[DefQon]

An alternate strong consideration would be the Bottlehead Crack. Be sure to check out the dedicated Crack thread. Superb diy amp especially for driving HD580/600/650's high z Senny cans.

Cheers

 

[Loko-Pillo]

An alternate strong consideration would be the Bottlehead Crack. Be sure to check out the dedicated Crack thread. Superb diy amp especially for driving HD580/600/650's high z Senny cans.

Cheers

Thanks for that!
 
I'll check it out now...is it as good sounding, you think?
 
 
And if anyone has experience with the HD650 on those as well, please share.

 

[DefQon]

That's a hard one although I do own both the MK6 and the Crack both are about on par driving my HD600's but the Crack has it's own special synergy and costs less. MK6 is a different beast when driving cans a bit more demanding where the Crack falls flat on its face.

Crack and HD650 is good but I prefer my 600's. Best I've heard the HD650 was off a $6k + SP SDS amp.

 

[Makiah S]

That's a hard one although I do own both the MK6 and the Crack both are about on par driving my HD600's but the Crack has it's own special synergy and costs less. MK6 is a different beast when driving cans a bit more demanding where the Crack falls flat on its face.

Crack and HD650 is good but I prefer my 600's. Best I've heard the HD650 was off a $6k + SP SDS amp.

 
I'm happy to hear a lot of good about the MK6+ espically with lower impedance cans! Which means for me budgeting in a MK6 means I get more cash for Tubes :3

 

[cobrawang]

Right,I've been thinking of getting the MKVIII SE.  Haven't pulled the trigger yet.thank you 

 

[Loko-Pillo]

That's a hard one although I do own both the MK6 and the Crack both are about on par driving my HD600's but the Crack has it's own special synergy and costs less. MK6 is a different beast when driving cans a bit more demanding where the Crack falls flat on its face.

Crack and HD650 is good but I prefer my 600's. Best I've heard the HD650 was off a $6k + SP SDS amp.

Oh dear...$6k...Well, at least, we can rule out me getting the best of the HD650s then! lol
 
But, yeah, I definitely noticed the HD650 scales up pretty well.
IMO it's a world class HP. It's got all the details and nuances in the others, just not showing it off, and as in your face about it. But it is definitely also a bit colored and seductive, similar to the LCDs in that respect.
Though I haven't got enough experience to judge, really.
 
I never heard the HD600, it does seem like a very good HP. More honest and less fickle, probably.
I can understand that the HD650 to some people would sound too seductive and wanting to please to its own detriment.
HD600 seems to also have a very loyal and passionate following, like the 650.
 
So at least your HD600s weren't awful with the MK6...that COULD be a good sign I suppose. lol
Also, after some digging, I found a few Head-Fiers in older threads loving the 650 with the MK6.
 
The Bottle and the MK6 both look pretty cool. I am still leaning towards the MK6...
who knows, maybe it will encourage me to give other phones a try as well.
 
I just hope it lasts, I want to get a good-sounding amp that could stay with me for a while, even if I get others.
 
Oh, and I've got a Benchmark DAC2 as well, if that matters at all.
It sounded, to me, like it could go pretty well with a good quality tube amp.
 
 
Appreciate your help, thanks!

 

[DefQon]

  Oh dear...$6k...Well, at least, we can rule out me getting the best of the HD650s then! lol
 
But, yeah, I definitely noticed the HD650 scales up pretty well.
IMO it's a world class HP. It's got all the details and nuances in the others, just not showing it off, and as in your face about it. But it is definitely also a bit colored and seductive, similar to the LCDs in that respect.
Though I haven't got enough experience to judge, really.
 
I never heard the HD600, it does seem like a very good HP. More honest and less fickle, probably.
I can understand that the HD650 to some people would sound too seductive and wanting to please to its own detriment.
HD600 seems to also have a very loyal and passionate following, like the 650.
 
So at least your HD600s weren't awful with the MK6...that COULD be a good sign I suppose. lol
Also, after some digging, I found a few Head-Fiers in older threads loving the 650 with the MK6.
 
The Bottle and the MK6 both look pretty cool. I am still leaning towards the MK6...
who knows, maybe it will encourage me to give other phones a try as well.
 
I just hope it lasts, I want to get a good-sounding amp that could stay with me for a while, even if I get others.
 
Oh, and I've got a Benchmark DAC2 as well, if that matters at all.
It sounded, to me, like it could go pretty well with a good quality tube amp.
 
 
Appreciate your help, thanks!

 
No far from awful even though the MK6 is not designed with the goal in mind to drive high Z headphones (MK VIII SE does this) it drove my HD800's and 600's wonderfully. Since I've sold those off except the 600 and my LCD2's are in literally pieces for modding my MK6 doesn't get used at all so therefore it has been packed and stored away. 

 

[2K9R56S]

I've had my MKVI+ for three days now, and it f-ing rocks.  Even with the stock tubes it's better than my former WA6 with Sophia Princess and EH 6SN7 tubes.  It's powerful and it sounds amazing.  Hearing balanced audio too for the first time was incredible.  I finally was able to hear what everyone was raving about.
 
A couple of things to note:
 
1)  The fans are a little loud.  It doesn't bother me, but I can see how it would others.  Replacing them with a pair of silent 80MM would be easy.  Maybe some isolation cones too while the bottom cover is off. 
 
2)  I'm using them with HD650's, and currently have the gain on high.  This maxes out the tolerable volume at about 70.  However, there's also a very, very faint buzz on the right channel that wasn't there when the gain was on low.  I'll probably set it back to low anyway.  I have some ATH-W1000X's that are out getting recabled with a balanced plug.  I don't think high gain with those would be good anyway.
 
3)  With a balanced source playing, the balanced headphone output is louder than the SE headphone output.  I guess this is normal?
 
