[bcwang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AustinHorn /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm running Vista & have never messed with the PC settings other than the mixer settings & volume settings. Where else would I need to check? It never occurred to me that the HDP would be set elsewhere at anything other than 100%. If anyone else using Vista knows what one needs to do to fix this, please let me know. Thanks,

I think the easiest way to make sure we are feeding the same thing to the HDP is to use SPDIF output from a CD player. I know with my computer setup, playing the same song through usb with the computer or spdif optical from my CD player yields the exact same volume. If you are also able to verify this is the case, then your computer is likely set up correctly.

 

[Nachkebia]

This is my next buy, decided. I need two setups one for office one for home. I recieved headroom micro amp and I find it to be seriously bassy, it is great with HD650 and 325i but with dx-1000 it is overpowering, so I my question is how is HDP in bass department? but I guess if it sounds great with D7000 it could not be over whelming bass

 

[plums]

The HDP seems to be going down a storm. Im currently wondering if I stretch my budget to get one will it rock my AKG K271 mkiis world? It's been difficuilt to find something to match the K271 in my price range. Them benefitting from a warmer, bassier amp. If not I'm tempted to get the HDP and find a new pair of phone to match it!

 

[K_19]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plums /img/forum/go_quote.gif The HDP seems to be going down a storm. Im currently wondering if I stretch my budget to get one will it rock my AKG K271 mkiis world? It's been difficuilt to find something to match the K271 in my price range. Them benefitting from a warmer, bassier amp. If not I'm tempted to get the HDP and find a new pair of phone to match it!

In my personal opinion (and I'm sure some may disagree here), I find the HDP to be on a little lean side of things and not the best amp to match with headphones like K271 or K701... neither of which I liked out of HDP unless I tagged along the Pico DAC or uDAC with it. I find it to be more analytical even compared to other solid state amps. But I'm sure there are many out there looking for that sort of sound and for them, HDP would do well while providing plenty of power. It doesn't seem to be what you are looking for here though.

I'd recommend warmer headphones like HD650 and Denons to go with HDP on its own... my HD650 sounds fantastic with it.

Nachkebia, this will be a great match with the D7000 I'd assume. The warmness of HDP could be debatable but I'm sure even the people who disagree wouldn't call this bass heavy at all. It's very neutral and tight in that department.

Larry, regarding the warmth issue, I find this most evident in headphones already very analytical like K271 and K701... with these two it's very evident as I change the rig around, but it's probably an extreme example. In general it should go with most headphones well enough.

 

[Nachkebia]

Excellent, tight and analytical is what I need, I would be even happier if it was slightly on the sparkly side

 

[plums]

Thanks very much for the advice K19. I see the HD650 mentioned a lot but unfortunately I have to stick with closed back circumaural headphones. Are there any you'd recommend.

 

[K_19]

As I said in the previous post, I'm sure the Denons will be a fantastic match. I recall Larry saying that his Denons (although they are modded) are great through HDP as well. Perhaps something like DT770 as well. Most warm-ish, fun ones should do fine... K271 is kind of a special case as it's one of the few closed cans that are on the analytical side.

BTW, listening to HD650 right now through HDP alone while the WA6 warms up. Although it does sound better through HDP -> WA6 alone, HDP on its own sounds amazing enough already (just a tad more detail and soundstage when hooked up to WA6). It's good enough that if I end up sending in my WA6 for upgrades to Woo, I probably won't miss it too much while waiting due to how capable HDP is.

 

[plums]

Of course, sorry. I'd forgotten that Denons are closed back.

 

[AustinHorn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcwang /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think the easiest way to make sure we are feeding the same thing to the HDP is to use SPDIF output from a CD player. I know with my computer setup, playing the same song through usb with the computer or spdif optical from my CD player yields the exact same volume. If you are also able to verify this is the case, then your computer is likely set up correctly.

Thanks. I'll give it a try. However, I do notice a volume change when I run the HDP using the Bel Canto Link between my PC & the HDP using the USB to the Link & SPDIF between the Link & the HDP's dac compared to just connecting the HDP using it's usb connection. Via USB, w/o touching the volume control, I find the USB route louder. That is also why I took the Link out of the equation.

I have hooked up my HDP to my cd players before, but that was just to compare it to my Benchmark DAC1 HDR to see how it sounded on my speakers vs. the DAC1. I didn't use headphones & compare relative volume at the time to what the same song sound like from my PC via the headphones. It sora seems like comparing apples to oranges to my since I"m using different inputs to feed the HDP, but on the other hand it does seem the volume control in this sense should only apply to the amp & not the dac - right???

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nachkebia /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is my next buy, decided. I need two setups one for office one for home. I recieved headroom micro amp and I find it to be seriously bassy, it is great with HD650 and 325i but with dx-1000 it is overpowering, so I my question is how is HDP in bass department? but I guess if it sounds great with D7000 it could not be over whelming bass

The reason the Headroom Micro Amp sounds bassy to you is that the HR amp has slightly recessed mids in relation to bass and treble, and when you turn it up to enjoy the mids the bass is a little louder than the mids. The HDP wont have that same issue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by K_19 /img/forum/go_quote.gif In my personal opinion (and I'm sure some may disagree here), I find the HDP to be on a little lean side of things and not the best amp to match with headphones like K271 or K701... neither of which I liked out of HDP unless I tagged along the Pico DAC or uDAC with it. I find it to be more analytical even compared to other solid state amps. But I'm sure there are many out there looking for that sort of sound and for them, HDP would do well while providing plenty of power. It doesn't seem to be what you are looking for here though. I'd recommend warmer headphones like HD650 and Denons to go with HDP on its own... my HD650 sounds fantastic with it. Nachkebia, this will be a great match with the D7000 I'd assume. The warmness of HDP could be debatable but I'm sure even the people who disagree wouldn't call this bass heavy at all. It's very neutral and tight in that department. Larry, regarding the warmth issue, I find this most evident in headphones already very analytical like K271 and K701... with these two it's very evident as I change the rig around, but it's probably an extreme example. In general it should go with most headphones well enough.

