headphone amp options

[florette69]

I tried this question on Hifiwigwam but didn't really get anywhere, so I'm hoping this attempt will be more fruitful.

I currently use a Creek OBH11 with isolated PSU. This has kept me (and my wife) happy for some time, but...

...I recently upgraded my headphones from Beyer DT911s to Sennheiser HD650s. This was a substantial upgrade (the only sort of upgrade I like) and has indescribably enhanced my after-hours enjoyment of music. However, I am aware that the Creek is very much an entry-level headphone amp and can sound a little bright and confused at times, so upgraditis has struck again.

There are too many options for me to consider without assistance, so I'd really appreciate some guidance. I would prefer to listen before purchase, budget is GBP400,00 (USD800 - almost!), I live in the UK so need 220-240V kit, preferred sounds are acoustic jazz, reggae, prog/psych, electronica, mostly from digital source (Myryad MCD600).

So far, prime candidates are:

Heed CanAmp GBP275,00
+can audition one hour from home, wife will not notice cosmetic difference from Creek
-primitive appearance
Consonance/Opera Cyber 20 GBP375,00
+universally well reviewed, looks sweet
-cannot audition, wife will ask how much it cost, valve replacement costs
Graham Slee Solo GBP333,00
+UK manufacturer so easy to obtain, wife will take several months to notice the headphone amp is now silver rather than black
-some reviews suggest a certain sterility or 'hardness' to the sound

Any opinions on these? What else should i check out without getting too esoteric? Thanks.

 

[Zorander]

How about the Creek OBH-21 plus a regulated 24V PSU? I find this combo to be very capable of driving the HD-650 and the (very) tight bass control matches very well with the phone's low-bass response (which can be ponderous on less powerful or bass-heavy amps). I personally rate this amp well-above the well-regarded Headfive, esp. when it comes to driving the HD-650.

I also own the GS Solo and can assure you it will work out well with the HD-650. Not sure how it compares to the other amps in your list though as I haven't had the chance to audition the others (and have no plan to replace the Solo as yet). If you do go the Solo route, make sure you purchase an AKG K501/601/701 and try them out on the Solo. They are indescribably a match made in heaven!

Cheers!

 

[florette69]

thanks for that. i hadn't at all considered an upgraded creek as my solution and no-one had mentioned this to me. having owned my basic obh11 for many years, i was surprised and disappointed at how this unit is roundly dismissed on almost every forum. ok, so maybe i should try to hear a current creek also. i do listen to a lot of bass-rich sounds and need to ensure things don't get woolly.

regarding the headphones, i'm exceptionally happy with the hd650s and do not anticipate changing them. i have only owned three pairs of headphones in 28 years and prefer to keep life simple. i'd rather spend money on more music than more kit. the hd650 is far less fatiguing than the beyers were with the creek. superior in every other department too. one factor which focussed my attention on the under-performing creek was when i tried the hd650s direct from my second digital source - an ancient micromega stage 3 - which sounded amazing.

 

[Frihed89]

If you plan to lie to your wife about your audio hobby, I suggest you take a good look at your priorities. When you tell a lie to a person or try to hide the truth from them, you show them an enormous amount of disrespect, and also open yourself up to loosing her trust. From 40 years of married experience, women place a tremendous amount of emphasis on being respected by their partner and trusting their partner is perhaps even higher on their lists.

Don't do this behind her back.

Bring her into your hobby (does she like music?) or openly discuss and negotiate ways both of you can get what you want by mutually-beneficial exchanges. If things are at the "either/or" stage and are non-negotiable, then maybe it is too late.

My wife loves music and she likes to help me pick out my equipment. She has a great set of ears! When we reach an impass, then i can tell you it is time to get that new sofa, or redecorate the living room, or take a vacation to South Africa. If you can slap down $900 for a head amp, then a $900 sofa surely doesn't sound unreasonable to me.

 

[jonnywolfet]

agreed, i brought my fiance into the hobby (just giving her a listen, and lending her the odd piece of kit, she cant stand jargon) and now im getting dt770's and and amp from her, and she wants e4's!
i am still young but i have allready learned that a relationship built on trust and honesty can overcome any obstical, and as soon as this bond is broken, it can never be fully repaired.
WaF (or FaF/GaF, lol) is indeed difficult to overcome, but at the very worst she will think you are just a little crazy. But when she sees how much enjoyment you get from your investment (and you dont seem to be a gear obsessive collector) she'll come around.

 

[florette69]

I actually was looking for headphone amplifier guidance, not marriage counselling. However, I thank you for your views.

Perhaps the latent humour in my initial post was too subtle. My wife has endured thirteen years' marriage to me and we are as happy together as any other two people who have shared space for that long. However, we are two individuals with a variety of interests, some shared, some not. I enjoy listening to a wide range of music on a modest hifi system. Music and hifi were part of my life long before I met my wife, and they remain so. The only reason I use headphones is because as parents of a young child my opportunities for listening to music are reduced to late evenings. It would be antisocial and selfish of me to listen to Sun Ra, for instance, at volume in these circumstances. Having said that, my wife has no interest in the technicalities or economics of sound reproduction. If I stopped listening to music at any opportunity, she would most likely call the doctor.

So, no deceipt, no obfuscation, no dishonesty.

 

[Happy Camper]

I actually was looking for headphone amplifier guidance....

Quote:

Originally Posted by florette69 /img/forum/go_quote.gif So, no deceipt, no obfuscation, no dishonesty.

Here?

Children and 13 years co-habitating. Good Job. Your money is stretched. If you are to come off of some for yourself, you want to make the best of it. I am new to the hobby so I have no experience to give. Just trying to learn too. For what ever the reason, we are all wanting to be better informed before spending. Being able to spend a little more does not mean we want to.

I wonder if you might get the top five by price, 32-600 ohm dynamic. ss/tube/hybrid, base unit ready to use, no upgrades. No DIY. -250, 251-500, 501-1000, 1000-2000, 2001+ Perhaps this would be neutral enough to consider without the heavyweights taking over the thread.

Esoteric- does this mean space vacuum assy, fusion/cryo treated w/plasma power, diamond IC.... or just off the shelf material?

 

[Duc]

Have you looked into the Musical Fidelity X-Can. I sure you could find one to audition in the UK. Cost in the US is GPB200. It is a hybrid Valve/Silicon amp, but it uses 6922 tubes which are common and can be changed to flavor the sound. It will have more than enough power to drive you 650's.