[Arttt]

hmmm, alright, thanks ...
ill look into head-amp GS-X and Master9, maybe i can order an audition at my local hifi store.

 

[kelvinwsy]

My best setup is: I am listening to my HE 560 using a 15 watt KT 88 tube amp and a speaker resistor box
JRiver 22 preamp -6 Db
Pulse on -3 Db
Volume is less than 75%
Dac is LH LABS PULSE Sfi 3 watts? No enough amp output on low gain
Also using IFI micro DSD 8watt?
They both sound only so so unless I put the IFI micro on on mid gain volume on 60%
Pulse is on mid gain at eleven o'clock on volume dial
The he560 needs HIGH CURRENT only a Hifiman amp or speaker amp can output

Maybe the Schitt Yy too
Less than 4 watts it sounds dark
Hope this helps
H

 

[DavidA]

Less than 4 watts it sounds dark
Hope this helps
H

He-560 dark? maybe lifeless, thin or flat might be a better choice of word?
 
And my Lyr2 works great with the HE-560

 

[Midgetguy]

  He-560 dark? maybe lifeless, thin or flat might be a better choice of word?
 
And my Lyr2 works great with the HE-560

Yeah, definitely doesn't sound dark to me and I don't have the most powerful or high-end of systems.

 

[Me x3]

My best setup is: I am listening to my HE 560 using a 15 watt KT 88 tube amp and a speaker resistor box
JRiver 22 preamp -6 Db
Pulse on -3 Db
Volume is less than 75%
Dac is LH LABS PULSE Sfi 3 watts? No enough amp output on low gain
Also using IFI micro DSD 8watt?
They both sound only so so unless I put the IFI micro on on mid gain volume on 60%
Pulse is on mid gain at eleven o'clock on volume dial
The he560 needs HIGH CURRENT only a Hifiman amp or speaker amp can output

Maybe the Schitt Yy too
Less than 4 watts it sounds dark
Hope this helps
H

This is plain wrong.
 
You won't feed a HE-560 with more than 500mW in real life.
Even 500mW are enough to cause you hearing damage.

 

[willowbrook]

One thing I've learned from HE-560 experience is that the headphones itself are not even close to warm/dark/muddy or however you want to call it. I wouldn't even call it neutral rather can be a bit too harsh/lean without sufficient matching to tame it. I do however miss the clarity and the resolution...

 

[DavidA]

 
This is plain wrong.
 
You won't feed a HE-560 with more than 500mW in real life.
Even 500mW are enough to cause you hearing damage.

Its not how much you feed it, its having the headroom for controlling the drivers from what I've noticed.  As others have posted some of the issues of poor sound has been attributed insufficient power to correctly drive the HE-560.

 

[Me x3]

  Its not how much you feed it, its having the headroom for controlling the drivers from what I've noticed.  As others have posted some of the issues of poor sound has been attributed insufficient power to correctly drive the HE-560.

Not really. Unused power has no impact in the sound quality or the drivers' behaviour.
The amplifier feeds the headphone with a varying voltage (the music) and the headphone drains certain amount of current depending on the applied voltage and its impedance. The power involved can be calculated from these simple variables (voltage and the headphone's impedance).
 
If you want the extra power to come into play, you'll need higher voltage and that means higher volume level as well.
 
Different amplifiers, sound different, especially when you go the tube route. You might find that you enjoy a Lyr 2 more than a Magni 2 Uber, and that's ok, but the extra power is not what's causing the difference. Plug a DT880 Pro which needs 6 times less power than HE-560 into a Lyr 2 and it will sound different than plugged into a Magni 2 Uber as well, and that's because the Lyr 2 and the Magni 2 sound different not because of DT880 needing tons of power or tons of extra room.

 

[Koolpep]

Ok. Let's agree on "synergy".

Some amps just make the 560 sound so much better. Generally more powerful amps seem to also show a better synergy in my experience so far, so the logical conclusion was: more power = better sound. Now recently I tried my 560 on the brilliant WA-8 - less than 500mW and it sounded fabulous on it - with a fullness and coherence I have usually only heard from way more powerful amps. Same happened with my HM901 with balanced card and high gain, made the 560 sound very good and it has only 440mW max output. So power might not be the only thing.

Then I eventually sold my Schiit Asgard (one of the very first) as I got a much better sound with most of my headphones from my Burson and the Liquid Carbon. That does not mean the Asgard is bad at all - just synergy was better for my headphones with other amps.

Cheers

 

[Arttt]

how is burson with he560 ?
i heard burson is a strong sounding amp with lots of punch and PRAT but not so much about finesse and refinement ...

