[pelson]

Hello!

I just bought an HD650 to pair with my X-Fi XtremeMusic, and it really doesn't as good as i'd hoped. Now to the point.
Should i buy an amp called Rega Ear or should i wait the Xonar Essence ST to arrive instead?(I can't use the STX version because all my PCI-Express slots have been taken by the nVidia GTX 295, its just to fat!).

Will the Rega Ear paired with the X-Fi card make a better sound instad of just one Xonar Essence ST?

Thanks in advance!
//Pelle

 

[ear8dmg]

There's no way HD650s will reach their full potential without an amp. I tried HD600s out of an Xtreme Music and it was disappointing. Even a FiiO e5 does a better job of driving them (not that I'd suggest you pair the HD650s with one).

Get a good amp as soon as you can.

 

[pelson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ear8dmg /img/forum/go_quote.gif There's no way HD650s will reach their full potential without an amp. I tried HD600s out of an Xtreme Music and it was disappointing. Even a FiiO e5 does a better job of driving them (not that I'd suggest you pair the HD650s with one). Get a good amp as soon as you can.

Yeah, i just tried 'em on my HP Laptop and it sounds WAY better, and it has intigrated sound. I listened to a "african" song, and damn, i thought i was there!

But the question is, should i get an portable amp (like Rega Ear that i suggested) or should i wait for the new Xonar Essence ST, with built in headphone amp, to be released.

Hm, what of them gives best sound?
X-Fi + Rega Ear or Xonar alone.

Thanks!
//Pelle

 

[ear8dmg]

Well personally I prefer the Xonar series. I have a D2. That has nothing to do with how well they drive headphones though. I just like the Xonar's implementation of Dolby Headphone - a lot. Have owned a couple of X-Fis too and they're not bad cards, especially if you plan to listen with no DSPs enabled.

The entire Xonar internal series of cards reputably has better sound quality than the XtremeMusic though.

Haven't heard any of the X-Fis or Xonars with integrated headphone amp. I'm pretty sure even a portable amp will do better than the XtremeMusic on its own.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Look for a proper desktop amp for your HD650. They like power, so you want an amp that plugs into the wall rather than a 9V battery.

 

[boomy3555]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif Look for a proper desktop amp for your HD650. They like power, so you want an amp that plugs into the wall rather than a 9V battery.

X2 on the seperate amp. for the 650's. Now having said that, one thought would be to get some Audiotechnica AD700's or Denon AHD2000's for thier lower impedence footprint. Very popular "Gaming Cans" right now. Save your HD650's for some future Tube amp Home audio listening.

 

[pelson]

Ok, thanks for the responses!

I gotta say that I'm really new to all this with Hi-Fi, and i dont understant to much about amps and all that.
Now....i found these that i can buy, and within my pricerange of about 2-3000$.

Musical Fidelity V-CAN
Vincent KHV-111
Rega Ear

All of these 3 cost about the same, so which would fit best with my HD650?

Thanks!

 

[CapQ]

I think you dont have to spend too much on amp due to you only use PC as the source.
You can grab an ASL MH HEAD OTL MKIII which works perfect with Senns cans
and you can consider to buy a DAC to update your source.

 

[apatN]

Get an amp.

 

[boomy3555]

I think your existing soundcard is good, so maybe a nice Darkvoice, or Little Dot. High impedence cans really like "TUBES" Some have recommended the Head-Direct EF-1 Tube/SS hybrid but I felt that the Senns need more power than the EF-1 can give it.

 

[pelson]

Wow, fast responses on this forum! Thumbs up!

The thing is, i can only get those 3 Amps i mentioned, they're the only ones in my pricerange and that i can find on swedish sites. Darkvoice, Little Dot and the amps you mentioned, i can't find a trace of them on our sites.

I don't know how it is to order from sites from other countries since I've never done it, but I have the impression that it is complicatad and a slow process?


And again; are any of those gonna be able to run the HD650 well?

Musical Fidelity V-CAN
Vincent KHV-111
Rega Ear

Thanks again for some fast responses!
//Pelle

 

[boomy3555]

International shipping used to be very complicated but it's a global shipping platform now. I buy many things from Asia an the Netherlands and it's just like ordering from another state ( 9,000 miles away instead of 1,000 but still the same). Many Head-fi'ers have deals for sale here in the F/S,Trade forums and some will ship internationaly.
What Was your budget again? ( USD?)

 

[vic1890]

as many have said - the senns like tubes. In many ways, they are fussy. Just from the top of my mind a few amps that go with the 650s

Ray Samuels Raptor (tubes)
K.I.C.A.S amp
Graham Slee Solo
All amps from Headamp
Darkvoice (tubes)
Woo Audio Amps(tubes)
Rudistor Amps

of course there are more - but just run a search on these names on either google, or here in the search section. Nearly all of them that I mentioned had been reviewed by someone or the other.

 

[mbd2884]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapQ /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think you dont have to spend too much on amp due to you only use PC as the source. You can grab an ASL MH HEAD OTL MKIII which works perfect with Senns cans and you can consider to buy a DAC to update your source.

What's wrong with PC as source?

Krmathis uses a mac as source and owns an incredible beta22 with sigma22 power source, with AKG K1000. He also uses a Stax SR007 MK IIs...

There are plenty of others using a computer, PC or Mac as source who have incredible amplifiers.

Your comment doesn't make much sense to me, what does a PC have to do with how much to spend on an Amplifier? What do you think was used to make the music you are listening to? A vinyl or SACD player? No a PC. Mac, computer!

 

[Kerby88]

dedicated components such as a DAC and AMP should be an option