[Earthlight]

Hello everyone! My first post here. I have just begun the search for a new combination of headphones and a headphone amplifier. Thanks for letting me tap into the collective Head-fi intelligence.

Some history

I bought my HD 580s 17 or so years ago and have thoroughly enjoyed them. At the time of purchase they were the hot stuff and apparently they have held up nice against the competition over the years. They are, after all very close if not identical to the HD 600. Sure they have the plastic grille but the output is nothing to be ashamed of.

Since those times I have not changed a single component in my livingroom setup. I found my audio nirvana and forgot all about the constant upgrade cycle. I have a Sony XA50ES CD-player, a custom made passive pre-amp and a PS Audio Delta 200 power amp to drive my Infinity Renaissance 90 loudspeakers. I have been plugging the HD 580s to the CD player headphone jack and sometimes to my PC (gasp!) at the office.

But now I want to update my system!

My current needs

Since I bought my last headphones and the livingroom setup the world has changed quite a bit. Listening to CDs is apparently for luddites only. Ripping CDs, FLACs and music servers seem the order of the day. Well, I'm not totally out of touch: I have a pair of Genelec 8030s connected to my PC via a NuForce Icon DAC. I listen to Spotify (Premium/high bitrate) when working. I have doubts about the quality of streamed music and the last time I compared CD output and streamed audio from Spotify it was a no contest situation.

That said, I listen to Spotify more and more these days as the selection is almost infinite and it is so easy and convenient. I have an Airport Express hooked to my passive preamp and use an iPad to stream music from spotify to my livingroom speakers. It is okay for casual listening but I think the Airport Express needs an external DAC to make the most of the setup.

So, I am thinking of selling my passive preamp and getting a replacement that has:

---- a good DAC
---- a good headphone amp
---- three digital inputs
---- good line out so as to adequately drive my PS Audio Delta 200 power amp

...with a thing like that I'd be set for another 15 to 20 years of musical bliss.

So far I think these two devices seem like the best options:

---- Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus
---- Audiolab M-DAC

The Audiolab has many things going for it but then again it ought to as it is almost double the price. But I have read many favourable things about it and especially the dedicated headphone amp.

Headphones in 2013

These days I fancy doing more headphone listening and thought I'd find out what has been happening since I got my 580s. Since I always liked my Sennheisers I thought I would see what they have on offer these days.

Judging by the online reviews the 650 has a warmer sound with more bass. And the HD 700 and 800 are different but there seems to be a lot of confusion as to how they really sound. Some say they are thin and anemic whereas others say they have a great balance and that they have adequate and well controlled bass.

Yes, I am partial to Sennheisers at this point but they have served me good.

First experiences: DacMagic Plus and HD 700

Obviously I need to hear for myself so today I paid a visit to two local stores to see what sort of selection they had available for listening. The first shop (from where I originally purchased my HD 580s) had no Sennheiser's at all and just one el cheapo headphone amp. Meh. The young lad over there also seemed somewhat oblivious to my needs so I thanked and left.

The second shop had the CA DacMagic Plus and a pair of HD 700s and I was able to listen to them for a good hour uninterrupted. I had three CDs with me and of course my HD 580s so it was about to get really interesting.

I started with my 580s hooked to the DacMagic to get a feel of the system. Something seemed off. Turns out the CD player we used was faulty! It had a hard time playing any of my CDs. We changed the player and immediately the sound was better. I was not particularly impressed or disappointed though. It was a good setup no more no less. The DacMagic did not seem to breathe new life to my 580s. I guess the headphone amp in my XA50ES is not too shabby after all.

Then I tried the HD 700s and what a shocker it was! It was like a veil was lifted. The music was just so much more engaging, more articulate, it was deeper and bigger in terms of sound staging. The spatial sensation was really quite stunning in comparison to the 580s. There was good resolution and control and the music seemed to emanate from the air around me, not from the headphones. What is more, they were much more comfortable to wear than my old cans. What a revelation this was!

What next

They had just sold their last pair of HD 800s so I could not test drive those. I can only wonder how good they might be. And I can only wonder whether a better amp will really make them sing. They told me in a few week's time they will have the HD 800s and the M-DAC so that I can try them out.

It is a lot of money to burn though seeing the economy is what it is. But no matter what happens the HD 700 test drive tonight will stay with me as one of those great hi-fi memories when suddenly you experience something unexpected and beautiful.

I will also need to try the HD 650s. Maybe they too have some of that HD 700/800 magic.

Any comments are appreciated.

Earthlight

Ps. Sorry for the lengthy post.

 

[Earthlight]

Me want headphones. Help appreciated. :-D

 

[HPiper]

Well if you liked the HD700 you really owe it to yourself to wait until they get some 800's in and try them, in a whole other league of sound. One thing though. the 800's are real picky about the amp used with them and the dac too for that matter. Very sensitive to the source, but with the right source they are fantastic. I will say I think the 700's are a bit more comfortable though .I think there are a couple threads over in the standalone amp forum about what works good for the 800's.
 I am saving up for some 800's, I just hope I don't get to tempted by the 700's before I get there
 

 

[Earthlight]

Thanks HPiper! I had a DacMagic Plus and HD 700 for the weekend. Could not do as much critical listening as I had hoped for, but some things are clear now.

I compared the DacMagic to the HP jack of my XA50ES and compared my old HD 580 against the 700s. I was shocked to realise that I MUCH preferred the XA50ES output to the DacMagic. It did not even occur to me that it could be the case: I had thought that an old CD player will have no chance against a current DAC with a "dedicated" headphone amp. The result was the same with both headphones. The CD just made them both sound so much better: the low frequencies just had that oomph and control to them. The highs were silkier and without any sibilance. Still, they had good attack and resolution.

I used Robbie Robertson's Music for the Native Americans, Rob Wasserman's Space Island and Sheffield Lab's good old Drum & Track record. With the CD output the 3D effect was clearer but I was especially impressed with the control and resolution of the bass lines. The decay of the drum beats in the Sheffield Lab's record was also quite telling.

As to the headphones the 700 had more resolution and a great "airiness" to them. The 3D imaging was much better. At times it seems like the sounds just emanate from thin air. They were MUCH more comfortable than my old 580s. Seems like they pretty much outdid the 580s in every way. I particularly liked how they rendered the details in Robetrson's track Aqua Tuta. What is more, Jim Keltner's drum playing had so much detail that I can honestly say I heard things I had not discovered before.

I Guess I need to try the HD 800s and then decide how much the difference is worth to me.