[Sonic Defender]

@ImperialBlade, what is your top dollar you can invest in the DAC/amp? Sure I am biased, we are all biased toward our own gear, but if you manage to find a Yulong A18 used at a good price jump all over that opportunity for certain (assuming the condition is good of course). I got very luck buying mine used from a member here who treated it really well and sold it for an extremely fair price as he was going into top-tier tubes for his HD800. One of the best purchases I have made without a doubt. Compact footprint, well designed, good looking to me, and a solid performer. Yes it would be nice to have an extra watt output, but I feel the A18 powers the 560s extremely well and the synergy strikes me as top notch. Never heard the D18, but I really love the Gungnir and despite having the funds a few times to go a little higher-end, I never pull the trigger as the Gungnir is really very good and I feel I would have to spend at least double to get any noticeable gain so for now still happy to stay with it.

 

[rgs9200m]

  This is probably a radical thing to write in a HFM thread, but hen it comes to high levels of detai at low volume, nothing I've heard comes close to the Grado GS1000e.  

Yep I have the GS1k-e also and love it. Nice and direct with fuller mids, solid bass, and a nice live-sound, like nothing is in the way of the music. It's a great phone to complement planars: different but just as valid.
And the comfort is extremely good and they are very light. There is no clamping or pressing at all and they don't touch your ears at all. They are more comfy than even HD800s to me.
It's an unbelievable comfort/sonics combination taken as a whole.

 

[fengwei007]

Yep I have the GS1k-e also and love it. Nice and direct with fuller mids, solid bass, and a nice live-sound, like nothing is in the way of the music. It's a great phone to complement planars: different but just as valid.
And the comfort is extremely good and they are very light. There is no clamping or pressing at all and they don't touch your ears at all. They are more comfy than even HD800s to me.
It's an unbelievable comfort/sonics combination taken as a whole.

I got the GSKi a couple of weeks ago, and I totally agree with what you said here.

 

[Chodi]

I own the D18 as well as the HD800 and the T1. The D18 is a remarkable match for those headphones. I have compared my D18 to much more expensive dacs and cannot find a better match for my headphones. The D18 has an almost analogue presentation that is unique among dacs. You must consider the cost of adding a usb converter as the D18 does not come with one, but it is still a flaming bargain. I should mention that using the D18 in balanced mode is the only way to go if you want to get the most out of it. The synergy with the HD800 and the T1 are as though it was made specifically for them. 

 

[ImperialBlade]

@Chodi - So the Yulong D18 and A18 would still need a USB converter? How much are those?
Speaking of DAC with USB connections, I know the Bifrost Uber USB Digital Analog Convertor and Gunjir can have those built in.
What are the differences between those two? 
 
Also, I have seen Woo Audio WA7and WA7d...how do these stack up? Then there is the Bottlehead Crack is that any good? Is the Woo or the Bottlehead in the same league here of different league.
 
Heck, I think I need a drink....

 

[Chodi]

  @Chodi - So the Yulong D18 and A18 would still need a USB converter? How much are those?
Speaking of DAC with USB connections, I know the Bifrost Uber USB Digital Analog Convertor and Gunjir can have those built in.
What are the differences between those two? 
 
Also, I have seen Woo Audio WA7and WA7d...how do these stack up? Then there is the Bottlehead Crack is that any good? Is the Woo or the Bottlehead in the same league here of different league.
 
Heck, I think I need a drink....

Yes. the D18 requires a external usb converter. You can spend insane money on the converter alone or you can buy a converter for a very modest price. I found a solution that I find outstanding for this purpose at a very modest price. If you care to pm me I will be happy to supply you with the details. 

 

[rgs9200m]

Thanks Fengwei! The GS1Ki is also fine, and it's actually worthwhile to have both the e and i versions. But I guess this should go to the Grado thread now to avoid derailing things.
On that subject, I like my HE560 balanced-- images are bigger and plumper.

 

[Eric_C]

  Speaking of DAC with USB connections, I know the Bifrost Uber USB Digital Analog Convertor and Gunjir can have those built in.
What are the differences between those two? 

