[vvanrij]

I'm gonna amp it with my SPL Phonitor

they are also 600ohm right? Should be perfect

 

[nor_spoon]

They are 300ohm.

 

[vvanrij]

ah really? lower imp then the 650? Odd studio standard is 600

 

[grawk]

The HD650s and HD600s are also 300ohm.

 

[ferraro25]

I am going to be using a Total AirHead. Not joking.

After receiving the HD800, I might sell off every other headphone I own - besides the cheapest ones - and then buy the cheapest amp that is generally agreed-upon to drive the HD800 decently. For some reason I refuse to spend big money on amps. The Total AirHead is the second and most expensive amp I've ever bought (at $99), yet I've bought many headphones (see sig) since I've been into this hobby from August of 2005. Hopefully there will be something decent for ~$300.

However, the Total AirHead is supposedly satisfice for the HD650, so it might be the same for the HD800, and thus more than good enough for me.

On a moderately tangential note: unsurprisingly, I know nothing about electrical stuff, so DIY is not a way for me to go. I don't have the drive to learn, either.

 

[vvanrij]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grawk /img/forum/go_quote.gif The HD650s and HD600s are also 300ohm.

Hmm you'r right, but isn't that only @ 1khz? I thought it had peaks upto 600.

 

[pabbi1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mofonyx /img/forum/go_quote.gif Don't see a point unless your amp has the same connector.

Of course my amps have the same connector - input and output.

 

[scootermafia]

Urgh, a bithead with an HD800. What's the point of a $1400 headphone if you're not hearing the most from it. Nearly every "help me upgrade" thread on this forum is someone trying to replace their bithead. Get something with tubes or a beta22, that's about the only thing that will do these justice.

 

[Wmcmanus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ferraro25 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am going to be using a Total AirHead. Not joking. After receiving the HD800, I might sell off every other headphone I own - besides the cheapest ones - and then buy the cheapest amp that is generally agreed-upon to drive the HD800 decently.

Up to this point, I agree. But you want something (no matter how inexpensive it might be) that will drive the HD800 appropriately. From all reports, they appear to be very hard to drive, so you really won't be getting anywhere near their potential if you under-amp them.

Better to wait for a year or two and let them come down in price (if indeed that happens), and until you can afford to get an appropriate amp for them. It's not about the cost so much as the synergy, and there will be plenty of amps, even expensive ones, that just won't do the trick with the HD800.

Quote:

For some reason I refuse to spend big money on amps. The Total AirHead is the second and most expensive amp I've ever bought (at $99), yet I've bought many headphones (see sig) since I've been into this hobby from August of 2005. Hopefully there will be something decent for ~$300. However, the Total AirHead is supposedly satisfice for the HD650, so it might be the same for the HD800, and thus more than good enough for me. On a moderately tangential note: unsurprisingly, I know nothing about electrical stuff, so DIY is not a way for me to go. I don't have the drive to learn, either.

That might at least partially explain why you refuse to spend much on amps. It's probably not the whole answer, but I suspect it's part of it. That, and my guess is that you haven't experienced first-hand the significant differences that amps can make. I'm just guessing on this point, but I know from personal experience (now long ago) that until you have that first ear opening experience, you'll always want to downplay the significance of amplification and cut corners there. Same is true with regard to sources as well.

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scootermafia /img/forum/go_quote.gif Urgh, a bithead with an HD800. What's the point of a $1400 headphone if you're not hearing the most from it. Nearly every "help me upgrade" thread on this forum is someone trying to replace their bithead. Get something with tubes or a beta22, that's about the only thing that will do these justice.

Yes... it's that "synergy thing" - which is given far too little consideration on HeadFi by most folks. Matching the components to one another - determines 75% of what phones sound like - at least for phones like the Senns. Which is why mfrs like Stax and Grado sell the amps to match their phones - they realize too many do not appreciate the importance of that "synergy thing."

 

[ferraro25]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wmcmanus /img/forum/go_quote.gif Up to this point, I agree. But you want something (no matter how inexpensive it might be) that will drive the HD800 appropriately. From all reports, they appear to be very hard to drive, so you really won't be getting anywhere near their potential if you under-amp them. Better to wait for a year or two and let them come down in price (if indeed that happens), and until you can afford to get an appropriate amp for them. It's not about the cost so much as the synergy, and there will be plenty of amps, even expensive ones, that just won't do the trick with the HD800.

I'm impatient and would rather not spend the money on an amp before I try the headphones with the AirHead. I'd rather have many months with a badly-driven HD800 than several months without ("many months" if I do not sell any of my other headphones, and I probably will not - btw, this is not putting me into debt or in any financial trouble; I am sticking to a plan). And on that point, even if I waited until I wanted to spend the money on an amp, the HD800 would still cost me $1400 (once again, impatience).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wmcmanus /img/forum/go_quote.gif That might at least partially explain why you refuse to spend much on amps. It's probably not the whole answer, but I suspect it's part of it. That, and my guess is that you haven't experienced first-hand the significant differences that amps can make. I'm just guessing on this point, but I know from personal experience (now long ago) that until you have that first ear opening experience, you'll always want to downplay the significance of amplification and cut corners there. Same is true with regard to sources as well.

That was what I was getting at with that comment. 1. I haven't looked into the science behind electrical components such as op-amps, so I don't understand how things vary between amps; and 2. I have never heard a high-quality amp, so I don't know what I am missing (I am aware of the difference of amp vs. no amp, however - at the very least, there is greater bass extension and volume, and the overall sound is meatier/less tinny). Edit: yeah, I just basically repeated what you typed, but those things were going through my mind when I made the comment.

I am also a skeptic, and this stuff is so subjective, so... I'll never buy a cable upgrade, but I will try a better amp. With such utter nonsense as solutions that "enhance" CDs (if they did anything to CDs, the result would be corruption of the binary data) in audiophilia, I think my skepticism is somewhat warranted.

As for my decision to purchase the HD800: I'm looking to "end it," at least for the high end, and at least for the next several years. The SR-202 already ended it when it came to anything costing more than $100, with my eyes on the Omega II in the distant future, but then the HD800 came along. Yes, I am missing an important step, but I am assuming that the HD800 will sound incredible (to me) even with the lowly AirHead, and, besides, I will still have something to look forward to.

 

[qusp]

if the HD800 are harder to drive than HD600 or HD650; they will NOT be driven even close to satisfactory levels with a total airhead. I wouldnt even amp IEM's with an airhead; secondly, I dont know how you could even judge the HD800 when using only an airhead; especially since by your own admission you havent heard a decent amp or decent source, so you couldnt even guess at what sort of performance you might get out of them if they were *properly amped* 'garbage in; garbage out' all your HD800 will do is replicate fairly accurately (I say fairly because of lack of drive) how bad your amp and source are. good luck

 

[krmathis]

I expect the balanced β22 to be quite capable driving the HD800.
If not, then I guess its time parting with the ... HD800.

 

[LUMIERE]

I'm going with my Zana Deux. It's been an incredible combination with the SA5000. I can't wait to hear it with the HD800! The Zana Deux has been absolutely pure liquid magic!

 

[sclamb]

I am hoping my WA6 SE will do the business with the HD800s. Can't wait