[OhHaiDere]

Hey everyone!
 
I just joined this community, so please bare with me as I'm a total newbie in the world of audiophiles.
 
So I will be buying a pair of Sennheiser HD650's very soon, and after much reading around I have realized that I will infact need to buy some amps for these headphones. Since, I'm only going to be using it on my computer (HP DV3T) and possibly my cellphone, I will be running it no where NEAR it's maximum ability.
 
However, When it comes to amp's, I am a complete NOOB, to say the least haha. I need some help deciding on which amp's to buy for my headphones. I have a price limit of about $300USD, so yeah.
 
If anyone could help me out, that would be fantastic.
 
PS. I also have a pair of Westone 3 In-Ear earphones for sale. Again, I'm totally new to this community, and don't know where or even if there is a place to sell your listening equipment. If someone could inform of this, I would greatly appreciate it.
 
Cheers!

 

[Clusterfunk]

I am not very knowledgeable about this kind of thing, but I was in your boat a few days ago. I just got my HD650s (which are awesome) and I was looking for a headphone amp.
 
I got the Schiit Asgard: http://www.schiit.com
 
It might just be my plebeian ears, but I can't tell a huge listenable difference with or without the amp. It might sound a tad fuller, and certainly louder with the amp.

 

[SP Wild]

From a consumer POV the Schiit line is overkill value.  Inside that "tad fuller" sound is in fact a lot of details unearthed by the amp.

 

[kingtz]

Once people have had time to test the Asgard and later, the Valhalla, I would definitely like to know if those two amps can effectively and satisfactorily power up the HD650.

 

[OhHaiDere]

I know this is going to sound stupid, but how do I play my music off of these amps? Where do I plug in the wire to this amp, and where do the I plug the OTHER end of that wire into?
 
My tv?
My computer? What sort of adapters would i need if i want to use it from my computer?
 
So many questions!!! Please unconfuse me people!
 
Thanks!

 

[dudefromearth]

i'm in the same bar as you. Except a effing holiday gone wrong and I can afford a pair of HD800.
 
I am not sure about amps too.

 

[mmayer167]

lol, i was too once in the same place but with-out the funds and all the aspirations. It's been 4 years and counting and I think I'm just settling in to a solid set up I'll enjoy for a while.
Your best off starting off with lower end equipment and working your way up because the trip is all the fun. I have had tons of fun with the Asgard thus far and would recommend it 100%.
It should be able to drive just about everything exceptionally.
 
kingtz- I ordered an hd600 cuz of my Asgard.... I'll post my findings when i have a good listen and compare the 600 and 601 which I'm currently enjoying with the Asgard. I have high hopes
for the hd600 and the Asgard, but we'll see.
 
OhHaidere- just take your time and research how your computer/tv/stereo sends and receives their audio signals,either by usb, rca, mini-mini plug   etc.  its really cookie cutter and you cant really mess it up as long
as you read and use logic.
 
happy listening, mm

 

[Choronzon]

I think the above post is reassuring and clear enough.
 
One cosideration if you're really planning to use the computer as a source is whether yo want just a headphone amp or a headphone amp/DAC.  The idea here is that if it's really just an amp, you rely on the computer's soundcard to get the analog signal through to the headphones.  Generally a 1/8" "mini" cable is what you'll use.  Just like plugging phones directly into the computer.... a cable will have the male mini go to computer, and on the other end a male mini go into the amp.
 
If you get a unit that has a DAC built in, then your computer will have to have an optical output (recent Macs have dual mini/optical) or -- more likely -- you'll want a headphone amp that has a usb DAC. Then a USB cable connects your computer to the amp and the headphones just plug in to the headphone jack.
 
Adapters are available if your headphone plug is not hte same size as the amp's input.
 
Then, you might want a balanced rig, but if that's the case I'm guessing you already would know how to connections work.

 

[CountChoculaBot]

Quote:

I am not very knowledgeable about this kind of thing, but I was in your boat a few days ago. I just got my HD650s (which are awesome) and I was looking for a headphone amp.
 
I got the Schiit Asgard: http://www.schiit.com
 
It might just be my plebeian ears, but I can't tell a huge listenable difference with or without the amp. It might sound a tad fuller, and certainly louder with the amp.

