[Wildcatsare1]

I was thinking about adding a Planar to my 'phones, any recommendations for a 650ophile?

 

[Solrighal]

I was thinking about adding a Planar to my 'phones, any recommendations for a 650ophile?

Good question.

 

[Hellenback]

   
I heard a pretty big difference between a first generation HiFace and my Blue Circle Thingee .......   and the difference was in tone as well as resolution.  All things being equal, I would like to have a converter with the resolution of the HiFace and the tone of the Thingee.
 
 
 
Don't be so sure. 

 
"The result of balanced headphones is less damping factor, more distortion, and more noise. Also, balanced headphones configurations offer no real benefits, to boot."  .... Benchmark engineer Elias Gwinn   [ http://www.head-fi.org/t/576339/balanced-vs-single-ended-poll ]
 

 
A statement prefaced with ,,,"....and on a perhaps more controversial note.." hardly indicates certainty but thanks for the link, I'll take a look.
 
My comment comes from my own experience in listening to the HD650s with different amps and in different configurations over the years. I'll admit I'm subject to placebo effect like all people but what I hear through a fairly modest balanced system ie < $1000 separate amp/DAC is less noise and more impact.
 
Audio is an art as well as a science and although I don't disregard measurements I know what I like to hear. I can't comment on the article as I have not read it but if people using tube amps like the distortion they impart is it not possible that a balanced configuration...if it indeed measures higher on a particular noise/distortion scale is one that is "friendly" in the same way tube amp distortion is heard to be.
 
I will read the article but there are many studies out there. There are also many highly regarded people in this industry who design, build and use very expensive balanced amps. They must hear something they like, as I do

 

[upstateguy]

  <snip>
 
There are also many highly regarded people in this industry who design, build and use very expensive balanced amps. They must hear something they like, as I do

 
Regarding this, our own resident EE, KWKARTH has said, "Someplace around here at least a year or more ago, I posted the genesis of balanced headphone amplifiers.  It was a brilliant business decision, allowing the company create a new product of higher performance from bridging the outputs from amplifier modules already on hand in stock without having to completely redesign.  If I can find it, I will provide a link."      http://www.head-fi.org/t/539458/why-balanced-headphone-amps
 
and then went on to say, "Yes, I think this thing took on a life of it's own and pretty soon companies started to realize they could sell more gear at higher profits if they made the gear "balanced."     http://www.head-fi.org/t/539458/why-balanced-headphone-amps

 

[Hellenback]

   
Regarding this, our own resident EE, KWKARTH has said, "Someplace around here at least a year or more ago, I posted the genesis of balanced headphone amplifiers.  It was a brilliant business decision, allowing the company create a new product of higher performance from bridging the outputs from amplifier modules already on hand in stock without having to completely redesign.  If I can find it, I will provide a link."      http://www.head-fi.org/t/539458/why-balanced-headphone-amps
 
and then went on to say, "Yes, I think this thing took on a life of it's own and pretty soon companies started to realize they could sell more gear at higher profits if they made the gear "balanced."     http://www.head-fi.org/t/539458/why-balanced-headphone-amps

 
There are also articles (can't/don't have time to find the link right now that state/prove? that people cannot hear the  difference between high end amps and those costing much, much less. One I remember reading was referring to both headphone and Stereo/AVR units.
 
I'm sure we could go on indefinitely with this and it is why I opened my initial statement with the "more controversial" qualification.
 
For the money I spent on my balanced set-up, I was unable to find a single ended set-up that sounded as good or had as black a background. I have never had to contend with ground loop hum or any of the other noise I use to encounter with mid-tier single ended amps. I have not used a plethora of them, I am only speaking from my experience with the ones I tried in my price range.
 
I am sure there are single ended amps that sound better than what I own but the best set-up I have ever heard was Ray Samuels' balanced R10s into one of his own high end balanced tube amps. I forget the particular model of amp as it was at a meet years ago at the Toronto downtown library.
 
I have heard many higher end set-ups since but have not found (so far) that near equally priced balanced/single ended set-ups leaned in the direction of the SE one as far as my preference goes (not the best worded sentence but I really am in a rush right now. I'll try to find some links/references later when I have some time but am really not out to convert anyone or have them waste money as I don't have much myself

 

[Solrighal]

New cables. Forza Audio Works "Colour" series. Impressive value.

