES 

 

[Priidik]

  I have tried a few of amps with the HD800, some expensive like Leben and DNA Audio, some less expensive like Vali, but the 35 watt Yamaha CR-620 from the late 70s is good enough to possibly be the one I settles with.
Natural, powerful smooth sound with good clarity and soundstaging. The only thing is the bass. It has great analogue and slamming qualities but is a bit boomy.
If you have the HD800 the program TB Isone will take them to a whole new level of soundstaging and imaging.
TB Isone + Concero HD + CR-620 + HD800 = Sonic Bliss

The CR-620 probably has a coupling capacitor in its output, and it's distorting phase in the cutoff region (bass), hence the softness.
One can try to remove it (possibly hazardous to your hp-s!), or replace with better one.
I have some vintage Marantz model with the same issue.

 

[Blackmore]

The one I reviewed up here, Sonic Pearl from earstream.eu, I really like that amp so I kept it and now saving for HD800.
 
With less budget you can give it a try and go for its smaller brother, called Black Pearl, but I would go for SP as it is better performer.
 
THX

 

[whirlwind]

I have not read thru this whole thread yet...I will.
 
I have just bought the HD800.....I will be amping with my MAD Ear+HD for now......I will see how it sounds and go from there.

 

[Sweden]

  The CR-620 probably has a coupling capacitor in its output, and it's distorting phase in the cutoff region (bass), hence the softness.
One can try to remove it (possibly hazardous to your hp-s!), or replace with better one.
I have some vintage Marantz model with the same issue.

Great feedback. It's not that it's soft like it has little impact like it can be with some tube amps, it's more of a boomy quality. Still I prefer slightly boomy and authoritarian than light and limp. I want to feel the power of a 18th century organ playing Xerxes by Handel than just only hearing it. 

 

[Abstraction]

What your source? No sonic bliss without a good source.

 

[Abstraction]

I am using a Leben CS300x with HD800 and a Berkeley DAC.
I got this amp because it will also drive high-efficiency speakers.
 
I am biased in favor of tubes, for no very good reason,
but I have had a ZD and have heard 3 or 4 or the others.
 
 
I generally pick a component for practical reasons (the Leben),
or I pick them for their looks.  They all sound great. You can 
drive yourself crazy trying to decide.
 
I think so little about gear I sometimes I can't remember a 
components.  Get the best gear you can afford and listen to music.

 

[cddc]

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