[Majinwar]

Hey everyone,

I currently have a pair of Denon D2000's and was wanted to explore the world of open cans. I'm going this weekend or tonight even to go try out some different ones at a local store.

I have my eye set on the HD650's and am very interested in hearing them, but I've been reading that I need an amp for them.

That being said, I had my eye on a Little Dot MK III. (Due to my budget)

Here's where the confusion starts for me... I know the D2000's work better off of a SS amp, but the HD650's work better off of a tube amp...

If I were to grab the LD MK III, would I be harming my D2000's if I hooked them up to it as well? I would really love to use both cans off of the same amp...

My setup would be FLAC -> Auzentech Prelude -> LD MK III -> D2000/HD650

Any advice/comments/suggestions are appreciated!

 

[Uncle Erik]

First, an impedance mismatch is not going to hurt your headphones. Sounding good is another matter. But no, you won't hurt them.

I'm not much of a fan of the low-end tube amps. Most of them are an inexpensive OTL circuit on a PCB with the cheapest possible power supply. You want big transformers, tubes and chokes in a power supply - that's where the refinement comes from. People talk about tube rolling, but you really need to beef up the power supply for big improvements.

One difference between tube and solid state is that tubes run at a much higher voltage. It's not uncommon to find tube amps running at 300V or sometimes much more. You need big, expensive transformers and power supply parts to handle that well.

Solid state, however, can run off of 12V to 24V or so. You can use an inexpensive wallwart transformer and use low-cost parts to clean up that power.

I'm a tubehead, however, I concede that solid state can sound excellent. Further, youmcan get excellent solid state gear for much less than excellent tube gear.

For the price of a low-end tube amp, you can usually get a solid state amp with an excellent power supply. Having an excellent, clean and stable power supply is (to me) more important than whether the output devices are tubes or chips. So I'd go for one of the very good and reasonably priced solid state amps to begin with and then move into a quality tube amp later.

 

[Steve Eddy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif Solid state, however, can run off of 12V to 24V or so.

So can some tubes. The 6GM8/ECC86 for example. Has a maximum plate voltage of 30 volts.

John Broskie's 24 volt Aikido headphone amp uses them.

se

 

[wavoman]

Before I balanced the D2000, I listened to it, and my HD600s (don't have the HD650's) with the very reasonably priced ss/tube hybrid Head Direct EF-1 amp with an RCA Clear Top 12AU7 (and the stock op amp). Both phones were excellent, the HD600s winning in detail and transient response, the D2000 winning in overall smoothness of freq response and musicality, especially on violin concertos (what I was listening to).

 

[leftear]

Senheisers are good, the HD650's have more bass than the DT-880's. They also have a fuller midrange and are less fatiguing. These are exactly the sonic characters I was hoping for.