[FlySweep]

My God...
 
The HE-500 sounds absolutely gorgeous with this little DTA-100a (thanks for crosslinking to my post in the other HE-500 thread, WNBC).  I've had it since Friday.  And I simply cannot stay away from it.  Despite the sensitivity specs, I'm convinced you haven't heard what the HE-500 is capable of until you've pumped some big boy current through the drivers.
 
I've heard the HE-500 with plenty of amps (portable and desktop) up and down the food chain.. and the it's sounded pretty great with most all of them.  Getting the HE-500 loud enough has rarely been an issue.. but I had a nagging feeling that I was never hearing the HE-500 truly dynamic capabilities with all the headphone amps I tried.  Most all the amps I tried sounded a bit ragged when the volume got turned up, or they lacked the ability to push out the dynamic range I had sensed the HE-500 was capable of.
 
I took a page from the HE-6 notebook and went hunting for a speaker amp to try.  I had a fairly recent, budget home theater receiver (Yamaha HTR-6240) to which I hooked my HE-500 up to (via the speaker posts) and was blown away by the sound.  At that point, I knew the HE-500 really needs an amount of current (at least 1-2 WPC) that many headphone amps I had tried failed to deliver (@ ~50ohms).
 
The little DTA-100a seemed like a good candidate.  I had had my eye on it for a long time due to wanting to hear what its heralded class-t chipset could deliver (Class A/B power with Class D efficiency = gobs of current while staying very cool & efficient).  Parts Express had been out of stock/back-ordered for the last month and as soon as it became available, I pulled the trigger.  Considering PE's 45-day MBG & for under a $100.. it is known to possess a very clean, neutral sound, and the unique tripath chip can deliver some serious current (~5 WPC @ 48ohms, <.01% THD) from such a small footprint.  Really a no risk venture... so I pulled the trigger.  This amp has been mentioned in the past here at HeadFi.. but mostly written off due to shoddy (internal) build quality issues (externally, it's rock solid and quite sleek).  I, fortunately, got what seems to be a well built unit.  And even if it didn't deliver, Parts-Express has a 45-day MBG guarantee.  Considering all that, I couldn't really go wrong taking a flyer on this amp again.
 
In the brief time I've had this little class-t titan, it's flat out knocked my socks off.  The HE-500's gain in performance is akin to the difference between winding along the lovely Oregon Coast/HWY 101 in an Audi... vs a Ferrari.  It's damn neutral, possesses fantastic dynamics, and is impossibly clean.  I hear very little, if any, amp-specific coloration as the HE-500's "true voice" rings with crystal clear clarity and is practically bursting at the seams with power & muscle.  It's like the Objective 2 'signature'.. on steroids.  I have never heard an amp (let alone one that costs NINETY DOLLARS!) that can drive the HE-500 this effortlessly & dynamically.  Yep.. bold words & someone needs to slap a 'hype' sticker on this post.. but my ears & brain are not lying.  The HE-500 sounds incredibly vibrant, powerful and the soundstage is simply jaw dropping.  Channel separation & imaging, in particular, is breathtaking.  I'm hearing so much power & control behind every note.  Even the most complex, dynamic pieces of music sound utterly effortless & detailed.. allowing me to hear very deeply into the music without exerting any concentrated effort.  I feel like I've finally found an amp that outputs enough clean current & has a sufficiently neutral response to where I know I'm hearing the HE-500 at (or very very very close to) its full potential.  The DTA-100a is also very quiet.  I heard some very minor, manageable hiss when the volume was turned up all the way.. but I don't come anywhere near that level when listening to music.  Depending on the recording quality (loudness, etc.), 12pm is pushing what my ears can take.  The beautiful thing is.. this amp drives the HE-500 so well, it sounds impeccably clean & controlled even at loud volumes.
 
Do note I'm running my HE-500 off the DTA's speaker taps (I had the HE-500's stock, silver cable re-terminated to banana plugs).  The DTAs headphone out is nothing to call home about.. and it isn't on the tripath circuit as far as I can tell.
 
I simply can't go back to listening to the HE-500 with anything else now, this has set a new performance level for me.  I'm tempted to try explore more speaker amps (LFF has spoken quite highly of driving the HE-500 with one of the older Musical Fidelity amps), but for $90.. this has me so extremely satisfied.  I simply can't go back to listening to the HE-500 with anything else.