4)  With both a balanced and SE source connected, the SE source can't be heard unless the XLR cables are unplugged.  Even with the balanced source turned off or with its power cord unplugged.  I'm not sure if this is the amp's design, or has something to do with my balanced DAC.
 
Anyway, long story short, it's worth every penny.  I ordered It directly from David who was very helpful and friendly.  Shipping was very fast too.  It left HK on Sunday 22nd and arrived here on Tuesday 24th.  I ordered it on the 11th, expecting the 3-4 week turnaround, but got it in under 2 weeks.
 
Very anxious to hear what different tubes will sound like.  Just still amazed by the stock tubes.  My only comparison though were the stock tubes that came with my WA6.  Those were bad.  For a couple of days after getting it I was contemplating returning the amp and going back to solid state.  They got a little better as time went on before the big jump to the Sophia.  I was sort of expecting the same thing with the MKVI+.  Nope.  Tranquility right out of the box.
 

 

[Makiah S]

I've had my MKVI+ for three days now, and it f-ing rocks.  Even with the stock tubes it's better than my former WA6 with Sophia Princess and EH 6SN7 tubes.  It's powerful and it sounds amazing.  Hearing balanced audio too for the first time was incredible.  I finally was able to hear what everyone was raving about.

A couple of things to note:

1)  The fans are a little loud.  It doesn't bother me, but I can see how it would others.  Replacing them with a pair of silent 80MM would be easy.  Maybe some isolation cones too while the bottom cover is off. 

2)  I'm using them with HD650's, and currently have the gain on high.  This maxes out the tolerable volume at about 70.  However, there's also a very, very faint buzz on the right channel that wasn't there when the gain was on low.  I'll probably set it back to low anyway.  I have some ATH-W1000X's that are out getting recabled with a balanced plug.  I don't think high gain with those would be good anyway.

3)  With a balanced source playing, the balanced headphone output is louder than the SE headphone output.  I guess this is normal?

4)  With both a balanced and SE source connected, the SE source can't be heard unless the XLR cables are unplugged.  Even with the balanced source turned off or with its power cord unplugged.  I'm not sure if this is the amp's design, or has something to do with my balanced DAC.

Anyway, long story short, it's worth every penny.  I ordered It directly from David who was very helpful and friendly.  Shipping was very fast too.  It left HK on Sunday 22nd and arrived here on Tuesday 24th.  I ordered it on the 11th, expecting the 3-4 week turnaround, but got it in under 2 weeks.

Very anxious to hear what different tubes will sound like.  Just still amazed by the stock tubes.  My only comparison though were the stock tubes that came with my WA6.  Those were bad.  For a couple of days after getting it I was contemplating returning the amp and going back to solid state.  They got a little better as time went on before the big jump to the Sophia.  I was sort of expecting the same thing with the MKVI+.  Nope.  Tranquility right out of the box.

u must tell us how the balanced w1000x sounds. Im worried the extra sound stage woukd kill the intmacy. Still im getting one of these for my w1000x as well

 

[john57]

3) Yes it is normal for the balanced outs to be louder because you will have more voltage swing available to the headphones because you are using both + and - legs to the headphones instead of just one leg using single ended outputs.
4) The amp was not designed to using both single ended and balanced inputs at the same time since there is not switching of the inputs feature available on the amp. The single ended input is preventing either  the +  or  the - leg from being used. Either unplug or use a switch box for the inputs. You can leave the balanced outs on the back connected to a device like monitors at the same time as using the balanced front jack for the headphones.

 

[DefQon]

Change for 120mm. I had Noctua 12cm ones in mine.

 

[baronbeehive]

  .....
 
2)  I'm using them with HD650's, and currently have the gain on high.  This maxes out the tolerable volume at about 70.  However, there's also a very, very faint buzz on the right channel that wasn't there when the gain was on low.  I'll probably set it back to low anyway.  I have some ATH-W1000X's that are out getting recabled with a balanced plug.  I don't think high gain with those would be good anyway.
 
.....
 
Interesting what you  say about the WA6. The HD650's on high gain at 70, I don't think I got anywhere near that when I had my HD600's on low gain! The beauty of a quality piece of kit like the mkvi though is that I can play at reasonable volume levels and still hear everything which is a definate plus. I find more and more I'm using moderate volume levels these days, hmm!
 

 

[2K9R56S]

u must tell us how the balanced w1000x sounds. Im worried the extra sound stage woukd kill the intmacy. Still im getting one of these for my w1000x as well

 
Absolutely.  It will be a while though.  They arrived at Lawton Audio today, and he said there's about a 4 week turnaround.

 

[2K9R56S]

  3) Yes it is normal for the balanced outs to be louder because you will have more voltage swing available to the headphones because you are using both + and - legs to the headphones instead of just one leg using single ended outputs.
4) The amp was not designed to using both single ended and balanced inputs at the same time since there is not switching of the inputs feature available on the amp. The single ended input is preventing either  the +  or  the - leg from being used. Either unplug or use a switch box for the inputs. You can leave the balanced outs on the back connected to a device like monitors at the same time as using the balanced front jack for the headphones.

 
3.  Roger that.
4.  And that.

 

[2K9R56S]

  Interesting what you  say about the WA6. The HD650's on high gain at 70, I don't think I got anywhere near that when I had my HD600's on low gain! The beauty of a quality piece of kit like the mkvi though is that I can play at reasonable volume levels and still hear everything which is a definate plus. I find more and more I'm using moderate volume levels these days, hmm!

 
 
I changed the gain back to low.  Now the maximum is between 80 and 90.  And the buzz is completely gone.  Even at 80 they're still louder than what the WA6 could do with them.
 
Are you using the stock tubes?