[Benimaru]

Ok Im currently driving the HD800 Headdies through the Headroom Desktop Amp
I was wondering if that amp is not enough to get decent sound from the HD800
I mainly listen to trance music.. sound tracks.. I appreciate good bass and smooth highs
I listen to rock much as well (Pink - Nickelback - etc..)

 

[zhunter]

HD800 is not really suitable for those genres imho. Try other phones if you could, Im really enjoying with LCD2 & Schiit Lyr, and mainly listen to trance and metal as well.

 

[Uncle Erik]

The HD-800 has been good with every genre I've thrown at it. YMMV, obviously.

What's your budget? Solid state or tubes? I much prefer the HD-800 with tubes.

 

[jc9394]

Quote:

The HD-800 has been good with every genre I've thrown at it. YMMV, obviously.

What's your budget? Solid state or tubes? I much prefer the HD-800 with tubes.

X2, HD800 loves tube.  I'm extremely happy with HD800/WA22 combo.

 

[scottlf]

Quote:

X2, HD800 loves tube.  I'm extremely happy with HD800/WA22 combo.

A tube-like amp, but SS, is the Luxman P-1u. I didn't really know what my HD 800s could do until I got the P-1u. It's expensive, and I'll bet you get similar sound from the P-200 model at half the price of the P-1u.
 

 

[TwoEars]

I like the Burson HA-160, it gives a pretty warm and powerful sound not unlike a tube amp. The violectric v181 in balanced mode is known to be a good combo as well, I read that the man responsible for the HD800 uses that exact amp himself. Tube amps are nice of course, the WA22 I bet is fantastic but cheap it is not.... on the other hand the Schiit Lyr is a pretty fun and powerful tube amp that should do well with bass heavy material, and a lot less expensive...

 

[jc9394]

I do not like Burson with HD800. Burson does very well with D7000 and LCD-2.

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

The HD-800 has been good with every genre I've thrown at it. YMMV, obviously.

Same.  From my experience anyone saying the HD800 is only good w/ 'X' genre hasn't truly heard what they are capable of w/ the right chain.  I would have laughed this idea off till I heard it for myself.
 
Quote:

I didn't really know what my HD 800s could do until I got .....

I know what you mean.  For me it was the Eddie Current amps and the WA5.  Completely made me rethink what I thought I knew about the HD800.
 
Quote:

I do not like Burson with HD800. Burson does very well with D7000 and LCD-2.

I wasn't much of a fan of the Burson w/ the LCD2 either.  Lyr was much better to my ears.  It was sublime w/ the HD650 though.  The Burson 160 actually struck me as a rather fickle amp w/ some phones whereas usually it's the other way around.  YMMV.  
 

 

[purrin]

Quote:

HD800 is not really suitable for those genres imho. Try other phones if you could, Im really enjoying with LCD2 & Schiit Lyr, and mainly listen to trance and metal as well.

Nonsense.
 
Quote:

...I much prefer the HD-800 with tubes.

x3
 
Quote:

Ok Im currently driving the HD800 Headdies through the Headroom Desktop Amp
I was wondering if that amp is not enough to get decent sound from the HD800
I mainly listen to trance music.. sound tracks.. I appreciate good bass and smooth highs
I listen to rock much as well (Pink - Nickelback - etc..)

 
If you can swing ~$1500, wait for the Eddie Current Super 7. I heard it again with HD800s at a recent meet and am even more convinced of this match.
 

 

[K_19]

Chalk me up as another person that thinks HD800 does reasonably well across most genres (and spectacular in some others) provided that you get a well matching rig for it.

 

[PanamaRed]

Quote:

I'm extremely happy with HD800/WA22 combo.

Yeah, I'm a huge fan of that combo as well.
 

 

[Zombie_X]

I thought the HD800 sounded incredible on the SPL Phonitor. You could always spend $1000 less and get the Auditor which sounds the exact same and is just as powerful as the Phonitor.

 

[purrin]

Here a couple of others at different price ranges: 
 
Lyr
WA6SE
WA5
ECBA
 
tube rolling is required.

 

[Zombie_X]

I'd also like to recommend the Woo Audio WA2 amp as it power the HD800 effortlessly. It will also warm up their sonic signature quite a bit and help tame the peeks in the treble, fill in the mids, and round the bass.

 

[purrin]

Quote:

I'd also like to recommend the Woo Audio WA2 amp as it power the HD800 effortlessly. It will also warm up their sonic signature quite a bit and help tame the peeks in the treble, fill in the mids, and round the bass.

I suspect all of the Woo stuff would sound good with the HD800s. Woo seems to have a consistent house sound.