[nyetjones]

Hey all - I have been listening to, alternatingly, to Grado S325i's, AKG K701s, and Sennheiser HD650s through the headphone jack on my Marantz 2325. They all have very different sound signatures, but right now I find myself preferring the Grados. However, I know that those are the easiest to drive of the three, so I am wondering whether a headphone amp would change my opinion of the Senns and the AKGs. I am into the Grado sound to a degree, but now and then the bright highs are a bit much, so I am wondering if I would be more into either of the others with the right amplification. My other option would be attenuate the brightness by upgrading to Rs-1s, but that is contingent on whether the Senns or AKGs would accomplish that with the right headphone amp. 

I am not particularly interested in going nuts on headphone amplification, so something like the Schiit Magni seems like a good thing to try (I already have a DAC - the Jolida Glass - that sounds great, and I primarily listen to vinyl anyways). My question is whether this is worth the time / money - I've read that the Marantz 2325 has pretty good headphone amplification already, so I am effectively already getting all I can from the amplification aspect of the Senns and AKGs. In which case, I should hang on to the money for a Magni or better amp and use it towards better Grados.

I listen mostly to rock and jazz, but honestly I'm all over the place. So I need a do-it-all workhorse if possible.

Any advice would be welcome - I've read all kinds of things about how the Senns in particular "need a good headphone amp," but I'm just wondering if the Marantz 2325 already has something that counts as a good headphone amp. Thanks for your help!

 

[PurpleAngel]

I would assume your Jolida Glass tube DAC III would do a great job with the AKG K701 and HD650?
Maybe the 32-Ohm Grado S325i would benefit the most with a low impedance solid state headphone amplifier (Magni), plugged into the analog line-output on the back of the Jolida
What sources do you plug the Jolida and Marantz into?

 

[nyetjones]

Sorry, I should have been more specific - it's a Jolida Glass FX DAC Mini that's running of of USB from a desktop Mac. So it's

Computer > Jolida Glass FX DAC Mini > Aux input on the Marantz 2325 > Marantz Headphone Out > Cans

They all sound great, though different. My question is whether a dedicated headphone amp would be better than the built-in headphone amp from the Marantz. I imagine the easiest thing to do (to be able to be use the headphone amp with the computer, turntable, CD player, etc., which are all plugged in to the Marantz) would be to run a line out (tape monitor?) from the Marantz to the Headphone amp. Thoughts?

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Sorry, I should have been more specific - it's a Jolida Glass FX DAC Mini that's running of of USB from a desktop Mac. So it's

Computer > Jolida Glass FX DAC Mini > Aux input on the Marantz 2325 > Marantz Headphone Out > Cans

They all sound great, though different. My question is whether a dedicated headphone amp would be better than the built-in headphone amp from the Marantz. I imagine the easiest thing to do (to be able to be use the headphone amp with the computer, turntable, CD player, etc., which are all plugged in to the Marantz) would be to run a line out (tape monitor?) from the Marantz to the Headphone amp. Thoughts?

 
Sounds right
Get the Magni.

 

[buson160man]

  Hey all - I have been listening to, alternatingly, to Grado S325i's, AKG K701s, and Sennheiser HD650s through the headphone jack on my Marantz 2325. They all have very different sound signatures, but right now I find myself preferring the Grados. However, I know that those are the easiest to drive of the three, so I am wondering whether a headphone amp would change my opinion of the Senns and the AKGs. I am into the Grado sound to a degree, but now and then the bright highs are a bit much, so I am wondering if I would be more into either of the others with the right amplification. My other option would be attenuate the brightness by upgrading to Rs-1s, but that is contingent on whether the Senns or AKGs would accomplish that with the right headphone amp. 

I am not particularly interested in going nuts on headphone amplification, so something like the Schiit Magni seems like a good thing to try (I already have a DAC - the Jolida Glass - that sounds great, and I primarily listen to vinyl anyways). My question is whether this is worth the time / money - I've read that the Marantz 2325 has pretty good headphone amplification already, so I am effectively already getting all I can from the amplification aspect of the Senns and AKGs. In which case, I should hang on to the money for a Magni or better amp and use it towards better Grados.

I listen mostly to rock and jazz, but honestly I'm all over the place. So I need a do-it-all workhorse if possible.

Any advice would be welcome - I've read all kinds of things about how the Senns in particular "need a good headphone amp," but I'm just wondering if the Marantz 2325 already has something that counts as a good headphone amp. Thanks for your help!

 Vintage receivers can make decent headphone amps. I myself have one that definitely makes a statement as a headphone amp. But it is ridiculously large and heavy. But it brings to the game an authority and grip you just do not get in any headphone amp that I have heard including some esoteric amps. But the price on these old monsters has been drifting upwards.
   I love my akg 701s but they are a difficult headphone to drive and definitely need a headphone amp with some serious juice to get the best from them. I have grado RS1is and agree that they definitely can get a bit too bright on top. I prefer my 701s for long term listening. I have heard a couple of the schiit amps and they are not my cup of tea . With the budget that the schiit is in your choices are pretty limited. If you go a little higher I did have a shanling headphone amp that worked pretty well with my 701s. Musical hall makes a version of that amp the ph25.2 it is  a hybrid amp with a vacuum tube input and solid state output. The shanling had a nice synergy with the k701s . The ph25.2 comes in around 400 usd a bit more but not outrageous and the 400 usd price point will give you a lot more choices.

 

[punkaroo]

I realize this is an older thread, but a Harman Kardon 730 receiver makes a KILLER amp for Grados! Especially the HF-2s, and I'd imagine the RS-1s too.