[Ash Telecaster]

--reposted from desktop amp area--
 
 
Hello,
 
I am interested in a modestly priced headphone amp, maybe tube but definitely less than $200. I'm thinking desktop, used between my x3 and ath-m50's. Because the x3 is a superior DAC the amp doesn't need that capability.
 
I listen to many styles including my own mastered music. My core is 70's era rock but I love the sound of a well recorded cello, smokey live blues jams, Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson, Larry Carlton, Norah Jones, etc.
 
I've looked up some reviews and read a few posts and even searched ebay but there are so many and I'm having trouble narrowing the field. I would appreciate some help.
 
 
Thank you

 

[bobby12]

it would be a waste to buy a desktop amp for the ath m50 especially considering you already have the fiio x3.

 

[blades]

You didn't mention what problem you have with what you are now using.

 

[Ash Telecaster]

Thanks for responding.
 
I'm thinking, and I admit I could be mistaken, that while the DAC in the X3 is exceptional that a stand alone amp would provide superior performance in a full form factor headphone.
 
My back story is I bought the Fiio because I was dissatisfied with the audio quality of mp3's. It started as a proof of concept that higher resolution files combined with higher quality components would produce a more satisfactory result. I like my M50's and I like the X3. I don't want to sell myself short by not providing adequte amplifications to fully realize the improvement.

 

[bobby12]

The x3 is enough for the M50. If you are still dissatisfied with the sound then it's probably time for a headphone upgrade. The M50s are only entry level headphones so there's a lot better out there

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Chances are $200 amps won't be that much better than the X3, despite the fact that you pay for more non-amp parts on it. It might technically better but in practice, not by much.

 

[Ash Telecaster]

Thanks for the advice. I'm not looking to throw money away needlessly.
 
Is that because the M50's are very efficient headphones?
 
Perhaps I'm opening a can of worms with this follow up question but what about tube vs solid state? I have tube guitar amps but honestly they are great for guitar in that they are imperfect in a way that benefits guitar. Is there an advantage using tubes over solid state with headphone amps. And what about class A vs A/B. I've seen a couple tube, tube hybrid, and class A amps under $200.

 

[Ash Telecaster]

As an addendum to my own post; here are a few that I saw on ebay. Are these things basically cool looking but less than great, to be polite about it? Or are they just total overkill for my M50's?
 
NobSound MS-10D
http://www.ebay.com/itm/261559162084?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
 
HiFiMan EF-2A
http://www.ebay.com/itm/201161371191?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
 
Little Bear P8
http://www.ebay.com/itm/400726712089?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
 
Little Dot MKII
http://www.ebay.com/itm/201041225429?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
 
6P1 Single Ended class A
http://www.ebay.com/itm/251473390956?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
 
Cayin HA-2i
http://www.ebay.com/itm/261503296488?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

[Ash Telecaster]

Quote:

The x3 is enough for the M50. If you are still dissatisfied with the sound then it's probably time for a headphone upgrade. The M50s are only entry level headphones so there's a lot better out there

 
I have a home studio and own HD280's, MDR-7506's, ATH-M50's, and V-Moda M80's. I am becoming pretty knowlegeble with product in this range in regards to their differences but have no experience with more expensive phones. What would you consider the next logical step up in headphone? The DT990's maybe. They are a little more but reachable.

 

[Ash Telecaster]

Okay, I confess, I caught the gear bug! You can't say you haven't been there!
 
I was listening to a few things last night on the X3 and the M50's, She's Coming Home and Elanor Rigby (Beatles), Come away With Me and Don't Know Why (Norah Jones) and others and they really sounded great. I am interested in hearing higher end stuff and curious about the the user community events that I saw posted somewhere. If somebody could direct me to where I can find out about one in the Cleveland area I would be grateful, thank you.

 

[bobby12]

Okay, I confess, I caught the gear bug! You can't say you haven't been there!

I was listening to a few things last night on the X3 and the M50's, She's Coming Home and Elanor Rigby (Beatles), Come away With Me and Don't Know Why (Norah Jones) and others and they really sounded great. I am interested in hearing higher end stuff and curious about the the user community events that I saw posted somewhere. If somebody could direct me to where I can find out about one in the Cleveland area I would be grateful, thank you.

http://www.head-fi.org/f/24/local-regional-head-fi-meets-parties-get-togethers

not sure if theres one in cleveland.

 

[Ash Telecaster]

Thanks Bobby, appreciate it!
 
 
Might make a good excuse to take a trip to Melbourne!

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  Is that because the M50's are very efficient headphones?

 
Partly, yes. he thing is the newer DAPs actually have good enough amp circuits. I tried the X3 with the Q701 and not only was it good, but the other X3 in that hi-fi show booth that had some slim amp attached to it didn't sound any better (not like it has a much larger power supply capacity to begin with).
 
 
 

Perhaps I'm opening a can of worms with this follow up question but what about tube vs solid state? I have tube guitar amps but honestly they are great for guitar in that they are imperfect in a way that benefits guitar. Is there an advantage using tubes over solid state with headphone amps. And what about class A vs A/B. I've seen a couple tube, tube hybrid, and class A amps under $200.

 
Use the search function and look for "tube vs solid state" and "class A vs class A/B" - there will be numerous threads for each that will come up for each with the same info somewhere in each.
 
Now, particularly with tube guitar amps and headphone amps, here's the thing - the recording artist will use a tube guitar amp to color the sound of his guitar. If someone at home uses a tube amp because he likes the coloration (whether on speakers or headphones), what he is effectively doing is coloring again what has been already recorded to a particular tone and frequency response of the instrument. At the same time, a tube guitar amp only warms  up the guitar, whereas a tube amp in a playback system if designed to color the sound will warm the guitars, the vocals, the drums, etc. This is why you can end up with a coloring tube amp in a system where the guitars might sound good, but the vocals ca be nasal (like Norah Jones singing with sinusitis), there is excess bloom in the bass guitar or double bass ("dum-dum-da-da-dum" sounds like "duwoodummwoodwamm-dwadwuummmm"), etc.
 
On the other hand that doesn't mean that all tube amps are technically inferior in this manner - many are transparent enough. However, if you have a good tube amp designed to be transparent and like a good solid state amplifier, then the question becomes: why deal with an amp that ships and you have to mount the tubes on it first, and you'd have to check the tubes every few thousand hours? To be fair though, while transistors or chips generally last longer and don't generally taper off in performance one by one, the thing is that when they do fail, you're gonna need a tester and soldering iron to replace them, while routine checking of tubes and replacing them only requires forceps and a gentle hand (of course, you'd still need to check tube bias, etc).