 

[kelvinwsy]

I agree with everyone. Headphones and Amps - Synergy is everything. I have a pair of Anaxilus modded H800 late S/No. in addition to the HE560.
I follow the EQ that Tyrll publishes and other members of the headfi community for both these phones (as close as I can) using the parametric feature of JRiver Media v 21
The Pulse Sfi and the iFi DSD Micro can drive the H800 too loud of course and it does sound good. But to sound great, I connect through the pre-amp RCA out from both the LH Labs Pulse Sfi and the iFi DSD Micro to my active 6n1p / 45 Tube preamp. I customized a RCA out to 4 pin XLR to connect my H800. The sound is excellent,
Beats the Pulse and iFi Micro by a mile.
Tried the HE560 using a complicated RCA to 3.5 and then a 3.5 to 6.5 adaptor just to try. NO go. Can't drive it.
That is where my Audiopax Stereo 88 12AX7 / KT 88 Tube amp works through a resistor box I got from ebay. The speaker output from the tube stereo amp to the resistor box and then 6.5 jack output. You have to adjust gain and volume. It is the sound characteristics of the tube amp that I want to inject into the HE560 sound NOT ear blasting volume. The sound is just barely audible when my HE 560 is sitting on my lap. So it is definitely not loud. But if the sound from the Pulse or the iFi Micro driving the HE560 is good then through the Audiopax KT 88 is sublime.
I search for thinny sounding music from my 12000 track collection to compare. Everything including poorly recorded tracks improves with better air, more shimmer to the treble, mid range with much much more body (tube sound??) and bass that punches and has articulation.
 
My other DAC is the PS Audio DAC II with the Bridge. That goes into my main stereo speaker system. I have tried using the PS Audio to drive the H800 through the 45 tube amp. NO go. Not enough gain. OK let me connect the auxiliary input 3/8 in of the iFi DSD micro. It sounds well OK.
So back to Tube 45 to my KT88 tube amp and resistor box. NO go too much gain. So to summarize.
 
I drive my H800 using the DAC output from either the Pulse or the iFi Micro to the 45 tube preamp. Magic No thin sound
Bass,, Mid range fantastic sound stage with tube airiness etc etc.
HE 560 - need to add in the KT88 tube amp and the resistor box. Great synergy.
 
The above is my personal journey. So I am not expecting anyone or everyone to agree or disagree. Usually i dont post much on head fi just read.
But someone asks what amp drives the HE560. Well the above is my experience.
 
SHould be landing a 2nd hand HE1000 soon. The journey continues ...... 

 

[mikey1964]

I've tried a tube amp in the Lyr, and I liked it.....but simply didn't like the heat generated, the whole chassis was pretty warm-hot to the touch.I'm now using three sets of DAC stack and combos - Oppo HA-1, Fostex HPA4 and a Gustard X12/H10 stack. I listen to my HEK, HE560 and HE4 (and my other cans) outta my Oppo mostly, though the Gustard gets a fair bit of playtime as well. The Gustard stack seems to jell pretty well with the HFM cans.

 

[Svatopluk]

  how is burson with he560 ?
i heard burson is a strong sounding amp with lots of punch and PRAT but not so much about finesse and refinement ...

 I think you should really give them more time to burn, brake in or whatever. I suggest playing music through the headphones as much as possible, even when you're not listening to them. The more dynamic the music, the better. The problems you're describing sound very similar to my experience with the 560 while new. I was so disappointed, I came very close to returning the headphones on several occasions. However, they started sounding better with use.
 
Over time, you should start noticing the db level increasing with lower gain settings, the treble will come forward and the bass should tighten up. They will never be as forward sounding as the HD-800 so you will probably always end up listening to the 560 at a slightly higher volume level.
 
If you already have the A-1, I would suggest giving the 560 more time before thinking to much about upgrading the amp.

 

[Arttt]

@Svatopluk 
 
he560 already got 200 hours on it.   Sound did change with burn-in.    Warmth and that exaggerated bass is gone now, treble got more smooth.  But it still doesn't sound as open and airy as previous pairs i audition.
 
Now it sounds thin and hallow , no body in mids , no lush warm sound , and no bass ...very lightweight sound.  On top of that , it sounds "quiet" no matter volume levels on amp , and if i put volume really high it gets painful for ears but still feels like he560 sounds "quiet"
 
all that is the opposite of what i remember he560 sounded from Demo audition and my first pair...
Very strange , now when i got 200+ of burn in , i don't think sound will improve dramatically with some more burn in.  Right now i am thinking of contacting my local hifi store about it

 

[Me x3]

  @Svatopluk 
 
he560 already got 200 hours on it.   Sound did change with burn-in.    Warmth and that exaggerated bass is gone now, treble got more smooth.  But it still doesn't sound as open and airy as previous pairs i audition.
 
Now it sounds thin and hallow , no body in mids , no lush warm sound , and no bass ...very lightweight sound.  On top of that , it sounds "quiet" no matter volume levels on amp , and if i put volume really high it gets painful for ears but still feels like he560 sounds "quiet"
 
all that is the opposite of what i remember he560 sounded from Demo audition and my first pair...
Very strange , now when i got 200+ of burn in , i don't think sound will improve dramatically with some more burn in.  Right now i am thinking of contacting my local hifi store about it

What was your previous headphone?