[rhythmdevils]

Quote:

Hey LFF what sounds better on the O2? The HD700 or HD800?

I think you're going to be much more successful getting the best phone for your taste and then getting an amp for it rather than this way.  The phones have a waaaay bigger impact on the final sound. 

 

[project86]

Quote:

How did the HD700 sound on V200, project86? 

Really good! The smooth presentation is a definite plus. I do like my Analog Design Labs tube amp a tad better, but it is very close, and on any given day I may prefer the V200. 

 

[jrkong]

Quote:

I think you're going to be much more successful getting the best phone for your taste and then getting an amp for it rather than this way.  The phones have a waaaay bigger impact on the final sound. 

I'm doing budgeting to get the sound I want...I'm not even going to ask about my vintage CA1010, but yeah if I can build an O2 and get good sound out of the HD800 that's probably gonna be a better buy for me cuz I'm not planning to spend anywhere near $1000 on an amp yet.
 

 

[Loevhagen]

Thanks. AD Labs better regardless of headphone - or are you refering to the HD700 synergy?
 
EDIT: NVM - found http://www.head-fi.org/t/561463/review-analog-design-labs-svetlana-2-tube-headphone-amplifier
 
Quote:

Really good! The smooth presentation is a definite plus. I do like my Analog Design Labs tube amp a tad better, but it is very close, and on any given day I may prefer the V200. 

 

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

Darn, this could very well decide which way I go. If anyone can gimme an answer I'd appreciate it.

My O2 will be here shortly.
 
Nvm, I see there is a mini meet in progress.
 

 

[project86]

Quote:

Thanks. AD Labs better regardless of headphone - or are you refering to the HD700 synergy?
 
EDIT: NVM - found http://www.head-fi.org/t/561463/review-analog-design-labs-svetlana-2-tube-headphone-amplifier
 


 

Yeah, you found it.
 
I like them both about equally, and each has minor advantages in different areas/with different headphones. For example - LCD-2 is best with V200, HE-500 is best with Svetlana. HD700 is very slightly better on the Svetlana but V200 is still exceptional. 

 

[ac500]

If HD700 drop to around $700, and sound good from a fairly good dac/amp like the NFB12, I'll probably buy them (unless SRH1840 is better for less). If not, I'll just save up and buy an HD800 + good amp.

 

[Eee Pee]

Quote:

I do too. BA is 16 ohms. DNA Sonett is 120. The Sansui receiver is a whopping 680ohms (It does need to be modified to be 120). I took measurements and yes, there are significant FR changes.

Hey purrin, does this mean you have a Sonett?

Wow, the first post in 4 1/2 hours!

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

Hey purrin, does this mean you have a Sonett?

Nope, but he's heard the Sonett and we've both heard the Stratus.  Donald North's builds often implement the 120 ohm IEC standard.
 
We both heard LFF's O2 today and it will have no problem driving the HD700.  That's all I'll say for now.

 

[purrin]

 
Quote:

Nope, but he's heard the Sonett and we've both heard the Stratus.  Donald North's builds often implement the 120 ohm IEC standard.
 
We both heard LFF's O2 today and it will have no problem driving the HD700.  That's all I'll say for now.

Up and down the volume range, the O2 had a consistent sound and was very very clean sounding. It's weaknesses are a scratchy and grainy treble (not compared to my BA but rather to a Leckerton UHS-6 or Apheared47/CHA47, which is just a paralleled CMOY.) The O2 also had a "bad solid-state glare" effect that started to hit me after about 20 minutes (with the HD800.) In other words, I would stay away from the O2 if I were using bright or treble-peaky cans. I'm sure the HD650 would have just fine - perhaps even perfect with the O2. But I digress.
 
Now to get back on topic, these HD800/HD700 amp "drive-ability" concerns are almost nonsense from the point-of-view of those looking for "value." The tin-can CHA47 (I stuck in OPA2111 op-amps for some added warmth) had absolutely no problems driving the HD800. If money is a concern, what folks should be striving for are a good tonal match, e.g. the Leckerton (with a OPA209) would have been fine with the HD700 or modded HD800. The CHA47 (OPA2111) would have been fine with even an unmodded HD800.
 
