[Davinator]

I don't really need any help or recommendations at this time, but I thought I'd briefly introduce myself.  For the longest time I didn't consider myself a true audiophile, but I've always enjoyed and purchased the best audio equipment I could.  Purchasing a nice ODAC/O2 combo was one of the best purchases I've made for my HD-650's.  These days I think I'm starting to tip over to the audiophile side of the spectrum, and my wallet has not been happy about that.
 
Anyways, I've been a lurker in these forums for ages, but I wanted to finally reach out and say "Hello" 

 

[kookoo]

Hello. Sorry for your wallet.
the HD650 should last you quite a while. Spend some more time listening to headphones in that price range. A change in sound signature has far more impact than trying to keep buying more expensive models with similar sound to your previous cans

 

[SP Wild]

  I don't really need any help or recommendations at this time, but I thought I'd briefly introduce myself.  For the longest time I didn't consider myself a true audiophile, but I've always enjoyed and purchased the best audio equipment I could.  Purchasing a nice ODAC/O2 combo was one of the best purchases I've made for my HD-650's.  These days I think I'm starting to tip over to the audiophile side of the spectrum, and my wallet has not been happy about that.
 
Anyways, I've been a lurker in these forums for ages, but I wanted to finally reach out and say "Hello" 

 
You need help and you don't even know it...Sooner or later you're gonna ask.  So I'll answer the inevitable question...people here are raving about the Crack amplifier and the HD650 - and from my experience with HD650 and tubes....they sound...I have no words.
 
Welcome to Head-Fi and sorry about your wallet.

 

[Davinator]

   
You need help and you don't even know it...Sooner or later you're gonna ask.  So I'll answer the inevitable question...people here are raving about the Crack amplifier and the HD650 - and from my experience with HD650 and tubes....they sound...I have no words.
 
Welcome to Head-Fi and sorry about your wallet.

 
Oh no...  this is why I knew being a lurker was better than actually posting in here.  I would end up buying more stuff.
 
I've been a little hesitant to purchase a tube amp, mainly because of the potential maintenance associated with it.  In your experience, what is the maintenance like on the tube amps?  It's very likely the potential maintenance is much less than I was afraid of.

 

[SP Wild]

What maintenance, other than don't touch the tube when they're on?

 

[Davinator]

  What maintenance, other than don't touch the tube when they're on?

 
Very good point.
 
So you only mentioned the amp in my setup.  Are you suggesting that my DAC (The ODAC) is adequate and that replacing the amp is the most important change, or would you also suggest looking into upgrading the DAC at some point?

 

[SP Wild]

For the HD650 worry about the dac later...putting a tube in the sound comes first.

 

[Makiah S]

   
Very good point.
 
So you only mentioned the amp in my setup.  Are you suggesting that my DAC (The ODAC) is adequate and that replacing the amp is the most important change, or would you also suggest looking into upgrading the DAC at some point?

 
 

  For the HD650 worry about the dac later...putting a tube in the sound comes first.

Yea, I had the oDac it's a great Dac unit
 
I'd get your self an Amp like the Crack and just enjoy that for as long as you can :3 in terms of "upgrade" it goes Headphones, Amp, Dac
 
the dac having the least amount of change, teh headphone having the greatest change. I know guys who run the Beyerdynamic T1 and the HD 800 out of amps like the Matrix M Stage, which is a nice $300 Amp Dac unit, and they love it! 
 
So yea, get an amp and enjoy  

 

[Claritas]

Hi.
 
Tubes are very much a personal preference and not so easy to describe, so try before you buy.
 
What genres do you listen to?

 

[Makiah S]

  Hi.
 
Tubes are very much a personal preference and not so easy to describe, so try before you buy.
 
What genres do you listen to?

That to, you could also Buy a Schiit Vali, for $120 it's a very... introductory tube. It's the least "tubey" of the tubes I have tried, and what's nice about the Vali is you can re sell it here on head fi for about 90% what you paid, or return it to schitt
 
But there is a lot of variation in the sound of Tubess, so try before you buy is always a good idea