My personal belief is that is an issue with those particular headphones when even the HD800 can be said to be a warmer version of the K701. I agree the K701 need a warmer than usual amp, and I liked them more on Naamanf's M^3 with bass contour control. My K240M sound best on my WA6 with uDAC DAC feeding it, for example.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nachkebia /img/forum/go_quote.gif Excellent, tight and analytical is what I need, I would be even happier if it was slightly on the sparkly side

The HDP has a nice sparkle to it, and is not a dark amp at all.

 

[paper2k1]

How does the HDP compare to the Matrix Mini-i Balanced DAC+HP amp?
Any one try them??

 

[pj_rage]

I think it was asked a couple pages back, but I didn't see any responses yet... has anyone tried the HDP with the DT880 600 ohm? How does this amp do with them? Would this be a good choice to use with them in terms of hearing an SS amp with them, that is still capable of driving them to their potential? I'm really looking for a reason to buy the HDP, mostly for the DAC, but if it can drive the DT880/600 well too, that's icing on the cake. My LD MKIII should be here this week (finally!), so I'd also be curious if this would be a huge improvement feeding the MKIII as a DAC instead of the D4 DAC, and mabye even if the amp in the HDP would be good enough that I might like it more than the MKIII. Although the MKIII will still have more power for high impedance headphones and "that tube sound" I've been hearing about and anxiously waiting to experience. I know the HDP DAC is better than the D4 DAC, but would this be evident with an amp like th MKIII, or do you need a high end amp (ala the WA6) to really appreciate the difference?

 

[Ypoknons]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paper2k1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif How does the HDP compare to the Matrix Mini-i Balanced DAC+HP amp?

I would, but my budget won't stretch there this month. Even just the HDP would be tough. Sorry.

 

[AustinHorn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pj_rage /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think it was asked a couple pages back, but I didn't see any responses yet... has anyone tried the HDP with the DT880 600 ohm? How does this amp do with them? Would this be a good choice to use with them in terms of hearing an SS amp with them, that is still capable of driving them to their potential? I'm really looking for a reason to buy the HDP, mostly for the DAC, but if it can drive the DT880/600 well too, that's icing on the cake. My LD MKIII should be here this week (finally!), so I'd also be curious if this would be a huge improvement feeding the MKIII as a DAC instead of the D4 DAC, and mabye even if the amp in the HDP would be good enough that I might like it more than the MKIII. Although the MKIII will still have more power for high impedance headphones and "that tube sound" I've been hearing about and anxiously waiting to experience. I know the HDP DAC is better than the D4 DAC, but would this be evident with an amp like th MKIII, or do you need a high end amp (ala the WA6) to really appreciate the difference?

Re: The ability of the HDP to drive the DT800/600, the only answer I got is that the HDP easily drives the K701/702s & they are harder for an amp to drive than the DT800/600 - so there shouldn't be a problem. However, no one who has the DT800 has chimed in yet! I've got the K702 & it drives it easily so if the above is true, (& I've since read other places that the AKGs are the hardest phones to drive too), you should be good to go. Still, I'd like to hear from someone who has both 'cause I'm interested in getting a DT800/600 myself.

 

[pj_rage]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AustinHorn /img/forum/go_quote.gif Re: The ability of the HDP to drive the DT800/600, the only answer I got is that the HDP easily drives the K701/702s & they are harder for an amp to drive than the DT800/600 - so there shouldn't be a problem. However, no one who has the DT800 has chimed in yet! I've got the K702 & it drives it easily so if the above is true, (& I've since read other places that the AKGs are the hardest phones to drive too), you should be good to go. Still, I'd like to hear from someone who has both 'cause I'm interested in getting a DT800/600 myself.

From what I understand, those two are both hard to drive but for different reasons. The K701/702 is a current monster and the DT880/600 is a voltage monster. That is, one requires an amp that can deliever a lot of current since it's an inefficient low impedance can, and the other requires an amp that can deliver a big voltage swing since it's a high impedance can. I think generally speaking SS amps are good at delivering a lot of current, and hence are generally best with lower impedance headphones, and tube amps are generally good at delivering good voltage swing and hence are generally well suited for higher impedance headphones. There are of course exceptions to both, though.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think it's possible to have an amp can drive a current demanding headphone like the K701/702 great, but suck at driving the DT880/600, and vice versa. I'm not saying the HDP is in this boat, I actually don't think it is, I'm just saying that I think just because it drives the K701/702 great doesn't necessarily mean it can drive the DT880 just as well.

I could be way wrong here, but that's what I've gathered.

Anyway, according to nuforce.com, the HDP can deliver 96mW at 600 ohms, and the DT880 is rated for 100mW at 600 ohms. I don't know what this tells us though, if anything.