It's been a while since I've listened "first DIY project" amps, so I was rather surprised how well these drove the supposedly "hard-to-drive" HD800s.

 

[Currawong]

Purrin: It was probably much of what you experienced that explains why people suggest the HD-800s are "picky". They just aren't entirely enjoyable with a great many amps.

 

[purrin]

Quote:

Purrin: It was probably much of what you experienced that explains why people suggest the HD-800s are "picky". They just aren't entirely enjoyable with a great many amps.

 
True. And in this case, Anax and I had the advantage of knowing our gear, our op-amps, and the HD800 very well. I'll be totally honest - I wasn't surprised at all the HD800 would sound good out of the Leckerton and A47 (as configured.) The O2 was an unknown to me so I had no idea.
 
The point I was trying to make is that we don't need a $2500 amp to enjoy the HD800 or a $1500 amp to enjoy the HD700. Are the Leckerton and A47 mentioned above going to make these headphones sound "SUPER DUPER SUMMIT-FI OMF-Bejezzus Holy Cow Batman Special?" Nope. But these very modest amps are not going to make the LCD2/3, HD650, HE500, <insert favorite headphone here> sound special either.
 
Do these headphones lack bass out of these two modest amps? Nope. Do these headphones lack treble extension with these amps? Nope. Do these headphones sound distorted or scratchy or weak out of these amps. Nope. Do these headphones at least show more than a little bit of what they can really do on these modest amps. Yup. Are these headphones enjoyable out of these modest rigs? Most certainly yes (especially the Leckerton. 

)

 

[BlackbeardBen]

Quote:

Purrin: It was probably much of what you experienced that explains why people suggest the HD-800s are "picky". They just aren't entirely enjoyable with a great many amps.

That would seem like a design flaw to me.

 

[Currawong]

Purrin: My general thought has been that sure, you can use any amp that sounds good, you just lose some degree of resolution with cheaper equipment, so it's arguably overkill to buy a pair just to use with an iPod, for example. That leads back around to the old Head-Fi arguments about "getting the most out of them" and all that.
 
Quote:

Quote:

Purrin: It was probably much of what you experienced that explains why people suggest the HD-800s are "picky". They just aren't entirely enjoyable with a great many amps.

That would seem like a design flaw to me.

Well, that's exactly what we were talking about when we said we had concerns about the treble peak for one, and weaker bass response for another. I can't help wondering still if their reluctance to increase the bass any more might have to do with their desire to have awesome imaging, which I've found too much bass can interfere with.  It's rather like Sony, who are still very proud of the fact that their SA series can reproduce all frequencies from an SACD. However, with a lot of music, I just wouldn't want to use SA-5000s for similar reasons to the HD-700s. 

 

[BlackbeardBen]

Quote:

Purrin: My general thought has been that sure, you can use any amp that sounds good, you just lose some degree of resolution with cheaper equipment, so it's arguably overkill to buy a pair just to use with an iPod, for example. That leads back around to the old Head-Fi arguments about "getting the most out of them" and all that.
 

Well, that's exactly what we were talking about when we said we had concerns about the treble peak for one, and weaker bass response for another. I can't help wondering still if their reluctance to increase the bass any more might have to do with their desire to have awesome imaging, which I've found too much bass can interfere with.  It's rather like Sony, who are still very proud of the fact that their SA series can reproduce all frequencies from an SACD. However, with a lot of music, I just wouldn't want to use SA-5000s for similar reasons to the HD-700s. 

I think the other possibility is that the HD 800 was designed with its frequency response and impedance curve tuned for a high output impedance amplifier:
 

 
 
I'm too lazy to do the calculations to figure out the exact level of the effect, but a high output impedance amplifier is going to reduce the relative level of the lower bass, upper midrange, and treble considerably.