 

[captouch]

Quote:

Thanks, that description really helps a lot. I'm very tempted to order a pair of 5LE's so I can listen to them side-by-side with the 500's.

 
Glad it helped.  BTW, I don't know if you said (or I don't remember): What are you using to amp the 500's?

 

[stevenlongs]

Flysweep, I feel like i'm reading through one of those JVC hype threads 

.
 
Interesting since Dannybai mentioned your recommendation and you seem quite thrilled by it. Should definitely get him to write some impressions in here as well once he gets his!
 
Damn hype, now I feel all unsure of what i'm hearing currently...

 

[FlySweep]

It's well known that the HE-500 responds quite favorably when fed lots of current.  No surprise there.  What isn't all that well known is that this little $90 amp, that's impeccably neutral, relatively tiny (based on what it can output), can deliver an ass ton of clean current.. and make the HE-500 sound heavenly.
 
I've owned & listened to plenty of great gear... I'm quite comfortable raving about great sound when I hear it... and when it deserves it.  This is one of those cases.
 
Have you got an HE-500 (with a cable terminated to banana plugs)?  If so, please prove me full of hot air in regards to what this amp delivers 

.  Like I said, PE has a 45-day MBG so if I'm full of it, you're out practically nothing.. and I've got egg all over my face 

.  Danny & I hear things in quite similar ways, so I'm looking forward to his thoughts, too.
 
BTW.. I like the FXD80 a lot.  It's a fun phone.. that delivers some incredible sound for the money.  I've been trimming my collection of phones down (hell I've sold both my Miracle & Quads).. there's a reason they're still here.

 

[palmfish]

Quote:

 
Glad it helped.  BTW, I don't know if you said (or I don't remember): What are you using to amp the 500's?

 
It's a Carver MXR-130 Receiver I bought new in 1985. Still going strong...
 

 

 

[.Sup]

I am listening through a speaker amp right now (Azur350A) and it brings out mids even more but everything else is recessed. The mids are brought out because its the amp's signature, not because of power. Bass is of very poor quality and has zero tightness, cannot compare to the Auditor with 1/3 of a watt power and detail is gone. The speaker amps makes them sound more fun but looses the balance and technicalities it gets from a highly accurate headphone monitoring amp.

 

[FlySweep]

Interesting.. I'm hearing terrific balance.. bass is muscular, neutral, & precise.. treble is very clear, possesses excellent detail & presence.  The midrange is amazingly lively... This is how to experience the famed ortho midrange & liquidity.  The HE-500 is slightly midforward by design.. which is how I hear it.
 
Like you said, it must be the amp.  The DTA-100a sound very neutral.  Nothing feels missing or enhanced.. certainly not the bass.  Like I said, this reminds me of the Objective 2's sound a lot... perhaps a touch smoother.

 

[WNBC]

So is this precisely why orthos sound so good out of vintage receivers?  The ortho receivers put out gobs of power out of the headphone jack, more so than most modern receivers.  I chose my vintage Pioneer SX-737 over my previous standalone headphone amp for a reason: transparency, focus, and better treble extension.    
 
If you had to choose one over the other what would it be:  T-amp vs Yamaha receiver?
 
 
Quote:

Interesting.. I'm hearing terrific balance.. bass is muscular, neutral, & precise.. treble is very clear, possesses excellent detail & presence.  The midrange is amazingly lively... This is how to experience the famed ortho midrange & liquidity.  The HE-500 is slightly midforward by design.. which is how I hear it.
 
Like you said, it must be the amp.  The DTA-100a sound very neutral.  Nothing feels missing or enhanced.. certainly not the bass.  Like I said, this reminds me of the Objective 2's sound a lot... perhaps a touch smoother.

 

[palmfish]

Quote:

So is this precisely why orthos sound so good out of vintage receivers?  The ortho receivers put out gobs of power out of the headphone jack, more so than most modern receivers.  I chose my vintage Pioneer SX-737 over my previous standalone headphone amp for a reason: transparency, focus, and better treble extension.    
 
If you had to choose one over the other what would it be:  T-amp vs Yamaha receiver?
 
 

There is no definitive reason why the T amp sounds good vs. any other amp. It could be the specs (we haven't seen any), could be something else. Maybe he simply likes it better the same way some people prefer tube amps and vinyl records.
 
Until measurements are posted, it's all subjective opinion.

