[john65537]

Quote:

My setup:
HD600 + VDAC II + Trafomatic Experience Head One = sublime. It is the best combo I've ever had on my ears.

I don't know how good is that compared to HD600 + E17, but it's definitely more expensive.

 

[john65537]

Quote:

 
I havn't measured it, which I think would be a ridiculously anal thing to do for this situation, but I approximate the levels to what I consider a reasonable level. At these approximately equal levels, you can easily hear the bass out of the E9 to be far superior to that coming out of the E7. The clarity in the highs increases as well.
 
Like I said, I havn't heard E17, but that would be awesome if it could power the HD600's adequately

 
Well, I got similar experience.
For the same volumn of music listening, here the so called volumn is a subjective term without any instrumental measurement,
AMPs with more GAINs perform better for HD600.
As someone said before even an iPod or MP3 player can reach a loud volumn for HD600, but their sound quality is often compromised.
 
For the various AMPs I got, HD600 performs this way:
the one with 30db gain > Little Country III (26db gain) > E17 (12db gain) > E6.
Note that the amp with 30db gain is the cheapest one, it's a small tube amp without an outer case.

 

[stv014]

Quote:

I havn't measured it, which I think would be a ridiculously anal thing to do for this situation

 
You may think so, but I have recently seen a post from someone in another thread who thought one amplifier sounded much better (in the "night and day difference" sense) than another, until buying a cheap SPL meter and discovering that the "worse" amplifier was in reality used at a more than 10 dB lower level. And before that, that person thought it is about the same volume (probably influenced by the position of the volume knobs), but a huge quality difference. After really matching the levels, much of the difference disappeared. Volume matching by ear - especially an untrained one and without the ability to switch between the sources very quickly - is not reliable at all, it takes much less difference (less than 0.5 dB) to hear an effect on quality than on loudness (typically multiple dB without fast switching).
When one amplifier allegedly has a "thin, flat/lifeless sound, lacking bass, dynamics, and impact" compared to another, the chance of unmatched levels is quite high. Bass in particular is greatly affected by the SPL (see here why).
Another notable issue that affects subjective audio comparisons is expectation bias, even though many people refuse to accept that it exists.
The most likely reason why the E7 would sound really poor is if it cannot output sufficient power for the volume level you are trying to use it at, and it clips as a result.

 

[palmfish]

ΛΛ
 
Exactly. Well said.

 

[headphoneboy]

How would the HD 600 go with the Fiio A1 Headamp and the D3 Dac combination? Anyone tried this?

 

[Radioking59]

Quote:

How would the HD 600 go with the Fiio A1 Headamp and the D3 Dac combination? Anyone tried this?

They won't work together. The A1 is a speaker amplifer. You have to get something like the Fiio E9.

 

[donunus]

Actually it will power the hd600 but the pop when you turn on the A1 might be dangerous for the hd600. I once plugged in a px100-II into the A1 and the power was massive LOL
 
Here is the link of my A1 review...
 
http://headfonics.com/2011/06/fiio-a1-digital-speaker-amplifier-full-audio-conquest/

 

[Windsor]

Really enjoying listening to Tony Williams Believe It with the HD 600 / Lavry DA 10 combo right now - his drums sound great.

 

[headphoneboy]

No wonder the impedance was different. I thought it was for headphones (newbie here, obviously).
 
This is the first time i'll be investing in an Amp (and an expensive headphone), and I don't want it to sound colored as much as possible but rather leaning towards what the HD 600 should sound like and what it was built for. 
 
I'm really confused with the loads of amp suggestions in this forum, so I narrowed down my choices to 3 amps, based from reading reviews, availability to buy, and price range.
 
1) iBasso D2+ Boa (since it has a DAC) - Heard a lot of good reviews.
 
2) Fiio E10 (since it's cheap. Haha) - A lot of good reviews too, but I'm skeptical.
 
3) Pro-ject Head Box SE (No DAC so I'm thinking + Fiio D3 to go with it?) These were the best sounding amps I've tried. Never heard the two above.
 
Or  is there any other suggestions that is similar to the three? Remember, my source is only a MacBook Pro 15 inch. So for some reason I get the feeling that I need a DAC, especially if the amp is good.
 
 
Whew! Man I feel sick ever since trying the HD 600. I wish I never tried it on!
 
Thanks in advance!

 

[MetaLicca]

You could look at the Fiio E7+E9 combo. I'm also looking at getting myself an amp to power my HD 600's, and I've heard some good things about that particular set up. It's also only around $200, so it's not too expensive. 

 

[mrAdrian]

A used darkvoice might go near the 200 range, add a dac e.g. the fiio ones and you are set! That might be coloured, but it definitely is some great synergy... Like some long lost friends finally have found each other

 

[Jmstrmbn]

In my experience source will make or break your experience with the HD 600.  Make sure you are using apple lossless, .wav, or .flac and have a decent Dac.  I have a nuforce HDP and the differences between it's headphone amplifier and my CD players headphone out (Nakamichi OMS 7II) are subtle. The HDP has a more open soundstage but both outputs are enjoyable.  

 

[Uberkreig]

Currently running the HD600 with a Fiio E9 and loving it.
I am still debating though, the value of upgrading from on board sound to some sort of external DAC, say a Fiio E7.
Will I consciously notice an improvement investing in an E7?

 

[mrAdrian]

Depends on your onboard sound quality, to me it was worth it, because I can tell my Zune having better output then my PC... I would get it, get foobar on your computer, run wasapi out. If the differences aren't 'dramatic', download some specific sound test files for say transient or simply frequency ones and try them with/without wasapi...
 
:O

 

[hodgjy]

On-board sound cards might be very resolving of fine details, but they are very susceptible to internal computer noise.  Outboard DACs are less susceptible to that noise.  I'd rather trade less detail over noise if I had to make the choice between a high-end sound card vs. a mid-level outboard DAC.
Quote:

Currently running the HD600 with a Fiio E9 and loving it.
I am still debating though, the value of upgrading from on board sound to some sort of external DAC, say a Fiio E7.
Will I consciously notice an improvement investing in an E7?