 

[MattTCG]

Nice pics...looking great. 

  Are those cables very flexible?

 

[Mad Max]

New cables. Forza Audio Works "Colour" series. Impressive value.

 
Paracord? Nice.

 

[CRITICALSHOT]

New cables. Forza Audio Works "Colour" series. Impressive value.

What is the price? How long? Is it copper, silver or maybe gold? How about a link? I read a review of some cables you just bought, are these different? If so why did you get the same color?

 

[joebobbilly]

My 650's are finally "breaking in" after apx. 150 hours of use and their sweet spot is oh, so wonderful! Though maybe it is my new Fiio E09k/E17 combo versus the Cambridge Azur/Music Fidelity Xcan V3 partnering. Listening to the Grateful Dead, Dick's Picks, V7 was an ethreal experience last night, the space jams sounding powerful and soooooo sweet, at the same time. Had read that the E09k did not have enough juice for the 650's, definitely not the case, twelve o'clock blows me away. Initially, I forgot to switch the amp to high gain, my bad, after using my Sony XB4's. Thought the smattering of posts making this claim were correct, had a minor epiphany, and am now blown away by the combination, affordable Audi nirvana! Perhaps those who claimed the E09k lacked the juevos to drive the 650's made the same mistake.....

Had the E09K/E17 combo for the HD650 for a while... it's honestly very solid indeed for the price to performance ratio at the time of it's release. That said though... the HD650 can scale up more and get better... my own personal experience with the Lyr+Bifrost and Mjolnir+Gungnir can confirm this.
 
As to the whole balanced thing... just let your ears decide. Please refrain from posting links to this study blah blah and that study if you haven't experienced it yourself... that stuff belongs in the sound science thread anyways. Perhaps the science behind the aspect of "balancing" an amp doesn't (on it's own) provide benefits... perhaps the amps that are balanced are simply built better... but from an experiential standpoint, for the 2 balanced amps I have listened to (older Headroom balanced amp and Schiit mjolnir)... both did indeed present very black backgrounds and noticeable benefits to the soundstage. Thus it would be fair to say that the HD650 seems to play well with balanced amps.

 

[Solrighal]

Nice pics...looking great.    Are those cables very flexible?

Thanks. Yeah, I worried about that too but they're great. They're very well put together.

Paracord? Nice.

I don't know what Paracord is but thanks.

New cables. Forza Audio Works "Colour" series. Impressive value.

What is the price? How long? Is it copper, silver or maybe gold? How about a link? I read a review of some cables you just bought, are these different? If so why did you get the same color?

Here's the link to the cables. They're only the entry level cable in the Forza range. I opted for these because I was unsure if there would be sonic changes and so I played safe. My primary reason wasn't sound. Treble is clearer but still not showing any grain. Bass also seems a tad stronger.

Yeah, I posted in the Forza thread but the pics are relevant here too.

 

[joespride]

I was thinking about adding a Planar to my 'phones, any recommendations for a 650ophile?

I just added HiFi Man HE-500 to my stable and after approx 3 hours straight listening using my Schiit Valhalla / Uberfrost to power them I can say without a doubt I am Happy I bought them,  I initially wanted the Audeze LCD 2.2 however now I am glad I did not spend the additional 400.00.  When I look at the comparisons between hifi man and audeze the biggest item quoted is bass is better in the lcd, for my ears the 500 have a very nice balanced sound with extension on bass and treble better separation and more detail.
 
Underwood had a great deal on the HE-500 new I could not pass it up

 

[upstateguy]

Thanks. Yeah, I worried about that too but they're great. They're very well put together.
I don't know what Paracord is but thanks.
Here's the link to the cables. They're only the entry level cable in the Forza range. I opted for these because I was unsure if there would be sonic changes and so I played safe. My primary reason wasn't sound. Treble is clearer but still not showing any grain. Bass also seems a tad stronger.

Yeah, I posted in the Forza thread but the pics are relevant here too.

 
Nice looking cables.... very snazzy!

  Like adding a pin stripe to a car.

  Really makes those 650's pop! 

 
But come on, you know the cable is not going to effect the sound..... 

 

[joebobbilly]

Just can't resist dropping another seed of destruction in this thread eh?

 
You are a sinister one indeed

 

[Unfie]

Oh no, not this again. 

 I will eventually need a new cable, though. I keep on running over it with my chair.