[KR500]

 Would like to improve on the headphone amp I'm currently using on my Marantz CD player for around $100
Audio Technica ATH AD700 cans.
Any suggestions ? I spelled recommendation wrong  in the subject line but can't edit that line.
USB not an issue
Analog, or Toslink input
 
thanks

 

[Claritas]

Which CD player? How are you planning to connect the amp?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Which CD player? How are you planning to connect the amp?

 
He said it's a Marantz so it chances are it has its own TDA-1308 headphone amp.

 

[Claritas]

  He said it's a Marantz so it chances are it has its own TDA-1308 headphone amp.

 
They have different output strengths the higher up in the line one goes. Might it matter?
 
Connecting the amp from the headphone jack or the RCAs? What do you think?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  They have different output strengths the higher up in the line one goes. Might it matter?

 
Not sure about that; I couldn't tell the difference between the CD60 and CD80, and compared to the CD6002 and CD6003, the difference seemed more likely the DAC and HDAM than the headphone driver itself. Same unremarkable (not fantastic, but definitely not bad) dynamics and control on my HD600. I actually preferred my CD60's own headphone driver over the Little Dot MkII.
 

  Connecting the amp from the headphone jack or the RCAs? What do you think?

 
Oh I missed the last line on his post, he is using a separate amp...my bad

I suppose he's using the RCA outputs but he's entertaining a DAC-Amp, since he's asking about SPDIF and even USB. I got used to people being practical enough to trust the Philips headphone driver chip since it's still used in some discrete DAPs today, it's just that AFAIK compared to other chips if properlu implemented do better on low impedance headphones/IEMs. My CD60 sounded worse on the SR225 and SR80 compared to an iPod.
 
----------------
 
@KR500 what Marantz is that? If it has a built in amp (which only the cheapest models dont have) you sure it sucks with the AD700? What about it don't you like? (Because it's possible that it's the AD700, not the amp mismatch, that you really don't like)

 

[Claritas]

The differences in the power of the headphone jacks in some Marantzes:
 
CD5004   18 mW / 32Ω
CD6005   28 mW / 32Ω
SA8004   43 mW / 32Ω

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  The differences in the power of the headphone jacks in some Marantzes:
 
CD5004   18 mW / 32Ω
CD6005   28 mW / 32Ω
SA8004   43 mW / 32Ω

 
Possibly due to beefier power supplies on the better models. I wouldn't expect too much difference between the 5004 and 6004, but both would probably be trumped by the 8004.

 

[KR500]

Thanks for posting comments and information about the Marantz chipset, I forgot to mention that my Marantz CD player is the 5001 model
Basically my exercise area stereo rig is my former living room stereo after upgrading there,.... so moved the other stuff downstairs.
The Marantz CDP and Squeezebox feed a Musical Fidelity V-DAC with toslink and coaxial.
The DAC outputs to a Jolida 202 tube amp that has inputs only.
Really don't want to use RCA splitters to go to both the Jolida amp and a stand alone headphone amp, so am using the Matrantz headphone jack for the time being.
I use Audio Technica ATH AD700X cans with a Little Dot MkII+ in my main listening area upstairs. Stock, the Little Dot was fairly close to the Marantz SQ , but after burning in and tube rolling it sounds pretty nice. The 700X's have a better balanced bass and ear pads than the regular 700's but less construction and cable/plug .

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  Thanks for posting comments and information about the Marantz chipset, I forgot to mention that my Marantz CD player is the 5001 model
Basically my exercise area stereo rig is my former living room stereo after upgrading there,.... so moved the other stuff downstairs.
The Marantz CDP and Squeezebox feed a Musical Fidelity V-DAC with toslink and coaxial.
The DAC outputs to a Jolida 202 tube amp that has inputs only.
Really don't want to use RCA splitters to go to both the Jolida amp and a stand alone headphone amp, so am using the Matrantz headphone jack for the time being.
I use Audio Technica ATH AD700X cans with a Little Dot MkII+ in my main listening area upstairs. Stock, the Little Dot was fairly close to the Marantz SQ , but after burning in and tube rolling it sounds pretty nice. The 700X's have a better balanced bass and ear pads than the regular 700's but less construction and cable/plug .

 
I'm not sure how well the Marantz headphone driver is on the HD598, and whether it scales well with a better amp, but to be on the safe side I'd suggest you keep the set-up as it is unless you're planning on getting other headphones. It took me a while to even find an amp I liked better than the headphone driver on my old CD60 for driving my HD600, and as much as I'd say price isn't everything, I had to go over to the $500+ MSRP Meier Cantate.2 to really go well beyond the Marantz headphone driver's capabilities.*



*I didn't really enjoy the $160 Little Dot MkII, and the $225 Ibasso PB-1 I picked up later wasn't all that much better, but I used it a lot mostly because the Marantz laser stopped reading newer discs (with interactive content) and CD-Rs. Both these amps were bought used and locally so I didn't pay for MSRP+shipping.

 

[Claritas]

Before I became interested in improving the sound, I used the headphone amp built in to the CDP. Later, I added the O2. The sound is improved, but it's not a revolutionary difference. It's improved enough that I bother using the amp and haven't sold it. It's not improved so much that I've bought a better amp.

 

[jgwak2]

Woo Audio, WA7.
It's the best headphone amp and dac.
and it's....pretty.....

 

[Claritas]

Woo Audio, WA7.
It's the best headphone amp and dac.
and it's....pretty.....

The best compared to which others you've tried, and in what way?