[pelltj03]

I'm considering upgrading my current setup and I'm trying to settle between upgrading my headphones or my amp.  My current setup is:
 
HRT Music Streamer -> Behringer MiniMon800 -> Behringer MinFBQ EQ -> Little Dot MKIII amp -> Sennheiser HD598
 
While I still really like the setup in the headphones/amp I have, I'm just debating if I was to upgrade which it would be.  I'm continually reading how great HD650's are and I think I would get better use out of my amp with those.  Realistically my HD598's don't seem to need much amplification at all, granted I'd like to think they sound better than un-amped!
 
Also, I like the Little Dot MKIII, but was considering maybe a Woo Audio WA6 as an upgrade. 
 
For those wondering why I am running my audio through the two Behringer products.  The MiniMon because I want to use the DAC to also pipe music out to my Klipsch ProMedia 2.1s as well and this was a better option I think than going with two Music Streamers.  As for the FBQ EQ, while I am happy with my HD598's, there didn't seem to be the sound I really liked, since using the EQ though I've really been able to dial them in to what I really want. 
 
Thanks for any ideas!
 
-Tom

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
With your source setup, you're going to get way more "upgrade" from a new headphone. The HD598 does well on a good source and amp, but it's not in the same league as a headphone like the HD600 or HD650 if you were staying in the Sennheiser family. I would catch your headphone selection up to your source before further increasing source. I doubt you're going to get an appreciable effect going from LDMK3 to WA6 on the HD598 since it really doesn't need much amplification.
 
Very best,

 

[zazex]

Quote:

 
With your source setup, you're going to get way more "upgrade" from a new headphone.

I definitely agree. 
 

 

[caracara08]

Quote:

Heya,
 
With your source setup, you're going to get way more "upgrade" from a new headphone. The HD598 does well on a good source and amp, but it's not in the same league as a headphone like the HD600 or HD650 if you were staying in the Sennheiser family. I would catch your headphone selection up to your source before further increasing source. I doubt you're going to get an appreciable effect going from LDMK3 to WA6 on the HD598 since it really doesn't need much amplification.
 
Very best,

+1

 

[metrathon]

Quote:

Heya,
 
With your source setup, you're going to get way more "upgrade" from a new headphone. The HD598 does well on a good source and amp, but it's not in the same league as a headphone like the HD600 or HD650 if you were staying in the Sennheiser family. I would catch your headphone selection up to your source before further increasing source. I doubt you're going to get an appreciable effect going from LDMK3 to WA6 on the HD598 since it really doesn't need much amplification.
 
Very best,

+1
 
The headphones will bring the most noticeable improvement.
 

 

[dsio]

Also if you're going for a Woo Audio amp and the HD650s, you're going to want to go for the WA3, its a better match for the high impedance of the HD650s.
 
I went from HD595s as my first decent headphones to HD650s, GREAT value upgrade even when I was just using an AV receiver as the amp.

 

[pelltj03]

Thanks everybody for the opinions!  Looks like I'll be looking to get the headphones first.  Then to keep looking at amps. 
 
-Tom

 

[Timestretch]

Keep the amp. Lots of double blind tests suggest that amps of varying prices are very hard if not impossible to differentiate by ears alone. At least, that applies to amps of the same tech (solid state vs solid stats, tube vs tube). Of course, seeing an extremely beautiful Woo Audio amplifier on your desk would probably put you into a dreamlike state of mind that will enable you to better appreciate the nuances of sound of your music.... at least it probably would work that way for me!  
  
Getting new headphones is the way to go! You can get all sorts of new sounds and experiences with headphones that fit and function differently.

 

[caracara08]

Quote:

Keep the amp. Lots of double blind tests suggest that amps of varying prices are very hard if not impossible to differentiate by ears alone. At least, that applies to amps of the same tech (solid state vs solid stats, tube vs tube). Of course, seeing an extremely beautiful Woo Audio amplifier on your desk would probably put you into a dreamlike state of mind that will enable you to better appreciate the nuances of sound of your music.... at least it probably would work that way for me!  
  
Getting new headphones is the way to go! You can get all sorts of new sounds and experiences with headphones that fit and function differently.

i have to disagree with you when talking about tubes. 

 

[Timestretch]

I'm certainly no final authority on such things. I'll have to dredge up the DBTs I'm thinking of to bring my citations about amplifiers to the fore -- as usual when your statements are challenged, you realize you can no longer find where you read the facts in the first place. I don't have specific personal experience here, just parroting the research of others in regard to the minimal/absent effect of amplification "quality" on sound quality. I should have put that as a more clear disclaimer in my first post, though. 

 

[smithemma]

Quote:

Thanks everybody for the opinions!  Looks like I'll be looking to get the headphones first.  Then to keep looking at amps. 
 
-Tom

pelltj, I kinda agreed with you! 

 

[caracara08]

Quote:

I'm certainly no final authority on such things. I'll have to dredge up the DBTs I'm thinking of to bring my citations about amplifiers to the fore -- as usual when your statements are challenged, you realize you can no longer find where you read the facts in the first place. I don't have specific personal experience here, just parroting the research of others in regard to the minimal/absent effect of amplification "quality" on sound quality. I should have put that as a more clear disclaimer in my first post, though. 

lol. if were talking 100$ tube amp vs 200$ tube amp, maybe, but if youre talking 100$ tube amp vs 1000$ tube amp, there will be certain aspects that might be similar, but there will be aspects that are totally different.   thats not saying all 1000$ amps are awesome though. i started with the little dot mk2 and my peak was the ZDSE and ill tell you, there is a HUGE difference.  WA2 vs MK2... big difference.  
SS amps i dont have much experience in so i cant comment. 

 

[detoxguy]

Facts and subjective DBT results are mutually exclusive in audiophila. 
Quote:

I'm certainly no final authority on such things. I'll have to dredge up the DBTs I'm thinking of to bring my citations about amplifiers to the fore -- as usual when your statements are challenged, you realize you can no longer find where you read the facts in the first place. I don't have specific personal experience here, just parroting the research of others in regard to the minimal/absent effect of amplification "quality" on sound quality. I should have put that as a more clear disclaimer in my first post, though. 

I do agree that the bottleneck is the headphone and that he will see the biggest improvement with a new set of headphones. I would also ditch the EQ but that's just me.

 

[VALIENTE]

Quote:

I do agree that the bottleneck is the headphone and that he will see the biggest improvement with a new set of headphones.

There are  lots of headphones to choose from that is simply way beyond the capabilities of HD598. Try audiophile reference headphones and you will be surprised. Just prepare for amps and sources too, because audiophile reference headphones are usually very "choosy" or "picky" to complement with.

 

[pelltj03]

Very nice discussion I hadn't thought about.  I just ordered HD 650's so we'll see how that upgrade works out.  I think it's at least a good first step to moving up in my system.  My hope is too that I could get the eq out of the equation as well as it's just one more piece of equipment messing with the signal.
 
I've also settled I think on a Woo Audio WA6SE in the near future (continuing to do my research as to if this is a good match).  I just need to line up the funds to get one.  I like the WA6 and WA3, but knowing how I buy things, in the end I'll probably end up with the WA6SE.  Typically I'd settle for the WA6 or WA3 knowing full well it wouldn't make me happy and lose money getting a WA6SE, so I might as well save up for that!
 
I think after that I'll be done for a while.  Maybe in the near future I'll look at upgrading the DAC, but currently I'm fairly happy with my Music Streamer given it's price.