[Panoyski]

The MHA100 has a very clean and transparent sound just like the new series of Macintosh speakers amps (I have a pair of their MC601). You need to get used to the sound because your first impression would be of it being bright but it is not, it is clean and transparent. It is well extended at both ends of the frequencies and will show everything in the recording good or bad. IMO the HE1000 sound is a little laid back so the matching is good because the MHA100 brings life to the HE1000.

Does the MHA100 draws you into the music, like you get toe tapping every time, instead of dissecting and analyzing it? I've auditioned a brand new, un broken in EAR HP4 two months ago with a HEK, and it just makes listening to music very enjoyable. It really drawed me in. Very impressive out of the box. I wonder how it compares to the MHA.

Thanks, musicman for your thoughts.

 

[Panoyski]

I heard the Mac at Stereo Exchange in NYC a while ago, and was impressed by how open and clear it sounded with the HEK. Quick audition (while the lady was shopping), didn't get to compare with any other gear, but I was impressed.

Thanks for your thoughts too, Doc!

 

[musicman59]

Does the MHA100 draws you into the music, like you get toe tapping every time, instead of dissecting and analyzing it? I've auditioned a brand new, un broken in EAR HP4 two months ago with a HEK, and it just makes listening to music very enjoyable. It really drawed me in. Very impressive out of the box. I wonder how it compares to the MHA.

Thanks, musicman for your thoughts.

That depends on our sound taste and preference. As said before I have Mac speakers amps and preamp so I already like that sound so from my point of view the answer is yes.

I have the tendency to listen to the Mac more and my WA5-LE.

 

[Benny-x]

@youngarthur. I recommend the audio gd nfb10es (sabre version, not wolfson). IMO, the nfb10es has great synergy with the he1000s. There is a used one on sale right now for really good price. I have no affiliation with seller.

Of my current amps with the he1000, I would rank the following:

AGD NFB10ES = DIY First Watt f3 > AGD Master 8 > AGD Phoenix > Earmax (not enough juice)

From what I've read the HE1K should do well with a SS, neutral sounding amp that has great detail and extension at both ends, and maybe even with a mid range bump. And a good smack of power on tap. The Audio-gd Phoenix has all that, minus the mid range bump. So how does it end up almost at the bottom of your scale?

Of course I'm asking this because I own a Phoenix and I didn't want to have to get a new amp I'm also aware the Phoenix didn't have the power reserved that the M8 does, but the M8 was made to power the super inefficient HE-6, and the HE1K isn't like that.

Feedback much appreciated.

 

[m8o]

Didn't want to jump in as the question was posed to musicman. But as he replied...

I'll say "for sure" too. Toe tapability of the amp seemed to be a common theme in all the early reviews. And dang it, if that wasnt true! No hyperbol. That's exactly what I constantly found myself doing ... and air drumming, and air guitar, and air bass, and joining the crowd cheering at the end of live performances. ...love this amp!

Total end-game amp for me. What's even more poignant is recently, Schiit was clearing their stock of the Mjolingr 1 for $500. I wanted a true balanced amp, so could not resist the price and got one; even tho i knew i had an end-game setup already. And while two completely different classes of amp -- you shouldn't expect them to equate -- I'm happy to report that they do not! (it would not have boded well for the mha100 if they did equate, is the point).

While the Mjolingr is a great solid powerful accurate (etc) amp ... it is lacking in that musicality and rythm magic that the Mc provides. And that's a big deal.

 

[Panoyski]

Thanks, m80 and musicman. I'm really glad that you two found the Mac musically involving. That's the most important thing that I look for in every link of my musical chain: involvement. Now if I could only hear for myself...

 

[musicman59]

Thanks, m80 and musicman. I'm really glad that you two found the Mac musically involving. That's the most important thing that I look for in every link of my musical chain: involvement. Now if I could only hear for myself...

IMO another great option that is very musical is the Wells Audio Enigma. The Headtrip is more analytical but the Enigma IMO is more musical. Both have lots of power to drive the HE1000 or any other headphones with ease. 

 

[jhljhl]

Thanks, m80 and musicman. I'm really glad that you two found the Mac musically involving. That's the most important thing that I look for in every link of my musical chain: involvement. Now if I could only hear for myself...

 

From what I've read the HE1K should do well with a SS, neutral sounding amp that has great detail and extension at both ends, and maybe even with a mid range bump. And a good smack of power on tap.
 

 
 
The Mac sounds like a more euphonic version of the Taurus like the Trafomatic Head 2 I have recently acquired.  The Taurus/Vega with HEK had good synergy.  The HEK does benefit as mentioned from a neutral amp with lots of power and wide frequency and clarity. The Taurus had a warm/dry sound.  The Mac sounds like it has slightly more warmth and/or transparency and extension and soundstage from the enthusiastic posts.  The Trafomatic Head 2 I'm using gives a warmth and transparency and good resolution but slightly narrower soundstage with a deep depth of stage with nice bass punch (like the difference of 50 to 45 degrees but with a much deeper view of the stage). Taurus/Vega is very good at unpacking the layers of information which is particularly good for classical/instrumental. TH2 has excellent and increased prat, transparency and resolves well because of its power so rock and complex classical don't get murky- so euphonic but resolves well. But a Mac as a ss amp that is euphonic but still remains neutral with a wide band width and prat sounds like an endgame amp.