 

[WNBC]

Good point, I had a vintage Sansui AU-717 with more power than the Pioneer and I did not like the sound coming out of the headphone jack.  I don't know enough about the guts of these amps/receivers to say why one works while another doesn't as a headphone amp.  The T amp is intriguing, a good way to power one's HE-500 away from home.  At home, the Taboo is getting me 2-3 watts per channel and the sound is pretty much what I want out of the HE-500.
 
Quote:

There is no definitive reason why the T amp sounds good vs. any other amp. It could be the specs (we haven't seen any), could be something else. Maybe he simply likes it better the same way some people prefer tube amps and vinyl records.
 
Until measurements are posted, it's all subjective opinion.

 

[LugBug1]

Quote:

 
 
The HE-6 - start eating..
 

ate them.. burp!

 

[preproman]

Quote:

ate them.. burp!

 
 

 

[palmfish]

Good point, I had a vintage Sansui AU-717 with more power than the Pioneer and I did not like the sound coming out of the headphone jack.  I don't know enough about the guts of these amps/receivers to say why one works while another doesn't as a headphone amp.  The T amp is intriguing, a good way to power one's HE-500 away from home.  At home, the Taboo is getting me 2-3 watts per channel and the sound is pretty much what I want out of the HE-500.

Well, the downside of vintage amps - especially those bought second hand - is that you don't know what shape they're in. Is the bias set within spec? What about the caps? Even that amp that you pulled out of your attic after 20 years probably needs some servicing to bring back to spec. Heat cycles and the environment they were operated in all take their toll over the years.

A modern (op)amp really suffers from none of this.

Now the discussion (debate) of Class D amps is whole different thing. Some audiophiles swear they don't sound as good, others are open to something new (although they have been around for a few years). Personally, my home theater AVR is a Class D (Pioneer Elite) and I love it.

I personally think any amp, of any design, if properly engineered and tested has the potential to sound good. On the other hand, I also think the goal of an amp should be to not sound like anything - which is why I get suspicious when I hear hyperbole about an amp.

For example, last year, the Burson HA-160 was considered one of the best under $1000 head amps you could get. This year, the Soloist is out and it's better than the HA-160. Why is it better? Will there be a new amp that is even better sounding again next year? The year after that?

OK, sorry. Off my soap box...

 

[palmfish]

Quote:

 
Yes, there's a noticeable difference between 500 and 5LE on S'wonderful on the soft tapping and salt shaker.  It's audible for me on the 500's at normal/relaxed listening level, but not very prominent or detailed.  On the 5LE, it's much more discernable and detailed - can hear the individual grains of "salt" shaking around.  

  I had the two reversed on their normal HP stand positioning, so I thought I was listening to the 500 first and everything was readily apparent and detailed, so I thought it was your hearing (sorry about that!).  But then I realized I had the 5LE's on and when I tried the 500's, it was more subtle and rounded.
 
FWIW, just because they were in reach, I tried Senn HD650's as well, and I'd say that they're even less prominent/detailed on the tapping/shaking, so the 500's are a subtle step up on discerning these particular details.  
 
This is all using a 15wpc Yahama CR-220 (speaker tap outs for 5LE and 500 and HP out for HD650's).
 
If you want/prefer more detailed highs and are willing to give up some of the lushness/liquidity on the mids, the 5LE's may be good for you.
 
Regarding Bjork, I have Debut, Selma Songs, and Greatest Hits, but not Post.  So I don't think I have that track.

 
Well, I couldn't stand it anymore so I caved in and ordered a pair of 5LE's. they'll be here tomorrow (thanks Amazon Prime!).
 
Also, I have an old integrated Pioneer amp I bought in 1979 or so and I'm interested in trying it out speaker taps. How do I obtain it/them?

 

[geetarman49]

Quote:

 
... Also, I have an old integrated Pioneer amp I bought in 1979 or so and I'm interested in trying it out speaker taps. How do I obtain it/them?

spkr taps = speaker outputs of amp/receiver.
 
e.g. 2nd pic of post #1781  :  http://www.head-fi.org/t/551345/hifiman-he-500-he-as-in-high-end-please-post-your-impressions-loan-pair-for-uk-pg-28/1770#post_8598942
 
here, the original headphone plug (4-pin xlr?) has been reterminated to bananas (you need + and - for each driver) and inserted into appropriate spkr tap.