It's not you.  Differences get *WAY* overblown on this website.  A tiny crack is a chasm on this site.
 

 

[Jd007]

You could stretch your budget by a little and get the Emmeline Predator. It's a DAC + amp all in one, so you don't need anything else. The site says it goes really well with the HD650 and I've heard some pretty good things about it.

 

[mironathetin]

I also listen to HD 650s. My first choice for an amp was the X-Can V8. It has a build in DAC and can thus also be used with digital data from the computer. The sound with the HD 650 is very nice: good soundstage, really smooth sounding. If you like the sound signature of the HD 650, you'll like the sound of the X-Can for sure.
 
One of the great things with the X-Can is that you can expand it: there is an external psu, that moves it from a good amp to a great amp. Plus, there are tuning kits for little money (rock-grotto) or from Musical Fidelity (189GBP, cough) that evolve the X-Can from a great amp to a first class performer. And it has tubes, so the possibilities are unlimited if you want to find the best sound for your taste.
 
Short: you buy a basic amp for not so high a price, if you like it, you may invest more and it'll improve.

 

[Mr Joboto]

Quote:

I am not very knowledgeable about this kind of thing, but I was in your boat a few days ago. I just got my HD650s (which are awesome) and I was looking for a headphone amp.
 
I got the Schiit Asgard: http://www.schiit.com
 
It might just be my plebeian ears, but I can't tell a huge listenable difference with or without the amp. It might sound a tad fuller, and certainly louder with the amp.

What was your source?

 

[mironathetin]

Quote:

It's not you.  Differences get *WAY* overblown on this website.  A tiny crack is a chasm on this site.
 

thats true and it is also wrong.
You really have to educate your ears to notice differences. That may take a lot of listening time. But once you hear differences and know what to listen to, it is impossible to ignore bad quality.
 
The bad thing about the internet is, you never know if you read a post from a seasoned pro or one from a 14 year old schoolkid that quickly learned the right vocabulary. This may be one reason why the things you read appear to be exaggerated some times.

 

[Ridleyguy]

3 options:
 
1. USB out - takes the digital files on your computer and outputs them in digital form.  You need a DAC to output the files to and convert them to analogue (music)
 
2. Optical out - your headphone/line out jack can output a digital as well as an analogue file.  You need a "toslink" (optical) cable to output digital for this.  As it is digital, you also need to output it to a DAC.
 
3. Analogue out - The worst option/sound generally (by far) of the 3.  It uses the computer's internal soundcard and internal DAC chip to convert your digital files to analogue and uses the same headphone jack as in 2. above.  However, it can be connected directly to a headphone amp., i.e it uses the computer's DAC chip and not a separate (outboard) DAC.
 
While you will see a lot of discussion on these different options, there is no clearcut winner between optical and USB. Analogue out is always inferior unless you have upgraded the soundcard in your computer.
 
What are your DAC/amp. options?
 
1. Buy a combination of DAC/amp. and connect it either by toslink cable or USB cable to your computer.  Your headphones plug into the DAC/amp.
 
2. Buy a DAC and a headphone amp.  You will have two boxes instead of one, but this gives you more flexibility down the road.
 
What about high resolution audio files?  Check your computer and DAC's specs. or ask about this when you have a DAC/amp. in  mind to purchase. It is not an issue with CD quality lossless files, but only with files above 16/144.
 

 
Quote:

I know this is going to sound stupid, but how do I play my music off of these amps? Where do I plug in the wire to this amp, and where do the I plug the OTHER end of that wire into?
 
My tv?
My computer? What sort of adapters would i need if i want to use it from my computer?
 
So many questions!!! Please unconfuse me people!
 
Thanks!

 

[Clusterfunk]

Quote:

From a consumer POV the Schiit line is overkill value.  Inside that "tad fuller" sound is in fact a lot of details unearthed by the amp.

I didn't realize you could hear my setup.
Upon further testing, however, I do notice a difference on my iPod. There are more details, and it is louder and clearer. My computer, not so much. There IS a difference, just a very minute one.
 
       Quote:

What was your source?

 

It's my computer (Creative Soundblaster Xtremegamer). Not great, I've heard.