 

[Benny-x]

 
The Mac sounds like a more euphonic version of the Taurus like the Trafomatic Head 2 I have recently acquired.  The Taurus/Vega with HEK had good synergy.  The HEK does benefit as mentioned from a neutral amp with lots of power and wide frequency and clarity. The Taurus had a warm/dry sound.  The Mac sounds like it has slightly more warmth and/or transparency and extension and soundstage from the enthusiastic posts.  The Trafomatic Head 2 I'm using gives a warmth and transparency and good resolution but slightly narrower soundstage with a deep depth of stage with nice bass punch (like the difference of 50 to 45 degrees but with a much deeper view of the stage). Taurus/Vega is very good at unpacking the layers of information which is particularly good for classical/instrumental. TH2 has excellent and increased prat, transparency and resolves well because of its power so rock and complex classical don't get murky- so euphonic but resolves well. But a Mac as a ss amp that is euphonic but still remains neutral with a wide band width and prat sounds like an endgame amp.

 
Thanks for the insight into the McIntosh. I've never had the chance to hear any McIntosh gear myself, let another buy/listen to any at home. What I was asking the other guy about was his comparison to the HE1K with the Audio-gd Master 8 vs. Phoenix. I own a Phoenix and it's not FOTM anymore, so I wasn't betting on anyone having tried one with the HE1K and talking about it. To see someone mention it was a glimmer of hope about getting some feedback on how to Phoenix could rank lower than the M8. The only bigg difference between them is the available power and potentially some gains from an iterative design. 

 

[BoyNamedSue]

From what I've read the HE1K should do well with a SS, neutral sounding amp that has great detail and extension at both ends, and maybe even with a mid range bump. And a good smack of power on tap. The Audio-gd Phoenix has all that, minus the mid range bump. So how does it end up almost at the bottom of your scale?

Of course I'm asking this because I own a Phoenix and I didn't want to have to get a new amp I'm also aware the Phoenix didn't have the power reserved that the M8 does, but the M8 was made to power the super inefficient HE-6, and the HE1K isn't like that.

Feedback much appreciated.

 
I agree that the HE1K does well with a neutral sounding amp, and perhaps a DAC that is also neutral side. To my ears, my Phoenix sounds on the dark/warm side of neutral, but this can be due to the Reference 7 that is feeding it. Although too warm for my liking on the HE1000s, the Phoenix balances out the sound of my HD800's very well, taming its bright treble. 
 
In general, the M8 sounds more detailed, transparent, and neutral than the Phoenix, although it doesn't have as black a background that Phoenix is known for. I like the versatility of the M8: low power mode sounds better on the HE1000s whereas high power mode better on the HE6's. 
 
I can imagine the Phoenix may sound great with the HE1000s with a neutral or "clinical sounding" DAC. There seems to be slight euphony built-in to the HE1000s, which balances out very well with my clinically sounding NFB-10ES (Sabre DAC). This was the case also with the LCD-2's and HD650s, both euphonic cans, with the NFB10ES,

 

[Benny-x]

   
I agree that the HE1K does well with a neutral sounding amp, and perhaps a DAC that is also neutral side. To my ears, my Phoenix sounds on the dark/warm side of neutral, but this can be due to the Reference 7 that is feeding it. Although too warm for my liking on the HE1000s, the Phoenix balances out the sound of my HD800's very well, taming its bright treble. 
 
In general, the M8 sounds more detailed, transparent, and neutral than the Phoenix, although it doesn't have as black a background that Phoenix is known for. I like the versatility of the M8: low power mode sounds better on the HE1000s whereas high power mode better on the HE6's. 
 
I can imagine the Phoenix may sound great with the HE1000s with a neutral or "clinical sounding" DAC. There seems to be slight euphony built-in to the HE1000s, which balances out very well with my clinically sounding NFB-10ES (Sabre DAC). This was the case also with the LCD-2's and HD650s, both euphonic cans, with the NFB10ES,

 
Thanks a lot for that. That gives me a better idea of how you came to your conclusions in your ranking a few pages back. I also have to say, I'm quite envious that you have a Ref 7 and an M8. I've been following Audio-gd for about 7-8 years now and the hype and feedback around the Ref 7 and 7.1 were pretty impressive. Hype might be a negative word, but the user feedback and what not with it were all pretty impressive. I always wished I'd had a chance to hear them, even if they've been superseded by the Master 7 and it's revisions for a while now. Have you taken a look at any of their newer gear?
 
Edit:
Looks like you own an M7, so you have moved along their chain. So is that saying you've got the M7 connected to the M8 and the Ref 7 and the Phoenix together, or some of the gear is sitting out of the lineup now?

 

[BoyNamedSue]

@ Benny-X, will send you a PM to keep topic on the he1000's.

 

[Emerald Core]

Is the HEK better than HD800 S as an all rounder headphone ? 
 
 
I am no audiophile nor I own anything in that department. I found a good deal for a second hand HD800 S around 1300$ in almost new condition. Should I go for it or save for an HEK  ?

 

[LifeAspect]

I own both and I think they complement eachother quite well. Both sound quite different so wouldn't call the one better than the other.

 

[Oldfella]

  I own both and I think they complement eachother quite well. Both sound quite different so wouldn't call the one better than the other.

I own the HD800,and the HEK,and would agree, they do compliment each other. If I had to choose one, it would be the HEK however.