[myk7000]

Quote:

Originally Posted by feifan /img/forum/go_quote.gif This claim in red may be misleading, giving folks the impression that the components in the HR Ultra Micro Amp and the HR Ultra Desktop are equal. As a cautionary measure, propective buyers should go to the HR site and read the info under the "What We Think" tab. Also, call or write HR and ask questions.

Hmm, it's just that I called up Headroom to ask them about the sonic differences between the ultra stack and a ultra desktop and they said it was negligible so that is where I am getting my information.



I do know that going balanced will yield great results but I feel like it is not worth the extra hassle for me at the moment. That is why I am looking for a very quality SE amp.

 

[vcoheda]

RSA B52
HeadRoom Balanced Home or Max

tubes or solid state. take your pick. both sound great with the HD800.

 

[jude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wharfrat1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do you know what tubes he was running in his Raptor?

wharfrat1, I'm running what were (before I plugged 'em in) NOS matched-section/matched-pair Tung-Sol 5687's, and a NOS Amperex Bugle Boy 12AU7 (that also measured very well). Of several sets of tubes I have for the Raptor, it's the best combination I've so far tried.

I brought my Raptor to both CJ@RMAF and CJLAX, and the response to it (with the HD800, and with the Lavry DA11 as the source) was extremely positive.

I prefer my Luxman P-1 to the Raptor for many of my headphones, but not with the HD800, which matches up superbly with the Raptor. The Raptor is also driving the Beyer T-1 very nicely.

 

[sachu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by myk7000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmm, it's just that I called up Headroom to ask them about the sonic differences between the ultra stack and a ultra desktop and they said it was negligible so that is where I am getting my information. I do know that going balanced will yield great results but I feel like it is not worth the extra hassle for me at the moment. That is why I am looking for a very quality SE amp.

If you are in Portland sometime give me a shout and i'll treat you to the EHHA and the stacker 2.

 

[myk7000]

Im in portland this and next week sachu! Any chance you can round up a couple people for a mini meet?

Jude, have you tried any of the amps that were in my original post, compared to the raptor that is?

 

[sachu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by myk7000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Im in portland this and next week sachu! Any chance you can round up a couple people for a mini meet?

haha..well that means i need to work extra hard tonight (?) and tomorrow to get my EHHA back up and running. I am listening to the stacker right now however so atleast we have one amp going.
I think we can round up dBel84 if he isn't indisposed for a short get together if not you are welcome to drop by this weekend to my place.
I am curious actually to see how my orthos stack up to the HD800

Shoot me a PM and we'll exchange contact info.

 

[wharfrat1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jude /img/forum/go_quote.gif wharfrat1, I'm running what were (before I plugged 'em in) NOS matched-section/matched-pair Tung-Sol 5687's, and a NOS Amperex Bugle Boy 12AU7 (that also measured very well). Of several sets of tubes I have for the Raptor, it's the best combination I've so far tried. I brought my Raptor to both CJ@RMAF and CJLAX, and the response to it (with the HD800, and with the Lavry DA11 as the source) was extremely positive. I prefer my Luxman P-1 to the Raptor for many of my headphones, but not with the HD800, which matches up superbly with the Raptor. The Raptor is also driving the Beyer T-1 very nicely.

Thanks for the info Jude. I'm running the same for the 5687's, but have been using a 1958 Mullard long plate for the 12AU7. I do have a bugle boy, but have yet to use it with the 800's. I will definitely give that a try tonight.

 

[feifan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by myk7000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmm, it's just that I called up Headroom to ask them about the sonic differences between the ultra stack and a ultra desktop and they said it was negligible so that is where I am getting my information.

Thanks for the additional info, myk7000.

 

[Vinnie R.]

Hi Guys,

Quote:

RWA Signature 30.2 is not very hot with HD800 from what I heard at Seattle mini meet, HD800 sounded lean, and less emotional.

Just to avoid confusion - The Signature 30.2 is NOT meant to be used to drive headphones (except for the AKG K1000s - where it really excels!).

The Isabella HPA is our headphone amp / dac combo that a lot of our customers with HD800s love. Here is a thread with a few Isabellina HPA / HD800 impressions:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/red...na-hpa-441696/

Happy Holidays,

Vinnie

 

[SteveM324]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seamaster /img/forum/go_quote.gif Put Phonitor on your list. It is wonderfull comb with HD800. Not so good with HD650 though. Phonitor give this magical detail, body and bass to HD800 which is known for bright and lack of bass impact. But it also little less 3D sounding than tube amps.

I agree the Phonitor is a great match for the HD800.

 

[burnspbesq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by myk7000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi guys, Currently I am using my beloved Headroom Ultra Micro DAC and AMP (Which have the same components as the headroom ultra desktop) as my primary headphone amp. However, I have this sudden urge to upgrade. To be honest I'm on quite a budget and am probably looking for something along the same price line as my ultra amp and dac combined and maybe a little more. Currently I am looking at returning to the pico dac (as I can't seem discern the differences as well with DACs) but wanting to pair an excellent amp to it. The main things I look to get are an increase in soundstage and more lower end heft. Some I've seen that match well with the HD800 are: DNA Sonett Audio-GD Phoenix Zana Deux SPL Auditor RWA Signature 30.2 Beta22 GS-1 Woo Audio 2 Mind you many of these are out of my price range. Any other recommendations for top notch headphone amps? Looking at single ended.

I had exactly the same setup, and I went to a Benchmark DAC-1 USB. YMMV, but I found the Benchmark to be a significant improvement. I've also just installed Amara, and that is a further significant improvement.

 

[myk7000]

So with the hd800, the dac1 was a better headphone amp / dac combo than the Ultra Micro Stack?

 

[dallan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by burnspbesq /img/forum/go_quote.gif I had exactly the same setup, and I went to a Benchmark DAC-1 USB. YMMV, but I found the Benchmark to be a significant improvement. I've also just installed Amara, and that is a further significant improvement.

I have the Amarra mini too, great little additional upgrade huh.

 

[kool bubba ice]

The upgraded GP headphone pro will play up to the HD800's strength, but will probablly sound too 'clinical' for most HD800 owners..

 

[tosehee]

avguide's review on hd800 + wa22.

Quote:

From some perspectives this vividness is called coloration. Maybe. But the declaration of coloration refers to reasonable though arbitrary notions of “correct”. All I know is this: live music is vivid. The HD 800s, at least with the amps I used initially (primarily the Luxman P200 and PS Audio GCHA), are not vivid, which is what keeps me on the “like” side of the line. I have since tried the prototype Woo Audio WA 22 amp (which is tube rather than solid state and has variable output impedance). The WA 22 takes the sense of vividness up a notch, mostly by making the midrange contrast level higher, while introducing minimal if any deleterioius side effects. The mostly subtractive errors noted above are still there, but they are diminished in the overall presentation. This gets me to the level of really, really liking the HD 800s. The HD 800s are so good that I could easily live with them over the long haul.