[Melanter]

Has anyone tried this combination? A HiFiMan EF2 Hybrid Tube Amp with Sennheiser 650s? How does it sound?

What about compared to 650s + Little Dot mkIII (with the plan to get a $100 DAC later)? Or the 650s + DV 336?

 

[Melanter]

Anyone?

 

[brendon]

Well I have tried the combo and its nice. However for a lot less, my Bravo tube amp sounded better to my ears.

The Bravo has a Philips Miniwatt tube but the Electro Harmonics tube is also very decent.

The EF2 were powered by the stock Chinese tube. The EF2 has a slightly wider soundstage. However the soundstage depth was lacking in the EF2. The mids, treble, bass were all better with the Bravo amp.

If you require a DAC, the Bravo amp + uDAC would make a nice combination.

Valve Class A Tube Headphone Amplifier preamp audio amp - eBay (item 260550304254 end time Mar-10-10 07:30:19 PST)

Amazon.com: NuForce Icon uDAC: Electronics

 

[TheMarchingMule]

I'm sure it'll sound like what the HD 650 does through a portable setup w/ a Hornet: loose, monotonous bass, dark veiled mids, and a severely rolled off treble pronunciation.

 

[Melanter]

Anyone?

 

[brendon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMarchingMule /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm sure it'll sound like what the HD 650 does through a portable setup w/ a Hornet: loose, monotonous bass, dark veiled mids, and a severely rolled off treble pronunciation.

No it does not. The stock Chinese tubes that are in the EF2 are very bright tubes and the sound is not at all like how you describe it. Its very open and fast.

I also have a pair of Mullard CV4010 for the EF2, but these tubes have a rather dark presentation but with lovely mids. However the rolled off treble is very pronounced so I don't use them. (The EF2 and the tubes belong to a friend).

Even in the Bravo amp, the Philips Miniwatt tube has a very open sound and its not dark veiled anymore.

Straight out of my Amp3 Pro2 mp3 player, the HD650 sounds is very much how you describe it but with either amp above its more balanced. It wont be as bright or as fast as any of your Grados but the main USP of the Sennheisers is their relaxed laid-back sound, so no biggie.

 

[Smoke]

I use this combination. I'm very pleased with it. I use the Nuforce uDac instead of the standard EF2 DAC though.

The sound for me is definitely not dark and veiled. I don't have another desktop headphone amp to compare it with but I feel the EF2 is capable of driving the HD 650 well. Especially compared with the headphone output of the uDac. When only using the headphone output of the uDac I did hear some veiled mids.

Feeding the output-signal of the uDac into the EF2 was a different story though. No veil or roll-offs as far as I can detect!

Right now, I'm a very happy costumer!

 

[brendon]

@ OP - There you go ! Two satisfied users of the EF2 with the HD650.

I however still suggest you get a udac (if you dont already have a good DAC) and get the Bravo amp instead. It works out cheaper that way.