[slide4417]

I have owned the HD650's for many years. Recently, I've been reading that they HAVE to be driven with a fairly capable amp to sound at their best. I have a Pioneer XDP300R hi res audio player with CD's uploaded in FLAC format, as well as a FiiO Q5 DAC amp that I use sometimes for ALAC files saved on my MAC. Both of these are small, iphone sized audiphile devices with high end DAC's, but probably not much output power.
Anyway...I plug the headphones directly in to those two devices. Would it make more sense to use the line out from those guys into my Antique Sound Labs MGhead tube-type headphone amp instead?
I'm thinking yes, because the headphone amp has WAY more power to drive the Sennheisers properly, but
no because that is simply adding another stage of possible noise, crud, and distortion.
I know...."try it, and see how goze it"....but I'd like to know the thoughts of readers that perhaps been there, done that.
Thanks all!!!

 

[Soundguyrob]

Here are my thoughts. Short answer...yes. Long answer...I bought a pair of HD650 a couple of years ago as an upgrade from my HD598 (which I thought were good, but were missing something I couldn't put my finger on). I ran the 650s directly from a Fiio X5ii or Pioneer XDP-30R and thought the cans sounded better, but again not quite perfect. So eventually I bought a Schiit Valhalla 2 and there was a big difference. The sound became, for lack of a better word, effortless. The cherry on top of the ice cream for me however, was adding the Schiit Loki Mini equalizer in the signal chain. I go XDP30R (line out)-> Loki Mini -> Valhalla 2 -> HD650 and I am perfectly satisfied!

So I would say yes, a good amp will make a big difference. I think there's a lot of folks around here who believe that a a good tube amp like a Bottlehead Crack, Darkvoice, Woo WA3 or Valhalla is a great pairing with the HD650 and my personal experience would tend to agree, but I suspect any good amp with enough power to handle 300 ohm headphones will sound fine.

Cheers,

 

[Thenewguy007]

I'm thinking yes, because the headphone amp has WAY more power to drive the Sennheisers properly, but
no because that is simply adding another stage of possible noise, crud, and distortion.

Depends.
The HD600 benefit from more power, but how much power will your tube amp pump into 600ohms?

Also while tube amps will always have harmonic distortion over solid state amps, better built tube amps can have a lower noise floor than poorer/cheaper built solid state amps.

 

[serman005]

I second the suggestion of a Bottlehead Crack by @Soundguyrob.

 

[StrummingCustom]

I third the bottlehead crack suggestion. I noticed a difference going from my first amp which was a objective 2 to my bottlehead crack. For what it's with though switching from my crack to my darkvoice I didn't notice any big difference so it might make more sense financially to go with a DV 336se. I'm not sure how much they are now but im sure it would be cheaper than a crack kit.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I have owned the HD650's for many years. Recently, I've been reading that they HAVE to be driven with a fairly capable amp to sound at their best. I have a Pioneer XDP300R hi res audio player with CD's uploaded in FLAC format, as well as a FiiO Q5 DAC amp that I use sometimes for ALAC files saved on my MAC. Both of these are small, iphone sized audiphile devices with high end DAC's, but probably not much output power.
Anyway...I plug the headphones directly in to those two devices. Would it make more sense to use the line out from those guys into my Antique Sound Labs MGhead tube-type headphone amp instead?

When my amp was freaking out and my back up amp's USB drivers were all screwed up I took the Ibasso D-Zero from my laptop bag and used it at home as DAC for the other amp. The only problem really is that it had a 1.2V output, lower than the Sony standard 2V.

Check the Q5 though - it might already have Fiio's 1.9V output stage as on the X5III and X7.

I'm thinking yes, because the headphone amp has WAY more power to drive the Sennheisers properly, but
no because that is simply adding another stage of possible noise, crud, and distortion.

That depends on how much noise and distortion the other amp will add. If it has very low noise and distortion even when it spits out a lot more power, and has enough gain to compensate in case the line outs are too far from 2V, no problem.