 
USB is an add-on for both those DACs, and it's the same upgrade (http://schiit.com/products/usb-gen-2-upgrade) for both DACs, so I think there is no difference in the connection. 
 
In other respects, Bifrost and Gungnir differ: Bifrost has different analogue output from Gungnir (unless you Uber it); Gungnir has more outputs, balanced outputs, bigger chassis, internals that I don't pretend to understand, etc.

 

[olegausany]

Be aware that Gungnir's balanced outputs are useless cause it's clearly written on their website that analog section of the Dac is single ended .

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Maybe you wanna try either Audeze LCD3 or Sennheiser HD800, both are very nice with rock and jazz

I have not listen to HE560, but use to own HE6, which was very fatiguing in the treple with both my Cayin & Schiit Mjolnir amp,
So jazz was a big no-go with these headphones which let me to sell them, hope HE560 have a more natural treple response.

The 560's are tremendous for Jazz, Bee Bop, Hard Bop, Progressive, Big Band, it has such an organic real bass tone, clarity, when you get one , you need to find some Chico Freeman, his Tenor Sax sounds so sublime. Unlike the HE6 and HD800's, bad recordings, are clearly poor but don't send the listener running for cover. My apologies if this response is a bit off kilter, I am not feeling well at all.

With that said goodnight, hopefully I will be more on target.

Cheers,

Kevin

 

[Dopaminer]

Finally had the 560 on my head, in a shop here in Tokyo.  Almost bought them on the spot: much lighter even than I had hoped : I cannot in any way accept the weight of audezes or earlier hifimans.  They felt lighter than my HD800s.  I also loved the minimalist design and the rotating, lay-flat cups:  this makes these transportable for me; better than the always-need-a-box HD800s.  The 560 could be my ultimate on the road/hotel rig, balanced out of my db2/pb2 stack.  
 
Looks like I need a hirose cable. . . 

 

[OICWUTUDIDTHAR]

anyone looking for a he-560, I have an mint condition one up for sale including a balanced cable

 

[Sonic Defender]

I continue each and every time I put my 560s on to appreciate them a little more. Brain burn in for sure, great amp synergy, it all helps. Okay, if you really want to hear something special you need to listen to electronica through the 560; it is simply, well electric! There is an effortlessness about the 560 that is hard to describe. While this might sound a little out there as it is hard to articulate, but I really sense the background energy of the headphone that is certainly inaudible. Perhaps that is why for me the 560s just sound so organic. They just feel so poised and coherent without actually trying to wrestle your brain to pain attention. Rather the 560s sound so seductive that you just suddenly realize, wow, I can't believe how much I am getting into this. One great sign for me is that I am actually writing this post with some Deadmau5 up pretty loud. This might be my first post here written while actually listening to headphones! Normally I can't do it, the music is too distracting. I find the 560 sound signature very soothing and organic, regardless of the pace or volume of the music.
 
Earlier today I was enjoying some amazing Steely Dan - Godwhacker from the album Everything Must Go. I felt so immersed in the music. I am a detail lover, but detail focused headphones run the risk of too much of a good thing. I think the real magic of this sound signature is the clarity and musicality. This is a tough tightrope to walk and I feel the 560 is so accomplished at this feat that while not the most experienced head-fier around, without a doubt the 560 is by far the best headphone I have ever used or heard. It retains the richness of timbre and texture that the D7000 had for me. Now the 560 takes the control of the low end of the spectrum where the D7000 was unable to gain true articulateness in.

 

[Eric_C]

Be aware that Gungnir's balanced outputs are useless cause it's clearly written on their website that analog section of the Dac is single ended .

Really?
But on the Gungnir features page it says:

"After the DAC, Gungnir uses fully discrete, JFET-input output stages for current gain and filtering. Following that, discrete, JFET-based summing stages convert the balanced signal to single-ended outputs, so that Gungnir can offer both balanced and single-ended output."

 

[olegausany]

Sorry my mistake